WAIKOHU COUNTY.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 10511, 15 February 1928, Page 2

WAIKOHU COUNTY.

COUNCIL'S MONTHLY MEETING

Tlie Waikolm 'County Council’s monthly mooting yesterday whs presided** over by the chairman, Mr. T. B. Spence. There wore also present Cta. H. J. Tonibleson, G. H. Morice, W. B. Harding, H. H. Hods, A. A. Fraser, and M. Hoyle. Permission was granted to Mr. F. Cridland, a county surfaceman, to graze his horse in one of the stock paddocks at Rakauroa.

Advice was received from the District Engineer of the P.W.D. that the grant for Tom'bleson’s deviation and Hutchinson's bridge would probably be exceeded, and wished to know whether the council would agree to contribute its quota, on the extra work at the original rate, viz. £3 for ;£l.—lt was decided to contribute at the original rate. The district engineer also advised that the Minister of Public Works had approved of free money being granted for formation and £1 for £1 subsidy for metalling the Taumata road.—As it appeared there was some misunderstanding regarding the allocation of the proposed grants, the member for the riding was asked to go into the matter with the district engineer and report to the next meeting. Mr. J. M. Kirk, on behalf of Mr. E. Richardson, protested against the closing of a portion of the Motu front road.—(Mr. Pic-hard son waited on the council and was assured that the council would do its best to> make a satisfactory '.settlement of his difficulty.

Mr. Neverman. of Matawai, applied for consent to erect a telephone line on Motu Valley road.—Granted. 4 Applications were received from the Poverty Bay Stockbrokers’‘ Association an'd the Matawai Saleyards Co. for renewal of their saleyards licenses.—Granted. The clerk of the Cook Count' Council acknowledged receipt of the proposed agreement in reference to the maintenance of the Taumata. road and advised that it would be accepted by the Cook County Council if the Waikolm Council would agree to form about 15J chains of the road from Mr Morice’s house to the river.—lt was decided to reply that the agreement was not intended to deal with anything except the question of maintenance. "The district engineer gave notice that the Minister had decided to take over the maintenance of six and nhalf miles of the Matawai-Waioeka road between the 5-mile and pegs, the estimated annual cost of maintenance being £32s.—Beeeived. Authorities were received from! the Public Works Department for the expenditure of £pso, £1 for £1 on Nga-tapa-Wha rekopae road, and from the Main Highways Board for £643, £3 for £1 for metalling and forming one mile of the main road near Matawai. —Beeeived.

The Cook Hospital Board wrote asking the council to appoint deleattend a conference to discuss the steps to he taken for the relief of unemployment during the coming winter.—The chairman and Or. Tonibleson were asked to represent the council.

Mr. Tyerman asked that some maintenance, should be carried out on Motu Falls road.—The matter was left to the engineer and the member for the riding. Accounts amounting to £4835 Is 3d were passed for payment. Tenders were accepted as follows: Metalling main highway 38 to 39 mile peg, J. King (only tenderer), £650; metalling at Poututu (six tenders), Skeet and €6., 3s 5d per yard; metalling and formation Motu front road (two tenders), M. Spellars, £l5O. A special order authorising the raising of £3OOO, being portion of the Motu Valley loan was confirmed, and debentures *” covering that amount were signed and sealed. It was resolved to impose the 10 per cent, penalty on all unpaid rates on March 1. The clerk was instructed to collect payment of the annual foe in respect of petrol pumps on county roads. Or. Morice reported having made satisfactory arrangements with Mr. lienner for the purchase of a site for a roadman’s cottage at Rere. —- J t was agreed to accept the offer. The engineer was authorised to retain the services of his tempo rat-, draughtsman lor a few months longer. Hie Health Inspector, Mr. F. X. Holder, reported that the number o; infectious cases notified during the year 1927 was 21, as against 44 for 1926, the decline being accounted for by the drop in diphtheria, cases from 39 to 5. Preventive inoculation was carried out at the various schools during the early part of the year and appeared to have had some effect. ENGINEER’S REPORT.

The county engineer, Mr. .A. G Lucas, reported to the council -as follows —'

“Motu Hiding.-—The contracts for metalling and blinding from Fall's quarry to MW Harding’s, and from Rr.iant’s to Fall’s Creek, will he completed this week. This will complete the metalling from Matawai to Koranga, with, the exception of about 25 chains on the Junction hill. Metal has been crushed for the Falls bridge and metalling of the approaches. The crushing plant is now being shifted to Matawai, to crush spawls for the main highway. Plans are ready for the new bridge across the Motu river on Moanui road, and 1 am expecting the girders to arrive at any time. The plans will be prepared for the reinforced concrete bridge over Fall’s .creek on the Koranga road. The contract for regrading and widening two 1 miles of the main highway at Matawai is proceeding satisfactorily; mos. of the eaithvork should be finished this week, and a start will bq made with the spawling of this section. 1 am making a start to survey the. Kakauroa-Tahora. track this week.

•‘Waihuka Riding.—The contractor for the mile of forming and spawling of the main highway will be making a start this week. The two deviations completed bv the Public Works Deportment will be spawled shortly. Tenders are called for this meeting for a further 68 chains of the main highway; 45 chains of metalling at Poututii, and the metalling of 28 chains near the roadman’s cottage on the Motu front road. The district engineer and myself went over a, proposed deviation beyond Mr. Tombleson’s, and the only difficult pieco is about 25 chains on this end. I have been instructed to see if a fair grade and reasonable curves could he obtained by running trials over it. ,1 propose to grad'e in the shingle from Gold 'Creek to the railway station while the grader is here. The new deviation near Mr. Tombleson’s will be open for traffic shortly, thus doing* away with two very dangerous railway crossings.' The station road at, Rakauroa is receiving attention. Maintenance work has been carried out as usual.

“Mangatu Riding.—Maintenance work only lias been carried out in this riding.. .... “AVaipaoa Riding.—Usual maintenance work has been carried out.

“Ngatapa- Riding.—The contractors for "the' regra ding arid' Widening of four miles ,-of the • Ngatapa-Whare-kopae road'bavb completed their contracts ; the contracts for delivery of spawls are proceeding; the spsnvls have been delivered on . the roadside no far as Taumata station. Men are being put on to spread these so as to catch up to the contractor,' and as soon as the second contractor starts carting, extra spreader's will bo put on so that the roller can work over both contracts.. The grader has been

working on the Taumata road and, as /arranged with the late Cook County engineer, lias graded up the piece through Tangihau. The metalling on Robert’s Bluff, and the erection of Boundary Creek bridge, have been delayed owing to the portable crusher breaking down and tho late delivery of the new one. During the month the engineering staff has been engaged surveying a new rood out at Waiinaha, to connect lip with the Hahgaroa river. Maintenance work has been attended to as usual. “Kanakanaia Riding.—The metalling of the Kanakanaia. hill is nearing’ completion. Other than this ordinary maintenance has been carried out. “Knraka Riding.—The timber for tlie running decking of the Kai'tarafhhi bridge has come to hand, and a start will be made immediately with this work. The grader will be put on to grade in the loose metal. Maintenance woik has been carried out as usual.” ' The report was adopted.