KAIRANGA COUNTY

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 289, 10 November 1925, Page 7

KAIRANGA COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL.

CORRESPONDENCE AND REPORTS.

The monthly meeting of the Kairanga County Council was held today when there were present: Crs. Batchelar (in the chair), Hopcrolt, Moody, Mercer, Anderson, Cheetham, Mildon and Small.

CORRESPONDENCE. . From Mrs C. M. W. Baker, Palmerston North, making application to lease a pieco of road line fronting lieie farm property. —Left in the hands of the engineer and the member for the riding. From Mrs Baker, directing attention to serious erosion being made at Cliff road by the Manawatu river.' Although the course of the river had altered opposite Scandia street, which had had the effect of leaving part of the writer’s property high and dry, it. was hitting another portion with more direct force at the end of the Cliff road formation.- —The letter was received, it being held that it was a matter for the River Board.

From the Department of Internal Affairs, advising that His Excellency the Governor-General had received a cablegram furnishing particulars of to-morrow’s Armistice Day celebrations to be observed in London and asking that the two minutes’ silence be observed by all local authorities as from 11 a.m. —The council signified its intention to observe the two minutes’ silence throughout the county. From the Department of Internal Affairs, acknowledging receipt of £27 2s, being the amount collected by the council towards the memorial to the late lit. Hon. W. F. Massey.—Received.

From the Minister of Public Works, acknowledging recoipt (per medium of Mr J. A. Nash, M.P.) of a communication with respect to a resolution adopted by the Feilding Borough Council concerning the Manawatu Gorge road. The Minister stated that the matter would liavo his consideration. Mr Nash also wrote, acknowledging the receipt of the council’s letter, and adding that ho had consistently supported the proposal that the Gorge road be taken over by the Government as a national highway. —Received.

From the Department of Health, advising that the New Zealand Sani- ' tary Inspectors’ Association purposed ’ holding its annual conference at Dun--1 edin from February 10 to 13, and asking that the council grant its sanitary inspectors the necessary leave of absence.—Permission was granted for any member to attend. From the Newbury Dairy Company, congratulating the council on the improvements carried out in the approach to the factory. It was, however, suggested that a few more loads of metal be added.—The opinion was expressed that the completed work was excellent and the letter was accordingly received. From the State Advances Office, adgretting that owing to the demands tor a loan of £2OOO for tho Mangaone culverts and bridges w’ould be submitted to tho board of the office for final consideration when the department was in a position to do so. Until tho loan had been actually granted by the board it was. impossible to give any indication as to when the money, would bey available.—Received. From the State Advances Office requesting that owing to the demands made on its resources, the department was not in a position to entertain the council’s application for a loan of £llOO for work on the Napier road.— Received. From tho State Advances Office advising that the council’s application for a loan of £llOO for the purpose of renewing culverts and bridges in the Fitzherbert riding has been granted.— Received.

From tho Public Works Department advising that it had been resolved that the contributions of local bodies towards tho maintenance of main highways would be increased during tho current year from £1 for £2 to £1 for £1 contributed by the local body as from April Ist last. The increased grant, it was pointed out, was not to relieve local bodies of expenditure, but was to bo used for the purpose of improved maintenance of the highways. Closer supervision would, in consequence, be exercised by the board. The position would bo reviewed at the end of the current year and if tho financial position was as favourable as at present it was hoped that it would be possible to carry on on the £1 for £1 basis. —Received. RANGERS’ REPORTS.

The Fitzherbert ranger reported that, during the month, be bad impounded 174 bead of stock, while the Awapuni ranger reported having impounded 64 head of stock, the fees amounting to £4 2s.

FINANCIAL STATEMENT,

A statement of the loan accounts gave the following figures: Taonui riding culverts, amount of loan £3250, amount expended £3151 14s 9d, balance £9B 5s 3d. Mangaone riding culverts, £5260, £4293 18s 8d and £956 Is 4d respectively; Fitzlierbert riding culverts, £5250, £3484 3s 2d and £1765 16s lOd respectively; Taonui riding cottage loan, £3OOO, £2998 10s 3d and £1 9s 9d respectively; Kaliute'rawa road loan, £650, £5lO 16s 6d and £139 3s 6d respectively; Kai-ranga-Bunnytliorpe road, Mangaone riding, £2150, £1971 15s 5d and £l7B 4s 7d respectively; Foxton line loan, £5300, £5276 8s 8d and £23 11s 4d respectively.

STATEMENT OF BALANCES

The statement of accounts showed the following balances :— County fund account, £123 4s; Foxton lino loan, £23 11s 4d; Taonui ,riding culverts loan, £9B 5s 3d; Mangaone riding culverts loan, £1 14s 6d; Fitzherbert riding culverts loan, 7s 2d; Taonui riding cottage loan,. £1 9s 9d ; Kahuterawa road loan, £139 3s 6d; Kai-ranga-Bunnythorpe |road, .Mangaone riding loan, £l7B 4s 7d; Linton Domain Board, £36? 10s; Fitzherbert West Water Race?) Management Committee, £142 5s 2d. RATI® ROLL. 4

The following alterations to the rate roll were authorised :—Mangaone riding : Trustees estate Jas. Bennett to C. J. Bennett, W acres 3rds 38pchs; trustees estate Jap- Bennett to J. H., Bennett, 25 acreji; trustees estate Jas. Bennett to J. S'@ C. Lewer and Mrs M. Lewer, 39 acjffs 3rds 39pchs; trustees estate to Mrs M. Hazelwood, 43 aijfp 3rds 20pchs; trustees estate Jas. jo|nnett to H. S. Bennett, 50 acres. H$‘ onui r ‘ding.—C. W. Carter to T. Ht{Sf to ckdale, 3 acres 3 rds 37pchs; J. 4|®jfiie.son to E. H. Perrin, lrd 10.7pol®F Hans Callesen to S. Nielsen, 3rds fi|®P«hs. Fitzherbert riding.—Mrs ralßCiawith to R. W. J. Elloy, 269 acsM^ r(l lOpchs; G, E.

Whyte to J. W. G. Slack, 153 acres 3rds 26pchs.

ENGINEER’S REPORT

The engineer (Mr J. E. Menzies) reported as follows on the various works carried out during tho past month: General: Three contracts have been in hand and an average of 25 day men employed. Two county horses, one from James’ line and one from Fitzherbert, were exhibited at the recent show and secured two first prizes and one third prize. As it was not decided to show until about ten days pro-, viously the time for preparation was short. Mr C. Fitt had charge of tho exhibits and a great deal of credit is due to the interest he took in the work. Credit is also due to Mr D. Davis, blacksmith, for excellent work done in shoeing tho horses. Taonui riding : General maintenance has been carried out whore necessary, and a number of roads have been graded. Tenders will bo before you to-day for delivery of maintenance metal to dumps at Karere. It is proposed to call tenders for gravelling lower Aorangi road, tenders to he in for next meeting. This road will probably require re-grading before the metal is spread. Mangaone riding: Several roads have been graded and patched. Robert’s line extension has been repaired and gravelled for tho full length. The formation on Wood’s road will he completed this week. The embankment on Railway road near Clevely’s will be widened when Wood's road is finished. A new culvert will bo required under this embankment as the old timber structure has collapsed. Tar patching on Napier road is completed. In regard to the formation oh Henderson’s line, the Oroua County has decided not to carry out any work there unless the settlers interested raise a special loan for that county s proportion of the cost. Under those circumstances I did not consider it worth while going on with the surrey. Fitzherbert riding: All slips have heel), cleared from the Aokautere deviation, and it is proposed to open this road for traffic on November 11th. In regard to widening the embankment on Main road, past Scott’s road, tho existing culvert is about done and in any case it is too low for proper drainage. Application is being made to the Highways Board to renew the culvert and widen the filling, and as soon as approval is received the work will be commenced. The estimated cost of renewing Coker’s and Keeble’s bridges on Main road is £2OOO, of which half will he provided by the Highways Board. This estimate allows for concrete bridges wide enough for two lines of traffic. A new bridge over the Kahuterawa on No. 4 line will cost about £BOO with approaches. The new grader has been over most of the roads in the riding and will be used as re r quired. The teams are now employed carting metal to dumps. GENERAL.

It was resolved that the question of improving the Half Crown road be left in the hands of the engineer, while the cutting of fescue on the roads was also left in his hands.

Steps are to be taken to raise a loan of £2OOO through the State Advances Office for the improvement of the culverts and bridges in the Fitzherbert riding, a poll of the ratepayers to he taken on January 14. Mr Oxenham, senr., waited on the council by request relative to cleaning that portion of Stormy Creek passing through his son’s property. Arrangements were made for the engineer to visit the locality in company with Air Oxenham and Mr Stewart, the adjoining neighbour. Accounts amounting to £1062 14s 5d were passed for payment.