HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Shannon News, 14 November 1924, Page 3

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. G. A. Monk) presiding over a full Council. s Sawmill Tramway. -

Mr. H. G. Swainson, Manakau, drew attention to the state of the tram crossings put in by the Manakau Sawmilling Company on the north Manakau .Road, which he st ted to be unsafe for the crossing of stock. , The engineer stated that he had several times seen the manager of the Sawmilling Company and had been unable to get any satisfaction from him. ■ The chairman said that the tramway right was only granted during the pleasure of the Council and he would move’that final notice be served on the company to repair the tramway. The Council had the whole matter in their hands and 'if the company refused to put it in order their tramway right would be withdrawn; Government Liability for Ex-Soldier’s Sections. The Department of Lands and Survey wrote that Mr. J. E. D’Ath, of Otaki, had recently written to them complaining that the drain through section above his property was not'acting and was flooding his property. ' They intimated that they would be glad if the Council would provide the relief asked for. The chairman stated that the only fall from this land was down .through Mr. D’Ath’s property. It was impossible to drain it down to the • Mahgaore Stream, and as the property was a Crown section he would move that no action be taken. If the drain that was ' causing the trouble was one running through Crown land, then it was the business-of the Crown to afford the relief. 1 Cr. Catley said he would like to bring before the Council again the facts in connection with returned soldiers’ sections, of which this was one, which had been resumed by the Crown. He had recently interviewed the Hon. the Minister of Lands and had been informed that, general rates. were recoverable from the Crown from the beginning of the present year in respect of - such lands. Special rates were retrospective as far as collection from the Government was concerned, but general rates donly from January 1924. He would suggest that the Council send a notice to the Lands Department asking that they pay the rates. ' The chairtnan said he wag afraid that Cr. Catjey was confusing the special rates with the-' general rate. As far as he knew there was no amending legislation passed during the present session .which'-would alter *the position as it had existed, which was that such general rates were not recoverable. Cr.. Catley said that according to the Minister of Lands an Order in Council had been passed concerning the matter. He was quite certain of his information. It was decided that the matter be m-, ■ quired into and that .the Department be written to stating that the Council refused to take action regarding the drain, the Clerk being instructed to point out that in the opinion of the Council the Crown should be Tesponsibe.

Engineer’s Report. The Engineer (Mr. W. N. Anderson) reported as follows: — Although, another period of very unsettled weather hag just ended, work throughout the County has been carried out in a very satisfactory manner and the roads generally are in very fair order. In the northern end of the Tokomaru Riding the metalling for the season is practically completed and No. 2 plant is still at work in the southern end. The road between Shannon and the Manawatu Bridge has again suffered a good deal owing to the heavy flood in the Manawatu River at the beginning of this week. The Okuku Road is again in a very bad state caused through heavy carting. Wirokino Riding.—Most of the work in thi a Riding has been ordinary routine work and metalling. The bulk of this year’s maintenance metal has been put out in the northern end and a - start has been made to complete the southern end. One small grader is at work in this Riding. The work of laying the steel pipes in the water-race through Mr. (Wrappers’ property has been completed. I have nothing of importance to report on in the Otaki or Te Horo Rio ings. The Main Roads are fair except for a stretch near the Otaki Bridge. This stretch would have been attendee! ‘ to during the period but owing to an accident to the surfaceman on this, length the work was held over. _ The loose metal on the Te Horo Riding length of Main Road has been scattered a good deal but a grader will be working on this length within a few days. The formation work on the Waikawa South React has been put in hand. Re tractor for grading.—l have gone i carefully into this question and have come to the conclusion that it would not be advisable for the Council to procure a tractor at the present time owing to the fact that no allowance was made for same on current year’s estimates. However, as No. 1 crushing plant will be ceasing operations in the near future the tractor at present engaged in driving crusher will be available for the grader. In connection ,-wi t h the small grader I have made Satisfactory arrangements for an extra - horse. . i j f

General. Cr. Barber asked if* the roller would do any good during the dry weather. The roller was working at present in Tokomaru Riding and he doubted if it was doing much service. Cr. Harkness asked what reply had been received from the Levin Sawmilling Company regarding the Tararua Road. • The Clerk stated that no reply had been received to date. It was decided , that the company be informed that the Council insisted on an early decision. Cr. B'roadbelt reported that ho had in company with the engineer met the settlers on Eyes’ Road and that those people had agreed to the formation of a, special rating area for the metalling of the road* ...

Committees’ Reports. The Committee, (Crs. Harkness, Broadbclt and Catley, with the engineer) which inspected the drain through Mr. McGill’s property, reported that they found that Mr. McGill had a perfectly good drain through his property but had a faulty flood-gate. Under the circumstances they thought that Mr. Spiers was justified in blocking flood water from passing through his property. Cr. Harkness suggested that an indemnity be taken from Mr. Spiers that should legal action be taken against the Council by Mr. McGill, he would bear costs of same. —Agreed. Regarding th'e request of Mr. Poui Hakaraia for an outlet through Mr. Thorne’s property the same Committee reported that about 15 to 20 chains of drain would be required to provide an outlet and they considered that if Mr. Hakaraia wanted to drain his property he should naturally help in the construction of this drain. The County Ranger reported having impounded 43 head of wandering stock during the month.