MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2907, 9 July 1925, Page 3

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING,

The. Manawatu County Council met at Sanson on Tuesday, Sir James Wilson presiding. There "were also present Councillors Hunt, ;Boyce, Barber, Fagan, Penney and MeKclvie. CORRESPONDENCE. The Main Highways Board forwarded circular on road economics to aid county, councils in the preparation of information for highway improvement schemes.—Received and copies to be supplied to each Councillor. From :the Foxton Harbour Board suggesting the necessity of beginning .bitumen operations at the Foxton end of the County in order that the-Port may offer the advantages of landing bitumen reasonably.—To receive consideration when, programme of work decided upon. .

From Mr A. Grumwald, of Shannon, asking the Council if it was prepared to sell the Shannon ferry cottage at present half-covered in river silt. —It was resolved to pull the building down and utilise the material in building a shed for a tractor at Himatangi.

It was resolved to close the following. roads against heavy traffic: Taylor’s, Kel low’s, Cooper’s, Hammond’s, ■ Tompkin’s and Main drain road.

The following slaughter-house licenses were renejved: R. Bryant, C. Watkins and P. M. Gedge. It was resolved to purchase a new tractor for road grading. In connection with the improvements required to the Rangitikei bridge at Bulls, estimated to cost £7OOO, a meeting of representatives of the Rangitikei and Manawatu County Councils and the Bulls Town Board decided to apply for a fresh warrant in connection with the apportioning of the local bodies cost of the new work, and it was agreed to exempt the Town Board and to share the cost on a fiftyfifty basis between the two counties. This information was conveyed in a letter received from the Rangitikei County Council, which body had approved of the decisions of the conference. The Main Highways Board hears half-the total cost, so that the two counties'will have to find £3500 between them. —The Council adopted the recommendations ol‘ the conference.

On the motion of Cr. Barber, it was resolved to proceed with the surveying of the proposed road deviation at. the Whirokino bridge. It was reported that the road leading along the canal to the bridge was completely under water on Monday.

Complaint was made as to the damage which was being done to certain roads by heavy vehicles carting flax, and it was resolved to take steps to regulate the traffic.

ALTERATIONS TO RATE ROLL.

• The following alterations to the rate roll were approved of: —Mrs A. C. Hammond to J. S. and A. J. McNeilly; H. D. Print to M. E. Wycherley; J. M. Bennet to J. Milligan; Whitanui Ltd., to W, H. Smith; the N.M.L.A. to M. Puklowski; H. J. Gawler to T. Bird; S. J. Teaz to Mrs B. W. Duker; L. T. McClean to T. J. Bennett; Estate J. Matthews to T. O’Donnell; A. N. Ross to A. C. Seaton; Wanganui Loan, Finance and Investment Coy. to J. H. Russell; Chas. T. B. Smith to A. C. Buchanan; T. C. MeKenzie Estate to J. and J.A. Florence; same to J. T. McKelvie; same to G. R. MeKenzie; same to C. H. Clare. .

TRAMWAY MANAGER’S REPORT.

The tramway manager reported that the value of traffic during June was below normal, chief items being: General merchandise 70£ tons; manure and minerals 213 \ tons; timber 14,830 sup. feet; metal. 325 cubic yards; posts etc,, 17 trucks; stock 21 trucks. The accounts showed a debit of £79 19/11 for the months working. In regard to the destruction of the tramway goods shed by fire on Sunday, June 21, the insurances on the building and contents amounting to £3OO had been paid by ■ the companies concerned. Arrangements were in hand for replacing the rolling stock destroyed. During the month, in company with Mr McNeal (commercial agent) and Mr McDonald of the Railway Department, and Mr Neilson of the Carriers’ Federation, the manager waited on the following dairy companies with regard to the carriage of their outputs by tram and rail: Rongotea, Glen Oroua, Makowhai, Taikorea, and Oroua Downs. None of the companies would do anything definite in the matter, but since the interviews the manager understood that very low prices had been obtained for carriage by motor lorry, and therefore it was questionable if any of the produce would be carried over the tram.- —Received.

TRAFFIC INSPECTOR’S REPORT.

The traffic inspector reported that there was still a number of stock wandering on the roads and prosecutions had been instituted. Steps were being taken to insist upon lorries being equipped with reflectors and one lorry driver had been convicted for failing to comply with the by-law. Fair progress was being made with the clearing of gorse etc., by ratepayers who had had notices served on them. Fines inflicted during the month of June amounted to £3 15/- hawker’s license fees £l, dog tax collected

£O7 2/0, and drivers’ licenses £l4O 15/-. —-Adopted. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The County engineer submitted the following report: —

Awn hou. — The heavy motor traffic from the flaxmills was cut-ting-up the Foxton-Shannon road, and it would he necessary to close this road against heavy traffic. To improve the surface of the road arrangements were made with Mr G. Coley to cart repair metal for the sum of 9/- per yard. The engineer had also arranged for the cartage of metal on to the Whirokino road. The Main Highway from Sanson to Foxton had been graded and trimmed. and the mechanic was now trimming up the Himatangi-Rangi-otu road which would he completed in a few days time. Whilst proceeding with the above work, the grader wheels came to grief and arrangements had been made for a set of block wheels. Stone Crusher. —The whole of the stone crushing machinery was being overhauled, and portions renovated. The concrete foundations for the installation of the electricmotors were completed, and it was hoped to have the crushing machinery running with electric power in a few days. A shed was being built over the top of the hopper to protect the motor and driving gear of the screens from the weather. Protective Works. —The wet weather and floods in the river had retarded the Rangitikei river protective works, hut it was Hoped to make better progress now the flood was receeding.—Adopted.