COUNTY AFFAIES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 114, 12 April 1940, Page 4

COUNTY AFFAIES

POHANGINA COUNCIL. BETTER ROADS SOUGHT. A meeting of the Pohangina County Council was held yesterday, Cr. S. J. Strahan presiding. Also present were t Crs. W. McKay, W. Howell, G. M. Arbon, H. B. Clapham and P. Jensen. , Leave of absence was granted Cr. T. \ lE. Craine. x Prior to the commencement of the business those present stood in silence out of respect to the late Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage). ; The Feilding Borough Council wrote ' inviting the councillors to attend the . unveiling ceremony of the ; Mount Stewart Memorial. —Received. In reference to the .Apiti-Norsewood \ Road extension to Mr J. MY Forbes’s ’ i property, the engineer of the Public | Works Department advised that the council was responsible lor the maintenance of the road. —-The council’s e.n----1 gineer (Mr D. Watson) stated that not ' all of the Government grant had been expended o.ti the formation of the road, there being £lO over. He was of the opinion that £lO would cover the | amount of the repairs. In a letter to I the engineer, Mr Forbes had stated he (would maintain the road when the rcI pairs were carried out. On Cr. McI Kay’s motion the engineer was instructed to make the necessary repairs. Mr E. B. Jennings enquired if the council would interview Mr H. W. Jensen, sawmiller, of Urnutoi, regarding royalties on timber carted. The chairman said he had had a telephone conversation with Mr Jensen, who offered to pay 2d per hundred feet and, in addition, to maintain Pettigrew’s Road. It was decided that the council accept the offer. Mr E. G. Buckman sought permission to alter his fence line. —Permission was granted subject to the engineer's approval. The Feilding Borough Council wrote thanking the ioca] committee for collecting £157 10s Od for the Fighting Services Appeal Fund. Mr S. F. Mor. ris, secretary of the Apiti Patriotic Committee, advised that £209 12s 8d had been collected in the Ajiiti area for the fund. Cr Clapham stated that the road on No. 2 Line, Awahou, was slipping and if a bad winter was experienced the road might give serious trouble. It might he necessary to piit the road through his property, and if so, he was quite agreeable. The engineer was instructed to report on the road. Cr McKay drew attention to a dangerous corner on the Marton Block Road, also to tile need for grading iMakoura Road. —The engineer stated that the grader was on its way to this locality. Cr Jensen brought np the question of metalling in the Uniutoi riding. He said no metalling had linen done in this locality for six or seven years. He had been fighting metal for years and had been put- off on all sorts of excuses. Now it was proposed to grade instead of metal the roads. He contended that grading was not suffi- ] cient and said that some metal should j be put on the worst places as soon as possible. The chairman said, that a programme of road improvement

should be drawn up. To make the roads safe for motor traffic, particularly with regard to the extension ot school transport, would cost a great amount of money. He suggested that the neighbouring counties be asked to co-operate in inviting the Minister o Public Works to make a tour ot inspection with the object of securing some Government assistance lor the work. Cr McKay agreed and pointed out that- back-blocks counties did not get the benefit of free or subsidised labour as did those nearer town. Cr Howell said that the roads should,-be made safe for modern transport and. he advocated a long-range plan ot improvement. It was decided to send a deputation to meet the Kiwitea, Council at the next meeting of that body. The engineer reported that it would lie necessary to. provide a house for the auto-patrol driver. The wliare which was recently built in the township could he enlarged at a cost ot about £l5O. The rent on the house would render the improvement free, ot cost to the council. Cr Howell favoured budding a new house. Cr McKa.v i was of Plie opinion that it would bo better to build what houses were needed all over the county, raising a loan for the purpose. On the motion of Cr Strahan. seconded by Cr McKay, the engineer was instructed to prepare estimates and plans lor three houses for the next meeting, the question ot additions to the wliare at loh angina being left to the discretion of the engineer. , The report of Die treasurer (Mr A. E. Orgias) stated that the cminty fivnd account was m credit bv £2885 ds tx , the loan, account by £309 10s lid : tU ‘nlant replacement account by £o4o l--3- and the cemetery account bv £34 8s ]od The credit balance at March 31 was £3374 14s 4d. The rates levied totalled £7542 2s 7d and the amount collected totalled £7465 4s Id, leaving onlv £76 18s Gd outstanding. Cr McKav congratulated the treasurer on collecting such a larsre • percentage of rates which, he said, vwis very good.