OTOROHANGA COUNTY

Waipa Post, Volume 37, Issue 2179, 5 July 1928, Page 5

OTOROHANGA COUNTY

v;; MONTHLY; MEETING. •'■ ■ 'engineers/report. The; ordinary .monthly meeting -of ,the Otorohanga County Council was held on Monday, when there were present: Crs F. Patts (chairman), Irvine, Ingham, W. Thompson, Sanson, W. L. .Thompson, and Mr S. J. Fortescue (bounty Clerk), and Mr Gerald Jackson- (County Engineer). The "matter of compensation for damage alleged to have been done by contractors in darting metal over properties in the Rangiatea district, occupied the attention of the Council for some time. The Engineer stated, that in some instances those who asked for payment for damage done were not the owners of the land trespassed upon. Moreover, the contractors were liable for any damage done—not the Council. Cr Ingham stated that when the contractors were being hampered by the claimants in question, he had promised any legitimate claims for compensation would be carefully considered by his Council. He was phaced in a rather awkward position. It was eventually decided to leave the matter with the riding members and the Engineer to finally deal with the claimants. It was decided to write Cr. R. P. Hill, who had resigned, an appreciation of his past services to the Council. All present endorsed the remarks of the chairman bearing on the good work done by Cr. Hill over an extended term as riding member for Honikiwi. Only one nomination, that of Mr Cumpstone, has so far been received to fill the vacancy for Honikiwi riding. The nominations, however, do not close until ..the 6th. instant. Mr J. Williamson, on behalf of the ratepayers of the Honikiwi riding, wrote the Council stating that he had collected £35 for the purpose of regrading the bad corners on the road between Otorohanga -and the Moakururua bridge. This would be handed to the Council provided that the Council subscribed a like amount,.and that the Highways Board gave £lO5, (30/ for 20/ ), the whole amount to be spent on the work under review. Unless the Council agreed to the proposition in its entirety, the subscription would be returned to the various subscribers. It was. decided to leave the matter over until the new Councillor for the riding has been elected. The Te Haiti Chamber of Commerce wrote the Council asking them to assist in bringing pressure to bear on the Government to promote the liberation of opossums in the King Country. The majority of the councillors present not being in favour of the introduction of opossums, the letter was merely received. The Consolidation Committee authorised the payment of £2,000 in full settlement of the native rates owing to the Council, provided respite from rates was granted to March 31, 1930. With regard to the question of costs, £230 towards same was offered. Mr W. J. Broadfoot, solicitor, wrote asking to have the amounts owing (for rates) and the payments tabulated so that in the event of the promises not being caijried out after March, 1930, the Local Bodies Act could be put in motion to try and have the present untenable situation rectified. > n It was pointed out that on June 19, Mr Jones had stated that the Council's costs would be paid in full. _ In order that the Council might know the exact nature of the offer of £2,000 in settlement, the Clerk had written to Mr 1 Jones asking him to attend the next meeting of the Council. This action was approved. Messrs Thomas and Anderson, of Kio Kio, waited upon the Council asking for repairs to their road, in order that mail delivery might continue to reach them during the remaining months of winter. —It was decided to have the worst part of the road fascined with heavy tea-tree at once, the work to be done by day labour. ~ Mr Stephenson, of Ngaroma, waited on the Council regarding arrears of rates upon a property he wished to have transferred. Itte .arrears were £53 7s lid. He asked the Council to remit the 1925 rate and he would be prepared to pay the balance. It was decided that all rates owing on the property would have to be paid, but the payments would be extended over a period of four years. Mr N. Lethbridge waited upon the Council regarding the proposed bridge over the Mangatutu stream, in the Korakonui district, requesting the Council to assist him to get the matter.—The chairman pointed out that all applications for special loan moneys had to be duly advertised over a stated period. The Public Works Department had an alternative scheme before them, of which this proposed bridge was a part.—lt was decided to hold over the matter for a month, when a further study of the "two schemes may promote ai satisfactory solution of the bridge requirement. A large amount of petty routine business was transacted, and a number of accounts passed for payment. COUNTY ENGINEER'S RECOMMENDATIONS. In the course of his monthly report, Mr G. S. Jackson, Otorohanga County engineer, says:— _ _ _ During the past month activities have been confined to metalled road maintenance, and the following: roads have received attention: Auckland to Wellington main - highway: KawaKawhia main highway, Honikiwi mam miehway, Pirongia - Kawhia mam highway, Kio Kio road, Puketaraa road and Ouruwhero road —It is pronosed to continue this class of work on other roads.' The Boothmac grader and scarifier arrived on June 13th and was put into commission straight away. Re contracts: The contractor for Nrahaoe road metalling has done remarkably well, having completed the metalline of the whole 40 chains provided for in his contract. It is Probable that the widening and making up of the sides must stand ,over for some months. The job required more

metal than was specified owing to the ground beinp- wet and soft,, but the . r benefit that will ensue to the settlers by the work that has been done easily warrants the extra cost. > # Kawa-Kawhia rrfain highway is Far from-satisfactory; the contractor does not seem, able to push on. At the end of Ifuire there . was still eight chams of rW'' unmetalled which he should cut out in a week but will probably occupy him for a month. The job would have been taken out of his hands long ago but for the fact that I was reluctant* to put the Council's permanent staff on this job when they were more urgently wanted elsewhere. Ngahape road loan: I recommend that proposals be prepared and,tenders called at the earliest possible date for formation of .the unmetalled portion of Ngahape road preparatory to next summer's metalling. The financial position of this work is that there is approximately £3OOO available for formation and metalling two miles 70 chains, the cost of metalling which will not exceed £2OOO. Wharepuhunga loan: This proposed loan could not be proceeded with owing to item Adam's road formation having been struck out because the Public Works Department have undertaken the work free of cost to the ! Council in the programme of relief ' works. The proposal must be redrafted and commenced again de nono, and the district engineer at Hamilton has submitted a counter proposal and a'sked me to place it before you for consideration. This proposal is to provide a metalled road from the eastern end of Wharepuhunga main highway via Loop road, Adams' road and Lethbridge road with . a bridge over the Mangatutu stream,on Leth- ' bridge road. The estimated cost of the whole work is £5165, and the suggestion is to increase the proposed special rating area and raise a loan of £1750, with a currency of twenty years, the balance of the money to be a Government subsidv of £3500, which . is £2 for £l. Mr Hall Jones points , j out that the scheme would provide a metalled outlet for all that of the County situated north and east of the Mangatutu stream independent of floods, and would provide eight farriers with a metalled road in lieu of a:i unmetalled road. The increased distance as compared with' the main highway would be IS ~~iles. The scheme is certainly worthy of ■. consideration.