WAIRARAPA SOUTH COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXI, Issue 9699, 2 November 1909, Page 2

WAIRARAPA SOUTH COUNTY COUNCIL.

ORDINARY MEETING

At Carterton, on Saturday, the Wairarapa South County Council held their ordinary monthly meeting, there being present—Crs W. Perry (chairman). J. Strang, H. S. Mason, D. M. Douglas, F. Court, R. G. Welch, T. V. Moore, and G. Stevens. An apology for absence was received from Cr Barrer.

Tlie treasurer's statemeut showed a credit balance of £420 7s 2d. Receipts since last meeting had been :—General rates current year, £97 4s lOd; arrears. £1 6s 10(1; special rates. £21. 13s 4d; water race maintenance, £3 12s 8u; publicau's license, £4; rent Gladstone Hotel, £40; Featherston County Couucil refund cost repairs to Mahu-puku-road, £13 14s; Government subsidy ou rates, 1908-9, £1070 3s Id; total, £1253 14s 9.1. Accounts amounting to £305 7s 2d were passed for payineut.

The statement of accounts was as follows :—General account, cr, £1362 8s 3d ; road making plant account, cr, £203 17s 3d; lands revenue account, cr, £260 13s Id ; Taratahi water-race maintenance account, or, £70 10s 4d; interest account, cr, £259 2s sd; Belvedere riding, dr, £361 16s Id; Parkvale, dr, £123 2s; Dalefield. dr, £708 19s Id; Maungaraki, dr, £394 19s- 5d ; Waiohine Bridge account, dr, £7 3s 3d; Matarawa Bridge account, dr, £11 10s Id; Licensing Committee's expenses account, dr, £43 ossd; charitable aid account, dr, £82; interest account, dr. £3 14s 3d.

The Eugiueer reported that the cost of the culvert erected across the road near Carriugtou House had been £85 Is.

Three cases of diphtheria a-url one of scarlet fever were reported within tha County by the Carterton doctors. The annual grant of £15 to the Carterton Public Library was passed for payment. An application from the Wellington Farmers' Meat Company, for the Council's consent to the erection of works on a site near the Mastertou abattoirs, which had been approved by the Chief Health Officer and Government Veterinary Surgeon, was granted. The Department of Public Works wrote that the Gladstoue-East Coastroad could be legalised to the extent to which it had been formed, used, agreed upon, or fenced, in terms of Section 101 of the Public Works Act, 1908. Further information as to plans and survey were asked for by the Department, and the Clerk was instructed to obtaiu same.

Further particulars concerning the proposed abattoirs were forwardedjby the Carterton Borough Council, and Crs M. Lavery, W. T. Masson aud J. Callister formed a deputation from the Borough Couucil iv regard to the matter, and Crs Moore, Welch, Stevens and the Chairman were appoiuted a Committee to confer with them and report at next meetiug of the Couucil. it was decided to agree to tlie transfer of tlie lease of the Gladstone Hotel from J. T. Constable to C. G. White, and to attach the seal of the Council to same. The Committee appoiuted to inspect the property reported that they had found everything in first-class order.

Tlie Admiral-road is to be put in order at a cost of £15.

It was reported that some work started on the Craigie Lea-road had been left in bad order, aud it was resolved to inspect same and bring it under the notice of the Department.

A sum of £7 10s is to be spent ou tlie Kaiwhata River.

Tenders are to be called for the reerecting of the Mauugatarera Bridge, leading to Swamp-road, and the demolition of the existing structure, tlie work to be completed by the end of March.

The tender of G. Lett, at 2s (id per yard was accepted for 800 yards metalling Flat Point-road. Other tenders were: M. Kerius, 2s 7d ;H. Reid, 2s Cadwallader, 2s lid. For the Admiral-road deviation, the tender of Johnson Bios., at £184, was accepted. Other tenderers were: J. Shaw, £185; T. M. Aplin, £IS7; Cadwallader, £189; M. Kerius, £213,

It was resolved to call for 200 yards of metalling on Cobdeu-road. Also for about two miles of metalling on Te Wharau-road, the cost of this work to be borne by the general fund onethird, and the Maungaraki Riding two-thirds. The work will be from Mr McGregor's to To Wharau. The Engineer was instructed to grade Park-road, leaving au abutment of four feat on each side as a pathway. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The Engineer's report, as follows, was read aud adopted : —

Parkvale Riding.—-itepairs have been made toWoodlauds-road and Waitaugiroda. A culvert on East Taratahiroad has been repaired. The loose metal in the riding has been raked in. The noxious weeds in the various pits have beeu cut down.

Belvedere Riding.—Bishops-road has beeu formed. Metal on Chesterroad has beeu raked in. Some bad holes on Conuell's-road have been filled up. The work of putting in pipe culverts on Mauugatarera Valley-road h_.s been carried out. The pond by the school ou Belvedere-road has received necessary attention. The outlet to the new culvert on Booths-road has been straightened as authorised at last meeting. The water tables on Belvedere-road have been cleaned out. Some bad holes on Hinau Gully-road have been filled up. Dalefield Riding.—Work has been carried out on Beef Creek-road, as authorised at last meeting of the Council. Slips have been cleared off the Waiohi'ie Blutt'-road. The loose metal ou the various roads of tli9 ridiug has been raked in. The storm water pipes on the Main-road south near Herrick's were blocked and have been cleared. Repairs have, been effected to the Waiohine Bridge. Riversdale-road has been repaired.

Maungaraki Riding.—Cement pipes have been put in the Main-road, Te Wharau, to replace the old wooden culvert near tne store. Slips have been cleared oft' the Driscoll-road. Flat Point-road has been repaired. Watertables have been opened and the roadway made quod on the Kaiwhataroad. Bismarck-road has been put in order. Quarrying work on the Maungaraki Hill has"been carried out. Watertables have been attended to on the Gladstone, Longbush, Ahiaruhi, Miller's and Waugaehu-roads. A few bad places on the Main-road, Gladstone, have been made good. Some necessary patching has been done on the Ponatahi-road The metal on the Kokatau-road has been raked in. The

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grader lias been working on the Ad-miral-road and has clone good work in those places where it was possible to work at all. It was found impossible to repair the bridge by the mill on this road as I recommended, owing to the banks having sconred considerably since it was previously inspected. The sum of £3, which was allowed for the repairs, was spent in making a ford, a grade of 1 in 8 beiug obtained. The road is in very fair order this side of the hill, but some iillingin work is needed on the "gravelly face." There are also some rocks in the roadway which are dangerous to traffic aud should be blown out. I estimate the expenditure necessary to put the road iv good, order at £15. In compauy with Councillors Barrer aud Douglas au inspection was made of the Five Bob Bridge. The necessary work to insure the safety of tlie structure lias boon put in hand. The groiu at Anderson's Creek to protect the road Las beeu put in hand. Craigie Learoad is almost blocked in one place by a big slip. To clear this aud some smaller slips and repair three culverts will cost £23. Councillors Barrer aud Douglas accompanied me on au iuspectiou of the Kaiwhata-road to the coast The work of opening up the road for traffic is vow in progress. For the purpose of protecting the road it is necessary to repair and extend au existing groin in the Kaiwhata River, Repairs to the Deep Creek Bridge will be made this coming week. GENERAL. I have made au iuspectiou of the bridges iv the County and have to say that iv my opinion there are very few really satisfactory structures. It must be home iv mind that thoy are all wooden bridges and have in the majority of cases been standing for a number* of years. Tlie Kokotau bridge, tho Taumata suspension aud the bridge over the Ruamahanga at Gladstone are good structures. It is, of course, a difficult matter tc arrive at the strength of a timber bridge which has stood for years. fcjome timber, which to all appearances is souud after a few years, becomes perished and loses considerable strength. I have examined the bridges carefully and consider that there is nothing'that requires special attention (apart from screwing up) with the exception of the bridge at Gladstone near Sexton's. This is a rafter bridge of 50 feet spau and the same mishap has befallen it as betel the Deep Creek bridge—namely, one ot the inclined posts or rafters has broken through at the lower end, where ir, joins the bottom chord, owing to a flaw iv tiie timber, l have ordered the material to effect the necessary repairs, as the bridge in its present, state is unsafe for auy but light loads. Notices that bridges are unsafe for heavy traffic have been posted wherever I considered it necessary. The Wainuioru bridge is one ot tlie largest aud was for some time the longest single span timber bridge in this island. Its length is responsible for the great swiugiug motiou which is so apparent. It is a bridge that requires watching aud carefully screwing up, and wi'.l no doubt iv a year or two require strengthening by meaus of a cable. At pieseut I consider this not necessary.

Tenders have been called for the formation of the Admiral-road deviation aud for SOO yards of metal for .Flat Point-road. — GEORGE H. HERBERT, County