OROUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1056, 8 February 1913, Page 6

OROUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Oroua County Council was held yesterday. Present: Ors. Burrell (chairman), Pearce, Vincent, Morrison, Murphy and Mcßlroy.

CORRESPONDENCE. The following correspondence was received:—

From Mr "W. A. Wilson, asking permission to erect a fence across Pearce street, Halcombe, so as to join up his properties.—Referred to Engineer for report. Marton Borough Council forwarded £67 10s for road roller hire.

Kairanga County Council wrote asking for a contribution of £2O towards maintaining cemetery road at Bunnythorpe. Mr R. H. Hopkirk asked that a drain infront of his property on Ashhurst road be cleaned! out.—Left to Engineer. Mr A. B. Beazer asked permission to stack logs no a side road in front of Mr F.'Allerby's property.—Referred to Cr. Pearce.

Rangitikei County Council sent a circular in reference to control of motor traffic. —Decided to co-operate. Mr W. ;Woolf wrote stating that owing to the scarcity of hardwood timber he was unable to fix the date when J e would make a start with Menzies' ford bridge.

ENGINEER'S REPORT. The Engineer reported as follows: Mangaone Riding.—No work has been done in this riding during the month.

Rangitawa Riding.—The roadman with an extra man has been at work cleaning out and deepening the large drain running along the lailway line at Halcombe, and is at present at work widening the cutting near Mr Pleasants' property on Tokoraugi road. I estimate the cost of forming culverting and,°graveiling the remainder of Sorensen's 7 road at: Formation 30 chains at £l, £3O; culverts, £8; gravelling 400 yards at 4s, £4O ;j total, £llß. In addition to this "* the portion that is already formed and gravelled would require about £ls to put it in order. Raumanga Riding.—The contract for gravelling Wilson's line is proceeding satisfactorily, and should be completed next week. The contractor has made a start on the Arapata road and very satisfactory progress is being made with the formation of the road through the gorge and the back portion. The work of constructing the reinforced concrete bridge over the Waituna stream has been put in hand and should be completed by the end of next week.

Makino Riding.—The reinforced concrete bridge over the Makino stream has been completed and is now open for traffic. Very little other work has been done in this riding during the month. Taonui Riding.—The roadman has been at work taking the roots and stumps out of Nannestad's road preparatory to gravelling, and is now at work regrading the two small hills on Stoney Creek road. The decking ofJAorangi bridge has been giving considerable trouble lately, and the necessity to repair it occurs so often that I consider it would be advisable to renew the worst portion of the decking; this could be done with very little inconvenience to traffic. The contractor has n t yet made a start on Menzies' ford bridge, but I have just received word from him that this work is being delayed by the inability of the timber company to get shipment of the hardwood timber, although the timber has been ready for shipment for some time past. Hiwinui Riding.—Very little work has been done in this riding during the month. The main Siberia road is practically completed, and on the side roads the bulk of the formation with the exception of the top end of Gardiner's road has been completed. Otangaki Riding.— The roadman has been at work cleaning out drains and watertables on the Bunnythorpe-Ashhurst and other roads "in this riding. I inspected the road complained of in Mr Davenport's letter and consider that the roadman took all necessary precautions to leave the road safe. At the time Referred to' small slips came down on several of the roads, one being referred to by Mr Davenport. "This slip the roadman cleared sufficiently to let traffic through, and then left it in order to treat the other roads in the same manner, and it was while away at this work that Mr Davenport met with the accident.

As Mr Davenport .was over this road earlier in the day and was quite familiar with the state of the road, I do not consider that the roadman's action was responsible for the accident.

TREASURER'S REPORT. Amount of general rate levied 1911-12, £4845 8s 9d; amount col looted January 31st, 1913, £4772 Is 6d ; Amount outstanding 31st January, 1913, £73 7s 3d. Amount of general rates levied 1912-13, £4B(>3 2s 5d ; amount collected January 31st, 1913, £4869 18s 4d; amount outstanding 31st, January, 1913, £493 4s Id. Bank balances: General account, £1026 9s 3d ; interest account, £77 19s 4d; "Siberia" loan, £167 12s Id; "Arapata" loan" £1852 5s Sd. A cirouiar letter was received from Mr J. B. Wilson of theJPalmerston North Hospital Board, drawing attention to the need for increasing the accommodafeion at the hospital, and the engagement of a resident surgeon. The letter asked the Council to express an opinion as to whether the Board should borrow money to carry out the improvements or raise the amount necessary by special rates. The question whether public hospitals were for rich and poor alike was informally discussed. Councillors generally were in favour of a loan being raised but no decision was reached on the question. The seal of the Council was affixed to the deed of dedication of the Arapata road. The Engineer's report was adopted and the Council adjourned.