MANAWATU COUNTY

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 679, 12 April 1923, Page 7

MANAWATU COUNTY

MONTHLY MEETING OP COUNCIL,

The monthly mooting of the Manuwatu County Council was held at Sanson yostcrday, when there were present: Sir Jas. Wilson (in the chair), Grs. McKelvie, Fagan, Pennv, Hunt, Boyce and Barber. CORRESPONDENCE.

From the State Advances Office, notifying the romission of £7OO, being amount of Kopaue road loan, and £ ; 2O'JU workers' dwelling loan.—Received.

From the Department of Lands and Survey, thanking the council for its report on the protective works recently carried out ai tlie Kopanc settlement, and asking thai the engineer inform it of any appearance of further scouring of willow.-, such as might tend to endanger the good work completed.—Received. Prom the Public Work:, Department, asking for detailed specification and an estimate for the metalling of. 155 chains of road in Tangiinoami township.—The engineer was requested lo prepare an estimate of lhe metalling of the main mails, same lo be sent forward should funds permit, ill,, metalling and the side roads would be also* undertaken.—Received. Prom the executive committee of the X.Z. Counties' Association, advising that the Automobile Associations and Motor Unions were desirous, in the interests, ol the travelling public, that there should be a uniform by-law enabling local authorities to compel all persons using motor vehicles lo have mirrors attached. They asked that the council give the matter its favourable consideration when amending its by-laws—On Lhe motion of Lv. Hunt, seconded bv Cr. McKonzie. it was decided that a by-law be drafted lo compel the onforceniou! of such a regulation. From the lloroivhonua lilectrie Power Hoard, stating that it would be necessary to elect a member for iho constituent district of that portion of the Awahoit riding union the board's district—Received. From the Manawatu-Oroua hlectric Power Board, informing the council thai. it would be necessary to elect two representatives for the county ot Manawatu, the election to be held, oil the same (lay as the u-cneral election for councillors.—Received. * From the Sluggish River Drainage Hoard, drawing attention lo the condition ot the bunks of the main drain for a few chains from the bridge at Air Donaldsons property, which had resulted in damage to the roads through water overflowing. Ino damage had been caused by stock travelling on the roads tranmpling down the banks. The board notified its preparedness lo pay £lO towards the cost of repair provided the council undertook the work.—Left to the councillor of the riding and the en-n-incer to confer with the hoards engineer. ° From the Sanson School Committee, seeking the hire of the council s concrete mixer. The writer also acknowledged the council's' donation of the old lorry bell tot the use of lhe school-Agreed to allow the ;,,„,, of lhe mixer provided a council employee ran the machine. From the Foilding liooslers Club, asking an opinion ol the council as to what would be considered the most suitable for tno shops to observe their half-day in Folding. The actual election was to be bed during the month.—The council decided that it bad no strong opinion but deemed it preferable that Wednesday be observed as the half-day from the point ol view of the country people. , From Messrs Cliristensen and Stanford, Bulls, claiming compensation pi £2co on behalf of V. W. Tostevui. .who lost he s ,Vhi of his right eve while m the employ of the council in 1916-Thp' <■hairmwi .rated that originally Tosfovm had been ex- : in ,i„ t , t | by a specialist, in Wellington, who l m | declared that the sight had not been losi Other authorities had held to the , o „trary.-The matter was referred to Iho

insurance company. |,V olll Mr K. < hnstensen, Oroua Downs, enclosing estinmU' of the total co< ol cleaning the drains in the Oroua Down, (lis-[rit-u-The estimate of £l2O for the current year was agreed to. * K roi n Mr '■■■ «■ juntos. I'" 1 """ 810 ' Xorth staling thai he was now prepared [ 0 proceed with the metalling ol the lower ' ' ■ A, . , , ,„,.,..,, hitelv subdivided by ;;:;' ;;;;a : :;;/;;;-the,ot,,,ciicaiitenders ' m ' ' 0 ,,,,l with the work.-Tenders to be Scl for when fonnalit.es are complied "From Messrs Graham and Reid, Fcilcling, 1 Enclosing cheque for £l6 14s 3d .»

payment of rales payable by the late Mr Stephen Avery. They sought a rebate of the 10 per cent additional rate in view ol the fact thai probate had only just Jjccii granted.—The robate was not granted. From Mr I,'. Robert, Pnlmcrston North, stilling that stock was being allowed to wander on Keilow's line and aero treading down the banks and destroying the lupin planted by the board; also that blackberry was showing prominently on the road. The roads wore also requiring attentionEngineer to inspect and report.

GENERAL

On the motion of Cr Fagan, seconded by C'r L'ennv, the chairman and treasurer were authorised to sign and aflix the common seal of the county to debentures Nos. 1,2 and 3 issued in respect of the loan for the workers' duellings. No. 1 being for £6OO, Xo. 2 for £IOOO, and No. 3 for £4OO.

C (.'. Hanson, ranger, Rongotea, forwarded a statement of stock impounded during January to March, showing that 19 horses and 80 cattle had been taken, the fees amounting to £6 10s. The writer also requested an opinion of wandering stock at Clvdesdale, which was the property of the Crown—Lefl in the bauds of the county clerk io take action, Cr Kaiian slated that, as the result of rumours which had been circulated in the town as to the alleged insanitary condition of a certain poultry farm, he had been requested bv the owner. Mr Crouehley. to place the matter before the council with a view to terminating the rumours. Cr Fagan stated that he, personally, had inspected the farm and had found it in a highlv satisfactory stale of cleanliness, and the owner had expressed his willingness to have the Health Inspector visit the place. It was decided thai the Health Inspector be invited to visit the poperty. TRAMWAY REPORT.

The tramway manager reported on the working of the tramway for the month ol March as follows:—The accounts show a debit balance of £59 8s Id for the month a working. The chief items of traffic were: Minerals and manure 189 tons, cheese and butler 150; tons, general merchandise 80 tons, sheep, etc., 61 trucks, timber 24,790 superficial feet. Fares amounted to £1 2s 6d It has become necessary to have the bogie wheel., of the "G" class engine turned up and arrangements have been made to have ihe work done a.t East Town.

TREASURER'S REPORT

The treasurer reported upon the finances of the council as follows:—County fund account cr., £371 9s 2d: loan account, cr., £10.473: net credit balance, £10.844 9s 2d. Amounts available for expenditure:— Waitohi, £l9B 8s 9..1: Rongotea, £54 6s 2d Vmounls over expended:— Sancton, £74 12s scl; Mount Stewart, £391 8s 9d; Carnarvon. £2Ol 10s lid: Kawa Kawa, £571 12s 3d: Awahou, £l6l 7s 6cl,

ENGINEER'S REPORT

The engineer reported upon the works in progress and works completed on the roads throughout the county for the month of March, 1923. as under.—Sandon Riding:' Maintenance repairs have been effected along Kakariki road and some rough patches of metal clayed. An old wooden culvert on Hulls road | has boon taken out and replaced with pipes. This voad was trimmed up with the grader in the early parr of last month and was now being trimmed up again. Mount Stewart: Water tables have boon cleaned out and weak plates repaired along Lee's road. The lorrv is now delivering metal to repair the damage caused by the heavy motor traffic o:i b'eikling-Awahuri road. A small pipe culvert has been laid across SandonAwahuri road and a portion of the water tables fascined. Kawa Kawa: Usual maintenance work has boon carried out along Main Drain road. The widening of the sand cutting on Taikorea road has been completed and the sides fascined. Metal has been carted and weak places repaired along Taikorea and toupee's roads. The grader lias trimmed up I'almet sion-Koxton road and also a portion of Koxton Sandon road. Carnarvon: Lupins overhanging the lower end of River Haul; mad have been cut and cleaned back to the edge of the road, and metal carted to 111! in ruts on I'ulci I'uki road. The contract for forming and metalling the road in Fraser's Estate is about completed and the road is now open for trallie to the Rangitikei river. Awahou Riding: The contractor tor constructing 21 chains of slop bank near the Shannon bridge lias commenced work. The bridge over the Main Drain on the Whirokino road requires re-decking and other repairs, Stonecrusher: During last month very little progress was made in fitting and renovating the engine at the crusher. " present and for several days past boiler worii has been done- and it is hoped to hawe the engine ready for work in a week or two. Tramway: The flimatangi curve has been re-gauged, packed and the Biipercftni reduced to 2bji throughout the length of curve. A short length near Sanson has also been lifted and packed to the original grade. A small concrete culvert is required under the line near the Ohakea siding: the present culvert consists of two concrete walls of inferior concrete which are breaking away and may collapse at any lime. The cost of the proposed culvertis '£4B. The 401 b rails have been laid to Oroua Downs siding and as there are no points and crossings available it will be necessary to remove the sleepers to the llimatangi end and commence plate-laying (here and link up at the Oroua. Downs sidinq; when the points and crossings are available.

Tin' report was adopted. It was decided in install the culver! near Ohakunc siding mid lo'proceed with the worl: of repairing tin.' bridge over the .Main Drain on Whirokino road immediately.