HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9187, 12 April 1910, Page 2

HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Horowhenua County Council was held on Saturday morning, at Levin. Cr. j Watson presided, and the following j members were present:—Crs. Prouse, j Mc.Leavey, Windley, Venn, Freeman, I Stephenson, Richards, and Mr Lodge (clerk). , . j Mr Thompson wrote asking leave of j absence, and this was formally grant- j ed. ! Mr S. Campbell wrote asking the ' Council to take legal proceedings at once so that he could have the road j to his section made legal, as' "they j will not let me through unless I knock ! the gate or rails down." A letter ; dated April 6th from Mr Campbell j asked the Council to do all they could ; to help him.—The County Engineer j ! suggested that the Council should j take the road over under the Public \ Works Act—Resolved, that the occu- j i piers'and owners of sections A. B, C, I Otakhiwhi, Mt. Robinson S.D., be ; notified that it is the intention of the j Council to take the necessary steps | to acquire the land necessary for the j construction of a road through the | aforesaid lands to the boundary of Mr j Campbell's land, and to make all such j other provision as 'may be necessary. A letter was received from Mr A. Robinson, Tokomaru, asking for permission to make a drain along that portion of Nikau street adjoining his property, and also to lay down a dram along Manuka • street boundary. The matter was left in the hands of the councillors for the riding. The clerk to the Manawatu County Council wrote asking what proportion this Council considered should be contributed by them to the proposed work in Old Ferry road, Shannon. Messrs Parker and Vincent, secretaries of the Fairfield Estate Syndicate, transmitted a communication reminding the Council of the question of the metalling of Fairfield road. The deputation which had recently waited on the Council was given to understand that the necessary amount to carry out the work would be placed on this year's Estimates.—lt was decided to carry out the work on the rates for the current year

The Assistant Under-Secretary of the Public Works Department, Wellington, wrote with reference to the Council's letter of January 25, offering to entrust to the Horowhenua County Council the expenditure of the grant of £50 for the Tararua track, and stating that he. was now able to say that representation had been made to the Minister of Public Works regarding the urgency of the work, and that lie (the Minister) considered it desirable that the work should be undertaken under the supervision of one of that department's officers. If the Council saw no objection to this course being followed, he requested them to be good enough to regard the offer of entrusting the expenditure to the Council as cancelled. Authority would then be issued to the district engineer to carry out the work.—The letter was received. Or. Stephenson moved that MiLambert's request to erect gates on subject to the approval of, and during the pleasure of the Council.—Cr Venn seconded the motion, which was agreed to.

Cr. McL'eavey moved that the matter of acquiring the land from the Native owner in connection with the Kara r<bad be left in the hands of Crs. Venn and Stephenson.—Cr Prouse seconded the motion, which was adopted. Mr A. H.'llollo, Otaki, wrote drawing the Council's attention "to the unfair basis" of the voting franchise for Hospital Board elections, "whereby boroughs have such an advantage over the rest of the electorate." Mr Rollo proceeded: "As your Council is specially interested in the matter, I feel that some action should be taken to secure an amendment to the Act, whereby the settlers may -be placed on an equality as regards voting power. To my mind the franchise should be extended to every householder." Cr Venn remarked that at the last election more votes were polled in Levin than in the rest of the county. An Act that made such a thing possible was an unjust Act. They ought to protest against the present franchise. Cr Richards warned the Council not to tinker with the franchise. He, however, suggested that they sho.uld either leave the rolls as they were or place them on the same basis.—Cr Venn moved a resolution that the Council protest against the franchise, which had been introduced for the purpose of electing trustees for Hospital Boards, under which a borough, when bracketed with a county, can practically disfranchise such county.—Cr Freeman seconded, and the motion was agreed to.—lt was decided to transmit a copy of the resolution to the Hon. Mr Fowlds. The Clerk reported receipt of a telegram from Mr J. W. Poynton (Superintendent of the State Guaranteed Advances Office) stating that the loans application for £700 and £800 had been provisionally approved of, A telegram was received from the Superintendent of the State Guaranteed Advances Office to the effect that there would be no objection to the Council reducing the amount of the loan to suit the rate struck under the altered terms, provided that ten per centmargin was allowed for as required by clause C., section 69, of the Guaranteed Advances Act.—The letters were received. The acting-secretary of the Wellington Hospital and _ Charitable Aid Board wrote conveying a copy of a resolution passed at the first meeting of the newly-elected Board and asking whether the members would be willing to continue the previous arrangement regarding the disbursing of charitable aid by local bodies until such time as this Board is able to make definite arrangements for the future disbursing of such Act.—The resolution was to the effect that, pending th© consideration of the report of the policy committee, the late trustees of the Wellington Hospital and Wellington Benevolent Trustees be asked to manage those institutions as heretofore ; that local bodies bo asked to temporarily disburse charitable aid as heretofore.

ENGINEER'S REPORT. The Engineer (Mr J. Malcolm) reported as follows: — Wirokino Riding.—The widening of the Muhunoa- East road is now completed, and is much appreciated by the people that are using it daily. I have also re-graded and widened a portion of Gilles' road, at Ohau; the part was dangerous, but it will now be quite safe. I have formed and am now metalling a few chains of the Tararua road, to give Mr Bartholomew an. outlet for his timber ; the Railway Department are doing away with his tramway crossing. This expenditure can be charged against the loan when it is got. The metalling of the Wirokino end of the Foxton road is now completed. I find the. fencing on the approaches of the Wirokino bridge 'completely rotten. I propose to get it replaced with a substantial wire fence as soon as possible._ Tile "Straker" continues metalling in the Ivoputaroa district; there is plenty of room for it for some time to come. I have made an estimate, as instructed, •

for widening the Foxton road near the j Levin borough boundary. I find there are ten chains tliat- require it, and it will take about 1100 yards of filling to make a jbb of it. This, I think, will be done very cheaply at the present time, as our principal contractors are short of work, and the material is very handy, being in the middle of the work. My estimate is £55. I would suggest calling tenders at once for the work, and they can be dealt with by a committee of the councillors for the riding. Tokomaru Hiding.—ln tins Riding little has been done during the month, but the ordinary -maintenance. Ityrie 1 has started thejeontract for metalling 1 a portion of tlic Heights road, and ; will probably finish in a day or two. 1 He will then go on to Tokomaru at '• once, and form Wilton's road, also I metal the footpath fromftlie store to | the railway station, and do any main- ! tenance that is required in the district before returning. - In re the loan ! for the Tokomaru streets, I will have : the plan of the special district ready jon Monday, and after getting the | valuation and the provisional approi val of the Treasury,, tho ratepayers I consent will be obtained. I will tiy j and hurry up this matter as much as i I can.