HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otaki Mail, 10 February 1919, Page 3

HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

, MONTHLY MEETING. 1 • The ordinary monthly meeting of the j above Council was held at'Levin on ■ Saturday, Present* Crs. G. A. Home 1 (chairman'), G. P. Catlcy, F. J. Kyder, : Jas McLeavev, S. A. Broadbclt, C. I. Darkness, J. R. Whyte, E. Law, W. J. Bryant. Correspondence. Correspondence was read and dealt | with as follows: — From Stats Advances Office granting the Council a loan of £SOO for the purpose of constructing and extending water-races in the Wailuiwa-Kuku

water-race district. ' ■ It was decided to.affix the Council's seal to a debenture for £SOO in respect to the water-race loan, and that the treasurer be appointed .to countersign such debenture. From Department of Lands and burvey relative to keeping the mouth of the Mangaono stream open, and stayipg I the Council was wrong in stating it Iwas beyond the Council’s jurisdiction to attend to. The road bordering the stream was under the Council’s control, and the Council was liable for keeping open the month of the stream. The Chairman pointed out that the Department failed to understand the [ true position, and on his suggestion the I matter was left to the clerk, who will j put the position plainly before the I Department. I From Department of Lands and SurI vcy stating the Council was authorised 'to proceed with work in accordance ; with specifications at Pukcnaniu set- ' tlcment. The amount available was 1 £IBO, and it was hoped the Council ■ would proceed with the work as soon as i possible, as Mr Patten was unable to ‘ w ork liis section to advantage—Re-

! ceivcd. Frmn Riccarton Borough Council obi jecting to the Health Department controlling funds for the relief of the i epidemic, and suggesting local bodies bo authorised to distribute funds collected. —Received, the Chairman remarking that the Council had already quite enough business to attend to. From Shannon Meat Co. (W. S. Carter) asking for a drain to be cleaned (Woods’ estate).—Referred to Cr. Law. S From F. M. Dew (Fairfield), complaining of wandering stock near her property, and suggesting the Council’s ranger take drastic action. Cr. Broadbelt stated the locality was in front of the ranger’s own property. Decided to call the ranger’s attention to the

stock. From C. W. Liggins (Orona Downs) complaining of the state of a culvert on the Pretoria road, and asking for

removal to a better's!to. —Referred Cr. Law and the engineer, with

power to act. From Levin Domain Board asking the Council to cut fern whi-ch adjoined the borough reserve, and thus help to prevent fire damaging the property, which was much used for picnic and other purposes. —To be attended to. From Department of Internal Affairs, asking for a delegate to be appointed to represent the Council in May to consider a ■- Dominion town-planning scheme.—Chairman appointed. From TUeo. Marlow (Levin) inviting the Council to inspect an Avery trac- . tor, which was demonstrating in the • district. —Received.

j From R. J. Btavelcy, on behalf of ; Mr Win. Macdonald (Otaki), request- ! ing payment of £-.t 5s tor damages to a . horse and cart, sustained through a ! faulty culvert. This matter was taken ! in committee. It was decided to leave i the matter in the hands of Crs. Bryant i and Ryder and the engineer with power to act.

•A Rikiorangi Matter.

J. Rasmussen (Rikiorangi) wrote asking that Mr Jones (a settler) be re- ( quested to move an encroaching fence. His cattle had undone much of the good work lie (the writer) had done, and it was very unfair to him. The road at present was a cattle track for another man. ’ c -'-Hi The Chairman said the ease was an unfortunate one. Rasmussen had taken up a block of land at a rental of 10s per aero, several chains from any road, and now wanted the Council to deviate and make a road at a cost of £IOO. He had suggested that the man form a special rating district, but in this Rasmussen had failed. He had, however, showed pluck and started to make the road, and the Council had decided to j subsidise the amount. The road went ! through other property, and Rasmussen now wished that Jones’ fence the road. The Council had no power to force him to fence, but only to remove an obi struction, and he (the chairman) had ; suggested the matter be left over till fencing material was down in price. , ! Rasmussen failed to agree, and hence ''the letter to the Council. He (the I chairman) thought the least -Jones j ! could do was to put a gate in the fence, t Left to the councillors for the riding ! to attend to.

Manakau Pound. C. Noes wrote asking for a refund of £1 for a horse sold at the Manakau pound, and stating in future he would be unable to act as pouadkeeper, as he was often from home and had no paddock in which to impound stock. The engineer said no one had been looking after the pound of late, and that Phillips if he was elected poundkeeper would build necessary yards, i The yards af present were on private i property. Decided to leave the matter qf ap--1 pointing a pounakeeper to the engineer ! and to make a refund of £l.

The Horowlieima Lake, 1 ( A deputation waited on the Council rcj lative io the overflow of the Horo-. j wlienua Lake, which was damaging I their land. Mr Vincent said the lake 1 was IS in higher than before, and that about 1000 acres of first-class land was affected by the lake, the primary cause being the Horowhenua water.-race syitem“ ika .Council had done but Uttla

to assist settlers, and they asked the Council to divert the water and prevent the settlers being water-logged; they wanted the outlet maintained so as to get rid of the water. Mr Procter had a large area of land under water, and wished the Council ,to do something to obviate the trouble by keeping the-lake at a reasonable level. The property owners on the southern end complained that the drains had not been kept open, and urged that the lake be lowered to a normal level. Mr Procter said he had property on the eastern side of the lake and much of it was under water.

i The engineer said the lake was two feet higher than lie had ever seen it, and it would take some time to relieve the property owners, j It was pointed out by the chairman I and Cr. Broadbclt that the Maoris had 1 certain rights which prevented the Hokio. stream (the real cause of 1 trouble) being interfered with. Unless ( a lock was put in they saw no way of j lowering the lake. I Mr Vincent said the property owners 7 were willing to raise money to put in a lock, and also to have the property brought in a special rating area. I It was agreed that councillors interested and the deputation ■ meet at_tho | lake and see what could be done.j Miscellaneous. J The ranger reported that all roads 1 wore free of wandering stock, but counI cillors drew attention to the herding I of cattle on the roads in the Wirokiuo riding. It was decided that the dog fax be j fixed at 2s 6d per head for sheep and I cattle dogs and 10s.for house and sportj ing dogs, also that G. Watson be apI pointed tax collector. • cr. L aw asked that the engineer go over all by-roads in liis riding and report on at next meeting.—Agreed to. . Cr. White complained of stumps in the formation of roads in Tokomaru, and asked they bo removed.—To be attended to. Accounts. Accounts ■ amounting to £llOO 4s 7d (including £l5O interest) were passed for payment.