RAGLAN COUNTY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11826, 2 December 1901, Page 6

RAGLAN COUNTY COUNCIL.

A SPECIAL meeting of the above was held at Ngaruawaliia on the 27tli ult. There were present: Messrs. Bruce, Hewitt, Lowry, I, Trobe, Mathias, Bankart, McGuirk, McKinnon, and Whiteside. The meeting was held for the purpose of confirming: a special order to levy a special rate of Jd in the £ over the Waipa-Pepepe special ratfng district, for the purpose of paying interest and sinking fund on £3000 proposed to be borrowed for the purpose of widening and improving the ftgaruawahia-Waingaro Road. The motion was carried.

At the ordinary meeting the clerk reported that a poll re rating on unimproved values had been taken. All the returns were in except that from Onewhero, where :< r some reason the poll was not taken. It was decided to consult Messrs. Wynyard and Purchas as to whether this rendered the poll null and void. Messrs. La Trobe and Bankart were deputed to interview Messrs. Gibbison, Litchfield, Armstrong, and Thompson re the Maori Garden Road exchange, and report at next meeting. The clerk reported that he had been instructed to take out an insurance policy for £1.500; he had been unable to do so, as the company refused to accept liability for contractors. The amount was therefore reduced to £500. In reference to an application for a grant to Iho Onewhero Road Board, on the grounds that they had struck no rate, the secretary was instructed to write that the Council had passed a resolution at a previous meeting that no further subsidy would be paid. The clerk stated that the Board did not legally exist, and that a petition was in circulation for its dissolution. Thirds amounting to £179 3s 9d had been received from the Treasury- Mr. P. D: Sniale wrote stating that 2000 trout fiy were available for the Raglan County, also 2500 f<;r Wamsraro and 1200 for Firewood Creek, and asking when the Council would like them delivered. Mr. McKinnon applied for 1500 for the Lakes, and Mr. Lowry asked for the balance for the Murray. It was decided to request the Stock Inspector to notify property-owners to destroy noxious weeds, especially on road lines. In reply to a letter from the Farmers' Club in reference to the Te Uku landing, it was decided to reply that the Council had already made an application for a grant for the road, and that, in its opinion, the settJers should erect the Siied themselves. With respect to section 98, parish of Whangape, the Land Board notified that they had considered the matter of arrears of rates due from Crown tenants, and were of opinion that forfeiture for non-pay-ment should only be decreed after the local body has exhausted its remedy at law, and therefore recommended that judgment against defaulters be first obtained. Mr. Franz Scherff wrote asking that his name should be taken off the roll for a section of land at Waikato Heads, as the land was now under the sea. It v.v.s decided to strike the lot off the rate-book. The Secretary of the Treasury notified that the following sums had been paid to the credit of the Council: — Aotea-Baglan Road. £75 3s lid; RaglanRuapuke Road, £50: subsidy oil rates, £79 4s. The engineer (Mr. Conradi), in his report. stated: —Contract No. 1. Bull's Road: Tenders are called to be in at this meeting for small works, estimate £20. Contract No. 2, Mangapiko: Tenders will also be in for over one mile of earthworks and metalling. I have also called for tenders for 25 chains of metalling at Wairamarama, tenders returnable on December 23. Opuatia bridge: No grant appearing on the Estimates for this work, Mr. Lowry instructed me to proceed with the repairs, and I have let the work (labour) f<sr the sum of £23. This will bring the work close to my former estimate. Raglan Wharf: To strengthen the tee I would suggest that as the Council can see its way to undertake the work that 12 piles he procured, say, at a total cost delivered cf £96; kauri beams and totara stays and labour would run into another £60, making a total of £156. This does not include damage to the present floor, etc., but £200 would cover the lot. N. King's contract is approaching completion. There may te a difficulty about the gravelling as to royalty, but I have arranged with the contractor to pay it if necessary. The Raglan-lluapuke Road contracts are well in hand. It in to 1 having finished the first 44 chains and commenced the next 40 chains, and Messrs. Liddell have completed the earthwork on their half-mile. Several portions of the FaglanWaipa Road require attention, and I would suggest gravelling these portions. The tarring and repairs to the Raglan wharf were carried out in a satisfactory manner. S. all has completed his contract on Colonel Dawson's road, making good work. Rollinson and Moore are making good work on the first portion of Elgood's road, and are well under way with the final contract. It was resolved to allow the matter of the piles for the Raglan wharf to stand over for the present.; but the engineer was instructed to have some improvements at the approach to the wharf carried out. Mr. A. H. Gorla complained that he was unable to get his steamer under the Opuatia bridge when the river was at all high. It was decided to erect a new bridge 4ft above the level of the present cne. The Council decided to spend £200 in repairing the worst places on the Waipa-Raglan Road. An expenditure of £15 was authorised in the Pironeia Riding, and £10 in metalling at the Opuatia landing; sanding at- T-7:ato-wliata, was also authorised. After passing several, accounts for payment the C'or.ncil rose.