HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXVIII, 18 August 1920, Page 4

HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

* INSPECTOR'S REPORT. The inspector reported as follows: — Tokomaru: The roads in tliis riding showed signs of wear, and metal was needed in places. Wirokino: The waggons here were laid up for repairs, and the month lias been quiet. The contract lor the Lindsay .McDonald road had been started. Ho complained of soil being taken fro. i the. roads.

Cr. McLcavcy considered action J .should be taken in the case of soil being removed, and hoped the Council would take drastic action, unless in tlir case of where banks were being take: Cr. Harkness complained of people taking gravel from J>itS without per ' mission, and he suggested the pit I>< fenced and locked. The same, he said. applied to other pits, At the Kuku it was suggested by Mr Wall that hi would do the fencing if the Council pni up the gate. The subway at •Ohau was oftimes full of water, due to a ilmin pouring water into it. The Chairman said the man who turned the water on the road was liable | I in prosecution. j

(Jr. Uurkness suggested tapping the, jr,-.,vol—the subway itself had silted. The question was a difficult one, and rliildrcn now had to pass over the railway instead of underneath, which was dangerous. The man who ran the water on the road was a difficult our to deal with. The Florida road had been neglected, while water ion down the centre, and a deal of money would have to lie spent at Mrs Kirkculdie's Lend. The inspector had .tone goofl work in liifl riding. I'lit was overlook ,„.. the growth of blackberry. He Ihoiijjhl Ihe inspector should put n man „n and have it cut. This the chairman considered Lad policy. ?■ «•« <:. Mi-Loavey proposed that at the subway the (lip be tilled up with boul dors l,v quile 4ft. There was no need for said; an opening under the line. The Chairman thought the watei might be diverted to Bishop Bros.', it' they wished it. Or. Broadbelt asked thai a piece of road near his place I"' inspected, and pointed out that the tree, to the I'apailonga lake did not need lopping, although some of the branches could be cut. He had visited the Arapaepae drain, but nothing delinite had been done. The Chairman said it would be a shame to cut the trees to the lake. Otaki Biding: Only maintenance work was done during the month: all roads were in good order—Bahui being the worst. Relative to Anderson's '. road at To Mununo, ho had dcicded to j leave it over for a while. Cr. Ryder sail he had not visited the locality. At Adams he suggested th. present pipes bo taken out and largei

! J LIU'S put ill. Tc IToro.— Piitchin" was being done II „„ these roads. while drains were ! being eleureil uul ut Hadlield's. j j Cr. Cclcy said metalling u:is being I done on the (.Sorge road, and a week ■I ' should complete il. The weather htid || i„ unfavourable. The road from I i and needed attention. Near the up \ I proaeh lo the overhead bridge there 3 was a nasty watorhole. and it' the cor- | j »er was-widened the trouble might he I j overcome. There was a fair number 9 ; ~„( had been mainly responsible, and | he thought the roads should be opened

Tlio Chairman said ii had been re ported that Tasmaii Road needed al tcntioji. oil] Or. Kyder promised to attend to this, and have neees.-ary work done. It was decided to pay £73 to Mr Howard for work done on the Gladstone road, making £l3O paid lip to date. Tt was resolved to prosecute nil offen ders who took spoil from roads with out permission of the engineer. Rivers and. Willo-w-planting. The Minister of Public Works wrote relative to the flooding of river valley;. l.y ill-regulated willow-planting, and [limit ins out the great danger and loss that might aceruc by so doing. The Minister also stated that no application !',, r assistance to repair flood damage would be entertained where it was shown such was due to wrongful planting.—Cr. Kydor considered that no doubt much damage vras done by willows being wrongly planted, but in the. main did not apply to planting in this eounly. Willows, he considered, should be lopped in summer and burned.— Letter received.

I Tlio Shannon Bridge. Air Climic (engineer) reported that ihe Shannon bridge was in danger of erosion owing to the "S" bend in the river just above, and slated the co ? t of saving the bridge would be great, but in the meantime he suggested putting in groynes. The Chairman -aid the report was Aw to the inspector's report, but as the Council'* new engineer would be here within a few days it would be just as y.e!l to leave it over. The Manatvatu Council would be consulted before doing tiny work. Cr. Wnyte said he understood the position was more favourable than a month ajro. Cr. Kyder said to drive piles would be tOG,t£?tly, and to do work as he had done at Otaki .s-.j'd make a big difference in cost. Cr. Harkness said the remark? ci l£r <i;jjtit»j were sound, and that everything was due ia ?he "B" bend. Whether it eouhl be turne.j :nw its proper course again remained to iu- avea. Cr. Ryder said his idea hddbcen pooli-po«LcJ. but it was evident he had been on the right tracl:, and was glad to see the Council decided to do 'something- 'With one big flood the bridge would be stranded. Cr. Harkness agreed that the Mam.- . watii Council should be cposnlt**, and

said Cr. Ryder's opinion could he considered by the two county engineers wheii in conference. Decided' to hold rhe matter over pending the arrival of the new engineer, who wiis expected next week.