HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Shannon News, 20 February 1925, Page 4

HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Horo - wlienua County Council was held in the Levin Borough Chambers on Saturday, Or. G. A. Monk, chairman of the Council, presiding. Also present: Crs. Jensen, Broadbelt, Bryant, Whyte, Barber, Ryder, and Harkness. Accounts for Payment. Accounts totalling £3040 11s Id were passed for payment. Correspondence. Direction Posts for Motorists. The Wellington Automobile Club wrote that they proposed to erect certain direction signs in the Horowhenua County and asked if the Council would attend, to the erection if they supplied the signs.

. The chairman stated that whilst the suggestion was a good one he would object to combining advertisements with the signs. Provided the signs were conlined solely to direction purposes ho would recommend the acceptance of the proposal made. —Agreed. Ohau Water-Race.

A number of settlers at Ohau asked the Council to take over the water-race running through their properties and to fate them for maintenance. Cr. Broadbelt stated that this was a very satisfactory attitude on the part of the settlers concerned. The Concil had been trying for sometime to get those who wore getting the benefit of "the water supply and paying nothing, to come within the rating area. The proposal was agreed to. Waikanae Reach Road.

Mr. W. H. Field, M.P., wrote asking that the outlet of the Waikanae Beach Road to the beach should be opened so that cars might be taken out to the beach. He suggested that the outlet instead of pointing direct into the teeth of the wind should be deflected to the south-west and barricaded with manuka so as to stop the drift of sand. The chairman statod that Mr. Field’s statements was substantially correct. Whether it would bo possible to fix the road was open to question but until they experimented they would not be able to determine this. He suggested that the matter be left to the engineer and himself to confer with Mr. Field regarding an arrangement. Waikanae River Erosion. From Mr. W. H. Field, M.P., pointing out that serious erosion had takeu place on the banks of the Waikanae River and suggesting that a loan be raised for the construction of protective works. Referred to the chairman, Cr. Jensen, and the engineer for consideration. Taungata Bridge. From Mr. A. J. Blackmorc, Otaiu Gorge, asking that the Taungata Bridge, the cables of which were opened up for inspection some months ago, should be recovered, and the bridge put in proper repair. The chairman stated that there was one aspect of this business which had not been cleared up. When special legislation had been passed giving permission to divert a certain loan from roading to bridging, it was not specifically determined whether it would be compulsory to devote it to bridging entirely. On this point he would like to take legal opinion. Regarding the opening up of the cables, it was his opinion that this had not caused any injury to the bridge. The construction and anchoring of the cables had been faulty and the work done was really an improvement. The position of the people concerned was easily understood: they took up the properties without a road but with the understanding that one would be made. The difficulty was, however, that if a road were made, whilst the present settlers might be willing to accept responsibility for maintenance, they might sell out and the Council would not bo able to bind the incomingowners,

It was decided to put the bridge in order at the earliest possible date and to take legal advice re the expenditure of the Government grant. Manaxau Right-Of-Way. Mr. R. Brown, Manakau, wrote asking for permission to fence off a small part of the right of way leading to his property for tho purpose of storing goods which he wished kept away from stock. Referred to the Crs. for the Ridings for attention. Engineer’s Report. The County engiueer (Mr. W. N. Anderson) reported as follows: — During the period just ended the weather has been very dry and all work has progressed in a very satisfactory manner. As far as the roads throughout tho County are concerned everything is in fair order and the main metalling for the season has been completed.. Tokomaru Riding.—With reference to road near Makerua railway station. Mr. Seifert, Cr. Barber and myself inspected this road during this week and arrangements were made to have same attended to. The Makerua Drainage Board are making good headway with the bridges on the Okuku Road. A start will be made at the beginning of next week with the supply of approximately 300 cubic yards of metal to the Manawatu County for the western approach to the punt over the Manawatu River.

Wirokino Riding.—Generally speaking everything in this riding is in good order and will take very little attention for some time to eome. Most of the men in this riding have been put on to other work. A start was made with the formation work on the Waitarcre Road during the period and is being carried out in a satisfactory manner. Re water-races: A good deal of trouble and inconvenience is being caused at the present time through people interfering with the diverting boxes on the Horowhenua water-race system. I would therefore suggest that the Council consider the advisability of offering a reward to any person giving information that would lead to the conviction of any person interfering with the water races. Otaki Riding—The roads in this riding are in fair order. The formation work and fencing of the Waikawa

South Road is completed and metalling will be commenced at an early date. Good progress is also being made with the formation work on the Waikawa Beach Road extension and should bo completed in about a week's time. No. 1 crushing plant is beihg set up in this district for the purpose of supplying metal for the two above-named roads.

To Horo Riding.—l have very little to report on in this riding. Everything is in fair order. Minor work is being carried out on the Rikiorangi end of the Mangaone Road. The two Te Horo surfacemen, Messrs Hunt and Thomson arc still inmates of the Otaki hospital and are making satisfactory progress. Re Mr. Corrigan’s bridge, Otaki Gorge: The chairman, Councillor Jensen and myself in company with Mr. Corrigan visited the proposed site of this bridge during the period and it was arranged vith Mr. Corrigan to open up the foundations for the towers and. for a further inspection. I understand that tho work arranged has been dotfe and a further inspection will bo made during the coming week. Shannon Bridge.—At a conference of the local bodies interested in this bridge hold at Shannon on January 27th., it was decided that no repairs or additions bo made to the present structure but that the present bridge bo shifted to a new site near the mouth of the Tokomaru River as recommended by the conference of engineers held in Shannon on August 15th, 1923.

Drivers’ Licenses. —A start was made last week with tho examination and issuing of motor driver’s licenses and to date 200 applicants have presented themselves for examination. Ten of these were rejected and will come forward again at a later date. Five of tho failures were due to bad brakes and the other five were unable to pass a reversing test. I was surprised to find the large number of drivers who when asked to reverse cannot do so with confidence.

Assistant Engineer.—Mr. Callender commenced his duties as assistant-en-gineer on the 2nd instant and has‘been engaged on surveys and plans in connection with various Government grants. I hope to be able to make a start on the detailed survey of the Main Highways in about ten days’ time. County Ranger.—The County ranger has reported to me aS follows:—“I have to report this month impounding 78 head of wandering stock.” General. Cr. Barber, Tokomaru Riding, said that it was his opinion that the Makcrua Drainage Board should have, notified the engineer that they were going on with the erection of the bridges over the Okuku Road. This would give the engineer a chance to keep the bridges under supervision. The engineer stated that none of the plans for these bridges had been approved so that the Board was taking a risk in going ahead as they were. Value of Machinery. Cr. Whyte asked if it would be possible to have the grader sent up to the Tokomaru riding, as it was impossible to keep the.metal on the road without it. Cr. Harkness . (Wirokino) said that the roads in the riding were in excellent order considering the dry weather which had been experienced. He believed that this was due to the use of the grader and drag. Diverting Water-Races. Regarding the trouble in connection with the water-races he considered that this was a serious matter and he would press for a serious penalty, £lO at least. The engineer stated that two men were kept almost continuously going, turning the water back into the races where it had been diverted. An exemplary fine would have a good effect. Cr. Broadbelt endorsed what had been said as to the condition of the roads as a whole. He would like to see the drag used more. Waitarere Road. lii answer to a question regarding the Waitarere Road the engineer said that good progress was being made w T ith the survey and everything was progressing satisfactory. Hokio Beach Road. Continuing Cr. Broadbelt stated that in company with the engineer ho had inspected the Hokio Beach Road and had decided that where the passing places should be put and where the money voted by the Borough Council should be spent. Heavy Lorry Traffic. Cr. Jeusen (Te Horo) recommended that some steps should be taken to regulate the weight carried, on motorlorries. He had seen as much as 30 bales of wool on one lorry and the damage done to the roads was considerable. He asked that tho roadmen make preparation for the winter by cutting down the scrub along the roads in tho hill country. A number of culverts also required attention. The engineer promised to give these matters immediate attention. The engineer’s report was adopted, it being decided to offer a reward of £lO for information leading to the convictim of anyone interfering with County water-races. Otaki Lighting. Cr. Ryder brought up the question of Iwo lights which it was desired to erect on the boundary between the Otaki Borough and the County, in the nei ghbourhood of the Convent, The matter was left in his hands for arrangement with the Borough Council. HORTICULTURAL SOCIETIES. Secretaries antr members who rse and recommend Q-tol should write Box lots. Wellington, for an artistic pictorial Calendar w.bich is shortly to •w on view at Florists,*