MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1786, 7 February 1918, Page 3

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting was held on Monday. Present: Crs. Sir James G. Wilson (chairman), W. J. Phillips, S. Penny, H. H. Hunt, W. E. Barber, 11. G. Hammond, and J. Boyce. The inward correspondence was dealt with as follows; — From General Manager of Railways, stating that under existing conditions it is against the Department’s policy to offer special facilities in connection with race meetings. It was decided that owing to this policy exti» damage was done to County roads. From Innes and Oakley, with copy of the Gorge Commission report, which shows that the Manawatu County has been excluded from the list of contributors. Fl(om Kairanga County Council, with copy of resolution passed by it, asking the Government to reduce the cost of the carriage of cement, tar, and bitumen to local bodies for use in road-making. —Endorsed. . From South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, notifying that it heartily endorses the policy of the Premier in regard to (be disposal of the Germiui colonies in the Pacific. —Endorsed. Froim Ezra Wilcock and A. T. Scandlyn, asking for 12s a day while employed at concrete work and have to camp on the job. —Refused. From G. A . Burling, Orona Downs, asking for truck of crushed metal for (*onstruction of crossing over the tramline. —It was decided to make a rule to supply one truck of metal for each crossing, the ratepayers interested to provide the labour, RACE TRAFFIC. Some comment was made on the action of IbcTUiilway Manager in refusing to allow a special tram service to (he Foxton races. It was pointed out that the people got to Ibc* races in spite of the loss ol facilities, going by road when they could not get by rail, with the result that there was a loss of revenue to the county and the roads were injured (the Fox ton line chiefly) to the extent that it would cost about £2OO to make repairs. All motor driven vehicles in the vicinity were in use, and driven at great speed, yet ninny visitors-to the races had to wait until 10 o'clock at night to get a ride home. There were more people at the races than ever before.

Os. Boyce iin«l Barber were of I lie.opinion that in view of the extra injury done to the roads generally throughout the Dominion owing to the race fra file being put ofi them, that it would be advisable for the. 'County Councils to jointly ask the Government to allow it to go on with railways as hitherto, not as a means of assisting to render race meetings successful, but to obtain the railway revenue available and prevent the extra injury caused to the roads. The chairman said the Manawatu roads were used hy race goers to Feilding, Dulls, Marion, Foxton, Palmerston and Otahi, consequently this traffic was peculiarly expensive to the Manawatu County. Asking for a r.mgh estimate, members of the Council mentioned from £SOO to £I,OOO a year. It was re.-oived, on the motion of Cr Barber, -.econded by Cr Boy . o, “That the Ministers attention be drawn to the fact that through the Railway Department refusing to run special trains in connection with race meetings, a large amount of extra motor traffic is thrown upon the roads and that the cost of repairing the extra damage done by this motor traffic is much greater to the County than the cost of running special trains to race meetings.” Further, it is estimated that the extra cost of repairing damage done to the roads in this county by race traffic amounts to at least £I,OOO per annum. That the member for- the district be written to, asking him to support the resumption of race specials so that local bodies will not lie penalised by the policy of the Railway Department. It was decided to send a copy of the resolution to the local bodies of the Dominion. TRAMWAY MANAGER’S REPORT. Reporl on (he working of I be tramway fur (lie month of January, .1 f) 1S: —The traffic was good, and a credit of £GD Os <ld was shown. Chief items of traffic were; —Merchandise 1001 lons, sheejS 82 trucks, woof 7!)5 bales, butter and cheese 142.1 tons, grass seed 932tons, limber 22,90(1 feet, fares amounted to £0 17s Bd. Through the Railway Department refusing the tram to run in connection with the Fox I on races, fares to the amount of about £3O were lost. On the ,ldh iust. a knuckle joint on the side rods of locomotive ‘Manawatu’ broke. Repairs have been effected, and whilst this was being done the opportunity was taken to have the brasses dosed. Owing to the difficulty of procuring a freight, the engine ‘Piet on* Ims not been shipped. I expect to have the matter definitely settled this week. The freight will be approximately £75. The spark-arrester of the ‘Manawatu’ has been inspected by Mr Ross, of Messrs Ross and Signal, Foxton, and he is satisMd Jhat it is ffp to the Government standard, and pot defective. Two trucks of sleepers have come to hand during last month, Mr Tostevip has applied for his appeal lepvo as from Ifth March. ENGINEER'S REPORT. Awahou Riding. —A petition lp|s been signed by several of the ratppayers for the purpose of raising loan of £7OO to metaj and improve * t

Bowo’s road, and I. would suggest that a special rating district be defined for the purpose of borrowing the above amount. Councillor Barber and myself met several ratepayers interested in the Foxton Beach road, and discussed- the question of stopping the drift sand at the end of the Beach road. Councillor Barber suggested that the Beach Committee should erect fences of drift timber and scrub across the drift sand, and the committee have decided to adopt this plan, and are pushing on with the work. Councillor Barber also promised to supply the metal for, concreting the end of the road just above high water mark, and the metal will be delivered about the'end of this month. Kawa Kawa and Awahou Ridings.—l did not manage to meet the councillors and ratepayers at Rangiotu to inspect the PalmerstonFoxton road, as was arranged, hut from what data I have to hand, it will cost from £IOO to £127 to do the work suggested by the settlers.