BACK COUNTRY AFFAIRS

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14068, 15 February 1939, Page 3

BACK COUNTRY AFFAIRS

AKITIO COUNTY COUNCIL. THE MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the AJkitio County Council was held in the Council Chambers, Pongaroa, on Monday, the chairman (Or. C. P. Hunter) presiding. Other Councillors present were Ors. L. Ballantyne, A. W. Ruskell, D. W. Gray, D. R. Hall and E. S. Ellingham, the County clerk (Mr S. W. Eunson) and the County engineer (Mr A. Maylin Theed. Leave of absence was granted Cr. T. A. Yeoman. CORRESPONDENCE. Messrs Chapman, Tripp, Watson, James and Co., representing Miss I. E. S. Watson, wrote regarding the Pongaroa Scenic Reserve, strongly objecting to the Council s decision to close portion of a road as it would cut off her access. The house was offered to the Council for purchase. —Cr. Ruskell said that the matter of access could easily be arranged. The Council decided they were not’ interested in the purchase of the house. The Department of Lands and Survey acknowledged receipt of the Council’s application for additional sections to be added to the Pongaroa Scenic Reserve. Mr E. O. Matthews, of Pongaroa, applied for extra hydatids tablets for pups being reared for his rabbiting pack.—lt was decided to make the tablets available through the dog tax collector. The engineer of the Eketahuna County Council wrote regarding the metalling of the Waihoki Valley Road as follows: c ‘When Mr Theed asked me about the supply of metal for the Waihoki Road. 1 understood from him that the work would be proceeded with as soon as possible and that he anticipated being ready for the metal 'early in the New' Year. The Council based its Quotation on being able to give you up to 40 cubic yards per day from the crusher, the balance of the output to be taken by ourselves. This arrangement would mean that our own trucks at Tiraumea would be engaged in completing the P.W.D. grant metalling works at the same time as you were carting. As you have not even called tenders yet it means that we will have to engage extra transport in the meantime to handle the whole output of the crusher and that when your works come along we villi have to have our crusher gang in the quarry and no work for our own trucks, and if you cannot handle the full output of the crusher, the cost of the metal will naturally have to be increased. Another factor againstleaving the metalling late in the season is that we will not have the opportunity to patch up our section of the road after you have finished carting owing to the fact that we cannot work the quarry very late in the season. It would help matters considerably if you could arrange to call tenders immediately and stipulate an immediate start with the carting. The Council is desirous of assisting you in every way possible, but unless your work and ours can dovetail in there will have to be considerable revision in the quoted price of the metal, as otherwise ,we would be crushing at a. loss. I trust that you will be able to hasten on the work and so help both Councils.’' —The chairman said they had been frightened to start this work because of finance. They had now called tenders, which were before the meeting. Tt was decided the accepting of the tender be left in the lands of the chairman, Cr. Gray and the engineer. RANGER’S REPORT. The ranger (Mr R. J. T. Scott) reported that during the month he had impounded seven cattle, collecting fees amounting to 9s. and that he had registered 400 dogs to date. Accounts amounting to £‘2201 12s 3d were passed for payment.