WAIPAWA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5071, 9 May 1878, Page 2

WAIPAWA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Tuesday, May 7. '..--.. I The Council met in the Court-house, I Waipawa. I Present — The chairman . (Mr John I Mackersey), Lieut. -Colonel Herrick, Mr I Lawrence, and Mr Rathbone. I The minutes of the previous meeting I were read and confirmed. I Among the correspondence read there I was the following letter from the Under- I Secretary for Public Works : — rj I Wellington, 29th March, 18?& { - I Sir ; — I am directed by the Hon. the Minister for' I Public Works to acknowledge the receipt of your ■ letter of tho 16th inst. , and in reply to state that the ■ Government have already promised the Waipawa- ■ County Council a grant of £1000 towards the main- H teaance of the Seventy-Mile Bush road, and given » H contingent promise of another £1000 to follow. Thia H £2000 the Government consider a fair proportion of HJ the vote granted by Parliament for the road ( > Opaki HJ to Kopua, including the Manawatu Gorge." HJ It is necessary that this road, being a main coach' HJ road, should be kept in repair, and the Minister would H greatly prefer that the Council retained the control H of the repair in its own hands, rathec jjian the H Government should do so either out of the pjroport'on. HJ of the Parliamentary grant, subsidies accruing to tho HJ county, or tolls. The Minister trusts, therefore, the, H Council will see its way to supplement the Partial HJ mentary grant, if necessary, and keep the road in HJ good order. , . . H| I have, &.C., '■ ■- HJ J. W. Knowles. HJ The following report from the County H Engineer was read : — H ' , Napier, May i, 1878. H| Sir,— l have the honor to submit the following re« HJ port for the month of April : — .•- ; : HJ On the Seventy-Mile Bush-road a thorough and HJ careful survey and examination has been made of all HJ the principal bridges and culverts, with a view to ■■ ascertain the extent of needed renewals and repairs. flfl For those bridges requiring most urgent attention! Hi steps have been taken for their, security in the mean- HJ time, and timber has been ordered for the permanent HI re-construction necessary. Drawings and specific*- HH tions for the new bridge necessary will be placed in. HJ hand forthwith. It is proposed to expend the £1000 HH granted on the absolutely necessary bridge renewals HB and repairs, but as this sum will not cover more tbinHH a third of the cost which will be involved in putting HJH this road into an efficient state for traffic, it is reoom-HH mended that the Council apply as early as practicableHHJ for the necessary supplementary grant. HH At VVoodville a contract has been let for alearing 40HH chains of road leading from the main road to theHH Small Farm Association block. The local road boardHH has undertaken an equal quantity of work in the sameHH direction. A report upon the petition from theseHHj settlers is forwarded in a separate cover, together withHH a memorandum on the petition from Mr Mitchell i IHHJ have made a further examination in the MakaretuHHJ district of the roads not previously looked at, but aHJ there are still two other lines of communication uninHH spected, I am not yet in a position to say which wprkiHHJ are most necessary to place in hand. I hope to comjHHJ plete my examination within a fortnight. So far^HHJ can at present see, the most judicious method HHHH pending the sum (£450) available for thisdisHHHHJ would be by subsidising works applied for by tbeVHHH tiers themselves— the works to be approved by tBHHI Council's engineer. _ HHJ| Levels for tho Woipawa-Tamuniu-road have beeHHJ taken, and alignment stakes put in. ' HHH Iv general repairs the following work has been P.<"HHI formed :— On the Te Aute-Waipukurau-road, 18 chainHHH of metalling has been laid near Waipawa. On thHHH Porangahau-road, the men have been principally enflHJ ployed in repairs to bridges and culverts. - ■HH A report upon the petition received from the settle flHH of the southern end of Makaretu block will befoflHH nisbed for the next sitting of the Council . HHHJ I have the honor to be, Sir, HHH - Your obedient servant, HHH Edward H. Bow, HHHJ County Engineer. HH| The Chairman Waipawa County Council. JHHH In the course of a discussion re^^H specting the valuation rolls it was mer^^^f tioned that the assessment roll for tfBVH Oero Road Board had not been receivec^^H all the others were to haudjj It al^^H transpired that the County Council haviiHH neglected to appoint a valuer, the appoiofl^H ment would have to be made by tfl| Judge of the Assessment Court, undH^f the powers vested in him by tflH| Bating Act. HhH Mr Rathbone raised the questiflHH whether Europeans occupying native lan^^^J on lease were exempt from being r^t^^HH The subject was discussed for some tu*^^^| Ultimately it was agreed to ask t^^^| opinion of the Attorney-General on t^^H matter. HhTJI An application from Messrs HarsaHHHJ and Adair, for an increase of £10 to subsidy to the Porangab.au ferry, mak^H^H it £20, was considered. It was decidHnH that the subsidy of £10 already voted sufficient. I^H The Council then adjourned.