COUNTY COUNCIL

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 250, 13 June 1932, Page 6

COUNTY COUNCIL

ROUTINE BUSINESS AT ORDINARY MONTHLY MEETING. HIGHWAYS MAINTENANCE. An ordinary meeting of the Rotorua County Council was held in the council chambers last week. Mr. H. P. Ford, chairman, presided. Authority for maintenance of main highways was received from the district engineer of the Public Works Department, Tauranga, who also advised that the £3 for £1 subsidy would be continued as from April 1, 1932. Another letter from the same source advised that the Main Highways Board would subsidise the eost of erecting road classification signs. It was decided that the necessary application for subsidy be made as soon as all the signs were erected. Advice was received from the assistant engineer of the Public Works Department, Rotorua, that he had been instructed to hand over to the council as from June 1, 1932, four roads, totalling 12 miles, which had been completed on the Ngakuru No. 2 land settlement block. The county clerk was instructed to inform the Department that the council has no revenue for maintenance of these roads until such time as the land in this vicinity became rateable. Highways Subsidies. A letter was received from the district engineer of the Public Works Department, Tauranga, requesting the council to forward applications for subsidies to be placed on the main highways estimates for the year 1932-33. Application is to be made for a construction grant of £450 for the Awahou bridge, and for maintenance on the same ba,sis as last year. A request from the Commissioner of Transport, Wellington, that the council furnish a return relating to heavy traffic fees collected during the year ended March 31, 1932, was referred to the county clerk. A letter was received from Mr. J. O'Connell, of Rotorua, stating that he would be glad of an opportunity of demonstrating to the council a speed control device — an attachment which could be made to fit any motor vehicle. The matter was left in the hands of the traffic inspector to report at the next meeting. Mr. F. J. Popplewell, of Poroporo, Whakatane, wrote with reference to road access to the property owned by Mr. T. Savage near Lake Rerewhakaitu. The county engineer is to confer with, the writer and report to the next meeting. Engineer's Report. The following report of the county engineer, Mr. T. S. Robertson, was adopted: — "The filling at the dray bridge on the Tauranga Road is progessing well, two tip-trucks being available. Metal from the Mangorewa Gorge has been put on in several places as a top course. The drive at the Rerenga bridge is in approximately 22 feet. Sixty-four yards of fines from the Ngongotaha quarry have been put on is being put in on Douglas' fl ta. "Unemployed have been deepening the Awahou flat, and a timber culvert watertables and repairing the Oturoa Road, which was washed out in places during the heavy rain last month. "Three new concrete culverts are being put in on the Pikowai Road and the road is being widened. "Arrangements have been made for a horse and dray to metal streets in Mamaku. "The boundary fence between Wylie's and the Ngongotaha water reserve is being cleared; also scrub-is being cut for tree planting. "Surveyors have been working on Dalbeth Road, Tarukenga, completing the survey. "Approximately 110 unemployed men are on farms and 226 on road work in various parts of the county. The total number of unemplayed on the county during the period of three weeks ending on Saturday last is 961.