RANGITIKEI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLI, Issue 11105, 22 December 1916, Page 6

RANGITIKEI COUNTY COUNCIL.

The Conusil met on Thursday. Present: Crs B. P. Lethbridge (chairman). F. R. H. Brice, A. G. Simpson, T. A. Duncan, and J. Brice. Lsava of absence was granted to Crs Randolph and O’Oallaghan. CORRESPONDENCE. From State Advances, provisionally approving loan of £9OO, Rangitikei bridge at Toe Toe, etc. From Crown Lanas ranger asking council’s consent to extension of Somergal road, Greystoke settlement.

From same, advising payment of £3OB *on account of Tuhoe road grant; advising that the :XJpper Wangaehn Road Board has withdrawn its opposition to issue of warrant for the Taihape-Mataroa road; stating that the balance available for authorisation on votes is £148; stating that extras on contracts on which Government money is being expended have to be approved by the department. Fromßailway Department, stating that the trees on railway land near Cliff road station and obstructing the view will be cut down.

From District Health Officer, giving notice to have dwelling situate in Omatere district renovated and enlarged.—Left to engineer. From Petone Borough, Council, circular re pay of single men in the motor boat patrol service.—Received. From Upper Wangaehu Road Board, agreeing to bear half the cost of the Taihape-Mataroa road. From Upper Wangaehu Road Board, re apportionment of heavy traffic vehicle license fees. —Engineer to submit list of licensees’ fees in that district, and Council will favourably consider the matter at its next meeting. From Kairanga Connty Council, stating that the Council prefers to defer replying to the Raugitikei County Council's enquiry re cost of upkeep of the Gorge road until the meeting of the Commission. —It was resolved that application be made to the chairman or the Commission for the information.

From Fullerton-Smitb, Milea and Cook re Otaihape road deviation and lodgment of caveat against titles to land affected.

From Treadwell, (Gordon and Brodie asking that plan of the Tiniwaitara Block road be completed. From J. Campion, asking permission to lay a pipe drain under the road at Omuri Hori. —Granted, subject to pipes being laid to satisfacion of engineer. “ From J. Bartosh, agreeing to find balance of money over £lO required to metal <55 chains of the Kotutu raeroa road. —Left to engineer to arrange, - From J. H. Burgess and H. J. Meads, asking that the Aldworth road he attended to.

From H. B. Snellgrove complaining of stock straying on Parewanui road.

From W. A. Izard, forwarding plan and dedication of land for widening the Tnrakina Valley road through the Ann Bank property. — Cra Simpson and F, Brice to sign plan. From Baird and Mclntosh, asking the Council to raise a loan of £SOO to complete the formation of the Otaihape Valley road, etc. .Resolved (chairman —F. Brice) That the State Advances Department be written to asking if further loan money will be available on Ist April, 1917, and in the event of no Government money being available that application be made to the Pnblic Trustee for the loan. ENGINEER'S REPORT. Mr S. Mair, engineer, reported as follows Rangitira Riding.—Road grader bas finished trimming np roads, which are now in good order. Road roller has completed reforming Log Whare flat. I have let contract No. 477, forming and gravelling Porewa bridge approaches, Rata, to Mr H. M. Down's, and the work is in progress. j Wangaehn Riding.—Road grader has finished the Okirae roads and will shortly move into Otairi. Roads are in good order. Otairi Riding.—Road toiler is reforming Hunterville-Poukioro road, but is much handicapped for want of men for stone-breaking. 1 have let contract No. 47, widening cutting, Vinegar Hill road, to Mr F. Manson, and the work is in band. Te Kapua Riding.—Roads eenerally are in good order. Fair progress has been made with gravelling contract on Pukemapou road. Tenders

should go before you to-day for gravelling contracts on PnkenanaNamnnni and Taihape - Mataroa roads, I have receivend word from

Collett and Son, Dannevirbe, the makers of the stone crusher staitng that it will be completed by the end of this week. They are at present

giving it a trial run. Mr Gould is engaged surveying deviation of Otaihape Valley road. Awarua Hiding.—Gravelling con-

tracts on Papabai and TaibapeWainni roads have been completed satisfactorily. lam still short of permanent roadmen in this riding. Erewhon Hiding.—Roads are all in good order. OVERSEER’S REPORT.

Mr A. Thoms, overseer, reported as follows: —This month the weather has been dry, and following on last month’s wet weather is making the metal f oads break up quickly. The roadmen are practically ail working laying clay or putting oo grit Irom

the sides of the road, to try and prevent them breaking up. The grader has finished widening about half the Tnrakina hill, and is now forming Glasgow’s road at Waipn. The fencing on tire outer edge cf the formation where widened on the Tnrakina hill will he gone on with as soon as .1 can get men for the work. During the month I have gone carefully into the quantity of metal that will be required for repairs on the roads this season. I have kept the quantity as low as I think it is safe considering the increased traffic. (1 shink the public hardly realise what the motor traffic amounts to. The tally just taken on the Bulls bridge shows that there is an average of about 30,000 motor cars cross the bridge in twelve months.) I do not think it would be wise to let the roads go hack much, as if we do so they may require much more metal next year, when the cost may be even higher than at present. The quantity required this season is about the same as last season; but the estimated cost is a little higher. The following are my estimiates of the quantity and cost of the metal required on each length of road this season

£1668 18 4 The following are my estimates of the quantity of metal required in each riding this season and the cost of same, also quantity put out last season and cost. Rangitoto Rifling. Estimated quantity required this season, 2025 yds; estimated cost, £486; quantity put out last season, 1636 yds, cost £3Bl 10s lOd. Otakapu Riding.—2lss yards £486; 1648 yds, £361 3s 4d. Porewa.— 262o yds, £564 18s; 2966 yds, £604. Wangaehu Riding.—soo yds, £ll7 10a: 700 yds, £175. Rangatira Riding. -60 yds, £l3 10s; 250 yds, £4O. Totals.—736o yds, £1368 18s 4d; 7200 yds. £1561 14s. The resident of Ngareta street, Rira street and part of Marumaru street wish the Council to raise a loan of £350 to lay water along these streets. The cost of 3 inch pipes are now 2s 4d per foot; but this mater - I lal is rising rapidly in price and in three months may be consideranly higher in price. It was resolved — (Chairman —Or. J. Brice) That 10 per cent be added to all rates unpaid after the expiry of 6 months and 14 days from demand

(Chairman —Or. F. Brice) That the dog tox for the County (exclusive of Lethbridge Town District) for the year 1917 be fixed at 2s 6d per dog for all sheep and cattle dogs, used exclusively for jjthe purpose of destroying rabbits, and 10s per dog for all other dogs. Mr A. P. Stewart is the appointed registrar of dogs. (Chairman —Cr Simpson) That the County offices be closed for the holidays from 25th December to th January inclusive. (Chairman —Cr. F. Brice) That tenders be called for maintenance metal, to be in by next meeting. (Chairman —Cr Simpson) That the £l4B balance of voiea available be allocated to the Pubemapou Road. (Chairman —Cr.' T. Dnncan) That the Council make the preliminary application for loan of £7OO for the Taihapo-Mataroa road to be secured by a special rate within the County. (Cr. F. Brice—Chairman) That application be made for a loan of £350 to lay water mains along Ngareta and Rira streets, and portion of Marumaru Street lying between the two first mentioned streets, on the security of a special rating area to be defined by the inspector. Mr Bowen’s tender of £5 Is for catting grass seed on 'Bowen’s Road was accepted. The matter of letting grass seed cutting rights on roads for which no tender has been received was left in the bands of Mr Thoms.

The Chairman was authorised to engage counsel to represent Council at the Gorge Commission hearing. A bonus of £5 was granted to Frank Nicol, Ralph Sutcliffe and Charles Blundell, assistants.

Application is to be made to the Railway Department for a refund of the 2d per mile overcharge on the train mileage charged for the ballast train.

The Treasurer reported :—Receipts daring month, rates £12,140 18s 6d; subsidy £1875; grant £208; sale ballas £lOl Is lOd; sales grass seed £52 15s, and sundries brings the total to £14,462 9s lOd. Dr. balance after last meeting £10,694 Is 4d. Cr. balance before to-day’s payments £3678 8s 6d, to-day’s payments £l7ll 3s lOd. Or. balance £2057 4s Bd.

£ s d Balls-Scott’s and Brandon Hall roads, 775 yds at 4s 155 0 0 Eanmai road, 275 yds at 8a 110 0 0 £265 0 0 Marton-Bolls and Junction roads, 850 yds at 3s lOd 162 18 4 Bulls-Tnrakina and Makiri kirl roads, 1000 yds at 5s 250 0 0 Tnrakina-Wangaehu roads. 1200 yds at 4s 6d 270 0 0 Bonny Glen and i*ern JB'Jat roads, 1000 yds at 4e 3d 212 10 0 Tnrakina Valley roads, 500 yds at 5s 125 0 0 Upper Tutaenm roads, etc. 1000 yds at 4s 3d 212 10 0 Cliff and Calico roads,etc., 760 yds at 4s 6d 171 0 0