MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 3628, 7 November 1918, Page 4

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

THE MONTHLY MEETING

The Council met at Sanson on Tuesday. Present: Sir James Wilson (chairman) and Crs. W. J. Phillips, H. H. Hunt, W. S. Penny, W. E. Barber, J. Boyce and Hammond. CORRESPONDENCE.

Inward correspondence was dealt with as follows: —

From Audit Department, returning balance-sheet duly audited. From Valuation Department, stating that Wednesday, November 13, at 10.30 a.m. had been fixed for a sitsing of the Assessment Court at 1 almorston North to hear objections from property-owners in the Manawatu County to tho recent valuations assigned to their properties. A report was received from tho New Zealand Government Railways inspector on the tramways stating that it was in fairly good order and suggesting minor improvements. From Austral Trading and Agency Co., stating that the embargo recently placed on the exportation of steel from Australia was removed on October 4, and that the rails ordered by the Council would be shipped as coon as possible. A circular was received from the Rangitikci County Council re carrying out of public works subsidised by the Government. —Council decided to endorse principles set forth in circular. A complaint was received from Feikling Borough Council that surface water was being diverted on to Mr J. Cobbe's property fronting Wellesley street. —Overseer to confer with Borough Engineer. From Westport Coal Company, stating that tho price of screened and small coal will be increased by Is per ton from 25th inst. - A petition was received from r. McGlon, F. Robson, J. Giles, S. Milligan and others, Awahuri road, protesting against any banking being done to the Manpaone Creek where it runs through Simpson's and Milligan's properties. F G Rout. Foxton, drew attention to stock straying on Foxton-Shannon road. —Received. From Engineer Waitotara County Council, stating that he would be pleased to give a demonstration of their metal lorry at work at a future date.—Councillors will attend when notified of date. From A. Hatrick and C 0.,. Ltd., Wanganui, and G. S. Sninley, Palmerston North, offering metal trucks for sale. .„. „ Resolved (Crs. Hammond—Phillips) That the following alterations be made on tho rate roll: Estate 11. B. McKenzie to Crown; S. Locke to R. Locke; B. F. and H. W. Mohekey to J. K. Murdock; W. Dawbin to Jas. Cameron; Estate Jane Simpson to F. S. Guy; J. C. Poolo to S. W. Tostevin; F. Saxton to S. J. Suistecr; S. J. Teaze to F. T. Neame; J. D. Scott to \V. Osborne; Gibbs and Box to A. T. Box.

(Crs. Boyce—Hunt), That James Clark be appointed ranger in the Manawatu County Council at £2 a week and half the driving fees. A week's notice to terminate the engagement on either side.

Horowhenua County Council wrote requesting the Council to at once repair that piece of the County road between Shannon Borough boundary and the Manawatu bridge, as its present bad condition had been brought about by the metal carts of the Manawatu County Council working in all weathers. —The chairman stated that when the carting was completed and it was in fair order, and others have carted metal since on this road.

Mr Ross, of Fairfield Estate, waited on the Council with reference to the contract for road formation on Fairfield.

It was decided to raise C. P. Good's (assistant clerk) salary to £126 per year.

The question of dogs worrying sheep was discussed, and it was resolved (Crs. Barber —Boyce) That seeing that the Maori Councils exercise no control over Maori dags, and that frequent complaints reach the Council that these dogs in the. neighbourhood of pahs worry sheep, the Council considers that the registration of all dogs should revert to the County Councils.

The Council decided to strike a drainage rate on a uniform scale- of ?d in the £ on the rateable value of all rateable property in the Oroua Drainage District.

Cr. Barber gave notice of motion that when the question of fees for dog registration comes to be rescinded he would move that the fees be 2s 6d for sheep and cattled dogs and 10s for any other dog. Cr. Boyce presented a petition signed by 183 ratepayers in favour of unimproved rating in theManawatu County and demanding that a vote be taken on Wednesday, November November 27.

It was decided (Crs. Hune—Penny) That the tender of, I. Cooksley for contract No. 246 at £4 8s per chain and that of G. Ross for contract No. 247 at £2 per chain be accepted, the County to pay half cost and the riding half cost. TRAMWAY MANAGER'S REPORT The traffic was good, the chief items being: Minerals 111\ tons, manure 106J tons, merchandise 145J tons, cheese 119 tons, wool 156 bales, timber 15,600 feet, metal 720 cubic yards. Fares amounted to £3 12s 2d.' Owing to extra expense during the month, a debit balance of £18 14s 4d is shown.

The blue prints of boiler of "Manawatu" are at present being printed, and prices for a new firebox will be obtained as soon as possible. The Inspector of Machinery reports that firebox of locomotive "Rangitikei" requires to be renewed.

The G class engine is doing very satisfactory work.

TREASURER'S REPORT

Generat account, (dr.) £8302 16s 3d loan account (cr.) £382 7s, nett dr balance £7920 9s 3d.

Amounts available for expenditure to March 31, 1918: Sandon £538 17s Bd, Mount Stewart £778 15s, Waitohi £1091 11s 6d, Rongotea £1043 7s 3d, Carnarvon £729 12s 4d, Kara Kawa £479 6s 7d, Awahou £446 19s Bd.

ENGINEER'S REPORT

Sandon Riding.—We have twice trimmed up the Sandon-Bulls road with tho road grader during the past month, and the surfacemen are now employed repairing the Kakariki road. Metal has been carted and weak places patched up along McDonell's and Bust's lines.

Mount Stewart Riding.—On the 25th of last month the flood from the Mangaone creek scoured and defaced a considerable portion of the FeildingAwahuri road, and also scoured a deep hole almost across'the road between the end of Stewart's line and Boness bridge, and the work of replacing the metal and repairing the damage is now being proceeded with. The Mangaone creek in some places is overgrown with willow trees originally planted by the early settlers and with others having taken root from fallen branches, and ones self-planted have struck root in the centre of tho creek, thus decreasing the carrying capacity of the channel and to augment the height and duration of the floods. The floods will be more serious year by year if these willows are allowed to grow, blow down, and fill in the channel and strike innumerable trees that are impeding the water course. The floods will become more serious on the Feilding-Awahuri road xmless something is done to open and clear the channel of the creek. As requested, I made an inspection of tho nuisance complained of by several hoxiseholder? along Giesen's street, and find thai a very serious nuisance exists, and one of the tenants refused to do anything to stop it. and thinks that he has a right to drain all his slush into tho public road. Rongotea Riding.—l have trimmed up the Rongotea-Longburn road with

the road grader, and intend doing a I portion of the Kopano roads at an early date. We are now carting metal and repairing Tompkin's line, and will have this work completed in two or three weeks' time providing metal is availablo. Councillor Hunt and mysolf made an inspection of tho Oroua river in the Soldier Settlement, where erosion has taken place, near the Ron-gotea-Longburn bridge A very Rcriou3 gap has been made in this section, and as this section has become Crown land, 1 think the department should undortako the work and prevent the land from being scoured away by tho river. Kawa Kawa Riding.—Dining the latter part of last month the roads in the lower portion of this riding woreunder water for a considerable time, and in places tho road was defaced and at other parts silt was deposited iut no serious damage has been reported, Awahou Riding.—During tho past month we patched up weak places along the Foxton-Shannon road. I have arranged with Mr C. Peterson to deliver metal with his motor lorry on this road for tho sum of 5s per yard. I have graded up and repaired thy Whirokino road, which has since been under water, and will require trimming up again as soon as the flood subsides. General.—Owing to tho main shaft of the crushor breaking, wo only crushed a little over 600 cubic yards of metal during last month. I am having a new shaft made by Messrs Ross and Signal, of Foxton, and we expect to be running again in a few days. Tramway.—l have now completed repairs to both of the tram crossings and curves at Sanson, and will have tho curve at tho goods shed put in order shortly. A good deal of ballast is required to pack up the line between Sanson and Pukemii, and this will be proceeded with as soon as circumstances permit. Oroua River Protective Works.— We have now completed the two groynes near tho Awahuri bridge. Tho recent floods in the Oroua river have deposited a fair amount of silt and sand which should be planted with willows as soon as passible. The cost of the work up to date is approximately £192 14s.

Contracts.—The following are ray estimates for the following contracts: Contract No. 246, forming and metalling 73 chains of Koputaru road, 8 yards to the chain, at £4 6s per chain. Contract No. 247, forming and culverting 80 chains of Fairfield road at £1 12s per chain.