MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2350, 3 November 1921, Page 3

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING

The monthly meeting of the Manawntu County Council was hold at Sanclon on Tuesday. Present: Crs. 11. 11. Hunt (acting-chairman), IT. 0. Hammond, F. J. Fagan, W, E. Barber, J. S. Penny, and W. Boyce. Leave of absence was granted to Sir James! Wilson.

Mr E. Newman, M.P., acknowledged receipt of copy of the Council’s resolution of protest against the Government’s Main . Highways Bill, and said the protest would receive his careful attention.

Mr Newman also wrote, saying he would see the Ministenof Railways and urge the Council’s view that the railway, tariff, on benzine should be reduced. Cr. Barber said there was a tremendous quantity of benzine being carted on the roads by motor lorries which were competing with the railways and also damaging the roads. As benzine was largely used in the manufacture of dairy produce, the freight should be reduced.

The Council endorsed the resolution of the Rangitikei County Council that local bodies should be exempt from Arbitration Court awards governing wages. The Council made a grant of £ls towards the cost of forming Burr’s road at Moutoa, provided the work is done to the satisfaction of the overseer. Cr. Fagan, in urging the need for economy, said there was no reason why the Council should be losing £9OO a year on the tramway system in these days when they should be economising. He suggested that the Council should appoint an executive committee to assist the manager.

The Chairman said it was right for the Council to economise, but they should remember that the reason why the tram was not doing a big business was the lack of shipping at Foxton port. Cr. Barber thought Cr. Fagan’s suggestion a good one, and he proposed that Crs. Fagan and Penny be the executive. —Agreed to. The following alterations were made in the rate roll: G. J. Langley to R, Watkins, J. C. White to A. C. Eades, J. M. Bennett to A. Montgomerie, M. A. Hansom to L. A. Witkins.

TRAMWAY MANAGER’S REPORT.

The accounts show a debit of £193 17s 9d for the month's working. but included in expenses is £1(59 5s (id for new brasses, etc., for the locomotive “Manawatu,” and £l7 8s for'work on l rucks.''The chief items of Ira die were: Minerals 82£ tons, manure 101 tons, general merchandise 144 i tons, cheese and butter 187 tons, timber 24,900 sup. feet. Fares amounted to £3 3s fid. Locomotives: The repairs and alterations to locomotive “Manawatu” have been completed, and the engine has been in work since the 24th ult., and is running most satisfactorily.

Rolling Stock: The “M” waggons arc at present being overhauled and painted. Attached is a list of repairs already affected. Two seats of new 3-lon springs have come to hand, and been fitted to M 5 and fi. The wheels of the van have been forwarded to East Town for purpose of having new axles fitted. When these are returned the wheels of the other rolling stock will be sent forward for the same treatment as occasion offers.

Windmill: The pump rod of the windmill has been replaced with a pipe rod, as the old one was completely worn out.

Rails: The 300 tons of 401 b. rails and fastenings bought from Messrs .J. Duthie and Co. have come to hand. As the freight, by steamer was prohibitive, I went, to Wellington and . cleared the rails myself, and succeeded in having the rails loaded direct, on to trucks from the slip slings. When quotations were obtained for doing this work, the cheapest was 11s fid per ton, viz., £IBO 11s for labour and wharfage. The work was actually done for £5)5 15s 3d, viz., wharfage £47 3s 7d, labour £S 11s 3d, a saving of £124 15s 9d. The bolts have not yet come to hand, but tidings of them are expected by next English mail.

ENGINEER’S R EPORT.

Tlie Engineer reported as follows on the Avvahou Riding.-—ln conjunction with Cr. Barber and Mr Bock, \l made an inspection of the Foxton Beach road, with the object of arresting the drift sand at the approach to the beach. At this point the sand drifts along the beach for several chains along the metalled road, and is packed up against the fences several feet deep, The road could be straightened at the entrance to the beach, but this would not stop the drift sand, and it would only tend to create the nuisance of drift sand along the metalled portion of the road. To remove the knob at the entrance to the beach would mean that the Council would need to metal about 10 chains square of sand drift, and even then it may not stop the drift sand. In my opinion it is best to let the drift sand take its chance, as otherwise we may create other liabilities. it would require about £2OO to remove the sand knob and metal the drift, which might be destroyed in one day. We also made an inspection of the Manawatu river near the Shannon bridge, at the time the river was in high flood, and it was hard to- say vvhat the consequences would be when the flood subsided. It is quite evident that erosion is taking place of a serious nature, and it will be necessary to survey a new road at an early date. Before a new road is laid off, we

shall be in a position to report more fully on the encroaching river towards the Foxton-Slmnnon road, j Tramway.—No sleepers have come to hand during the last month,' and on that account the plate laying is held up for the time being. We are now ballasting the tram siding to the stone crusher, several trucks of metal being still required for this York. These trucks can be supplied at intervals when, required. Three hundred tons of 401 b. rails came to hand last month, and were unloaded at Ilimatangi, and also the fishplates and dog-spikes. No bolts have yet come to hand.