RANGITIKEI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18012, 29 October 1920, Page 6

RANGITIKEI COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING The monthly meeting was held on Thursday, there being present—Crs. B. i*. Lethbridge (chairni :n), W. Doole, A. G. Simpson. A. Gibbs, G. E. Andersen, and T. Duncan. Correspondence was dealt with as follows . Public I mst Office, forwarding voucher for £lOOO on account Ruanui Riding loan. State Advances Office, approving loan of £lOOO for portion oi cost of bridge oyer Upper Kawhatau and Hikurangi rivers; also approving loan of £7OO for construction of suspension bridge over Kawhatau river: and £-500 for metalling Otaihapo Valley Road. Prime Minister, hi reference to Council’s request that I steal Bodies Loans Act, 1913 be amended so that all expenses in raising loan may be charged against the loan. He stated that it was not considered desirable to make provision asked for, as m the first place it could only be effected in cases where the poll was carried, and also it was considered that it should, as at present, continue to be carried against the general account of the local body as provided by the l.<xal Elections and Polls Act. —The ma tier was referred to the Executive of the Counties* Association to take action to have desired amendment given effect to. Prime -Minister, stating that Councils application lor loan ol £40,000 was being authorised. Mines Department, asking for particulars ol limestone quarries tn tho county. Murton Borough Council, asking that Mr .Ihorns be allowed.to report in conjunction with the borough overseer reoverflow ingot the Tutacnui stream. — Air I horns granted permission to make repot-1. Maiton Borough Council, asking the Council to pay £B4 16s 6d. one-third of cost of cleaning out septic tank.—Referred to chairman and clerk to look into., V\ aima-rino County Council, asking that Mr Mair be. allowed to arbitrate re assessing damage to county roads by sawmill traffic—Resolved: That the toun.m regrets that at tlie present time Mr Avair has. not tho time at his disposal to undertake the arbitration t Mangaweka Town Board, asking the Coum-il to contribute towards the upkeep of the main road through the Alangawekt Township.—Council cannot see its way to contribute. N..,. farmers’ Union, recommending a by-law to prohibit vehicles coming on to a bridge while stock are crossing.— Council agreed to support the remit. Secretary Taihape Hospital Saturd ly Committee, forwarding copy of resolution passed at public meeting at Taihape recommending that Taihape Hospital be made the bpse hospital of a new hospnai district.—Resolved (Crs. Gibbs Doole) : That this Council, before expressing an opinion upon the question of iorming the Taihape Hospital base hospital with ,i separate hospital district, desires to have fuller information in regard to the proposed boundaries for such new district. Executor estate late James Bruce offering to sell Council 3i acres of Giencairu Estate at £l5 per acre.—Owing to the land being subjected to floods the Council did not consider it was worth the price asked. A. E Russell, asking Council to push °* rising loan for construction or Western road. — Engineer to supply plan of special rating district. J. I. fisher, asking Council to make approach to his property across watertable.—To be informed that this is not a. work which is undertaken by the County Council. I’ Broughton, asking permission to lay a water pipe across the Parewanui Road. Permission granted subject to approval of Air Thoms. Pomonby Boys’ Brass Band, asking Council to assist in arranging for a. visit of the band.—Referred to Alarton Borough Council. Gouviile-Castlecliff Tramway Board asking to be represented on the provisional committee re hydro-electric power matter. —Council pleased to have their representatives on the Board. k. W. S. Ellis, ottering supplies of British Guiana, greenheart timbers.— Referred to the engineer Secretary Wanganui Hospital Board, asking what help could be obtained from outside local bodies towards providing ambulance for Alarton and district.— Held over on account of absence of Cr F. Brice. Gordon Elliott, stating that Messrs Amon and T. R. AlcKelvie contemplated erecting a stop bank on eastern side of Bnlls-Scott’s Ferry Road, and asking that the engineer be allowed to take levels and prepare estimates. As this bank would protect the roads from flood water, he asked it the Council w-ould contribute towards the cost. —It was resolved (Chairman—Cr. Anderson) that the Council grant permission to Air Thoms to take the levels and prepare the estimates. K. W . Dalrymple, guaranteeing the sum of £o-5 towards cost of proposed new stock road at Bulls, and asking that the work lie proceeded with.—To be proceeded with as soon as monev is in hand. G. F. Zohs, asking that the bridle track leading to one of his sections at Alangaweka be put 111 order.—Engineer to reiwrt upon the matter. Al. Swenson, sen., asking permision to erect his road fence on the road edge along the AVaiparapa-Ngawaka road. —Lett in hands of engineer with power to act Petitions were rece lived from the countv roadmen for an increase in wages.—Resolved (Chamman-Cr. Doole) That one shilling per day increase in wages be granted from November Ist, 1920. ENGINEER'S REPORT. Tho engineer reported le Kapua Riding.—Fair progress has ben made with gravelling contract on Alurray’s Track-Mangaone Roads, 29 chains being completed during the month Ruanui Riding.—Fair progress has been made with quarrying and gravelling contracts on Owhakura road, about 21 chains lieiug completed. Ow ing to slips on railway, ballast train has been off during the month, only two rakes being hauled to Turangarere Erewhon Riding.—Roadman’s paddock has been fenced at Pokaka. and cottage painted. Awama Riding.—Good progress has been made with Contract 5048, Kotukuraeroa Road, and little progress with 5040. No. 2 grader has been started on Taihape Utiku Roads, being hauled by the Cleveland Caterpiller tractor. So far the tractor 'has proved most efficient on this work. General. —The Council’s four I-eyland trucks are in AVellington, lieing assembled and bodies, etc., erected. He

has received word that the first is ready for the road, and he proposed to inspect it at an early date. Onepuhi bridge is practically completed, being open for traffic. The contractor has personally had to attend to some urgent work for Wanganui County, but would meet him in a few days for final inspection. Public Works Estimates have L>een placed before Parliament, and although the Council has not been granted the full amount of the application. most of them appear in the schedule. Old subsidies have been increased by £2872, and six new amounts totalling £3OOO, have been granted. DEPUTATION. Mr J. S. Smith, of Kaka Road, Tai-' hape, waited on the Council and asked the condition under which the Council would allow him to cut timber from the proposed sawmill on Mr Gahan's property over the Ongo Road to Hun-' terville. The bulk of the rimu and matai would be absorbed locally. It was resolved (Crs. Duncan-Simp-son) : That Mr Smith be informed t'liat he, with two approved guarantors, must enter into a Ixind for £S(X) to secure the Council against damage likely to become to the County roads by reason of.traffic arising in connection with the proposed sawmill. DOG COLLARS. The ordering of dog collars for the year 1921 was left in the hands of the chairman and clerk to deal with. FINANCE. The treasurer reported:—Dr. balance after 'last meeting, £9907 14s 2d : payments during month. £235 19s Id; total, £10.143 13s 6d. • Receipts for month £lOOB Os 2d. Dr. balance before the day’s payments, £9135 13s 4d ; dr. balance after day's payments, £12,361 0s ■sd. Tho next meeting of the Council will be held on Wednesday, November 24th.