WAIPA COUNTY COUNCIL

Waikato Argus, Volume XXXV, Issue 5508, 14 January 1914, Page 4

WAIPA COUNTY COUNCIL

• The monthly meeting of the Waipa County Council was held at Ohaupo yesterday. Mr J. Fisher presided, and the other members present were Crfi Maeky, Alexander, Poynter, Ryburn, Bryant, Teasdale and McGhie. Remittance. A voucher for £330 was received from the Treasury in respect of earthwork at Walker's Gully. Monavale Affairs. The Monavale Settlers' Association asked the Council to erect a water trough on the roadside near the creamery. They were of opinion that a large amount of the water used for cooling the cieam ran to waste every morning and this could be obtained to supply the trough. The letter concluded by staling that the road was in a very bumpy condition, and could do with a little attention while the dry weather lasted.—On the motion of the chairman, seconded by Cr Maeky, it was agre'ed to ask the creamery company on what conditions they would supply water to the trough if the council erected it. Koad and Bridge Grants.

The Under-Secretary of the Public Works Department, writing on December 22nd, in reply to the council's letter asking to be advised of the votes for road, etc., works, which it was proposed to entrust to the council for expenditure, enclosed the following schedule, showing unauthorised balances on votes, the expenditure of which it was proposed to be carried out by the council when funds were available: —Pirongia to Te Awamutu, £ for £, £250; Te Kowhai to Te Rapa, £ for £, £100; Walker's Gully, l'l for £2, £245. This information was furnished so as to enable the council to make the necessary preliminary arrangements for carrying out the work. It must, however, be distinctly understood that his letter was no authority to proceed with the work or to incur any liability whatever in respect thereto. After proposals had been submitted to the Department's local engineer, the question of issuing formal money authority would be considered, according to the urgency of the work and as funds are available. -The clerk said he had written to the Under-Secre-tary on 10th inst., stating that he was directed by his council to say that, in addition to the votes mentioned, the under-mentioned sums were shown on the estimates as granted to Waipa county, and he was instructed to inquire what the position was regarding these: On page 45 of main estimates appeared: Punui bridge road, Waipa, £SO; Kihikihi to Waotu, Waipa and West Taupo, £350. On page 46 of the supplementary estimates: Whatawhata swamp road, £150; Punui bridge road, £SO; Te Awamutu to Te Puhi bridge, £SO; bridge over Waitawhiriwhiri stream, £IOO. Regarding the Kihikihi to Waotu road grant, he would be obliged if the Under-Secretary would inform him what portion of this sum was to be expended within the county. Re the bridge over the Waitawhiriwhiri, the work had already been done, and he wished to know what steps were necessary to secure payment of the money. -- The chairman suggested that it should be left to the county engineer to see that everything possible was done to get the grants, and this was agreed to.—Cr Ryburn said the council had been treated very stingily. . The Engineer-in-Chief, replying to the council's letter of 24th December, stated that the issuing of the authorities for works to be undertaken by the council was conditional on the submission and approval first of plans, specifications and estimates covering the work.—Received. Bridge at Ngaruawahia. The Under-Secretary, writing on

30th December, with reference to the construction and apportionment of | cost of the Waikato river bridge at i Ngaruawahia, informed the council that Mr W. S. Short, solicitor, Assistant-Under-Seeretary for Public Works, had been appointed a commissioner to hold an inquiry into the matter. It would be necessary for the council to be represented at the inquiry.—Remitted to the solicitor. Application for Metal. Mr Storey, managing director of the Farmers' Co-operative Auctioneering Company, asked for the use of a few hundred yards of gravel or metal from the pit on the Waipa, near Te Rore, for their yards close to the river. —Left to the engineer. Temporary Signboard. Livingstone Lark, Limited, Hamilton, asked permission to erect a temporary signboard at the corner of the old Whatawhata road and Nawton road, advertising allotments for sale. —Granted. Tenders for Gravelling. It was agreed to call for tenders for gravelling the Monavale Swamp road, the Te Awamutu-Ohaupo road, and the Orakau road. Walker's Gully. The District Engineer, writing on Bth December with reference to Walker's Gully culverts, in reply to , the council's letter advising that trouble had arisen in connection with the above named work owing to faulty foundations, and asking that the assistant road engineer at Hamilton be authorised to inspect the work and report to the council, referred the council to his letter of 17th April last, wherein it was stated, as a condition in connection with the authorisation of the grant, "that the authority is to be applied only to the embankment, not to the culvert, and that the Department takes no responsibility in regard to the culveiting work." In view of that condition, the Department could not take the action, desired by the council.—Received. Pirongia Frontier Road.

A letter signed by eight residents of Pirongia was received drawing attention to the bad state of the Frontier road, between Mr Young's and Mr Stokes' boundaries. They desired that it should be repaired and metalled before witter, as last winter it was impassable and vehicles got bogged.—Cr Alexander said this was the worst bit of roud in their riding. They were being bogged there live weeks ago. He moved that it be left to the engineer to carry out the necessary work. Cr Macky seconded, and the motion was agreed to. Ohaupo Billiard Saloon.

Frederick Molesworth applied for a billiard saloon license for premises opposite the Ohaupo Hotel. He asked that the closing hour should be 11 o'clock.—Granted on the usual conditions—viz., thut the closing huur he 10 o'clock, and the license f e „ £s,_Cr Teaadale said a very fine building had been put up, and he thought they should amend their bylaws. Domain Land. Messrs Swarbrick and Swarbrick, sending rraft lease of 17tJA, Ngaroto, stated they had found this land had been set apart as domain land, and the [chairman, councillors and inhabitants of the county of Waipa were constituted the Ngaroto Domain Board, to administer the land under the Act.--The lease was signed. At the close of the council meeting the members sat as the Domain Hoard, when it was agreed that steps should be taken to put before the Governor all information with a view to provision being made for the proper use of the land.—Cr Kyburn moved that pedestrians be allowed access to the lake, which was seconded by Cr Teaadale and agreed to.

This was all the business of interest. Supervisor's Report. The supervisor's report was presented as follows: At present wc have three metalling jobs in hand, viz., on the Te Awamu-tu-Pirongia road, the Ohaupo-Pate-rangi road, and the Whatawhata Swamp road. Owing to bad weather last month, and the holidays since, only slow progress has been made. Work at the quarry recommenced last week, and it is expected that fair progress will now be made. There are small grants on the estimates fur the Te Awamutu-Pirongia, and the Whatawhata Swamp roads, which will be mainly expended in metalling, and I have prepared plans, etc., of these proposed works, and forwarded them to the Public Works Department for approval. The Graders: The continuous wet weather for three weeks after the last meeting greatly interfered with machine work, so that progress has been slow. No. 1 machine has been on the Hamilton-Tuhikaramea road during the whole month. It is still working there, but will soon be done. There is some work to be done on the Nawton road previous to the gravelling, and after that the machine can go anywhere it may be required. 1 found some employment for the men working No. 2 during the continuance of the wet weather in gravelling repairs on the Pukerimu road, and repairing washouts at Mystery creek. Since the beginning of this month the machine has been working on the Kihikihi-Orakau road. Walker's Gully: This matter was left with me to arrange with Mr Fraser on the lines indicated at the last meeting. 1 have seen Mr Fraser several times and have now got a definite tender. The delay was owing to the difficulty of obtaining the necessary rails, and also in getting a reasonable olfer for bending them. Mr Fraser has been in correspondence with firms all over the country on the matter. He has now succeeded in getting the rails, but had to take a very much larger quantity in order to get them at a reasonable price, and he has determined to do the bending himself. He assures me that no time will be lost, as soon as he can get the material on the ground. He declined to undertake the work of turning the creek, and this 1 am arranging about myself. Culvert on Pirongia Low road: I found this culvert, situated in a deep gully and consisting of 18inconcrete pipes, was in danger of being washed out, one pipe at the lower end having