MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2594, 16 June 1923, Page 3

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING.. The Manawatn County Council met on Wednesday, when there were present : Sir James Wilson (choirman') and Crs. Hunt, Boyce, Barber. MeKelvie, Fagan anil Penny. CORRESPONDENCE. The New Zealand Counties’ Association forwarded circulars as follows:—(a) Protesting against local bodies being deprived of royalty on State forests, which was

now given to the Forestry Department, it. being decided to hold over this matter pending the finding of a commission now dealing with it. (b) Concerning the proposal to make all tubercular sanatoria. a charge on local bodies to which they would he handed over, it being decided, to oppose this suggestion in opposition to which the chairman spoke at some length. From a Foxton flaxmilling firm, offering to do certain work on Whirokino road, on which they proposed to use sand ns being preferable to metal on the swampy ground on which the road was formed. —The offer was accepted. From C. Smith, asking that gorse on Bainesse road and Pike’s line should he cut hack. —Received, the clerk staling that he had advised the writer that the inspector of noxiousl weeds had been communicated with, with a view to compelling the properly owners along the road to cut the gorse. From the Wnihomo County Council seeking support of a resolution protesting against all people over 21 having a vote in hospital and harbour hoard elections, whether? rateon vers or not as it gave an undue advantage to the towns. —Endorsed. From the Foxton Chamber of Commerce, recommending that the Council in rite the Minister for Public Works to visit the Whirokino and Moutoa roads and the Shannon bridge, and that the Horowhenna County Council, Foxton Borough Council and member for the district lie asked to co-operate. The bad condition of the Beach road was also mentiond and it was suggested that there should be made a re-valuation of beach sections so as to provide more funds for the upkeep of the road: —Tt was reported that Mr Linklater bad promised to have the Minister pay a visit as suggested. Regarding the Beach road, the chairman said that part of the county could not be re-valned it must be all or none at all.

HIGHWAY BILL. Sr -Tames Wilson alluded to the Highways Bill, statin# that he had seen the Minister on the matter and informed him that the counties would need to be empowered to get money for main roads under the proposed scheme, apart from rates. The people living away from the main roads could not be depended upon to vote for loans for their maintenance where local bodies would control them. lie did not know what the Minister purposed to d«, but unless the local bodies were empowered to get money for main roads, other than by the taking of polls’or loans, the Highway Board would lie defeated in its purposes.

Tn reply to Cr. Barber the speaker said that the Counties’ Association’s executive was watching the matter of the Highways Board very carefully, and lie stated what he had ascertained, privately in this connection.

Some discussion ensued on the matter of the damage done to roads by motor lorries carrying heavy loads and successfully competing with the railways. It was thought that these should pay tax to the counties through which they passed, and not only to one county —usually that where their headquarters were located. It was decided to ascertain what legal powers the council had in this matter.

The chairman and Cr Barber reported upon the conference held recently at Shannon concerning the river there and the danger to the bridge. Tt had been decided to obtain a joint report upon all matters affecting the Shannon bridge from the chief engineer and all local government engineers interested at an early date.

'file ranger reported impounding 188 head of stock for the past two months, fees collected totalling £l4. The engineer of the Manawatu Awnhmi Hiding the contractor was making progress with the construe(ion of the stop-bank, but the wet. weather had completely blocked the road for motor traffic. Three hundred to four hundred sleepers had arrived for the tramway and preparations were being made for laying a further length of 401 b. "track. An experiment in scarifying and grading the Sandon-Awahuri Road with a view to eliminating the waves caused by fast motor traffic had not been a success, partly on account of the cost. —Adopted. The chief items of traffic on the Foxton-Sandon tram for the month were: —Minerals and manure IW6J tons, general merchandise 964 tons, cheese, and butter 794 tons, timber 27,800 superficial feet. Fares amounted to £1 4/10. The account for the month shows a debit balance of £42 16/10. Difficulty had been experienced in obtaining tubes for the locomotive “Manawatu,” but it- was expected to be able to obtain them from the Railway Department.