WAIPA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Waipa Post, Volume VI, Issue 289, 13 February 1914, Page 4

WAIPA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the above was held at Ohaupo on Tuesday, there being present: — Crs J. Fisher (chairman), Allen, Macky, Alexander, Poynter, Rvburn, Bryant, Teasdale, and McGbie. HON. W. FRASER’S VISIT. The chairman reported that he had interviewed the Minister for Public Works in connection with several matters. It was decided to remind the Minister of his promise to regard the Waipa County as an outlying district. A vote of thanks was passed to Mr J. A. Young, M.P., and the Te Awamutu Town Board for the courtesy extended to the county chairman in connection with the visit. LOANS AND GRANTS.

The Mangapiko riding members stated in reference to the £ for £ grant of £ISOO for work in this riding that they had no doubt that the ratepayers would sanction a riding loan for a larger amount for works in that riding, at the same time that they were raising the £ISOO to secure the grant. —These proposals will be placed before the ratepayers in due course. Cr Ryburn suggested applying for a grant in aid of the Tuhi-karamea-Whatawhata road, the preliminary steps towards raising a loan for which have already been taken. CORRESPONDENCE.

The following correspondence was dealt with : Mr F. J. Saxby asked if there were any prospect of having the road to his property formed and sanded before the winter. —Referred to the riding member. Mr Gilbert Baird, Te Rapa, asked for an outlet for the water which comes down the hill near his property. —Left to the supervisor.

The New Zealand Counties’ Association forwarded opinions on the subject of the Workers’ Compensation Act.—Received. Mr A. S. Bolton, Pirongia, tendered for the lease of allotment 515, Alexandra East. —Declined, and it was decided to put up the property at the next Pirongia sale.

The Hamilton Borough Council stated that they considered the lighting of the Hamilton traffic bridge a legitimate charge for maintenance. —Received. The State Guaranteed Advances Department regretted it could not grant a loan of £950 for 'W hatawhiriwhiri stream bridge. —Received. Messrs Cox and Luxford wrote re Messrs Donald McLean and Sons’ account for £l6l 2s, in connection with Mangahoe bridge. — The supervisor explained the several items, and it was decided to offer £l6 6s 7d in full settlement of the claim. The Frankton Borough Council stated that there was no Dominion road in that borough. —Cr Bryant explained that he had mistaken Mr Thornes’ wish at

the last meeting, and he moved that the road in question be named “ Grande Vue.” (Laughter.) —Carried. The Frankton Borough Council asked the Council to inspect the Maeroa bridge.—Carried. Mr W. H. Welsh offered a small sum for some second-hand bridge timber lying on the HamiltonTuhikaramea road. —Declined. Messrs Swarbrick and Swarbrick forwarded copies of letters from the Public Trustee stating

that the amount of loans (£1750 and £700) for the road loan and bridge loan respectively, had been pajd to the credit of the council. —Received. Messrs Swarbrick and Swarbrick notified that finality had been reached in connection with Jackson’s road. —Received.

Mr Duncan Horneman, Ohaupo,

drew attention to a culvert on ‘the Ohaupo-Tuhikaramea road.—Referred to the supervisor with power to act.

Mr D. Caley drew attention to a hole in the road at Mystery Creek.

—Work to be done. A petition was received from several residents on Dudley Terrace, Te Rapa, asking for some improvements on the road. They also asked for a new road to be cut to connect Rimu street and Dudley Terrace.—Left in the hands of the supervisor and riding member. ROAD DEDICATIONS.

Messrs Thompson and Farrer wrote re the requirements of road formation on further extension of the Sunnyside Estates, which they presumed would be the same as on the other parts. —It was decided that as the land was swampy 25 yards of metal be required instead of 15 yards. Mr E. Northcroft forwarded deed of dedication Brekon’s roads, Pukete. —Accepted. MISCELLANEOUS It was decided that if the contractor for the widening and grading ;work on the TuhikarameaHamilton road does not start work by Monday next, the contract to be cancelled. The council agreed to put up mile posts on the Whatawhata road. SUPERVISOR’S REPORT. The supervisor, Mr Mandeno, reported as follows: —Graders: The No. I machine was working up to Thursday last upon the road between Hamilton andTuhikaramea. The machine is now working upon a by-road in the Hamilton outlying district, and when that is finished there is some j scoop and grader work to be done

on Nawton road, previous to gravelling. I estimate these two roads will take the machine about a fortnight, after which its movements are undecided. The No. 2 finished its work on the KihikihiOrakau road on the 28th January, and since then has been at work on the “Low road ” between Te Awamutu and Pirongia. From there it will go on the Frontier road. '

Gravelling : Monavale-Roto-rangi road: Two tenders were received for this work, and that of Wm. Eastwood was accepted. The gravelling contract on the Kihikihi-Orakau road has been let to A. Jennings on the same terms as last year, and the work is in progress. H. Beere has the work of carting the 300 yards of gravel from the Te Rore landing in hand, and is making good progress with the work. He has also taken on a contract for carting 400 yards of gravel from Whatawhatihoe on to the “ low road ” at 6s 9d per yard. On the Whatawhata Swamp road, Bagust and Co. have taken up the work of carting sandrock, at the same price as last season, and the work is in progress. A seam of good setting gravel has been located on Mrßedgate’s property on the Te Awamutu-Pirongia “Low road.” I would suggest that a further quantity be got out, and put on the road in the vicinity of the pit. There is also a length of the same road, about 40 chains nearer Te Awamutu, for which I intended asking authority to resand, but in view of the promises of the Minister re a £ for £ subsidy, the question arises would it not be better to metal this part of the road at once.?

Metalling: The contract for metalling on the Ohaupo-Pate-rangi road is completed. On the Whatawhata Swamp road the contract let to Renner, in the Hamilton riding, is completed. In view of the apparent impossibility of getting gravel down to Whatawhata by river before the winter sets in, I propose to divert a portion of the Government grant that would have been used for gravel, and put the money into limestone metal, this metal to be used in extending the portion already metalled for another twenty chains in the direction of Whatawhata. In the Rangiaohia riding there is a section of road about 7 chains in length near the Hairini creamery which became very bad last winter. It is a gap, with a considerable amount of metalled road at each end.’ I think authority should be given to metal it. Regarding the expenditure of the Government grant for the Te Rapa road, Cr Bryant and I have inspected this road, and find that, with the exception of about twelve chains near the railway station and a considerable length at the Te Kowhai end, this road is in very good order. To cart the metal to the far end would be an expensive matter, and we propose to utilise the Government money in metalling the twelve chains before mentioned, and the county’s contribution in gravelling with local material as far as the money will allow. The report was adopted.