Wairarapa South County Council.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XX, Issue 2042, 14 March 1887, Page 2

Wairarapa South County Council.

The County Council met at Cattorl.-.u on Satuidiiy. Present--Ore W. booth (diaii’.naili, 11. 11. liunoy, Matthews, 11. Bunny, lliait iiwnile, J, Martin, juu., Coleman p ul'i.u.. and .1. Tally.

I minutes of the previous meetiii-' weip i. iut and continued. reports. The Irca-mer’s report was read, the substance of which is as follows : The present Dr balane curient al the B.N.Z. is L'2so 7s Id. U . hts since last monthly meeting uio—Fuitliu ■ ■■ slalment on account of subsidy L 375, quai • ' s rent Haianuioraiigi ferry reserve Lo, IVa. due ditto, L 3 6s ; total, L 333 ss. A requisition of L 503 has gone forward to the treasury to recoup the Council the outlay on Eaiwhata track and a claim will be made against the Featherston Road Board for the payment of Bowden’s contract, Martinborough-Pahaus Hoad (about L 190) as soon as the work is reported (ally completed. The Carterton Town Board and the T.C. Road Board will also be called upon to pay the accounts due by them after the end of the present mouth, viz., LUO. This will place the county finances in good order. CORRESPONDENCE. The outward correspondence was read from the letter book. Correspondence inwards was read as follows From the Colonial Treasurer advising the remittance of L 275 on account of subsidy. From same asking lot statement of valm, i of property in the Gladston6‘Wainuioru and

rating nailer Act. advising gazetting oniHpht constituting special rating diitnVfiabove. From Commissioner of Police, approving of payment of slanghterbouse license fees to constables acting as inspectors of slaughter booses. From Chief Surveyor, re Kaiwbsta bridle track. From United Charitable Aid Board, send iog amended claim of this Council's eontnbntion. From Rowe and Boyle, consenting to sell strip of land lor protection of river bank near Hurunuiorangi bridge at Ll2 10s and LlO per acre respectively. From Macaudrew Memorial Committee, Bending subscription list. Xbe Engineer’s report was read ae follows —Martiuborongln-Pahaua Bead, Bowden’s Contract on this road was completed on the Ist instant. Contract NoB, erecting 2 contract bridges on the 3rd iust. One of these bridges is completed, and the piers lor the second one put io; the whole should be completed on or about Wednesday next. The works np to the date of my inspection wore verv well done. Gladstone to Wainuiorn Road, No 5. very little work baa been done on the contract during the past month. The earth work throughout the total length of the contract is about four fifths completed. Xbe materials for the culverts is on the ground and three or four are constructed. The works so fat ate very well executed. Xhe survey for construction of the unformed part of the Gladstone to Wainuiorn Road is completed, and plane, &c. , for the section are prepared. Plane and specification for the Huangaron deviation of the Martinborouab to Fabaua Road are prepared. Tenders for these contracts may be invited forthwith. Xhe Works Committee’s report was read and adopted.

CLAIM or THE UNITED CHABITABLE AID BOABD. The claim ol the United Board for a earn of mosey purporting to be this Council's share of the contributions towards the Charitable Institutions of the district was read by the clerk and much discussion thereupon ensued. Cr Bunny said that although be was a member ol the United Board he was unaware ol the authority upon which the committee appeared to have based their claim. Cr Phillips said be did not think that the country towns stood upon the same footing as the city ol Wellington in the matter, they must thrash out the principle ol the thing and charge districts with their lair proportion, he understood that only two children had been sent from the Wairarapa to any ol these institutions lor some considerable time back. Cr H Bunny moved and Cr Braithwaite seconded, that the Chairman and Clerk to the Council go into the whole matter with the Chairman and Secretary to the United Board in Wellington to arrive at some definite understanding as to the County's position in the matter, and get complete information to lay before the Council at the next meeting. Carried. PEOTECI2VE WORKS, HdBUNCIORANQI Cr fl B Bunny moved and Or H Bnnny seconded, that the matter re the strip of land bo left in the hands ol the Works Committee. Carried. TUB MACANDREW EUND. This application was allowed to lie on the table. OLADSTONE BOAD Or H R Bunny moved and Cr Matthews seconded that the works on the Eororau Road (Gladstone Bond) be referred to the Works Committee. Agreed to.

THE PLATFORM. In answer to Cr Tally, the clerk said that the Platform was entirely noder the jurisdio* tion ol the Featherston Road Board. Cr Matthews said the planks were breaking and the etrnetnre was a continual expense. The Board thought the Council should assist to a certain extent. The removal and reconstruction of a road in place of the platform wonld cost about L7O, He (Cr Matthews) thought it was rather unfair to call upon the Board to defray the expense. Cr Bunny said that any future steps the Council might take could be considered only after the resolution dealing with the matter bad been parsed by the Road Board. He thought the clerk should have forwarded the Board’s resolution to the Council. The chairman said he thought the Road Board, iu this matter was entitled to the utmost consideration. He thought this platform bad been a very great expense aud a useless expense, and wae altogether a wasteful structure, aud tbe sooner it was removal tbe better, tbe Road Board should get every posable encouragement in this matter by the Council. Cr H R Bunny moved that tbe Featherston Road Board have power to deal with the mailer as they think fit. Seconded by Cr Braithwaite aud carried. Cr fhillips, iu referring to the above matter, said no oouuly should interfere with tbe duties of Road Boards when Road Boards could do the work themselves. The County Council had about £25,000 worth ol bridge property under its direct control to be looked alter by the County Engineer. The Council then adjourned (or lunch. On resuming— PROPOSED ROAD. Cr Phillips moved “ That the Manawatn County Council be written to, asking whether that Council will contribute towards the cost of making a survey for bridle track over tbe hills between Otaki and Greytown, or Otaki and Carterton f The North Wairarapa County also to be written to in this matter." He said be wonld ask to substitute Otaki to Manaia. Mr A. Beetham bad informed him that be rode to the top of the hill conveniently, and that on the top of the range you could drive a buggy. He would propose “ that the three County Councils contribute a sum of £SO for u pveliminaiy survey.” Cr Matthews seconded pro forma. He said he felt confident from what he had heard that uo track could be mads over the range convenient for driving stock and in uo cane couid they make a track without considerable expense, especially on the other side ; persona crossing there would probably only cause fires, and land slips from the tracks would block rivers, creeks, die., aud cause floods; he thought it better for the present at least, to keep that part of the country closed. It was not possible lo put sheep ou the iraiu at Mastertun aud have them delivered at Palmerston (he same day. Cr Phillips thought they should forward the work of opening up the country.

I Or H K Bunny said be knew what the hills j wore and lie should like to see hope o( some ( future benefit, hut of that lie was not at ail ; sangniue and the cost of a rough sui vev would I be considerably mou '.ban £6b, Tiie Chairman said that the Council at present wao not in a position to vote even a small smu for such purpoose. Cr It bunny said lime could be no harm in passing Cr Phillips’ motion if only to pef all the information in the matter obtainable; he should fnppoit it Mr King, engine®, said L6O would not be anything like sulhcicut ; they would have to ; ov,,lore, make a depot for provisions, Jtc. ahe motion was earned. i a Matthew's proposal. Cr Matthews moved That the Government be requested to simplify by statute the present system of legalising toad*. Cr Phillips spoke in favour of leaving the roade in unsettled districts undeclared until such districts were settled upon or lauds opened up for settlement. Cr Bunny asked Or Matthews to refer his motion to the Wellington Waste Lauda Board. Or Matthews assented to this. Cr H, Bunny in reference to Cr Phillip’s lematks, said no land was sold u Q tji t f ter survey ami roads must be laid off previous to tlu> sab- cl land ; it would be a great iirnri ! to the progress of the colony if the laying oil i of roads in new districts was deferred for Id yean. H