EKETAHUNA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Age, 13 March 1922, Page 7

EKETAHUNA COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Council was held on Saturday, Cr. J. B Carruthers presiding. Crs. A. J. Perry, A. Hughan, C. T. Richardson, J. P. Peterson, W. Duff, T. B Mason, H. N. Kebbell, R. W. Kebbell, A. C. Purvis Hay and S. Corlett were also present. Messrs Pragnell and MteKenzie wrote intimating that unless a set-

tlement was made Mr J. Cummins would bring an action for the recovery of £74, the amount of extras claimed with reference to a roadmetalling contract. —It was explained that the amount claimed was for upkeep work done on the road over which metal had been carted, and it. wa s decided to write Messrs Pragnell and McKenzie informing them that the council could accept no liability for the amount claimed as the road was not left in good order after use. The Public Works Department wrote asking that Heckler’s. Block road be prepared for metalling, tenders for which were being called by the Department.—lt was resolved to ask the district engineer (Mr Harding) to meet the county engineer on the road and decide what work was necessary.

The Wairarapa Patriotic Association wrote stating that Cr. Carruthers’ appointment to the executive committee would expire on March 31, ana that it would be necessary to make a further appointment for the ensuing year.—Cr. Carruthers said that owing to the Association having very little funds to distribute there was not a great deal of work for the executive to do at present. The work of the county representative would be- mainly to report concerning applications for loans from the Eketahuna district.—Cr. Carruthers was reappointed the County’s representative.

The Otago Hospital Board wrote protesting against the increase in Government audit fees.—The letter wa s received. The Patangata County Council wrote asking for support for a resolution urging the Government to make a reduction in the unimproved values of grazing land in all the counties between Cape Palliser and East Cape, the object being to get a re* duction in the land tax.—lt was decided to support the resolution. The purchase of chaff and oats for the forthcoming season was left in the hands of the chairman and Cr. Perry.

ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer (Mr N. Malcolm) reported as follows:— West Riding.—Metal repairs are in hand on the roads around Nireaha and also on the Opaki-Manawatu North road from Newman towards Hamua. A small platform bridge on the main road near Kiddies’ is in a very decayed condition and beyond repair; it will have to be replaced as soon as possible. I propose that this should be done with a concrete culvert and filling. The a-buttment piers of the main road bridge over the Makahahi are in a very weak state, the piles being practically rotted away at the ground level. I am having the repairs put in hand at once. a broken culvert on Pukahoi road has been replaced with concrete pipes. East.—Ordinary maintenance work ha s been attended to throughout the riding and a small amount of metal has been carted into dumps on the Bowen and Mangaronga roads. A water drive has been put in to replace a collapsed culvert on Mangaone Valley road. Alfredton. —Metalling is in hand on the Alfredton-Weber road at Saunders’ flat, but frequent freshes in the Tiraumea river have somewhat delayed the work. Roadmen are at present working on Barton’s Line opening up water-tables, repairing broken culvert s and reforming the road where necessary. The large slip on Waihoki road is constantly on the move, and during the month caused the road to be badly scoured and blocked traffic for a few days. It will be necessary either to put a concrete culvert under this slip, or make an effort to hold it with piles and stringers. Waihoki Metalling Contract.—Continued wet weather has been the cause of practically no work being done on this contract.

The report was adopted. Cr. Hay moved that the chairman and the Alfredton riding councillors should meet the engineer on the Waihoki road to consider what steps should be taken to deal with the slip in the Waihoki stream. It was decided that the Alfredton riding representatives should consider what measures were to be taken with reference to the metalling of the Tawataia road east. FINANCE COMMITTEE.

A meeting of the Finance Committee was held in the morning, when the treasurer reported that receipts since last meeting had amounted to £7522 Ils sd. The general account showed a credit balance of £2440 Os 6d, the imprest account a credit of £25 19®, the Waihoki road loan account a credit of £6OO, while £2055 17s remained on fixed deposit. Accounts amounting to £1348 8s lOd were passed for payment. ■'7b was decided to pay J. Cummins up to 75 per cent, of the amount of his contracts, the balance to be held over until the work had been completed.