HOROWHENUA COUNY COUNCIL.

Levin Daily Chronicle, 29 November 1917, Page 3

HOROWHENUA COUNY COUNCIL.

+ OR. MONK RE-ELECTED CHAIR--31 AN. Tho annual meeting of the ilorowhcnua Cannty Council was hold at l.evin yesterday. Present : Or* 6. A. .Monk, G. Catloy, S. A. liroadbelt, J. MoLeiavey, F. J. Ryder, J. R. Why to, E. Law, iind W. .1. Bryant The County Clerk, Mr Goldsmith, occupied the chair, and c*nllc;l ior nominations for the office of chairman. Cr. Monk was the only nomination and -Mr Goldsmith declared him eluded. On a.vuiuiug the chair, Cr Monk said when he lelt it t'.vo weeks ago he under the impression that he would not return, desiring to devote more Dime to his private affairs. »Sjnce then, however, lie had liadi it impressed upon him tliiit it was his duty to again take tlie eK'iir "V the Council desired it. Knur new Councillors hud been elected ant] it was repre elit'.'d thai it was de-sii-ible th:it someone with pa.-t expcrshould he in the chnir. Under these circumstances he would again :!<•(• pt o'iice and would do his bo.st to n>s : .-t tiie Council. The chairman outlined, the position .n regard to roadmaking. The increased traflic and scarcity of labour had compelled the old, council to go in for road-making machinery and this new council weird linvo to consider its use to the host advantage. Another question was the establishment of toll-gates. 1 1 was a recommendation to tb.s council to go into the matter. The Chairman sa.id he had inquired into the working of toll-frates in Taranaki and they were very satisfactory. He especially welcomed the new Councillor* audi felt that they would do good, work for the ratepayers as their predecessors had done. As chairman he expected their criticism, but let it be constructive, and not destructive. He also congratulated the old councillors on their reelection. ROAiTMVIAJCTiNIG POLICY. The County Engineer (Mr J. Malcolm) reported, as requested on the road 'roller as follows : f rom what I have now seen of this machine J am convinccd we will be getting hotter results as we go along. SY'hcre the metal entirely of crushedi boulders no good, nan be done with the roller without top-dressing or blinding and it is problematical what is the best material to blind with until iwc get a scarifier. I think ill most cat-os if a road was scarified to a depth of four or five inches there would then he .sufficient binding material within the irtoiad itself without carting any on. There is one thing, however. T have quite made up my mind about and that is the roller inufit follow up the laying of the metal, it should never be more than one day behind as the raking becomes too big a job where there U traffic. To make a success of tho rolling the following are the prina.pal wants : (1) A good working foreman with experience ; (2) horse and tip dray to attend to roller and do everything that ifi required ; (3) central depots for coal in the outride ridings, those will have to be sheds of sufficient capacity to store one or two trucks. They could be constructed of the cheapest materials (none of it is cheap now) but they must be fairly strong; (4) a men's wharo to accommodate two. This is urgent.

The Chairman saidi diseustion of the report would he postponed till next meeting, but the travelling hut was an urgent matter as accommodation was badly needed for the men 011 the roller and the Engineer h;ul got tenders for the work. On Cr McLeavey's motion it was de_ eided to accept the tender of Mr W. B. Macintosh at £50 for building the travelling hut. appreciation. Cr Monk moved that a motion be recorded on the minutes expressing tho Council's appreciation of the services of the Councillors who had just retired. Cr Me.l.eavey, as an old Councillor, newly returned, said it wnp a great pity they had lost the sendees of these old; members. Some of those who sat nn tho old Council with him had retired and others had "gone west." Those were the days of party government in the Council, but now all wero working in the one direction. Ho thanked the Chairman for his kindly welcome and hoped to do his best .or the ratepayers. Cr Wliyte said lie was assured he would have a. very easy time in the Council, but from the number of matters already brought forward there was a great deal still to accomplish. He thanked the cha'irman for his references to tho new comers. Crs Law and Bryant spoke briefly in the same strain and the meeting closed. Flli.MWOOn CARTERS DHITTATIOX Messrs Kay, Akenson and Miulgway waited 011 tlie Council in connection with notice that had been given to diesist from carting firewood 011 the Gladstone road. Mr Kay stated that firewood was being carted from his place at a small royalty. This was clearing his ' land and the wood was needed in town. Ho did not think sufficient damage was boing done to warrant the notice and as one of the largest ratepayers he asked tlie Council to assist liim. Mr Akenson saidi he was carting tho wood with a spring dray and 3-incli tyres. He admitted some slight damage was being done but was quite prepared to repair it to the Engineer s satisfaction if allowed to continue carting. The Engineer said the notice was served because of complaints by ratepayers above Mr Ivay, one of whom said he would never pay any more rates unless the damage to the road was stopped. He had inspected the road and found that the position was not as bad as was represented to him. Air Ka y expressed the opinion that he did not think his neighbours ought to block him getting the frewood away. The offer to carry out repairs to the road to the Engineer's satisfaction provided carting was permitted, was accepted by the Council and the matter was left in the hands oi the Councillors for the riding andi the Engineer.