HOROWHENUA COUNTY.

Shannon News, 15 August 1922, Page 3

HOROWHENUA COUNTY.

AUGUST MEETING OF COUNCIL

The meeting oh Saturday was attended by Crs. G. A. Monk (chairman), S. A. Broadbelt, C. I. Harkness, F. J. Ryder, H. Barber, H. G. Bryant, J. McLeavey and A. R. Knox. Cr. Whyte was given leave of absence.

Sir James Wilson, chairman of the Palmerston Hospital- Board, wrote in reference to the increased cost of maintenance of the hospital, and suggested that the Council should support the Board in its advocacy of increasing the Government, subsidy from 12/6 to a flat rate of £1 for £l.

it was decided to support Sir .Tames Wilson in having an alteration made on the lines suggested. The Agricultural Departnierit notified that Japanese wineberry had been declared a noxious weed. —Received. Mr E. B. McGill, Koputaroa, informed the Council that he was 'banking the county drain and wanted to know if permission could be granted to butt the hank on to the incline narrowing up to the comity drain bridge—Referred to Cr. Broadbelt. SUB-DIVISION OF ESTATE.

Messrs. Hankins, Fitzgerald and Abraham, Palmerston North, staled that the Ashlea Estate was being subdivided, and asked the Council’s approval of the plans showing’ tlie position, course, levels and extent of the proposed roading scheme.

The chairman said there was no plan before the meeting, otherwise an inspection could be made. He moved the matter be referred to the councillors for the riding and the Engineer. If they waiited more information they would have to apply for it. ROAD REQUIRES ATTENTION.

Mr L. M. Jenkins, Shannon, drew attention to the very bad state of the unformed road leading from; his place. Cr. Barber said the road led to a dead end. That was the trouble. The matter was referred to the councillors for the riding and Engineer to attend to.

PROPOSED PURCHASE AT SHANNON

The District Public Trustee wrote ■that at the beginning of the year the Council inquired re the purchase of acres of land belonging to the Hennessv estate, situated near the Otatara creek, and asked if the Council still required the property. The chairman considered that the Council migh made a purchase there, and use it as a site for. a workman’s cottage as well as gravel purposes.

Cr. Barber stated lie had seen Mr Hennessy, who had given permission to sink a few shafts to test the metal right through tlie section. The chairman; That is a good idea. On the Chairman’s suggestion, the Clerk, Engineer and mover were authorised to go further into the proposed purchase. ENGINEER'S REPORT. ,

The Engineer reported: Since my last report the weather has continued fine, which has helped considerably with the progress of work throughout the county. There is nothing of importance to report on so far as the general work is concerned. A considerable amount of metal has been put out in the Wirokino Riding, and the plant is at present working on the Levin-Foxton Road. The grader has completed work in the southern ridings, and is now working towards Tokomaru. The work on the Muhu-/ noa West water-race extension was completed during the month, and ap- • pears so far to be satisfactory. - two old box culverts on the Buller Road collapsed during the month and had to be replaced with 30in concrete pipes. Re Adams and others’ cbmplaint.,. culvert on Main Road, Otaki: I have again inspected this culvert, and after making inquiries re flooding of property on upper side -of culvert, 1 think it would be wise for the Council to remove the present , twin -tin culvert and replace with 4Sin concrete pipe at- a cost of £6O, as per attached estimate.

In connection with Mr Bowler's request tor a larger culvert on LevinShannon main road, Cr. Barber and myself, in company with Mr Bowler, inspected the locality during the period and found that to give Mr Bowler relief a 24in culvert 60ft long will he required, which will cost approximately £7O, and, as Mr Bowler has offered to contribute £lO to this work, 1 would recommend that the same be gone on with.

The decking on the Ohau Bridge is beginning to break up badly in places, and will require 40 1o 50. new planks almost immediately; in fact, the whole of the planking is in a had state. The Otaki Bridge decking is also beginning to feel the strain of heavy I raf-

fle, .and the asphalt on the bridge is starting to break up owing to having been put down- on . loose broken planks.

In company with Cr. Knox I visited and inspected the Pahiko drains, and found that they required a good deal of attention. It was therefore deckled to serve notices on all the owners of properties concerned, and this has been done.

Cr. Ryder said die wished to draw attention to the condition of a cul-

vert leading to his property at Tokomaru. The culvert was very had, and the roadman wanted “.shaking up.” Cr. Barber said Mr Bowler’s culvert should be sanctioned, as it was necessary. Cr. Harkness commended the Engineer on the work done on the Foxton Hoad.- The Muhunoa waterrace was also a good job, and he was sure the. residents would he pleased with it. He agreed that the Ohau Bridge should he seen to. The piece of good road in the Weraroa Settlement, he considered, should be tar-sealed to hold it, and there, was another piece just to the nortli of the town which should be treated in the same way to prevent the surface breaking.

Cr. McLeavey said he hoped the; tar sealing would be done on the Weraroa Road, which if would be a pity lo have damaged before being .treated. Cr. Ryder reported that the Otaki Bridge wanted some attention. H would be advisable when the Engineer was done next to have a look at a piece of erosion on the Ra.hui RoadThe. Pahiko drains were now being cleaned out. He asked that the grader be put over Blair’s Road. Cr. Bryant -stated that the roads in liis end of the riding were in splendid order, and there was nothing to report.

In reply to Cr. Knox, ihe Engineer said that considerable difficulty was being experienced in bringing in the water race* at' Te Horn, and deeper levels had lo be gone to than was anticipated. However, that difficulty was being got over now, and the work was going on satisfactorily.