MASTERTON COUNTY

Wairarapa Age, 11 October 1922, Page 7

MASTERTON COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL. The monthly meeting was held yesterday. Present: Crs. W. I. Armstrong (chairman,, D. McLachlan, J. Judd, H. H. Mawley, W. Dalztell and G. Moore, junr. An apology for absence was received from Cr. L. 'l'. Daniell.

Cr. Moore reported that it would be necessary to raise a loan to widen and metal the Blairlogie road from the hill. It was proposed to ask the engineer to bring down a report on the matter, and then the council could discuss ways an,d means of dealing with the work. The Lands Department wrote concerning the removal of metal from the Ruamahunga river. Mr McCalmont, who owned a portion of the hind on the river bank, objected, owing to the river breaking through because of the amount of metal removed.—Cr. Moore moved that the Lands Department be asked to send a man up and inspect the situation. —Carried.

The Public Works Department advised the gazetting of a road at Te Whiti.

The Inspector of Health reported that he had inspected a house owned by the Council (and occupied by Mr Dickens) at Flatspur, and found it in a had condition, being low down and damp. He suggested that the council remove the house to a higher site.—Ci 1 . Moore stated that the house was at the bottom of a gully and it was difficult to alter the site. The Blairlogie manager was endeavouring to go into the matter and an alteration could possibly he made.— The letter was received.

The South Wairarapa County Council wrote regarding the new scale of payment for health inspection, and asked that the council object to the scale.—The chairman moved that an objection be lodged against the new charge being levied three months before the old rate of charges expired.—Carried. Messrs Pragnell and McKenzie wrote on behalf of Mr E. J. Graham, asking for maintenance of a road between the property at Rangitumau. recently purchased by him, and Mr McGovern’s farm. The question arose as to whether the road was public or private, and eventually it was left to the council’s solicitors to deal with.

Mr A. E. Clarke wrote asking if the council was prepared to let the contract for metalling Dorset’s road or pay for work per day.—Left to the overseer to deal with. Mr W. McGovern notified that the Wangaehu road was in a bad state of repair, and it was decided to carry out repair work.

Mr K. T. Tinkham, Glentanna, complained of the bad condition of a road to his property.—The ehairman stated that the road was in need of repair, and that he and the overseer would deal with the matter. Z

Messrs H. Bannister and Maddcson, Upper Plain, wrote regarding cows straying on their road. —Decided to draw the ranger’s attention to the complaint.

Mr H. C. Dickens wrote asking that wandering stock be removed from his road ; also, that heavy lorries be kept off, as it was becoming too fequent and damaging the road. , Resolved to draw the ranger’s attention to the wandering stock, but that the council had no discretion regarding the heavy traffic. The ranger reported having caught 23 straying animals and impounded 10 making a total of 33 for the month. ’ ENGINEERS’ REPORT. Messrs Sladden, Pavitt and Dyett reported:—The Taueru bridge is completed, with the exception of a small portion of the wing under the old bridge. The filling of the approaches is well in hand and the bridge should be available for use in six weeks’ time.

Kahumingi Bridge.—A final statement of account showed that the Kahumingi bridge had been completed well within the contract price, only a small amount of the contingency fund having been required. The contractor for the approaches had been considerably hampered by bad weather and slips. It was proposed to divert the traffic to the new bridge so that thd old bridge could be dismantled and a creek diversion cut across the okl road. A considerable amount of work still required to be done on the approaches and road diversion.

Ngahape froad.—Now that the dry weather was approaching the completion of this road would be attended to. Glendonald-Manawa road bridge.— A final payment for this had been recommended. The report was adopted. FINANCIAL STATEMENT. The treasurer’s report showed a credit balance of £BB9 0s 2d. The receipts since last • meeting were: Taueru and Rorokoko bridges loan £3OOO, Kahumingi bridge loan £l2OO, rates £3372, arrears £5B, penalty £5, Upper Plain W.S. contributions £ll, arrears W.S. £l, Manaia drain £2, motor registrations £3, refund Lansdowne Masterton Borough Council £2lO, foreign rates

£l2, deposits £2, publicans’ license fee £18; total £7899 16s 9d. Rate statement to September 30: Opaki riding (outstanding) £1587, Rangitumau riding £1143, Upper Taueru riding £1332, Te Whiti riding £893, Uruti riding £2358, Wainuioru riding £l4lO. The statement was received. OVERSEER’S REPORT. The overseer (Mr F. Exell) reported : — Opaki Riding.—Metalling on the Paieru, Kibblewhite, Fernridge, Dagg’s and Upper Plain roads is comand grading also completed on the Kiriwhakapapa, Opaki district, and Miki Miki roads. A 10 x 12 x 18 feet culvert has been put in on the Miki Miki road. A small bridge on the Waingawa to Camp road has been redecked, and the decking on the Kiriwhakapapa bridge repaired. Kummer’s bridge, on the Paieru road, also requires a now deck. Rangitumau.—Metal repairs on the Te Ore Ore-Bidefofd road and patching on Bennett’s Hill are completed. Te Whiti.—McKenzie’s road at Weraiti has been graded. I. have made arrangements to have the soldiers’ settlement road at Te Whiti repaired. Uruti.—The contract for widening the road to Liverton’s quarry is completed. T have instructed the contractor to take off two had corners and put in a small culvert. A start was made last Saturday to grade the Blairlogie-Ea.st Coast road. The report was adopted.