COUNTY MATTERS

Chronicle (Levin), 15 April 1948, Page 6

COUNTY MATTERS

April Meeting of Horowhenua Council ' The revaluation of the Horowhenua County will not now take place until 1951. Thls information was contained in a letter received at yesterday's meeting of the council from the Valuer-General, who stated that the department would complete the work by March 31, 1'951. It would proceed with the work of revaluating the Kiwitea and Pohangina counties during the 1949-50 perio'd. In connection with the fixing of the boundary between the Wanganui district and the Wellington district, which nad been determined for general purposes as the northern boundary pf the Horowhenua county, it had now been decided to amend this in regard to all soil conservation, rivers control and drainage works, said a letter from the resident engineer of the Public Works Department, Palmerston North, Mr. A. R. Acheson. He enclosed a plan which showed the proposed southern boundary of the Wanganui district as beginning at ' the mouth of the Wairarawa Stream'and continuing in almost a straight line to the ranges, turning in a north -easterly direction from the locality of Mt. Makakaka, and by-passing Shannon and Tokomaru some four or five, miles to the east. This meant that there were two districts in. the county area, commented the chainnan, Mr. A. M. Colquhoun, in noting the communication. The condition of the MakeruaRapgitane Road was the subject of a letter from Mrs. W. H. Southee, Shannon. She said that the road was most uncomfortable to ride over, and asked the council to take some steps in regard to filling the corrugations. All the roads were very rough at present, commented Cr. J. D. Aitchison. It was decided to advise Mrs-. Southee that the engineer would examine the road as soon as possible. Asking it to grade or surface the road from the swing bridge to his property, a resident of Levin, Mr. A. O. Poad, wrote to the council. He also drew attention to the condition of the swing bridge. The road at the eastern end was subsiding and the concrete piles were badly undermined by erosion. He had to pass over the bridge every day and would be grateful if the. matter could be attended to. It was a public road, but was at present only a track which was sometimes under water, commented the chairman in moving that the matter be referred to the engineer and the members for the riding to inspect and report back. A letter from the Otaki Borough Council asked the council if it would be possible for it to undertake the work of widening Rangiuru Road, Otaki, when maehinery was available. The resident who had given the land for the road to be widened, Mr. R. J. Bamett, was anxious to have the new road formation done by straightening the line, and the borough council would also like to see the job done. The matter was referred. to the engineer to report back to the next meeting. A letter from the Levin Borough Council stated that owing to the very untidy state of the Levin Cemetery it had recently expended a sum of approximately £175 in giving the whole area a thorough cleaning. The council requested that the county council make an additional contribution towards the work. The county had paid £35 towards the work last year, commented the chairman. Cr. Brown said that he did not see why the county should go on increasing the grants. it was resolved that the borough be advised that the council was not prepared to inerease the annual grant. A communication was received from the Department of Lands and Survey stating that an application had been received from a resident of the Waimeha Township to purchase about half a perch of the Waimeha Recreation Reserve. it asked the council to advise whether it could see any objection to the 1 department disposing of the sniall piece of land referred to. The chairman suggested that the matter be referred to the qngineer and Cr. Brown to look into, this being agreed to. Drainage Districts A petition for the formation of the proposed Rahui Drainage District was forwarded to the council. It was signed by Mr. N. S. Cudb^ and nine others, including the Otaki Maori Racing Club. They asked that the council constitute the area a drainage district under the provisions of the Counties' Act, 1920, and that it designate it the Rahui Drainage District. The petition was in order and would be referred to the catchment board for its comments, said the chairman in moving that the communication be aoted: .4 cppy of a report on the Aratangaf a Drainage Area to the Manawatu Catchment Board, made by its chief engineer, Mr. P. G. Evans, was forwarded by him to the council. At present, this area was 1 not in the Buckley Drainage District and there was no organisation existing to deal witfe. the problem. There was, however, a demand by the residents for improved' drainage. He considered it to be a local matter and recommended that it should be included in the Buckley district. He then asked the council if it thought that a further meeting of the settlers was necessar'y, and mentioned that a copy of the report had been sent to the Buckley Drainage Board. It was decided that Cr. D. K. Guy eontact the committee of settlers and ask if they wanted another meeting. Advising that the subject matter of the proposed Mangaone ^Drain-

age District had been referred to the Works Committee for consultation with the settlers involved, a letter was received from the clerk of the Manawatu Catchment Board, Mr. L. J. Hagan. The communication was noted.