OROUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume 9186, Issue 9186, 9 April 1910, Page 7

OROUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The- ordinary meeting of the Oroua County Council was Held at Feilding yesterday. Present-Crs. G. C. Wheeler (chairman), W. G. Pearce, H. Burrell, J. H. Vincent, and W. Reid. CORRESPONDENCE. The following letters were laid before the meeting: — From Returning Officer, Wellington Harbour Board, stating that the Minister of Marine intends dealing with the question of an easier method of electing members next session. From C. J. D. Skinner, drawing the Councils attention to the number of ownerless horses straying on the county roads, and suggesting that they be destroyed.—Ranger to impound them. From Mrs 0. Pleasants, thanking the .Council for letter of condolence.From Mrs Sandilands, thanking the Council for letter of condolence. From Secretary N.Z. Counties Association, notifying conference during the first fortnight of next Parliamentary session. —Chairman appointed delegate. From Pohangina County Council, regretting that they were not in a position to contribute to Mcnzies' Ford bridge. From Mr 0. C. asking permission for six residents to erect a telephone line along portions of the Rangitawa and Gillett's lines, and along McCrea's road.

From Mr A. Campbell, stating that if the Council propose disposing of the timber removed from the old culverts near Mr Campbell, scnr.'s, residence, he would like to have the refusal of it. —Agreed to.

From Hon. R. McKcnzie, stating that the £25,000 voted last session for road maintenance is to be spent by Government officers in backblocks.

From Mr W. G. Pearce, asking permission to lay 12in. water-pipe across the Taonui road, opposite his residence, about 12in. from the surface.—Agreed to.

From N.Z. Railways, stating that instructions had been given to expedite the handing over of the land at Aorangi for road purposes. From Messrs P. and E. Scheldt, asking Council to clean out drain from corner of Raymond street and Ingleby street to Section 164, and road drain in front of Section 61.—Referred to Engineer.

From Mr J. Rasmusson, stating he is prepared to fulfil the contract for forming and metalling Sorcnsen's road West before the winter. —Agreed to.

From Public Works Department, advising that the sum of £255 11s 10d had been authorised for expenditure on Lower Gorge bridge. From Mr P. Hanlon, re metalling road leading to Gorge bridge from the Ashhurst railway station. —Twenty-five yards of metal to be put on. From Mr W. Corry, forwarding plans, tracings, etc., re Cameron's road at Aorangi. From firm of W. A. Sandilands, forwarding petition and agreement in connection with alteration of boundaries. — Crs. Wheeler and Pearco to sign and seal the agreement on behalf of the Oroua County. ENGINEER'S REPORT. Mr R. L. Harding presented the following report: — Mangaone Riding.—The work of regrading the hill on the Feilding-Hal-combo road near Te Pakihou road, has been commenced. Ranitawa Riding.—The contract for gravelling the Kakariki road has been completed, and as the gravel was very loose 1 had it blinded with clay. Eauwanga Riding. —The contract for gravelling Makino road from Stanway to Onepuhi has been completed. The contract for gravelling Wilson's line and Waituna road is proceeding satisfactorily. Makino Riding.—The contract for reforming and gravelling Makino road from the old to the new boundaries of the Feilding borough has been completed, and I would recommend that a final payment b'c made. Contract No. 4, for gravelling Kimbolton road from the old to the now boundaries of the Feilding borough, is proceeding satisfactorily, and should be completed within a fortnight. Contract No. 13, for patching Kimbolton road, from Hitchman's corner to Cheltenham, is proceeding satisfactorily, and should be completed in a day or two. Taonui Riding.—Contract No. 14, for gravelling Aorangi road, has been completed. I also had about 40 yards of gravel put on the road round the Aorangi Block. Contract No. 8, for gravelling the Feilding-Bunnythorpe road, is proceeding satisfactorily. The work of constructing a concrete culvert on the Feild-ing-Bunnythorpe road is proceeding. The concrete will have been put in, and the re6t of the work should be completed next week. I have a eido track and bridge made to take the traffic while the main road is blocked.

Hiwinui Riding.—Contract No. 15, for gravelling Spur road, has been completed. Contract No. 5, for gravelling Reid's line. Watershed, and Feilding : Ashhurst roads, is proceeding .satisfactorily. Otangaki Riding.—Contracts Nos. 17 and 18, for gravelling the Spur and Pohangina.roads, respectively, have beon completed, and contract No. 16 for gravelling the Ashhurst streets, has been commenced. 1 met Mr Harding, of "Siberia," and inspected the steep grade approaching his residence At Mr Harding's request, I also inspected a suggested deviation for this road. This deviation is about 14 chains in length, and would do away with two steep grades. I estimate the cost of deviation at —Formation £50, gravelling 250 yds at 2s 3d £28 2e 6d. fencing 28 chains at £1 £28, survey and transfer, etc., £30, total £136 2s 6d. Towards this Mr Harding offers to con-' tribute £30, and also to take the old road line in exchange for the new one. I estimate the cost of re-grading the hill on the present road line at £70, towards which Mr Harding offers to contribute £10. The offer of Mr A. Harding was deferred, owing to the absence from the meeting of the Councillor for the riding. The Engineer's report was received. TRANSFERS. The following alterations in the 'rate roll were made:—Charles Webb to Cherry Scott, section 59, Ashhurst, one rood. ' W. J. Bowling to T. M. Lancaster, subdivision O . Manchester S.D., 147 acres. Joseph Bartlett to Jas. Motcalfo, part section 53, subdivision P., Manchester S.D.. 123 acres.