HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 15 March 1920, Page 3

HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL

I MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary monthly meeting of the above Council was held at Levin I on Saturday. Present: Crs. G. A. Monk (chairman), F. J. Ryder, F. Coloy, H. Barber, J. R. Whyte, S. A. Broadbelt, Jas. McLeavcy., C. I. Harkness. Correspondence.

I Correspondence was read and deal with, as under: — From Minister of Public Works, re lative to the Council's letter re damug< done by increased motor traffic thr.ugl the curtailment of the railway service I and stating the Council's claim wouk S soon receive consideration. , _ Mr \V. H. Field, M.P., also wrote u

I a similar strain. It was pointed out that the Council's claim was only £llOO, and could got be considered extravagant ; like so mo local' bodies. It was decided to push the matter and receive a settlement.—Lettei received. A letter was read from the Pubht Works Department stating Mr Nathan had resigned a, engmcer.-Dccidcd to thank Mr Nathan for valuable services rendered. • From Boston Borough Council, suggesting the Foxton Borough, Manawatu bounty, Shannon Borough, and Herowhenua County should combine to iorm ■«, electric power board.-Keterred to a conference to be held next month. From Shannon Dairy Co., asking what steps the Council was taking to .ret power from Mangahao, and stating they desired a large amount of energy. Left over for the coming conference to deal with. From Shannon Borough Council, I stating there was a possibility of a ■ ' medical man starting practice in Shan- ■ non , and asking if the Council would

give a subsidy. The Chairman said if it was a back district the Council should subsidise it, /but as it was near both Levin and Palincrston he favoured no subsidyLetter received. From G. B. Woodniass and R. L. Tippler, drawing attention to the bad stato of a drain at Kara Road, Shannon The drain, they stated, had not

been cleaned out for two years. v Tho Engineer said the Council had previously given the drain attention, and could continue to do so. He did not however, remember any agreement compelling the Council to do the work. —L*ft to Cr. Barber and the engineer to attend to. From Brandon, Hislop and Brandon, stating they were willing to accept £145 in settlement of the Pinka Road (Higg'mson Bros.) ' It was pointed out taht the Council

had decided to offer £lO3 without prejudice.—Decided not to entertain the claim, hnt to adhere to the offer madefy the Council. \■■ From HaTold Smith (Paekakariki). ' asking for permission to erect a gate across" the newly-formed road al Hcathcrlea, and jwintiug out that the joad was a blind one, he being the only one to own both sines except in one place—Granted, gate to remain during tho pleasure of the Council. From Public- AVorks Department, stating with reference to road works Which were being carried out by the Council under Government subsidy, it was derided that as many payments as possible in respect to the works be made before March "Ist. With this end in view the Department asked the Council to forward claims to the office in respect to completed works, and works in progress, by the ISth pros., in order that the works might be inspected and progress or final payments made before 3.lst prox.—Received.

Waihoanga Road. R. W. Booth (Otaki) drew attention to the bad state of the Waihoanga road, and stated he had approached the engineer on several occasions to do improvements. The matter, he considered, needed attention before winter set in.' River metal, he said, was handy, and tho cost would be small.

The Engineer said fo put the road in order would cost about £25. tl needed top-drcssiug and rolling. Cr. Coley interjected that there was too much clay in the formation, and considered £25 insufficient. To put metal on top of the clay would, in his mind, be a loss of time. Motor cars at present squashed the metal to one side.

The engineer was authorised to have the work done. Culvert at Riverbank Road. George Noble (Otaki) wrote drawingattention to the state of the end of tho "verbauk road, where, there was a large water-hole containing "ft to 3ft water during winter. He asked that the matter be given attention, and pointed out that necessary metal could he secured free of charge two chains away.

Cr. Ryder said the place was a disgrace to the district, that the hole was a menace, and should be culverted and filled up. The tost of the work should foe borne equally between the Council and Otaki Town Board.

Cr. Coley agreed, and pointed out that the locality was at present a rubbish depot. Decided that Cr. Ryder wait on tho Town Board and arrange a settlement. Electric Power District.

Crs. Monk, Broadbelt, and Harkness, the committee appointed to report on the supply of energy from Mangahao. reported (1) That the Council authorise the calling of a conference of local bodies to consider the advisability or otherwise of forming an electric power district under tho Electric Power Boards Act, 3915. (2) That two representatives from the following local authorities be invited to attend Mich conference:' Foxton. Levin and Shannon Boroughs, Otaki Town Board, and the Manawatu and Hutt County Council". (Z) That the P.W. Department be asked to allow one of its officer: to attend the proposed conference. (4) That the date of the proposed conler-

| enco be' Saturday, April 24, at 11 a.m., i at Levin. The Chairman said the committee had been gathering information on the matter, and it was thought advisable to have a conference and get a representative of the Department to come up and meet it. Cr. Harkness considered the scheme was one which should be hurried on, and thought the Council should be in a position to use s tho power as soon as available. The report was adopted. i Crs. Monk, Broadbelt and Harkness were appointed representatives to at- , tend the conference. !

The Ranger. The rangor (G. Watson) reported that during the month he had impounded 23 head of stock and had laid informations against five offenders. These would come before tho magistrate at Otaki on March 20.

The ranger pointed out that he was greatly handicapped owing to various roads being open, and suggested they be closed.

Cr. Harkness pointed out that horses still continued to roam at large in his riding, and on Bruce road thero had been narrow escapes from accidents.

Mr Watson said he knew the offenders well, and had at last caught his animals and laid au information. He had been along various roads at all hours, and had found no stock. It was decided to instruct the ranger to impound wandering stock on the Otaki, Te Horo, and Tokomaru Ridings on and after the 20th inst.

Mr Watson reported that beyond the collection of money he had had no difficulty in registering Nativo dogs. Bridge Repairs.

Cr. Coley asked if the engineer had received any'word from the Department relative to tho tarring of the Waihoanga bridge. The Engineer answered in tho negative.

Cr. Coley said the bridge over "Devil's Elbow," near the. post office, was unsafe, and that ho had to pay extra money to contractors because tho bridge was unsafe. There was one stringer almost rotten, which should receive immediate attention. Mr .Tudd had offered to do the work.

The Engineer said the bridge was safe enough, and pointed out that it. would be a difficult matter to get suitable timber to effect repairs. Cr. Ryder said he and Cr. Coley had brought samples of metal from Rnhui toad, but he suggested the matter bo left in abeyance till the engineer gave tin- estimated cost of the work.

The Engineer considered metal on top of the present formation would make a good road.

Roadmen's Wages. On the motion of Cr. McLeavcy, seconded by Cr. Ryder, it was decided to raise the Toadmcn's wages by Is Gd per day, foreman by 10s per week, engine-driver by 5s per week, horsedriver Is per day; that the assistantclerk's salary be raised by £2O per year, that the ranger be allowed commission of b'd each on sheep and cattle dogs, and Is on house and sporting dogs, tax fo be collected before 30th day of June on each current year, such rise in wages and salary to take effect from April Ist, 1920.

An amendment by Cr. Harkness, eeoiided-by Cr. Coley, that the rise l>e '.3s per day for roadmen, was lost.

This matter was considered in committee. Miscellaneous Items. The Engineer, in answer to Cr. Broadbelt, said the Foxton-Kawiu deviation had been surveyed and that everything was in order. The matter of water Tunning down Beach road would receive attention, while necessary patching would shortly be done on McDonald's (Arapuepae) road.

Cr. Harkness drew attention to blackberry bushes growing in the Ohau district, and considered the Council should have, them dug out. He asked how the Ohau East special district was pressing, and in response the engineer said the matter had been abandoned. Cr. Harkness said the Muhunoa bridge decking was unsafe, and asked if timber could be procured to do it. —The Engineer said timber was unprocurable, while in his opinion the bridge was safe.

Cr. Whyte reported visiting the Tokomaru Valley road with Mr Nash, and in his mind it wanted re-forming and metalling. He had seen a contractor who had offered to do the work at £5 to £5 10s per chain. The claim, in his mind, was exorbitant. Some 47 chains needed attention, but he had no recommendation to make unless the work could be done for £l5O to £175. If it could bo done for this ho would like to see the work proceeded with.

It was decided that councillors of the Wirokino Riding and the Engineer be a committee to investigate the. condition of the Koputaroa stream, they to have power to act." also that Crs. Barber and Whyte deal with the Tokomaru Valley road. Cr. Ryder and Cr. Coley reported having interviewed Mr Staveley re widening Lupin road, and were of opinion that it would be sufficient to have it declared a half-chain road. — The Chairman doubted if the Department would accept it as such.

The Council decided to sell the engineer's car for £l4O, and that the chairman, clerk and the engineer be a committee empowered to .purchase a five-senter Ford on the conditions as contained in the offer from J. C. Milnes.—This was a matter treated in committee. Resolutions. Whyte-Barber: That the account of (!. Anderson for extras to the Tokomaru cottage amounting to £3*> 14s Sd be passed for payment, Oder-Broadbelt: That the seal c.f the Council be attached to the agreement with Geo. Phil)ip s jjj reference ro the Manaknu pound, and that the Chairman and Cr. RT-.lfr sign same or. behalf of the Council. Harkness-Broidboli: That the account of Crs. Coley and Ryder (13s)

for expenses incurred for inspecting Waihoanga and Lupin (old cemetery) roads be passed for payment. Broadbolt-Colcy: That the chairman and the treasurer be authorised to deal with all necessary accounts which it was advisable to square up before the end of the financial year, any such accounts to be reviewed at next rncet-fl ing. Accounts. Accounts amounting to £IS97 4s lid were passed for payment. ,