Kairanga County Council

Manawatu Standard, Volume XL, Issue 7790, 15 March 1904, Page 5

Kairanga County Council

~ Tl% ordinary monthly meeting oi SL Kair*n Sa County Council was held tp-_ay. P,resent-Crs Luxford (chairman), Bryant, Nathan, j___son,.. n ore, voss, Moody, __d wee!'.

CORRESPOKDEXCE From the Treasury, stating £_o_ ■balance of the ffgawhafc-arau rorti loan was available.— The Clerk reported the money was in hand. From the Borough Engineer, requesting permission to carry water mam on their bridge on the Tiritea road.

Frcm J. Hocking, requesting payment of £3 incurred by him 'or horse hire last December.— Amount to be paid.

I X'-rotn the Hospital Board, stating the Council's contribution under the Tevy struck was £320, of which it had been decided to collect £261 in j two installments, equal to a rate of 24s 6_ in the £1000. The Chairman pointed out that the remaining Is in the £1000 would only be collected when the infectious diseases [hospital was ereoted. I __ REPORT. | The Engineer reported Mr Milver- ! ton's contracts Nos. l and 2, ! Christensen's road, had been completed, and the amount for same could be passed for payment. -Setter's line had also been completed. Referring to the request for peri mission to place the Borough- water [pipes over tile Tiritea bridge, the [Engineer said, he did not think the pipes would be any detriment to the bridge, but at the same time it wasa question for the County Council to decide whether the" Borough; Council should contribute towards the maintenance or reconstruction of fj e bridge. During the next fortnight finger posts will be erected throughout the district, but up to the present nothing had been done as to erecting water troughs. DEPUTATATION S. Mr Miliverton waited upon the Council and asked its intentions towards him with respect to vie Ngawhakarau road metalling contract. It appeared to him that the Council desired to rush into law. He toad no desire for legal proceedings. He wanted to .know what payments were to be made to him, and expressed the opinion the Council had treated him most unfairly and unjustly. The contract could h-ave been finished in ten days wfte_ it was taken out of their hands, and there would have been no difficulty in rinisuing it.

Tiie Chairman said the balance on No. 1 contract in Mr Milverton's favour was £53S and the penaltfes on it £540.

Mr Milverton considered it was a waste of time to talk about the penalties. They could not be claimed.

The Chairman : It might be waste of time as far as j^ou are concerned, but the Councillors are trustees of the ratepayers, and the penalties will be claimed. The three contracts bad been let as one, and when the last of the work is done a statement will be given you. That reply is final.

ilr Milverton : What about the progress payments for work done and the deposit.

The Chairman : You have not done tho value of A the work. You don't want the deposits returned till you have done your work ?

Mr Milverton reiterated he wanted his progress payments. He had claims to meet and the action of the Council was injuring his honour and his credit. Mr Milverton asserted that efforts were being deliberately made to injure him."

Mr Milverton's remarks having assumed a personal character, were strongly resented by Cr Manson, who said that he. objected to the Council -being -described as unjust ami ■dishonourable men, with the result that. Mr Milverton said he had. no desire to insult anyone.

The discussion- dragged . out a weary length despite tiae fact that the chairman had plainly stated: nothing would be done till "the work was finished, wfaen a statement would be supplied the contractors. Matters were brought to a head by Cr Manson moving that, with the Council's solicitor's approval, a progress payment be made to Mr Milverton. -This was lost, anid the Council proceeded with other business.

It was decided, in response to a request from Mr Hughes, to do necessary repairs to his road as soon as the weather was Savourable.

Messrs Tallott, McPhail, and McMurray waited upon the Council and requested that drainage work should be done in the Stony Creek, also the drain'from Napier road, running through Mr Tallott's property to Stony Creek, water from these sources flooding their land?

Tllie Engineer described the nature of the water courses alluded to and also the effect of the cuts made at different times by settlers'-and tlw Road Board also-, and their effects, which were not 'happy.

The opinion was expressed that

something should be -done for the settlers, '•fully 100 acres of land being affected. It was decided that members of the Council should visit toe scene, and in the meantime an effort made by t-he settlers to raise a special loan for the work.

A deputation of. Bunnythorne residents -desired that a portion of a road n*ar Richardson's road should be stumped and graded at an estimated cost, a: -between £7 and £10 Metal was not asked and the settlers would maintain it themselves.