HUTT COUNTY COUNCIL

Otaki Mail, 12 February 1919, Page 2

HUTT COUNTY COUNCIL

ORDINARY MONTHLY MEETING, » The ordinary monthly meeting of the above Council was held at Wellington yesterday. Present: Crs. F. G. Cooper (chairman), W. Galloway, •W. J. Howell, M. W. Welch, P.* Cavanagh, and J. Whitemau. Correspondence. Correspondence was read and dealt with as follows:

From Internal Affairs Department relative to a Dominion town-planning scheme, and asking for a representative to be appointed to attend the conference.—Chairman appointed.

From Hieearton Borough Council suggesting funds for the Epidemie Relief Fund be distributed by local bodies.— Received. ■

From H. W. Gjesen, asking for compensation for damage done to his car at Belmont, where he ran' into an obstruction placed on the roud by the Council's employes.—Decided to admit no liability.

From J. S. Swan (Lowry Bay), asking to be relieved of drainage water, which was damaging his property. If not attended to he would place the matter in the hands of his solicitor. — Received.

From J. W. Boulton To pound at Puhautanui, stating it was used by the xs.Z. Loan and Mercantile Agency Co., and as he had to clean if, he thought he should be reimbursed. —Decided that Boulton be paid £2. Mr W. E. A. Gill (Mungtiroa) asking permission to fence alongside the formation of the road, and make it a halfchain one.—Xof granted. From PlimmCrton Progressive Association complaining of houses being built, on unsuitable sections. —To be attended to.

From sanitary inspector (Plimmerton) complaining of a resident taking sand from the beach and the unsatisfactory state of his premises.—-Left to the inspector to take proceedings. lucrease of Salaries. Cr. Cavanagh's notice of motion, "That the clerk's salary be increased by £25 and the lady assistants' by £3 each," was considered. The mover considered the increase was well deserved on account of the large amount: of work done and the increased cost of living.—Tho motion failed to find a seconder.

Dangerous Metal. Or. Galloway considered the metal should be shifted off tho Pahautanui road. It was dangerous and had al- i ready been the cause of an accident. It\ had been quarried there and'tho'roiiu' made so narrow as to bo dangorou*. There was always a chance of a case of damages arising therefrom. The roads, in his opinion, were worse now in his riding than since he bad entered tho Council. The formation was on tho sandstone rack. He also asked where the fence had gone to that had been erected for protective purposes at Plimmcrion. The wire was missing, whilo it was surmised the posts Were taken for firewood. The Council had two road inspectors and they should know about it. Reverting to the roads, Cr Galloway said they were disgraceful, and unless the uotor lorry was sooa secured they would have to go-back to the horse and cart and cracking stones by hammer business.

Ranger's Report, The ranger reported that during the month he had impounded 20 head of stock, while several owners were to be summoned for allowing- stock to wander. Dog Tax. The dog tax collector stated he had no:, been over successful last year in collecting the tax, adding he had been handicapped through illness, and had called and found owners away. He hod collected in all £ll.

' The Chairman suggested printed 1 notices be left where owners were ab- J sent calling upon them to pay without I delav. |

The collector said ho had collected 1 on 103 dogs in the Pahautanui district, I but admitted he had missed a few. Cr. Howell agreed with the chair- f man's suggestion and moved accord- 'fr ingiy, adding that fourteen day.-.' ;.;■ notice be given owners, and, failing j payment, owner*'to'be sued at the t Council's cost. Seconded by Cr. Whil- f. man and carried. I

i It was agreed that for this year Mr | Dick be appointed registrar at Gd per dog. Reports. Tne engine-driver reported" ttjat during the month 825 yards of irMtA kdd been crushed at Day's -Bay.— adopted. The motor-driver failed to put ia a report, and various opinions were advanced for it. ,

Crashing Operations, Councillors considered sufficient crashing had been done at Eastbourne, ; and that crushing operations should be carried out for the benefit of the Hutt County instead of for outside boroughs. Various councillors advanced arguments for the plant in their respective ridings. On Cr. Galloway's moti/jn it was decided to get a report re doing up the old crusher. .-. Cr. Howell said it would be absolute folly to get the crusher done up, but Cr. Welch considered it a far better

machine than the new which he maintained was only a toy. Drainage Board Wanted. A deputation from Wainui waited on Cposeil and - stated they wanted improved drainage adjacent to their properties. 'They' saggested -that the Jouheii take charge of the drain' sad .cok-after it: cleaning it oaee'oi twic-s i year. At present 'the drain seeded 'leaning, and ii'thx<"Cotifldl woald atecd to it the jsettlers were willing hat a rate be. struck to'eover the cp*e. Cr. Howell suggested the* fonrmti&fl it a Brainagg Board oa the saae- liza

a 3 formed on his : ridiug.-Agreed to. Back Block Road. Mr Phillips waited upon the Council and requested road access at Kaitoke (Akatawara S.D.). He stated tourists to Otaki used the road. Cr. Whiteman, representative of the Hiding, mid iw would'not spend money to improve the road—it did not warrant it.

After further argument Or. Whitcmui. agreed that £lO be spent on the road, provided Mr .Phillips did £5 worth. £l3 in all.—Left in the hands of Gr. Whiteman. Roadman's Cottage. It was decided to effect necessary improvements to the roadman's cottage lit Rii.iorangi. Motor Lorries. It was agreed .that all motor lorries in the County be charged a license fee of £25 per annum. Inspector's Report. The Inspector (Mr J. W. Cudby) reportal that the Mungaroa Hill was in. a rough state, and he recommended additional culverts.' A cottage had been erected at Plimmerton, but did not comply with the by-laws. A small bridge at Hirokiwi (near Nieoll's shed) showed signs of subsidence and ho recommended a concrete pipe, etc., at a cost of £3S. On the 26rli a motor lorry' containing furniture, overturned into fhc Hirokhvi Stream, and considerable damage was done. Very good work | had been done with the grader in the i Epuni Biding. On the 28th the motor ! lorry from Hirokiwi had been sent to ( Paekakariki to haul rocks for repairs to the sea front of the parade, where j there wore nasty breaches. The inspector reported that accommodation was unobtainable for the Council's workmen at West Hutt,"Wainui-o-rnata, i and Paekakariki, and owing to the . want of such fhreo men had left. He had appointed J. Motzenthin in temporary charge of the crusning plant. An application had been made for the erec- | tion of a hut on the reserve at Pae- I kakariki at a cost of £SO to £6O. Four of the Council's men had been dis- j charged from military service, but- although the positions had been kopt open, only one had started work, — j Adopted. j Sub-Inspector's Report.

Mr R. C. Dick reported that the Hutt-Waikanae track was in good order except in places where the scrub needed cutting. The road from the top of the hill was better now than he had seen it since he had been with the Couueil. There were overhanging trees jn plaees that needed cutting back.- — Adopted. Accounts amounting to £749 Ss were passed for payment.