COUNTY ADMINISTRATION

Chronicle (Levin), 14 December 1946, Page 4

COUNTY ADMINISTRATION

Horowhenua Council Meets

The monthly meeting of the Horowhenua County Council was held in Levin yesterday. Present \yere: The chairman (Mr, G. A. Monk) and Crs. J. D. Aitchison, J,H. P. Liggins, A. M. Atkins, W. Taylor, R. W. Jenkins and A. M. Colquhoun. Also Messrs. F. H. Hudson (clerk) and W. H. Fraser (act-

ing engineer). A letter was received frhm the Main Highways Board stating that white reflectors were not to be used for defiriing road boundaries till further notice. Tests of these reflectors, commonly known as eat's eye side reflectors, had been carried out under the board's supervision ahd results had been disappointing. The board did not consider them satisf actory for general use at present. The limited use of red reflectors was approved, providing they were solely for danger signals. The letter was received with little comment, the chairman remarking that he undcrstood ' these reflectors v/ere only installed on the main highway between Porirua and Plimmerton. A letter wds received from Mrs. E. Fry, Roslyn Road, Levin, requesting that the water course through her property at Bartholomew Road be diverted to outside her boundary On Queen Street. A similar request was received from Mrs. I. Cheesman, Roslyn Road, Levin, concerning her property. "It appears that these persons do not read * the local papers, in which our policy in this matter has often been publicised," said one councillor. It was decided that Cr. Colquhoun and the actingengineer ingpeCt the properties and make a report.

A letter from Mr. W. H. Gordon, j The Avenue, Levin, asking for a| culvert to be placed outside his | property was also referred to Cr. j Colquhoun for action. | Instanees of vandalism were sub- ! mitted by Mr. D. H. Lea, Old Coach : Road, Otaki. He complained that: the fire flghting and camping notice, east of his property, had, been wrenched off the post and the j post bent over at right angles to : itself. Stone throwing was also on| the increase and the road grade j signs near his gate, which had for j years been the target for .22 rifles 1 had now disappeared. The sigh post "Old Coach Road," had been destroyed. Mr. Lea added that it had been impossible to catcli anyone actually destroying these. It was nrobablv accumulative eflect of

the destructive efforts of hooligans. Mr. Monk said that Mr. Lea should be thanked for drawing attention to these matters, but he thought there was little the council could do about it. "If .Mr. Lea lives on the spot and can't catch them, I don't know how we can. However, we will have to replace them." It was decided that a letter be sent to Mr. Lea, thanking him for his advice. The Dominion headquarters of the Boy Scout Association wrote asking for a reduction or the forgoing of rates on its property at Manakau, known as Tatum Park, The letter pointed out that the park was being used as a scout training centre, and that courses were held there at regular intervals. Mr. Monk said he thought Wie property in question was only used by the scouts for less than a month a year. Otherwise it was chiefly used for farming, and he considered it a good commercial proposition. He had given the matter a lat of thought, both on this occasion ahd previously when similar requests 'd been made. "Much as we woul'd like to help this organisation, we have got to draw the line sottiewhere. I do not know what they propose to do with the property ih the future,' but -at present I -would not recqmmend any action being taken by the council." A motion to oiiis eifect was passed.

A letter was received from the Waikanae Beach Progressive Asso- ! ciation requesting that the installation of conveniences at the domain be expedited in view of the ; forthcoming holiday period. „A fur- ■ ther request was made regardingl additional lights. The letter added j that it was understood that the I council was driving a new bore to ' ensure better drinking water. It; thanked the council for this work1 and trusted that its efforts would be successful. The acting-engineer reported that the conveniences vould be installed long before the holiday period. Regarding the lights Mr. Monk suggested that a ?pecial committee be appointed to go into the matter of the additional lights required in other' areas. He would like to get the matter attended to before the end of March. A special committee consisting of Crs. Colquhoun, Jenkins and Guy was appointed, a juggestion being made by Mr. Monk that they co-operate with the Horowhenua" Power Board in this

regard. *" : A letter was received from the j Wellington Boys' Institute record- j ing appreciation of the preqence of i the county engineer at a meeting of institutive representatives at the proposed camp site at Reikorangi. Mr. Fraser had given them .vdvice regarding water and roads, which had been of eonsiderable value. They had, however, decided to postpone the camp meanwhile, is plans were not yet sufficientiy advanced. The acting-engineer reported that he had investigated the comolaint of Mrs. A. Hayes, Arawhata Road, Weraroa, concerning the -leposjt of sand on the road outside her property: Thc amount cf sand was not as great as he-had anticipated, and did not warrant the transportation of machinery to

. .T the area. Drifting sand had always been a difficulty in this area, and he .hcught it would be dangerous to attempt to interfere with it at the moment. His report was aceepted by the council.