HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otaki Mail, Volume XXIII, 15 December 1920, Page 3

HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

I The Banger. >] At the County Council meeting on , I Saturday the ranger reported that ij during the month he had impounded 1 42 head of stock, while three Court I cases were pending. 1 Cr. Harkness said stock on the road .1 at nights were dangerous, and sug- \ gest'ed they be given strict attention. The ranger said the roads were very free of stock; ho had traversed the j j district, and saw no cause for complaints. There was a bad offender in " the Otaki Riding, and owing to a small section of Te Horo Riding adjoining he could do nothing. Cr. Ryder thought there should be an adjustment of the To Horo and Otaki Ridings in this locality. The Chairman said an attempt had . been made to do this, but it had been 1 blocked. Mr Bevan's Fences. ! P. J. O'Regan wrote on behalf of Mr George Bcvan relative to the resolution passed by the Council to the effect that Mr Bevan be requested to re-erect the fence round the bend on his properly, along the main road at Pukehou, the Council agreeing to replace the same in the event of it being damaged at any time by its employees. Mr Bevan now stated that he would | re-erect the fence subject to his hav- j

ing tho right to remove it any time. Mr Bcvan had erected a fence on tho opposite sido of the road, but it had been interfered with by the embankment slipping away. Mr Bevan required the Council should make good the. damage. He was also anxious that the site of the old closed road extending as far as Kawa's boundary should be conveyed to him, it being of no longer any use to the Council. He also stated that years ago a strip of land had been taken for a road from his back gate across to Paruaka No. 2. The road was never constituted, and it would appear was no longer necessary. After discussion it was resolved that the engineer and Crs. Ryder and Bryant confer with Mr Bevan re the matter. Roadmen's Wages. . The Chairman said it had been agreed to allow Mr Anderson to call for applications for workmen, but he had had the matter re-considered, and would move that, rho rate of wages be raised to 13s (id per day, tho position to be reviewed later. Cr. Ryder said the men were paid wet and dry and stood at a better rate than in other places. Why raise the wages for three months? he asked. Some men were practically old men, and it would be fair to leave the wages as they were. The Council men, he considered, were better off than private employees. Cr. Harkness asked was it, right to pay for wet and dry? Personally he agreed that men should lie paid only for work done. This was the opinion of leading ratepayers. Cr. Ryder said the question was an awkward one. In parte of the county it would be we(, in other places fine; then again work was often necessary on wet days. The Engineer agreed with Cr Ryder. There was nothing to prevent men from putting in time for wet days, even if dry. The men were not always under his eyes, although he made surprise visits. He hud instructed his men to attend to their respective lengths, wet or line. Cr. Brondbclt thought the Engineer should be given a new start with the men. The Council had a lot of roadmen who wanted weeding out. He had seen one man going to work af nine a.m. and leaving at 4 p.m. Cr. Ryder said the engineer should have control over the men, and should sack men that were not satisfactory. The Chairman: He is doing* so, and had already sucked one man. His proposal amounted to £3O per month for

25 men. As tor wet and dry employment it was all right for a gang, but not otherwise; the Council could not avoid paying for wet and dry days. He thought the rise would make the men more contented, and the matter was only one for three months. During the next three years wages, he considered, would be reduced in the Dominion. He moved that the surfacemen 's wages be increased to 13s 6d per day, the position to be reviewed at the end of the financial year, the said wage to take effect from this meeting.—Carried. Cr. Harkness moved that the wages in future be reviewed at the end of each financial year.—Carried. l Miscellaneous. The appointment of Mr Anderson as engineer was confirmed, and further that he be appointed inspector of nuisances and to see that by-laws were carried out where advisable. It was decided to pay all wages up ! to 25th December; that the Xmas and New Year holidays for the surfacemen . be from December 25th to January Sth inclusive; and that the nest monthly meeting of the Council be held on January 15th. Cr. Harkness drew attention to the ' Muhunoa subway, whicE" needed atten- I tion, Cr. Bryant suggested improve- '■ ment of Manaknu water races and | better lighting for the township, Cr. ; Knox reported that the Gorge road was in a bad state, pipes were blocked, roads scoured oat, that rettlers wers ' assisting with repair work, that big slips had occurred on the Mangaone road, that*the Te Horo water-race-were in a bad state and had not been cleaned for months, a wash-out had occurred on Beach road, that Rahm road was much neglected, and that Mr Preston Thomas complained that an approach to his bridge had been cur off and offered assistance to have, itfilled. It was decided to have all mat- : ters attended to as soon as possible. ' In connection with the work at , { Preston-Thomas'. Cr. Byder poJsi aJ out. that the wojfe xrgs satuw -- necessary

than people , imagined, ,and that if something was not done the river would cut through valuable property and perhaps carry away the Council'.l road, which was adjacent. Accounts amounting to £2341 Is 4d were passed for payment. ggggggSg 55K555S