MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3871, 15 November 1928, Page 3

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

The Manawatu County Council met at Sanson on Tuesday, Councillor W. E. Barber (chairman) presiding. There were also present: Crs. J. 11. Perrett, J. Boyce, H. H. Hunt, D. W. Reid, J. McKelvie and W. Pearce. CORRESPONDENCE. From the Public Works Department stating that as there was a. movement on foot, promoted by the owners of heavy vehicles, to induce the Government to discontinue the charging of heavy traffic license fees, a conference was to be held in New Year to consider the matter and asking the council to forward the amount it had received from the issue of such licenses since the iegulations came into force. —Referred to the conference, the County clerk reporting that the sum of £2184 11s 9d had been received in license fees.

The Board also forwarded an extract from the “Gazette,” declaring the deviation at the Manawatu river bridge to be a main highway and revoking portion of the existing main highway. 'The letter further advised' that the revoked portion would be regarded as a detour road and as such, would bear h piaintenance subsidy only until such time as the new deviation was opened to traffic.—Received, the chairman reporting briefly on the condition of the river banks at the locality. The Board advised that as from April 1, 1928, all" expenditure on ,maintenance and all expenditure on new bridges would be subsidised on the basis of £2 for £l. Further, the increased subsidy would apply to secondary highways as well as primary highways and also to main highways in boroughs. The basic rate of subsidy for maintenance work was fixed at £2 for £1 and tor construction work £1 for £1 on work other than bridges. The increased rate of subsidy was not intended to reduce any subsidies being paid at a. higher rate than £2 for £l, nor was it proposed to make any increase in subsidies which are at present being paid on a £2 for £1 or higher basis, unless there were special circumstances. —Received. TREASURER’S REPORT. The treasurer reported on bank balances as follows: —County fund account debit £10,889 8s lid, loan account credit £558 9s lid, main highways loan account debit £255 18s lid, imprest account credit £57 15s Id. TRAMWAY MANAGER’S REPORT The tramway manager reported as follows:—The chief items of traffic for the month were: Grain 301 tons, minerals and manure 186 tons, general merchandise 51 tons, stock seven trucks, metal 308 trucks, wool 14 bales, eggs 219 crates, timber 12,000 super feet and fares 17/3. The accounts showed a credit balance of £lB 17s 7d for the month’s working.—Received. ALTERATIONS TO RATE ROLL. The following alterations were made on the rate roll: —W. D. Taylor to R. T. Saunders, lots 5, 7 and 23 ut. sees. 384 and 343 blocks XI. and XVI. Te Kawau; T. Saunders to T. R. Saunders, lots 26, 27, pt. sees. 297 and 384 Carnarvon and pt. closed road; Goodwin Bros, to J. A. Rendell, lot 2, sec. 82 pt. 81 Carnarvon; Tonga Rangiheuea to Louis Eder, 2A2A, 2A28, 2A2C, 2A2E, and 2A2P Himatangi; E. R, Matthews to Daniel Burke, pt. sec. 147 block VIH. Oroua; Tawhairoa Emera and others to D. J. Garter, Himatangi SA, 6A together with right of way; A. H. Sanson to

Hugh Mullin, lot 4 pt. sec. 13 block XV. Rangitoto. TRAFFIC INSPECTOR’S REPORT 'The County traffic inspector submitted his’annual report as follows: —The speed of motor traffic througn Sanson is __ very satisfactory, especially on race days. Traps have 'been set on busy days hut there have been no offenders, which goes to show that the prosecutions in the past have been effective. There is also a marked improvement in the speed of the service cars. The drivers are realising that it is better to-drive at a moderate speed than to be taken before the Court and fined. During the year, prosecutions have been .'instituted' for different offences under the Motor Regulations. A number of prosecutions have been instituted for allowing stock to wander, and several natives were summoned for failing to register their dogs. One person was also summoned for hawking without a license. On Saturday, at Bulls Court one person was fined £5 and costs for negligently driving his car on the Awahuri road and three others were fined 30s and costs for driving their cars in a manner which might have been dangerous to the public. These offences were committed between Sanson and Mt. Stewart where the road is under reconstruction. In view of the approaching holiday season, I would recommend to the Council the advisability of having three traffic domes placed at the cross roads in the township, and at Awahuri as one of these days there will be a serious accident there. A fair amount of gorse and lupin has been cut out during the past month. I am now starting to send out notices to have blackberry cut. The following amounts have been collected since my last annual report : Vehicle license £2, drivers’ licenses £3l9' Is, dog tax £122, fines under By-Laws and Motor Regulations £59 15s, offensive trades £9 9s, halls registrations £4 10s, sale yards £3 3s, eating houses £2 2s, building permits £27 15s, hawkers’ licenses £lO, heavy traffic licenses £435 5s 7d. I have also been instrumental in collecting the following amounts for damages to Council property, viz. damages to •tractor £6 10s fid, damage to protection fence £4 12s, and damage to bridge £6 3s 3d. It will he s6en that there is a falling off of heavy traffic fees from last year. The a■mount last year being £595 13s 4d, this year only £435 5s 7d being collected. This is accounted for hv the fact that the Whitaumii Flax Coy. has not renewed its licenses, having decided to use the paddock adjoining the mill for drying purposes, instead of carting to paddocks near Fox toil. —Received.