WAIPAWA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Waipawa Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 7717, 6 May 1916, Page 3

WAIPAWA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Waipawa County Council was held yesterday. Present—Mr L. McKay (chairman), and Crs. J. Holden, W. Paulsen, " C. H. Wilkie, F. Glenny, A. W. Cook, J. Mclntyre. CORRESPONDENCE. From G. Y. Oliver, re terms for renting cottage at Argyll East. The writer stated that he did not under- , take to graze the roadman’s horse and cow.—Council to instal a stove and tank, subject to an arrangement that they shall have power to remove them. From Hon. Minister for Railways, stating position of the matter re proposed over-bridge in connection with the Manawatu bridge and deviation, is being inquired into.—Received. From John Harris, junr., claiming damage for horse injured through the breaking of a plank of a bridge between Kopua and Takapau.—Council did not recognise any liability. From Inspector of Police stating Council’s representations on action of motorists travelling through Takapau will receive attention.—Received. From Secretary to the Treasury, intimating Council’s indebtedness re Waipukurau bridge loan has lapsed. —Received. From secretary Local Bodies’ Recruiting Executive, inquiring if Council will agree to contribute towards recruiting campaign within that district.—The chairman said the county was providing' a recruiting officer, and he did not think it was called upon to contribute further—Left iu the hands of the chairman and secretary. From secretary Hawke’s Bay War Relief Association, stating a meeting of the Association will be held at Waipukurau on 10th inst. to revise and alter the rules and regulations of the Association.—Cr. Cook appointed delegate. From W. H. Hobin, applying for permission to take a water pipe across , the Waipawa traffic bridge and along , the County road.—Granted. From Waipawa Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, giving estimates for ( year ending 31st March, 1917, and , notifying levy made on local bodies. —The quarterly levy of £207 18s 8d ( was authorised to be paid. From D. Fanning, J. Carroll, and | A. J. Jack, applying for connection j to Onga telephone line.—Applications i granted. Re Mrs Russell’s application, the overseer stated that the only vacancy was on No. 77, which could be connected at Gray’s corner. —Applicant to he informed. From H. Buchanan, on behalf of self and seven others, re use of waste f water from Forest Gate water race. —The clerk read correspondence ( which had taken place between a s number of settlers and the old Waterrace Committee. The settlers asked for a guarantee that they would receive half the supply, and the committee replied that they could not give any guarantee.—Councillors stated that the position was exactly the same ' now, no guarantee could be given.— Cr. Glenny and the overseer to meet the settlers interested and report to J next meeting. OVERSEER’S REPORT. , Clinton Riding.—Boyle and Kyle I have completed their metal contract on the Mill road and made a start on i the forming of road near Ashcott. I s understand Smith is abandoning his contract for 1500 yards on Manga- i tiwai-Clinton road. There is at least 800 yards of patching metal required I on the Asheott-Sherwood an d Ash-cott-Takapau roads, as the rains are showing up all weak spots now. There is also 400 yards more required between Sabin’s bridge and Price’s corner. Takapau Riding.—This riding is in fair order, with the exception of the main road to Waipukurau arid that portion between the Tuki Tuki bridge p and the gorge, which is getting rather ( dangerous and should he formed up, < as it is mostly metal country and ( would not require much extra metalling. Onga Riding. Robertshaw has practically finished the Devil’s Creek bridge. Hull is making as good progress as the weather will allow with the metalling of Stokes road. There is a fortnight’s work patching with

the dump waggon required on the roads round about Onga, and more metal is required on the Blackburn Ridge load, but it is not possible to get any river shingle on to it during the winter months. I think river metal for this road should be carted in the summer months and put in depots in readiness for next autumn. Some slips have come down and been removed on the Makaretu North Block road behind Wakarara. There is n piece of road (3ft chains) between the Springhill gate and the corner of the Pa road that must he metalled before long, as it is worn right through into the mud. Wakarara Riding.—The piles undelivered for Mathews’ bridge, and had it not been for the Easter holidays intervening they should have been driven. There is a piece of road between Douglas’ bridge and the new one over the Mangataura getting rather narrow, and should it lie necessary to drive rods and sheet it up , on the outside, I would like authority to do so. I have arranged with difficulty to have the spring on the top of the papa cutting drained and a broken culvert near the post-office repaired. Hampden Riding.—Have had new culvert put in on Maraekakaho road and sundry hits of patching done. The Mangaonuku bridge is also completed and opened for traffic, embankment fenced, etc. Have had the grader one day raking in metal between Manning’s corner and Weeks’ bridge. Austin has made a start towards doing the re-forming and metalling on the Kereru road, and I have called tenders for formation on the Gwavas estate road, hut it will he absolutely necessary to metal this when formed or no one will get through if in the wet weather, and some of it will blow away in the summer. The culverts required we can put in ourselves after the formation is all completed. Waipawa Riding.—Yerran is making good progress so far with the metalling on the new College road. There is 400 yards of metal required between Hickey’s road junction and the top of the hill going towards Argyll, also some patching on the Te Onepu road near Hudson’s and a few days’ patching again on the main Napier road. This road will shortly require another large expenditure on metal.

_ Ruataniwha Riding.—The road to Waipukurau from here is getting into an awful state with pot holes, and requires a couple of teams for a week right away to fill the worst of them in. There is also some few days’ patching required between the Lindsay school and the riding boundary, near Onga. The increased traffic from Fairfield to the gorge is telling on the unformed portion of this road, and it is no easy matter to keep it safe from bad holes, but it would not be advisable to form any of it till the spring. There is 100 yards of limestone patching required near Barker’s yards, on the Mate road. I consider it will be necessary to put a running deck on the Mate bridge to save it from being shaken to pieces; the deck is uneven on account of being old timber when put down, and the bridge being wide, on the cantilever principle, it is getting badly shaken. I think a running deck would relieve the vibration considerably. This, however, will cost in jarrah £165, but something must be done t.o save the bridge, either as suggested above or part timber and part tarred macadam.

As there is a considerable amount of metalling to be done this winter, and casual labor is not to be had, 1 would recommend the appointment of another permanent roadman to take part of the Ruataniwha and Waipawa ridings, or any other work where required, and to be stationed somewhere near the Waipawa end. Of the eight men we have four are in two ridings, which leaves four ridings to the other four, and the majority of the permanent men will be on metal spreading most of the winter, so there is little or no chance of getting anything done to the roads by way of surfacing, etc. W. H. lIOBIN, County Overseer. Clinton: Smith’s contract cancelled at his own request, and Yerran’s tender at 3s sid accepted. Takapau: Patching on Tuki Tuki-Oorge road authorised. Onga: Patching on Onga roads, metalling Springhill road, and patching Ridge road authorise 1. Wakarara: Patching on Knapp’s road ordered. Hirst’s creek road to he raised and metalled. Hampden : Tenders to be called for metalling Gwavas estate road. Waipawa: Tenders to be called for 800 yards metalling on the Argyll hill road. Patching authorised on the Napier road. Ruataniwha: Recommendations re patching adopted. Mate bridge to be re-decked witli jarrah. TENDERS. Tenders were accepted as follow : No. 12, forming 118 chains Mathcson’s road.—W. Austin, 15s. No. 13, delivering 2000 yards metal Clmton-Makaretu road.—Reed, Petersen and Jensen, 3s 3d. GENERAL. Tenders to be called for two teams for the graders and dump waggon for a period of six months. Authority was given for the overseer to engage another roadman for the winter. Applications to be invited for three rangers in Takapau, Hampden, and Onga Onga. It was decided to authorise 800 yards of metalling on the Pa road, Hampden. „ Authority was given to arrange for an overdraft at the bank if necessary. The pay-sheet, amounting to £1576, was passed for payment. The next meeting was fixed for Monday, June sth.