HOISOWHENUA COUNTY.

Otaki Mail, 15 April 1922, Page 4

HOISOWHENUA COUNTY.

COUNCIL MEETING ON SATURDAY. A meeting of the Horowheuua County Council was field on Saturday, the chairman, Cr. G. A. Monk presiding. Crs. Bryant, Ryder, Whyte, Barber, McLean; Harkness, Bipadbelt and Knox were also present.

H. O'Donnell, of K'.iku, Ohau, applied for it slaughter-house license. In connection with this matter Mr John ' Horn, of Manakau, wrote staling that recently a slaughter-house and boil-ing-down shed hod been erected in close proximity to his residence, and that ne feared an offensive smell. Also, it seemed, he said, thai the j drainage and 'washing-down waters would go into the, Council's races.— >Cr. Bryant said, there was a fairly I large space separating I tie house and J tire slaughterhouse, and that there should not necessarily be any drainage into the water races. It was decided then that Crs. Bryant and Mcl.eavey visit the spot, and if conditions are favourable the application be granted. Mr J. Bowler, of Shannon, wrote drawing attention to the blocking by spoil of a culvert under the main road, and the consequent flooding of

PARMERC' SCHOOL. his property. The chairman of the Buckley Drainage Board wrote in connection with the same matter, fie stated that at each flush, deposits of goinl were left in llle tiraius adjoining and his board was put to expense in clearing it. ' Cr. Barber said the capacity of the ,-ulvert was not sufficient. The Engineer said he would have any spoil cleared thoroughly. He was sure the trouble was not as had as it had been represented to bo. The matter was left in the hands or the Engineer to see what improvement could be made to the old existing culvert, and if found necessary to report as to the advisability of constructing a new and larger one. The T.evin Dairy Co. wrote stating that steps had been taken to prevent am- further drainage being allowed to" reach the piggery. II bad also 'arranged for all drainage and*refuse I' from the siys to be carted out and I properlv distributed—Received.

FINANCIAL MATTERS. The chairman said it. was hoped that the Public Works estimate could be got out at the end of the month. ' ]i was essentia'! for the county '0 live within its means. Under the new Finance Act as it applied to local hodles the Council had to make both elu]s meet at the end of Hie year. Councillors in conferring with the Engineer should not ask anything thai was not' absolutely necessary. he hail been in the Council he had not seen so much money owing for outstanding rates. There was no lP <;s than £SOOO outstanding, and there was C 760 owing from the previous vear It was unfortunate thM a big share of the outstanding rales came fVoml returned soldiers. The only mtngfortheCounc.il to do now was ~, mnue every efforl to get die ~,,,„'-.'- in and the staff would be instructed accordingly. , m the motion of Cr. Whyte. it was derided that the chairman and irea-mn-ei 'ake the steps to raise n l.*n nf fiorv-0 - !* -*;< as a =et-off 10 the anteepdent liability. GENERAL BUSINESS. Th , (l 0„ t a x was fixed as before, land Mr Geo. Watson was appointed 'registrar. , , i to? ranger reported (hat he had [impounded 32 head of wandering . stock.

= COUXr.ILI.ORS' REPORTS. ! «;,.. Barber said a few loads oft metal w e required in the Tokomaru ] VO at< espeeiallv near Shannon. Numjbors'ol potholes had made an appearance lately. .- I <y. Harkness said several requests l,afl come fo lilin from the Kuku end of the Wirokmo rifling that the road | to the haH badly needed attention. ! He was sure an area nf land near the jgravel pit v.Jt.hl ho a first-class place, I for the Council to do any tree-plant-, ing fhat it mijrM deride on. rhei ■ Kuku-Beach Bnr-,.1 was in very bad ; orfl er, and was overgrown with lu.'pins. Drain? on Hie road to the soldier." Settlement ueeried attention ibut there v. - n loubt that part of 'jthe obligation oi clearing then, rest!ed on the soldiers themsglves.-On the j suggestion of the chairman, he agreed to get into touch with the sol,fliers and arrange-a conference with •-representatives of the Council. j Two uiusterers in the Ohau Valley 'last week were beset, by swarms ol '! flying ants, with the result that the , I difficulties usually associated with ' mustering-sheep in broken country j were increased a hundred-fold. Every 1 ' stump was surrounded by a thick i haze of ants,' and the two harassed linen were treated similarly. Every i time one opened his mouth to call to 1 ; a dog it was tilled with ants. Their i ears and noses instantly and contihui i ously challenged the curiosity of the ! winged pest, and, as one related to a [chronicle representative., by some ; queer perversity "or just the sheer , cusseriness of things the dogs were ■'peculiarly obtuse on that day of days. i They, by the way. heeded the ants 'not a ioT. and rushed about barking and swallowing them in hundreds. Two or Three days afterwards in 'cooler weathei one of the two returned to the spot. There was no sign 'then, of"an ant until he happened to [look into the interstice of a broken,; ! log and there they lay in close formation and apiWfcohtiy unable to use ! their wings. Crevices in other logs j were filled likewise. |