MANAWATU NOTES

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 208, 28 May 1920, Page 7

MANAWATU NOTES

The Polmerston North Municipal Gasworks are still in a bad way tor coal, and the quality of what is being used is so poor that no decent light is obtainable. The shortage is causing the', authorities a good deal of anxiety, andthose who depend upon gas for lighting, ( cooking, and running engines aro being, considerably inconvenienced'. _ ;. Representatives of local bodies inter-'; ested in tho Manawatu Gorge Road con- 1 , ferred yesterday • with nicnibcre of the! Gorge Road Hoard of Control. It was stated that tho proposed improvements, which include widening the- road to 21ft. and taking off the bail corners, with the; construction of a road tunnel at one, point, would cost about J3ifl,ooo for tho' thrco and a half miles, and it was pro-; posed that tho expenditure should be, spread over about five years at tho rate of .£BOOO per annum.' The work might have been started ore this but for the. faot that tho Government stipulated that the men to bo employed were not to be paid moro than 13s. Gd. per day, which made it impossible to get labour when 15a. and 16s. per day was being paid for the some class of work by outsiders. Tho contributions by local bodies, as allocated, would be: Palmerston North Borough, .£9600! Kairanga, Pahiatua, and Woodvillo Counties, AMOOQ; Dannevirke,' Pahiatua, and Woodvillo Boroughs and Oroua County Council, .£3200; Dannevirke, Rangitikei, and Waipawa Coun-, tics, .£1200; Feeding Borough. .£2000.! After considerable discussion, in which, tho reduction of the width of the road; to 18ft. was urged, and the question, introducing toll-gates was debated, resolutions were carried in favour of a 21- ( feet road and of the introduction of toll-' gates. A meeting of tho Board cf Control held afterwards endorsed tho resolutions, and it was decided to endeavour to arrange to meet tho Minister of Publio Works on .Tune i to discuss ,the. matter. • Application will then bo made for a sub-. sidy for tho improvements,' and representations will be mado as to paying the; men to bo employed on tho work at tho' 'ruling rate of wages, _ "• A special mooting of the Palmeraton. North Chamber of Commerce was held; for the purposo of meeting tho. Wanga-; nui manager of the Canterbury Steam ■ Shipping Company and tho secretary of; tho Wanganui Harbour Board to discuss' matters in connection with getting gocd*' into Palmerston North, via Wanganui.: These gentlemen explained that at the' present time the shods_ at Wanganui were simply crowded with goods, and; although the Railway Department had promised to provide further facilities,', nothing had beon done in that direction.; It was pointed out,- however, that Castle--oliff presented much better facilities for: shipping, nleo for handling goods, audi that tho Railway Department, which' had a line to that port, would under-, take to supply sufficient trucks to allow of the quick icmoval of goods coming, in by boat. Tho additional cost ofi bringing goods that way would bo cbont, 9d. per ton, but freight would probably, bo reduced sufficiently to balance this. Tho secretary to the Harbour Board' stated that in all probability the rivor would lie improved in the near future. Although a trial trip was being made to Castlecliff, tho board was desirous of retaining tlie trade at Wangain{i fas much as possible. After discussion, tbo president of tho chamber said that they could no more than merely agree to tho Castlecliff route being given a trial, but he cortainlv thought that Ibetter ac'commodation should bo provided. On' his motion tho following resolution was; carried :-"That this chamber well tccognises tho immense injury done to tho' trade of the district by the n'resoiit in-; adequate shed accommodation at Wonga. ( nui wharf, and desires tho Harbour Board to make fresh representations to the Railway Department on the matter, and that this chamber undertakes to, assist in ovory possiblo way." ' ' Tho inquest on the remains of tho-, three victims of tho motor accident which, took' place at Sandon on Wednesday, j ' May 12 will bo oponod at Feilding this: >ornin,g, and .will, bo &K Jurfher' aOjonpHl, 'as- M^pnnciplil 1 "have.,.not. yet..sufficiently to give evidence) '' ""?''