MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3558, 4 November 1926, Page 1

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Y SPECIAL MEETING. A special meeting of the Manawatu County Council was held at Sandon on Monday, Cr Fagan presiding in the absence of Cr. Hunt Others present were Councillors Wf E. Barber, J. F. McKelvie, Boyce, Pearce and Reid. The principal object of the meeting was to discuss matters in connection with the report brought forward by the county clerk (Mr A. K. Drew) regarding the future policy to be adopted by the couneal in conneetion with the work done on the main highways. After a lengthy discussion in committee, it was resolved not to raise any further portions of the loan for main highways except that for which the council was committed. , “This is a matter that has been in the air for a long l time,” said the chairman in proposing that local bodies in the No. 9 Highways Board be offered) the services of the council's traffic inspector. “There is no doubt that some of the local bodies are not taking enough interest in the problem of heavy traffic. We are losing a lot of revenue as many lorries are registered in the wrong class,” he concluded. It was resolved to write the local bodies concerned with a view to obtaining their acceptance of the council’s offer on conditions as submitted by a committee appointed to deal with the matter. Cr. Barber said that in connection with the Shannon punt he and the engineer had inspected it with a view to improving 'the approaches. “The time has arrived for some better system of working the punt,” he said. “For instance, the other day some travellers were held up for an hour while the men had dinner,” he continued. He suggested a bell and a telephone so that the men could be summoned when required and also that a turning place for cars be made on the western bank. The matter was left in the hands of Cr. Barber and the county clerk to deal with. The clerk (Mr A. K. Drew) mentioned thats he had received a letter from the HigHways Board asking for a copy of the resolution dealing with the council’s acceptance of the control of the punt. A copy had been forwarded in August. Cr. Barber: We must bring the matter to a head at once. We are assuming control of the punt when we really have no power to do so. The delay was at the other end, he said. The clerk stated that he had again written to the board explaining the position. The discussion then lapsed. _ It was decided to call applications for the position of workshop foreman at a salary of £350 per annum.