MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 85, 11 August 1877, Page 2

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

The Maaawatu County Council met at the Council Chambers^ Foxton, on Wednesday, at 7*30 p.m. ' , present. Councillors McNeil, McDonald, Snelson, Grower, McArthur, Halcombe, Liddell, and Thynna (Chairman). MINUTES. , The minutes of the adjourned meeting were read and confirmed. x ■ The Chairman then read 1 his BEPOBT. Gentlemen, — - - I * I have the honor to" present,my i usual Monthly. Report to you, and | would draw your attention to the precis | of letters receiyed. A letter has been received from the Cook County requesting our j co-operation m obtaining an amendment | to the Waste Land Laws, so as to allow ,| the County control over these lands.ni This I may remind you has already been? agreed to, m the ' suggestions to the Counties Act at last meeting. , " The Government have agreed, m reply to the application I was authorized to make re the payment of the small sub-contractors, who were employed by the Manchester Highway Board m opening up the access to the Kiwitea Riding, to make a payment of one hundred pounds at' a time' to the Chairman of that Board for.ijhat purpose. I have paid, .agreeably to the resolution of the Council! the sum of £300 to the Councillors ' of the Manchester arid Kiwitea Ridings, for the repairing and widening of the Kimboiton Road. I have been only enabled to make arrangements for the carrying over of the over-seeing of the roads till this meeting, as Mr Prisk has .stated his intention of leaving after .this week, but has made an offer which may induce him to remain, and which will be laid before you. • I have not thought fit to enter into any contract upon the line of road from Carnarvon Junction to the Oroua, as I have laid before the Minister of Public Works the real position of the Railway to the road, and he < has already instructed survoys to be made, and has further promised to communicate again upon' receipt of plans. I am now m correspondence with the same Minister with reference to obtaining a gravel pit for the use of the County, and I trust we shall obtain , the 'advantage of a siding to a pit at the Awapuni. This has become necessary owing to the requirements of the County, and other local bodies for gravel, the pit at present used at. Palnferston being only -for railway purposes. The constables m the district have been advised that they may .impound off the Roads. Their position will however, have to be considered at the special meeting to-night. . An application will be laid, before you from an owner of land abutting .on a main line of road, requesting permission - to fall the bush on the roads along his boundary and only asking m recompense the right to 'erect a temporary-fence for a twelve-month. '- 1 have, however, held' the matter over, owing to the resolutions arrived at last meeting. • ' The proprietor of the "Manawatu Times " accepts the- terms offered as by resolution of last meeting, for the advertising required by the Council. Nothing has been done about approaches to the punt at the Lower' .Gorge Ferry, as the Ferryman informed me that during last fresh, the bank had formed better, and lie believed it would soon be very good. My. answer from Mr Mills re the wire rope, is to the effect that the rope sent waS" a 3£ inch rope, and he has neverimported any smaller, but that he will put it right should he be wrong. In the face of .this I requested Councillor McNeil by letter to be so good as to again measure the rope, so that an opinion from such a practical gentleman should assure Mr' Mills "that he is mistaken. I' have no doubt but that Councillor McNe.il will lay the matter before you. The Government informs me that as they have no funds for the purpose, the County should make the approaches to the Manawatu Bridge, but whilst recognising the importance of the work, I cannot recommend your undertaking it, seeing that one side of the bank lays within the boundaries of thePalmerston Municipality, and the other/^within the Manawatu Highway Board. Applications from, the Ferrymen of Waikawa and Otaki have been received

for wages, and .an application from the Otaki Ferryman; for a new boat. I may mention that m a list of Perries received from the Government these amounts never appeared. I had not, therefore, made any permanent provision for them. v Owing to certain clerical errors m payments on road works Mr Barton has refunded the sum of twelve pounds. I am pleased to be able to lay before you, the basis of terms upon which I - believe we can secure the services of Mr Barton, whenever we^may wish to. The Government liave forwarded a copy of the petition of certain Cdunty « electors praying to be formed into a new County to be called the Kiwitea, the boundaries of which are to contain the Hidings of Manchester and Kiwitea. The petition is brief,- merely setting forth the boundaries and asserting no reasons further than that within those boundaries there are four hundred and eighty ratepayers, and the yearly rental amounts to seventeen thousand and ' , seven hundred and fifteen pounds: . • Having carefully checked the statements made m the petition. I had to Write to the Honorable the Colonial Secretary, and inform him that the required three-fifths of the County electors within the proposed new County I had not been,; as by law required, ob- ! taitied. That m fact pnly two hundred and sixty-five" County elector^ had: signed. And further that the^mber of. County electors "within the p^o^psed new County numbered five hundred and fourteen. ... --'-' ..-v' ; " ' I am not disputing that the, petition I -"has- -not 315/sigriaturei, but -unfortu* natelyelev'en^persons signed such twice, . and one mail, thrice ; . and thirty-seven persons haye^ not their tames* "upon the valuation lists. V Inmaking these assertion? lam guided by the yaluatibn lists * furnished by the Manchester and Man-, awatu Highway Boards, and;! believe such to be the basis proceeded iipoh by the 'by their mentioning the yearly : rental immediately lifter 'stating the numbed of "electors. Such being the case, I hardly see that any step by this Council is necessary to be v j taken to oppose this petition ;• and-I have no . ■■ cause now to show the large number - ; (130) of holders of an acre and less who L have signed, noi the small acreage held . r Uj the petitioners, .against.th e nonsigners of this petition. Outside of the \: Marichestef^Block only holders of four thousandacre^ have shewn any clisposi- , tiontp separate. .- .-.. ■ v- (To be Continued). ;