Whanga County Council

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 90, 21 August 1923, Page 3

Whanga County Council

MONTHLY MEETING. ' At -.he meeting of th* Whangamomo.i!a County Counc ; 3 held on Monday, there' were present—Crs. N. E, Cleland (chairman), M. P. Ford, Callaghan, McCutchan, A. Meredith. Apology was received from Cr. Kennedy who was unable to be present owing to indisposition. —Leave of absence granted. The consulting engineer (Mr L. C. Sladden),-and, the County clerk (Mr F. G. Catclipole) were in attendance. , f For"th© Pohokura Riding vacancy, the clerk, as. returning officer, reported that only one nomination, that of Mr Joseph McOliiggage, was received, and he was accordingly elected to the position. In a letter to the Council; Mr D. M. Pitcaithly (Pohokura Itfding) wrote rosiening his position as councillor' owing to his leaving the district.—The . resignation was accepted with regret. The 'chairman said Cr. Pitcaithly had always been recognised as a good representative : he had always proved capable and painstaking, and had devoted a good deal of his time to. the position of councillor. All were sorry to lose him.

With regard to portion of the Rerekapo' Road being declared a county road, official intimation was received from the Public, Works department. Wellington, that an Order-in-Councii had been, made declaring portion of the Rorokapo Road a counly road. The notice appeared in the Gazette on the 2nd August last.

i The County foreman (Mr W./Telfer) wrote resigning his position . as he found it wag impossible for him to carry but ty' s duties under existing conditions.—The resignation was accepted with regret. "When asked if he would be prepared to'accept a position in charge of a length of road,.Mr Tel'fer said that the reason why lie resigned was that the district was too wide. At present he was Hot prepared to accept a position, as in endeavouring to do his duty to the Council his own affairs were being neglected. He might consider the question of the oversight of a smaller area later on, but not at preseent.

' v With regard to the proposed roadmaking machinery loan, Or. Meredith, in accordance with his _ notice, moved that steps bo taken to raise a loan for £SOOO, the sum of £2OOO to be used for the purpose as soon as possible. With regard to metalling of the /Kolmratahi-Tahora Read—a distance of about six miles—the chairman rejjprted that in an interview with tlio ! Minister of Public Works (the Hon J. G. Coates), he agrreed to a £2 for £1 subsidy for £ISOO as recomnionded' by the distt.ct engineer (Mr T. M. Ball). The Minister stated that he was prepared to find the whole of the money, and that every endeavour would bo made to finish the work thi s year. The chairman mentioned that'a start' had been made, and that the road had been pegged out for a mile. GENERAL. The construction off Vera Road bridge will be started son., according to a letter from the resident engineer (Mr T. M. Ball) of the Public Works Department. Intimation was conveyed in a letter from, the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. J. G. Coates) that following representations made for the reduction in the cost of metal supplied from the Te Wera quarry, the Department agreed to reduce the price by Is per cubic yard.—Received. A petition wa ß presented signed by sixteen ratepayers, pointing out the dangerous condition of bridges in the Kohuratahi district, especially the bridge opposite Mr Loyatt's homestead. The repairing of that bridge was, in the opinion of .the petitioners, regarded as an urgent one.—The matter was referred to the foreman for attention.

In this connection Or. Callaghan urged that a bridge builder should be employed by the Council. The chairman said many bridges required attention. The matter was referred to Mr Sladden (engineer* to deaJ with as he thought best. The'chairman briefly reported on his attendance at the annual Counties' Conference at Wellington. With .regard to a. remit brought before the conference that auctioneer's licenses should be taken out in counties, as jwell as boroughs, Mr Cleland suggested, that in view of tho large support given auctioneering firms by ; settlers in the country, auctioneering ; firms should be approacehed with a Iview to licenses being taken out with ithe County Council.—On the motion of Cr. Meredith, the chairman- was thanked for his report. In accordance with the official noitice duly published, a general rate was struck for tho ensuing year, as particularlv set out in the notice. I On the application of Crs. Meredith and Ford, authority was given for 100 yards of metal to be used on the Ohura and Rrewer roads. The question of a special rating area being defined was suggested, but no steps were taken. Accounts amounting to £913 7s 7d were passed for payment.