HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Shannon News, 19 September 1924, Page 4

HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Horowhenua County Council was held in the Borough Chambers (Levin) on Saturday, the chairman, Cr. Monk, presiding. .Also present: Crs. Jensen, Catley, Biyant, Ryder, Whyte, Barber and Harkness. Accounts amounting to £2347 were passed for payment. Correspondence. The Railway Department wrote that suitable protection would be erected between the two culverts at the Otaki railway station.—Received. River Board's Operations. The Otaki River'Board wrote.inviting the members of the Council to visit the works recently completed in the vicinity of Mr. Preston-Thomas ’ property. — : On the motion of the chairman the invitation was accepted. Liability for dosing Bridge. "Messrs Denton'and Beauchamp, Otaki, wrote that owing to the Council having taken down a bridge on the Rahui Road which gave access to their property they found it necessary to hire a lorry to take their milk to the factory and that they would hold the County liable for the cost. The chairman stated that the complainants were supplying the Municipal Factory at Otaki and that body had refused to collect the milk. The County always maide it a policy that where a bridge was taken down every assistance should b’e given to take milk across the gap. These men if they defaulted from the supply of milk for three days were liable to have their contract. for the supply broken. The County had no responsibility in the matter and whilst they did not wish to impose any 'hardship, they could npt entertain any claim. He understood, however,, that the matter had now been satisfactorily adjusted. Cr. Ryder stated that the settlers in question were now carting their milk down the river bed, and arrangements had been, made by the engineer to cart the milk by the County lorry, in case of flood.

It was decided that the claim be not entertained. Soldier’s Rate Liability.

Mr. W. S. Patton wrote in respect of rates on a section which h*e had occupied at Te Horo, but had since forfeited. . , ■ - The chairman explained that the position was that the Council had got in touch with the Department of Lands who had informed - them that the property had been in their hands for two years. The result was that there were two years ’ rates ■ owing instead of four. They could only insist, as had be’en done in the case of other Te Horo'soldier settlers, that the rates for these two years must be paid. Cr. Catley said that the case was a hard one and special leniency should be allowed. He contended also that by a special Order-in-Council the Government was responsible for rates on abandoned farms, just as any- other owner was from the first of January, 1924.

Chairman: I only wish it was so. Continuing Cr. Catley stated that it was an impossibility for any man to make a living off tho land in question, and he was of opinion that the rates should be wiped out. ! Cr. Ryder suggested that Mr. Patton be met half way in the matter. Cr. Jensen asked how the Council would stand in respect of the otner soldier settlers, if this were agreed to. The chairman stated that he considered, • although he intended to oppose i the motion, that the Council was quite within its rights in agreeing to Cr. Ryder’s proposal. The case was being dealt with on its merits, and any other soldier was at liberty to bring his case before the Council when it also would be dealt with on its merits. If Mr. Patton was prepared to pay half the amount owing, and if the Council was prepared to accept this, it would not effect the position in respect of other soldier settlers.—Cr. Ryder’s motion was then put and carried. Question of Liability. The District Engineer of Railways wrote that a number of the noticeboards at several of the crossings on the railway required repairing, and asking that the Council attend to the matter. .

The chairman recommended that the letter be referred back to the Department. The Council had not erected the notices, and in fact, the Department had obtained permission from the County to erect them. Information should be asked as <to what authority there was for the present claim.— Agreed to. Main Highways Scheme. From the Minister of Internal Affairs forwarding a copy of the Motor Vehicles Bill, 1924. The chairman stated that the by-laws committee had looked through the Bill with the results that a request had been made that the Bill--come before the Counties’ Association for consider-: ation, and also that finance as affecting; the Bill should be carefully considered.; This meeting of the Counties’ Asso-j ciation had not been held but it was a: matter for consideration that repre-! sentation should be made to the effectthat the Government be pressed to raise money for the finance of the Main Highways scheme. Or. ‘Harkness Said it was very satisfactory that the Minister had seen fit to refer a Bill which would vitally affect the counties of the country, to the counties concerned. There were aspects of the Bill, however, which were not satisfactory, and one of these was the flat tax which the Bill proposed to levy. If a further tax must be raised he considered that it should be along the lines of a petrol tax... The chairman: What about the electric car which will come in, in the next few years. If you will make your recommendation one of tyro-tax, I will be quite .prepared to support it. ; Or. Ryder suggested, that the difficulty in Cr. Harkness’s proposal was that the farmer who used petrol for farm machinery would be unjustly, taxbd.

The chairman: Provision would be made for exemption in those cases. Or. Ryder: Then I can see farmers

getting round the tax. All benzine for every purpose would be put down to farm machinery use. The chairman: Oh, no, farmers are too honest for that. (Laughter). It was decided to protest against the 'flat tax, and to ask that any additional taxation should be raised by means of a tyre tax. Also that the Government be asked to give consideration to the raising of finance for Main Highway construction. Water Scheme for Manakau. ■ A letter was received from a number Of residents of Manakau asking that a high pressure water service bo provide —Referred to the Crs. for the Ridings concerned and the engineer to confer with the residents. Engineer’s Report.

The County Engineer reported as follows: — Otaki Ridir~. —E'-ervthinr in tl. : “ Riding is in fair order. The Main Roads have been patched and the Rahui Road maintenance has been completed. The bridge gang are at present engaged in the re-erection of the Rahui Road bridge. As agreed on by the chairman and Cr. Ryder an alteration in the drainage of Freeman’s Road has been attended to.

Te Horo Riding. —Everything in this Riding;it.at'present in fair order, Ahe ;Main Roads have been patched am. teams are at present engaged in maintenance of the Mangaone Road. An jlßin concrete pipe culvert was put in ion the Rikiorangi-Mangaone Road and a little widening was done on the same road. X have not yet been able to :make a final minute inspection of the Taungata bridge but I hope to be able •to do so at an early date. In regard to the Waihoanga bridge: Attached is my estimate for the re-erection of bridge on the old bridge site. I have made an inspection of several sites but am of the opinion that the old site is the most practicable. Re drains on roads. —I would like to draw th'e Council’s attention to the practice of farmers in digging drains on County roads for the purpose of draining their land and also that private drainage is being diverted on to the County roads. I would suggest that in future permission be obtained from the Council before any such work is done. , General. Otaki. —Cr. Ryder stated that the road leading to the Otaki bridge required some attention. The River Road could also do with some repairs. Cr. -Bryant asked what was being done about the Beach Road.

The engineer stated that the work would be proceeded with as soon as the Government grants became available. Te Horo.- —Cr.. Jensen stated that it was impossible to keep the main roads in order without a grader being constantly in use and asked for its more liberal use in the Te Horo Riding. He asked that the levels for the proposed water supply from Mr. Lethbridge property should be attended to at the earliest opportunity. Delayed Government Loans.

In seconding the motion that the engineer’s report be adopted, Cr. Harkness advocated that the Advances Department be written to pointing out the serious position which would arise if the money for loans which had been passed, Were not forthcoming. Tho County had to bear the brunt of the trouble, and the Government should be urged to greater expedition.

The chairman stated that once a loan was granted it took its position in rotation on file. When its turn came the loan money became available. The trouble at the present tinre was that the statelier municipalities had been borrowing up to the limit, with the result that the counties were being r< fus'ed. Now these small municipalities .were being turned down, and there was every prospect of more money becoming available. The report was adopted.