KIWITEA COUNTY COUNCIL

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLII, Issue 11471, 25 February 1918, Page 4

KIWITEA COUNTY COUNCIL

The following members were present at the monthly meeting of the Kiwitea County County on Friday night. Crs A. B. Pearce, chairman, W. P. Shaw, J. J. Bryce, Lewis, A. P. Francis, W. Mclntrye, L. T. McLean, D. H., McLean, and R. A. Bower.

CORRESPONDENCE.

Treasury Department:—Forwarding sum of £3, fines collected to December 81st, 1917; also sum of £1159 (5s 3d, 75 per cent of subsidy due to 31st March next. —Received. itangitikei County Council;—Forwarding engineer’s report on proposed bridges over ELwhatau and Hikaraugi' streams and advising Council respecting apportionment of cost. —Council not in favour of construction of bridges. Education Department: —Forwarding circular respecting proposed Kitchener Memorial Scholarships. —Received.

Manawatu County Council Forwarding copy of resolution . respecting damage to roads caused by race traffic.

Feilding Patriotic Societj':—Advising Council that its representatives would retire in May and asking that two gentlemen be nominated to till the positions. Mr \V. S. Marshall;— Objecting to the erection of any obstruction on streets in Marshall village.—Objection upheld, but permission given to put fence on formation on Whnre road.

ENGINEER’S REPORT

Metalling estimates.—ln accordance witii ‘instructions received at lust meeting estimates for the supply of maintenance metal have been prepared and were submitted to a meeting of the Works Committee on Bth inst. at Feilding, Tenders have been invited for the supply of metal as per estimates adopted and will he considered to-night. The County teams are metalling at Kimbolton and Eangiwahia. On Kimbolton road 195 cubic yards have been delivered and 84 on Valley rosd. at Bangiwehia cubic yards have been carted out Cheltenham Riding.—With the exception of a few weak places in the Main Road and Haynes' Line roads in this Riding are reasonably good. The hill at Davies’ cutting has boon repaired-‘'and a culvert put in on Cheltenham Cross road. Material has been ordered for the fencing of the road at Davies’ cutting and as soon as it is on the ground the fence will be proceeded with. The road will then be built up on the norr-h-western side and will thus give an additional width of at le-.st three feet.

Kiwi tea Hiding.—Metalling on Kimbolton road is being proceeded with and will bo completed in about ten d ivs' time.

Waifnna Riding.—Ordinary maintenance work has been continued in tins ivicling The tilling round a culvert on Mannapipi road bad caved in and instructions were given to have this repaired Throughout the whole length, of Mangapipi road the fern needs cutting b-.ck and water tables cleaning out.

Ongo Riding. — Watertables on Waituna Valley and Parorangiroads have-received attention, the latter road requiring a large amount of time to be spent on it. Williamson’s roads east and west have been improved. Kimbolton Riding.—Beyond the metalling of Valley Road bill practically nothing has been done in this Riding during the month, the roadmen being engaged spreading metal in Kiwitea Riding.

Peep-o’-Day Riding.— Nothing has been done on the Kimbolton side of stream during the month. Arrangements luivefbeen made to start necessary repairs and improvements at an early date. A culvert will siiortly he put in near the lord on Peep-o’-Day -road. I propose I'to erect a breastwork at the boggy slip on Maugamama ronl, using lire old decking from Haycock’s bridge for this purpose. Pakihikura Riding.—Otara Hill has been considerably improved, the rough stones being removed and Watertables repaired. At least five extra sets of pipes are required to cope with storm water at this hill. Uu Ohingaiti-Pemberton road watertabies aro being attended to. Poka road has been repaired. Other roads are in fair order.

Raugiwabia Riding.—Metal ling lias commenced on Main road, Rangiwahia, one Comity 'team being used. If the necessary supply of metal is forthcoming an extra team will be engaged. Arrangements have been made for an extra supplv of broken metal. Mausahuia road east is in need of attention and I have arranged for a settler to carry out the workfrequired. Uautapu . Riding.—With the exception of loose metal on Kawhatan road the main roads are in good order. A start will shortly he made erecting a concrete culvert and wall on Mangawharanki road where the old wooden culvert lias collapsed. Three small breastworks will be erected on Sixtus’ Hill where road has fallen away. Ranger and dog tax collectors.—l would respectfully recommend the Council to appoint a ranger and dog tax collector. The nuisance created by wandering stock in the wet weather is very pronounced and should be checked. One man could fulfill the dual duties.

THE COUNTY ROADS. In answer to a question from the chairman, the engineer said he proposed to start the grader very soon, to commence at the Cheltenham end, work up and along the Apiti main road ,aud then go along the main road to Mangaweka. Cr. Bryce said the roads were in a state needing metal. He thought there would he a good deal of dry weather yet before the winter, and he thought tire teams should be used to cart metal as long as possible. The road from Knvitea, Rimbolton to Rsngiwahia, for example, .needed surface metal, and if it were not put on very soon, it would be a much more expensive later on. Cr. L. T. McLean believed in carting out metal as long as they could. TEE HON. D. H. GUTHEIU The chairman and Cr. Shaw proposed the following mdtion That the congratulations of this Council be tendered to the Hon. D. H. Guthrie on his appointment as Minister of Lands in the National Ministry, and a copy of tiiis resolm tiou bo forwarded to the Minister. The Chairman said Guthrie bad been a resident of the County for many years, first as a school teacher and afterwards as a settler.

Ho had served many yearn on the Council, where ho had been a very useful member. The chairman felt it was an honour to the district to have their member chosen for this important office in the Cabinet, and ho -was sure Mr Guthrie would fulfil his duties in a way creditable to himself and valuable to the country. The motion was unanimously carried. COUNCIL MEETINGS. It was deckled in future to meet on the third Saturday in each mouth, at 10 a.m. WORKS COMMITTEE. 1 The Works Committee made the following recommenations: — That the Wages of permanent men be raised to 13s per day. —Agreed to. That F. Eggers’ tender for contract No. 5 bo accepted, at 5s 8d per yard.—Agreed to. That O. Stent’s tender for Contract No. 1, Mangamako road, he held over until lie can he interviewed by Cr. Gower and the overseer respecting price, Jand the tender be submitted to the Department.— Accepted. That the lotting of contract No (>. be left in the hands of Cr. Lewis and the overseer. —Carried. That the chairman and the overseer be authorised to purchase horse feed for coming season.—Agreed to. On the motion of Cr. Shaw and Francis, it was decided that the letting of Contract No. 9 he left in the hands of Cr. Gower and the overseer. RANGER AND DOG TAX COLLECTOR. It was decided to call Tor applications tor ranger and dox tax collector.