MANAWATU COUNTY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3649, 9 June 1927, Page 3

MANAWATU COUNTY.

MEETING OF COUNCIL. The ordinary monthly meeting of the Mauavvatu County Council was held in Sandon on Tuesday, Cr. Barber presiding. Also present were Crs. Reid, Pearce, Hunt, McKelvie, and Boyce. An apology for absence was received from Cr. Fagan. CORRESPONDENCE. From the Public Works Department stating that, with reference to the county’s claim for £O4 18s lOd, covering an expenditure of £129 17s 9d on the Wellington-Auckland via Taranaki highway (Foxton-Hima-tangi section) the work in question was surveying and the claim was not payable unless it was for a deviation. —It was decided to further press the question at the district highways meeting. From the Oroua Downs School Committee requesting that the council erect sign posts on the road passing the school. —Agreed to.

ALTERATIONS TO RATE ROLL. The following transfers of properties were approved: —W. A. Neale, part section 320, township of Carnarvon, to A. Brooke-Taylor; F. S. Guy to Frederick Bea/.er, Feilding, part section 132, township of Sanson; R. M.. Matheson, sections 304 to 367 Rongotea, to Rongotea Co-operative Dairy Co.; B. G. Salmons, to H.M. the King, part sections 315 and 316 township of Carnarvon; J. Cockburn to Clara Cockburn, part section A, Hutt Small Farm Block, township of Sanson; E. G. Dunoum, part section 49, township of Carnarvon, to Elizabeth Hodge, Palmerston North. GENERAL. The action of the engineer in letting a contract for the carting of metal on the Whirokino main highway at 6/6 per yard and 4/- per yard for sand was confirmed. On the motion of Crs. Pearce and Hunt it was decided that the Main Highway Board be urged to pay a subsidy on expenditure incurred in connection with survey work for the construction of main highways. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer reported as follows; Awahou riding: The • contractor for supplying and delivering metal on Whirokino Road has made good progress with the delivery from tho local metal pits, but owing to the pit now being flooded the work has been abandoned and the balance of the metal required to complete the Whirokino Road will have to be obtained from some other source. Guide posts have been placed" along each side of the Whirokino Road through the swamp, five chains, apart, and have been painted white. With reference to giving permission to a Palmerston North firm to cart 2,000,000 feet of timber over Himatangi-Foxton main highway, the matter has been discussed between the chairman and the parties interested in hauling the timber and it has been left in mv hands to report to the council. In the first, place the road is not built to carry much heavy traffic and in my opinion we must have a bond of £2OO per year, or part of the year, to protect the council against any extraordinary road damage. The estimates for this road have been completed and forwarded to the Main Highways Board and any extra maintenance costs would most likely have to be charged up to the council. Cr. Boyce and myself met the district railway engineer at Himatangi with reference to re-con-structing- Himatangi-Foxton Road as near to the railway as possible and along the old road foundation. After the matter had been fully discussed the railway engineer decided to recommend to his chief officers that the Manawatu County Council be given permission to re-con-struct their road from Himatangi to Foxton at a minimum distance of seven feet from the centre of the railway to the edge of the proposed road, and where possible the water channels to be constructed within seven feet. The engineer suggested that it might be possible to obtain a quantity of metal from the department's Terrace End pit at a cheaper rate tlian is being paid at the present time. The metal in question would be very suitable for building up the foundation, as no day would be required for building with the class of metal obtained from this pit. During the past month we crushed 1275 cubic yards of metal which has been delivered to the various sidings and dumps along the tramline, and a small quantity has been delivered to the Foxton Borough Council. —Adopted.

TRANWAY MANAGER’S REPORT

The tramway manager (Mr. A. K. Drew) reported: The chief items of traffic for the month were: Grain 26 tons; minerals and manure, 374* tons; general merchandise, 45 tons; stock, 26 trucks; metal, 248 trucks; timber, 7930 sup. feet; eggs 51 crates. Fares amounted to £1 Is 6d. The accounts show a debit balance of £2O 14s for the month’s working.—Adopted. TRAFFIC INSPECTOR’S REPORT

The traffic inspector (Mr.. W. Berry) reported: Since the last meeting of the council my time has been taken up with patrolling the country and' collecting the dog tax. Good progress is now being made with the cutting of gorse and lupins on the roads since the final notices have been issued. A number of stock owners will be summonsed for allowing stock to be on the roads, especially at night. —Adopted.