HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Shannon News, 15 January 1926, Page 4

HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

THE MONTHLY MEETING. All the members were present at ' the meeting of the Horowhenua County Council on Saturday. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The Engineer reported:— Considering the .break in the period just ended owing to holidays, the work throughout the County has i>een carried out in a satisfactory manner. In'the Tokomaru Riding the main roads are now; in fair order, a further quantity of. • maintenance nfetul having been put out b&fore tlie holidays. Maintenance work will now be commenced on the district roads. The Fordsoiy Tractor with No. 2 Grader ilnis.hed work i,n talis Riding during the period. ' Re flood gate on main road near Makerua Station—l have inspected the land in the vicinity of the proposed flood gate and see no reason why Mr Christensen should not be allowed to erect same. Work on Pretoria road wlill be put in hand almost immediately. Wirokino Riding.—l have nothing of importance to report on in this Riding, ev-CBything being in ve*ry fair order. Plans and specifications of the Ohau' West road extension have been forwarded to Wellington lor approval and tenders will be invited for same on their return. No. 1 crushing plant will he in this Riidiing in about two weeks' time when another start with the metalling of the Waitarere Road, will be made. WORKS COMMITTEE'S REPORT. The Works. Committee reported as follows on matters held saver for attention at previous meetings of the Council:— I.—J. swmdlehurst, Shannon: (a) Road 'access—matter under consideration. ' (b) Drain bordering property —On the arrival of pipes matter to receive attention. 2,—Messrs Cameron and Hennessey, Shannom, complaint, regarding condition 7 of a'bridge in the vicinity of Kara Eoad; Matter under consideration. 3.—Ohajui branch Farmers' Union re wandering stock at Ohau—lnvestigations have been made into the com-, plaint with the result that satisfactory explanations have been made inrespect to the matter. Your Committee have to <suDm.it to the Council the following recommendations. I.—That iin.future owners of (Stray stock on district and main roads within the County be summoned without further notice. 2-.—That Mr R. Bevam ibe paid the sum of £3 an account of metal placed on the road to his property wMch was acquired under the Public Works Act. Cr. Harkness asked for particulars in regard \o- the complaint about wandering stock at Ohaiu. Cr. Ryder said tlie Committee had Messrs Small and Watson before them. The former complained that

the first tisme his. stack were on the road they were taken by the Ranger .and he was summoned,. dj-ut 'he had seen the Ranger pass other stock.' The fact was'that just ait that time the Ranger had hceii,.' kistructed to summon every offender. The Ranger was not clear at the enquiry as to whether he had been at Ohau on, the date mentioned toy Mr Small (November 20) as having passed other stock, but he had since referred to" his diary and found tb/it he was at Tokomarni and Palmerston Jhat day, but his son had gone through Ohau in his. car and this may have, given riiSe to the idea that he was there on that day. Cr. Ca : .tlcy said the Ranger had told him that sometimes when he had been out all night he had passed a single beast and the speaker could quite understand that, and had no complaint about it. He did not think any one! individual could keep the whole County clear of stock. , Gr. Harkmess said be was satisfied with the explanation, tout he had heard allegations fiat certain stock had been taken and other left, Cr. Jensen said the Committee' considered there should be an amendment o$ the Impounding Act to> make the fee a shilling per head, instead of that amount when say 25 head were impounded. It was cheap grazing at that The Council did not agree with the recommendation in regard to the payment to Mr Bevan. Cr. Iliarknoss said the Council had stood up for , Mr Bevan and fought for his rights in regard "to the road for five years and got it through. Then he had metalled it without consulting the Council. The councillor did not think he could claim for the cost.

Cr. Catley: It cost him £lO and we are only giving £'d. On Cr. Harkness's motion, seconds ed by Gr. Jensen, the clause was not agreed to by 5 to 4. * The Works Committee's report was then adopted w.itti the addition that the engineer be instructed to inspect the ram used for pumping water to Mubunoa West and if of the opinion that it should be replaced he be authorised to- do. so. The chairman said the Works Committee had presented a very good report, showing that they wore going thoroughly into the work of the County, though evidently the members were not always in agreement. Cr. Barber asked whether the remark in regard to the condition of the roads applied to the Tokomiaru Riding. The Engineer said the roads were all in fair order Metalling would commence next week' at the Tokomaru end. Cr. Barber said Uhe class of screen-

ed metal going on the road at Makerua was very satisfactory. Cr. Whyte'said he had had a complaint that rubbish was toeing deposited on the roadside in the Tokornaru Riding. He had made a request for a rubbish tip to be declared, but so far- a site had not been obtained. Cr. Catley asked the Engineer to press on with the Ohau West Road. They could only get metal\otuit in the summer time and unless they did it then, it meant three or four miles further carting, which was surely a consideration. lie would also like to see the /Waitarere road finished in the fine weather. Cr. Jensen asked whether it was possible to procure another grader and a tractor Which were toadly needed at' the Te Horo end of the County. * Cr. Broadbelt said the roads in hie Biding were in fair order with the exception of the Paiaka road. He mentioned that the bridge on the Koputaroa-Foxton road was in a very shaky condition and that some morning or : other a cream lorry would go through. The timber had been on the ground a long timeabout a year, and he asked that the bridge be kept in view. j . At Cr. Broad-belt's suggestion it was agreed to put in a culvert at the Showground.

A MANAKAU ROAD. A deputation of Manakau residents, Messrs T. Gardiner, J. Horn, Kara Davis, and J. J. Nicholson, waited on the Council in regard to a road to their properties, and were introduced by Cr. Bryant. These and other settlers had previously petitioned -the Council to take the necessary steps to supply 'an estimate,of the cost of acquiring a right-of-way and the necessary land to give a chain road to their properties, formed and metalled for about a m?le. I The information was desired with a j view to the formation of a special rating district if required, provided | the cost of the proposed work is found reasonable. Cr. Bryant and Mr Davis explained that the road was. west of the Wadkawa river. They were willing to pay for the road if the County Council would put it through. Practically a mile of road would be required. The chairman said the best way would be for the County to take the land by way of proclamation, instead of applying for a transfer of the different sections. < On his suggestion it was resolved that the Engineer give an estimate of the cost, and also ascertain the area necessary to strike a special rate for the work. THE TANGATA BRIDGE. Cr. Jensen brought up the matter of the repair of the Tangata bridge. The chairman moved that the question of repairing the bridge be referred to the Works Committee to bring down a report. He understood there was opposition to do anything in the way of repairs. The Public Works Department aJbsolutely refused to do anything- as. such a mess was made of it some years ago. They had washed their hands of the / whole matter. The County Engineer had reported that it would cost £6OO and that would have to be found if they were going ~on with it. The Council had never decided what they were going to do in the matter. The chairman's motion was agreed to.