HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL

Levin Daily Chronicle, 8 December 1917, Page 3

HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL

The monthly meeting of the Horowheiiua County Council was held in Levin to-day. j Present —C'rs Monk (in the chair), Law, Bryant, Catley, Broadibelt, . Rydler and MoLcavoy. Leave of absence was granted ]'io Cr Wihy.te. Accounts totalling £2713 13s 3d were passer for payment, including £800 to the. Eltham County Council for road roller, and £G'JG third quarter's levy to Wellington Hospital .Board. CORRESPONDENCE. Mr G. H. Harper, Otaki, wrote stating that, in regard to the proposed road near Major Tatuin's property, Manakau, the Council should arrange fur a crossing over the railway line before taking any stops with regard to having the road proclaimed. He was accordingly approaching the Railway Depaniment. Mr Joseph Llggins, of Tokomaru, wrote wVth regard to. metalling carried out by liini on -the Ashloa road and asking for some' consideration as he had paid >a large sum in rates and it ifiis liUi quite fair to- have to make roads as well. He was quite willing to have the amount credited to next yeair's rates. He had previously written in September on the subject. Reforrod| to the Councillors for the the riding. The Mayor of Palmerston wrote ask'..ug the Council to send delegates ibo a conference to be held in Palmerston on December 11, to consider asking the Government for a traffic bridge across the Manawatu river at Tokomaru. -The chairman said ho did not see that much good could come of the agitation at present. They could only talk at present. Cr Catley considered it was hardly the time to raise the question. Cr Broadbelt centainly thought lihe question should bo. kept alive. The oonnectuon was of great to the district. I Cr Law said the wiad would begin at | the County boundary. 1 Tho chairman said he did not wish oo tlvrow cold water on -tlhe scheme and on his motion the County clerk was appointed to attend tho conference. Mr J. D. Loueli, District Engineer, wrote forwardimg schedule showing an unexpended balance of £-100, vote for the Te Horo-Mangaone road. £1 for £1. Referred to Councillors for 'riding. Mr Chas. Aplin, Manakau, applied to be placed oil the rating area for the water-supply from tho race leading from Mr Burnett's property for which he was prepared to pay his share. He was short of water -and would be gllad if the supply could be granted at once. Waiter race quetion referred to Crs. for riding; ranger to report on s)bock I complaint. 1 ROADMEN'S WAGES. The surfacemen, Messrs Thompson, Robinson, Parcel], Phillips. Hagan, Pooles, Anderson, Sullivan, Kennard,, Parr, Champion, and Harvey, petitioned for an increase m wages to 12i; per day owing to the increased cost of living and the upkeep of the various conveyances uE-ed to take them to their work. Horse-shoeing 1 was now 8s for hacks and horse feed was almost double, while clothing and •footwear had increased in prieoi-. The Rnngitikei', I\iwiiea anl Upper llutt Counties and several others had been paying 12-s for some time. As there were only six councillors present the surface men's request was held, over till next- meeting it being considered it was a. question for a full Council. RANGER'S REPORT. I The ranger (Mr Watston) reported that owing to the (roads being open he had very little to report, but he was doling his heist' to keep the roads clear at night. Several -offenders had been prosecuted. The ipig spy muisance at Ibakara still existed.

.Roferring to Mr Aplin's letter Or. Bryant said there had been many complaints in his riding.

Cr Law said the present ranger was the best the 'County had had.

Cr Broadbelt said threats to prosecute had: stopped offenders in liis riding pretty well.

Or Catley sacd the roads were never so clear as they were .kept by the present ranger but the Council was bound to take notice of a complaint put in writing.

It was decided to call the 'ranger's attention to the complaint.

ENGINEER'S iRiBPOBT.

The Engineer (Mr J. Malcolm) reported :

Wirokino Riding.'—The decking of the Kuku bridge on the main road liai given way completely ; the roller crossing it a time c*r two together wi':h the dry weather has crushed it up. I sent for hardwood at once and the men will start on Monday to renew the deck. The roller, 'ill crossing the condemned bridge on the Arapaepae road got onc> of i';he driving wheels through ; fortunately it got checked before going far and wai< not hard to get out. .1 have got some old timber to make the road, safe for ordinary traffic, but this bridge must be provided for in ne:j'j year's estimates.

Tokomaru riding.—Crushing and lay ing metal is the order of the day in t'l'.V riding at the Shannon end at present. As the new Councillors can hardly be expected to understand the iposition I will state it for i':.heir information: This riding has had hardly any metal for two years for the following reasons, iirst, drays were not too easily got as the owners wanted a b : :g price for them and in the secondi plaee . 1 have been striving to get all Cohe- main roads at least metalled with crushed metal; this as you know has now become possible and the old Councillors with myself entered' into ia contract to repair all tho principal roads throughout the riding with crushed metal. AVe consider tho prices were favourable and we were not likely to got them better for a long Dime, at the same time if tho contract is cai'ited -out in its entirety it will involve ian expenditure considerably in excess of the amounts provided in the year's estimates; it is not absolutely compulsory to carry out all that is provided for at the present time hut 'if we send the contractors away and make them rcl'urn we must pay the cost of the removal. T think it will be much better to finish now when we are at it, unless something unforeseen occurs little or no metal will be required next year. Or. Law said there were two or three

ray bad curves on Balfour's rood, from Ibakara which could bo improved by taking -off tho points, ho did not know whether it would bo wise to do the work at the present time in view ptf the shoitnge of' labour. The Heights road up to Mrs Hyde's badlyneeded attention, and another matter in his riding was a culvert in front of Mr H. Barber's property. The Engineer said there was a sum on the Estimates for improving the curves Cr. Law mentioned. A contract had been lot for putting 60 to 70 yards of -metalling on the Heights road. The custom in regard to culverts was to put them in when Asked for by the sot. tiers. RES O'LUT lON'S. It was decided: That as soon as the deposited plan is approved by the Lands and Survey Department, the necessary steps be taken to pay for the land acquired for the Hautrre Road, deviation. That the usual holidays be granted to the surfacemen from December 23 to January 1, inclusive, and also that the County offices be closed, from December 23 to January JF. That all wage's up to December 31 and any necessary accounts be paid on the 22nd inst. and that any two Conn, oillors of the Wirokino Rid'.ng with the County Treasurer be hereby authorised to sign the necessary cheques—all paymeifts made on the authority of this resolution to come for confirmation at the January meeting.