OKOUA COUNTY

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 114, 10 April 1930, Page 8

OKOUA COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL. (Special to “Standard.”) FEILDING, April 10. The ordinary monthly meeting cf the Oroua County Council was continued yesterday afternoon. Cr. Campbell presiding. FINANCES DISCUSSED. When the balance-eheet for the past year was. pluced before members, the chairman (Cr. Campbell) congratulated the office staff on tho expedition with which tho statement was produced. It .was in his hands at 5 p.m. on April 1 and this he thought must almost establish a record for office work. “You have,” said the chairman, “a most satisfactory balance-sheet. showing a credit of £3675, this without any alteration in the rate struck last year and in spite of the fact that considerable new work was done. It is indeed a most satisfactory position and I think, provided we go on as we are doing, will enable us to »go ahead with our tar-sealing programme without recourse to raising loans. To do this it will bo necessary to keep the rate as at present and I personally think that this would be a sound policy. The proposals of the engineer include the sealing of Kimbolton Road from Kiwitea bridge to Cheltenham. That road requires immediate attention and while the reconstruction work is under'way, it would be just as well to seal the surface.” The chairman considered but some relief might bo possible in that the general rale should remain, but some relief might be possible in regard to certain of tho special rates: On the other hand, the council was faced with an increase in the hospital levy and to meet this lie cpuld not see anything but increasing this particular rate, for he believed it should be collected as a definite levy. The small increase involved in this connection, he thought, would bo set off bv the adjustments to be made on tne special rates. Certainly, the county had never been in a better position from a financial point of view. The riding'accounts were in a satisfactory state and were just about equal, and one particularly pleasing feature about the county’s finances was the way in which the rates had been paid by the ratepayers. Never, perhaps, in the history of the county was the amount outstanding so small. Cr. MacDonald thought a statement showing how the outstanding rates were made up would be appreciated by the ratepayers. The county clerk said that this could easily be done. In commenting on the policy of the council in doing sealing work out of revenue, the chairman said that he noticed Kairanga Council was working on similar lines. There was more than sufficient money in hand to do Kimbolton Itoad. Replyingto Cr Green, the engineer said that if Kimbolton Road were done, the council would be able to proceed with Makirio Road in the following year. Cr. Green observed that he would like to think it could be done but he had his doubts. It appeared to be the intention of the council to go on with the road, but he felt that to seal it would be an injustice to the back country ratepayers. He would like to see the Highways Board approached for a greater subsidy, because the Kimbolton Road served neighbouring counties and was not an exclusive county road. He had noticed that the Manawatu County had secured a £3 for £1 subsidy for sealing road© and he thought that such a subsidy would be payable, on Kimbolton Road. The chairman explained that the greater subsidy was only paid by the board on roads serving boroughs with a population of 6000 or over and had Feilding a population of .6000 he had no doubt the board ' would make the subsidy £3 for £l, instead of £2 for £l. Cr. Green : I am still of the opinion that the Highways Board should pay more. The chairman: It is against their policy on these roads. Cr. McElroy: We might ask the Kiwitea County Council to contribute towards Kimbolton Road as its ratepayers use this road extensively. In discussing the Arapata special rate loan, Cr. Green thought that the area responsible for the loan should pay and not the whole of the county. It was stated that two of the six ratepayers responsible for the special loan had applied for and obtained a revaluation, which had affected tho repayment of the loan and the council had decided to assist the repayment of the balance. Ij: was decided to hold a special meeting on April 30 to consider the estimates ‘and strike the rates for the new year. HENAGHAN’S LINE BRIDGE. In connection with the . discussion which took place at the March meeting respecting the claims of Whakarongo settlers for a bridge over Coal Creek, which puts Heneghan’s Line, it was reported that a suitable ferro-concrete bridge, with a span of 20 feet and a width of 11 feet, could be erected for £3BO.

The chairman sthted that an inspection of ihe locality impressed him that the claims of the settlers merited the council’s attention and he was satisfied that their lot could be very much improved if a serviceable traffic bridge were provided. The engineer had gone into the figures and was satisfied that the position could be met by the provision of a bridge costing £3BO. It was moved by Cr. Greenhow and seconded 'by Cr. Green that the bridge be constructed in accordance with the proposals outlined by the engineer. The motion was carried and tenders will bo called for the work. The chairman: YVe’re getting off cheaper than I thought. I estimated it would cost between £4OO and £6OO to put a bridge over that creek.