MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIX, Issue 10891, 4 March 1914, Page 5

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting was held yesterday. Present: Ors*. J. Q. Wilson (chairman), R. B. McKenzie, H. H. Hunt, J. Henson, B. Gray, W. E. Barlow and W. J. Phillips. The inward correspondence was dealt with as follows :

From Palmerston North Hospital Board, asking for payment of £IO6B 4s 9d levies due. —Loan being raised. Prom Kiwitea and Pohangina County Council, declining to take part in raising a joint loan for road reconstruction.

From Levin and Go., stating in respect to injury done to kerosene and benzine oases in transhipment to Foxtou, that the cases were now made too frail. From several settlers at Ohakea drawing attention to nueisanoe caused by drainage from Ohakea creamery. Overseer _to have the nuisance abated. From District Land Registrar, stating that the road known as Turner’s road, block 14, Oroua Survey District, had never been dedicated, but was treated as a public road in plan deposited in 1900.

From Messrs Loughnan and Jacobs, solicitors, re land taken from Mr Levien for construction of drains, and advising payment of compensation, It was resolved that the Drainage Board was the body to pay compensation, but the Council was willing to facilitate the completion of the transfer, but not to enter into farther liability, TREASURER’S REPORT.

General Account dr. £1983 7s 6d, loan account or, £169 15s Id, net dr. balance £lBlB 12s sd.

Riding Accounts—amounts available for expenditure to 3lst March, 1914: —Rougotea £lB 16s Id, Carnarvon £33 2s sd, Whirokino Subdivision £lO5 19s Bd,

Amounts over expended—Sandon £72 7s sd, Mt. Stewart £B9 6s 2d, Waitohi £lB9 14s lid, Kawa Kawa £337 9a 3d, Awahou £2O 18s Id. TRAMWAY MANAGER’S REPORT.

I have the honour to report on the working of the Tramway lor month of February:—The traffic was good and after paying all expenses a credit balance of £36 9s 7d was made. The chief items of traffic were Grain 143 tons, merchandise 13^-tons, grass seed 134 tons, wool 334 bales, timber 13,800 feet. Fares amounted to £7 13s 3d. A special tram was run in connection with the Makowhai School excursion to Wanganui. All repairs and alterations have been completed on the locomotive Rangitikei, and the Inspector of Machinery is to inspect on Friday next. The brasses of locomotive Mariawatu had to be closed during the month. ®-Re Messrs Lewis and Sons 4 claim. —Owing to our man being unable to unload this benzine when it arrived at Eongotea siding the storekeepers took delivery from the track and the result was a shortage of eight oases of benzine. As I could not get any satisfaction about seven bf the cases the police were called in and they succeeded in finding five cases. Two oases are still missing. Re Arnott’s manure.—The tram guard reports that ibis manure was damp and lumpy when placed on the Eosina Siding, but was (as far as he could see) not wet through. On inquiry I fiod there was no rain for three days after goods were delivered.

Pukenui Sbed. —Although every effort is made to keep this shed locked and persons going frequently to the shed have been supplied with private keys, the door facing the line is continuously being broken open. With the Council’s permission I should like to place this matter in the bands of the police. OVERSEER’S REPORT.

I have the honour to present my report on the works in progress and works completed on the roads throughout the County for the month of February, 1914 : Sandon Riding.—We have now completed repairs to the Ohakea protective works along the bank of the Rangitikei river. There is one drawback to this work, and that is, the stock which are allowed to wander up and down the riverbed destroy the willows that have been planted to make a permanent protection. Mr O. Petersen is making satisfactory progress with his contract for supplying and delivering metal in this Riding. Mt. Stewart Riding.—l have made an inspection of Turner’s road for the purpose of forming and metalling about 50 chains. If the Council undertake this work I would recommend the Council to have the road surveyed and dedicated right to the river bed. My estimate for forming and metalling 50 chains of the above mentioned road is £275. An old wooden culvert on the Peild-ing-Awahurl road is completely rotten and dangerous and should be replaced with concrete pipes without delay. Total cost of culvert £ls.

Waitohi Riding.—The contractors have commenced supplying and delivering screened road metal on the Taipo-Awahuri road I have arranged with Mr T, Stuart to cart about 40 yards of clay on to the Kopane road for the sum of 4s per yard. Rongotea Riding. During the past month I let the carting of 500 yards of soil and clay at Is 8d per yard to make up about seven chains of formation on Leen’s Dine. The work has been completed, and is a decided improvement to the road. We have also completed the concrete bridge on the RongoteaLongburn road, with the exception of filling in the approaches and metalling the road over the bridge, which will be proceeded with in two or three weeks’ time. Mr O. Martin is making fair progress with his contract for forming and metalling the Kopane Road to the Oroua River, and expects to have the whole contract completed in two weeks’ time. It would be advisable to clean out the drain on the Ron-gotea-Longburn road before the winter sets in. Kawa Kawa Riding.—The usual road maintenance work has been done m this Riding during the past month. An old wooden culvert on the Taikorea road has been taken out and replaced with concrete pipes. The drain leading through Mr Mudford’s property at Rangiotu has been cleaned out. Oainarvon Riding. The usual road maintenance work has been done on the River Rank Line in the shape of .trimming np a portion of the road and claying the end near the Makowhai creek. Mr Oooksley has not yet commenced his contract ”',v~ -

for forming and metalling the Taikorea road, but expects to commence the work in two weeks’ time. The unformed and a portion of the formed Eopntarn road should be reformed. There is a credit balance of loan money available for this work and 1 would suggest that the money be spent in forming up the road.

Awchou Riding.—At the request of Mr R. A. Wilson, Gr. Barber and myself made an inspection of the road line leading to Mr Wilson’s property. A portion of the road is formed,' but the most expensive part of the road to be constructed is a sand bill which I estimate will cost £6*o to £7O to grade and fascine a narrow track through. Mr Wilson is prepared to pay half the cost providing the Council completes the work before winter sets in. Mr C. H. Petersen Is progressing favour ably with his metalling contract on the Whirokino road

Bridge over Oroua River at Rangiotu.—Crs. Barber, Gray and fayself met Councillors of the Kairanga County Council at Rangiotu on the 12th of last month to discuss the position of the bridge over the Oroua river at Rangiotu. It was unanimously decided to proceed with the construction of a reinforced concrete bridge in terms of Mr Bastin’s report, and also apply for a commission to proportion the cost of construction between the various local bodies interested. Mr Bastin estimates the cost of the bridge at £I6OO. OTHER BUSINESS. It was resolved tbat the plan for the subdivision of Riddiford’s property be approved, provided the piece of land purchased for road between lots 11 and 12 be shown on it. That the following alterations be made in the rate roll:—R. B, McKenzie to O. W. Duncan, same to W. R. S. Armitage, same to G. Avery, same to J. Green; J. B. Westlake to R. Raay, E. M. Beazer to J. S. E. Masters, S. O. Joanneaux to J. R. Hodder, W. J. Dew to A. Toy. Tbat the agreement entered into between the ratepayers In the Oroua Downs Drainage District and Messrs Rosa and Co., to deepen and clean out the drains in that area, be sanctioned by the Council, and that Messrs Ross and Co. be allowed to complete the contract. That the Council will facilitate, as far as it can, the acquisition of the land at present in the occupation of one of the railway employees on the western side of the Bainesse station, for the purpose of the erection of a school.