HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Shannon News, 19 February 1926, Page 3

HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary monthly meeting of the above Council was held on Saturday. Present: Crs. Monk (ehairman), Ryder, Jensen, Barber, Whyte, Broadbelt, Catley, Harkness. Leave of absence was granted Cr. Bryant. Weighing of Lorries. The Manawatu County Council reported that the question of load-o-meters, for the weighing of lorries, was discussed and it was decided to write the counties grouped in the Wellington West Counties By-Laws area concerning the advisability of combining to purchase a pair of load-o-metcrs for use in the By-Laws District. The chairman pleaded ignorance as to what a load-o-meter was and moved that the matter be referred to the engineer for a report.—Agreed to. Ohau Sub-way Under Water. E. J. Pink, Ohau, reported that the subway at Ohau was, at times during the winter, very unsatisfactory owing to the presence of so much water. Often the children going to school were obliged to wade through the water or cross the railway line in order to reach | the school. The trouble had inci'eased ' since the installation of a culvert opposite Mr. Buttcrfield's, wflich was, in the opinion of the writer, far too small (Sin x 6in). The chairman moved that the matter be referred to the engineer to investigate, especially as he (Cr. Monk) knew nothing of the matter. Cr. Catley, who seconded, referred to the complaints made and said the water could not get away as -it should do. The engineer said a deal of the trouble was due to the children putting branches, etc., iu the culvert. Cr. Harkness said Mr. Pink had oause for eomplaint, yei; at the same time the engineer was right in his statement. He himself had found the culvert blocked by a stone. In flood-time the culvert was small and overflowed. In answer to Cr. Harkness the engineer said there jvas no sump, but still he considered water got away quickly.

The motion was carried. Otaki Borough Boundaries. The Department, of Internal Affairs stated, in relation to proposed alterations of boundaries in the Borough of Otaki, that the Commission set up to consider the matter had recommended that the petitions of C. H. Williams and others be of no effect, but that a certain portion of the area affected by the petition of A. J. Fogdcn and others be , excluded from the Borough. Also, that the costs be paid by the Otaki Borough Council. On the chairman's motion, seconded by Cr. Ryder it was decided: • That with respect to the finding of the Commission in regard to the alteration of the boundaries of the Otaki Borough; and the inclusion of certain areas m this. County the Department of Internal Affairs be informed that it is the desire of this Council that such lands as are to be included from the borough should be added to the Otaki Biding of the County, and the arrangements be made with the Otaki Borough for the alterations to take effect as from April Ist, 1926. Access at Manakau.

From F. Stupples (Manakau) stating that for years lie had enjoyed a level crossing from the roadway to suburban sections. Recently the Council had raised the level of the old road so as to form a kind of stop-bank for motorists and others using the road, thus blocking the road to his sections. He now desired suitable access further south, at the Council's expense, . The chairman thought the request reasonable and moved that the matter be referred to the engineer to attend to. —Agreed to. Motor Bus Regulatio'ns. In relation to the mandatory nature of the proposed regulations governing the control of motor buses, the Petonc County Council asked the Horowhenui County Council to endorse the following views: (a) /'As it may be calculated to prevent competition, my Council does not approve of the provision giving power to the Licensing Authority to take into consideration provision already existing for the transport of passengers, before agreeing to the licensing of omnibuses on such routes, (b) "Whilst' the Council appreciate that insurance is desirable, it considers that the amounts named in the regulations (£SOO per passenger) in conjuetion with the present premium rate, wouici press unduly heavy upon motor bus, owners. Possibly it is intended that the Government Insurance Office may take this class of business upon reduced rates to bo arranged." The chairman v- marked that at tlic present juncture the matter was, to a certain extent indefinite, and under these circumstances he did not think the- County should take any action at present. He did agree, however that all such buses should be insured, as where the bread-winner was lulled the question of insurance was a vital one. The letter was received. E-oad-Making Methods. The Highways Board wrote that the members "of the Board Were gratified to note the extremely good results obtained by some progressive Counties, and the generally better tendency or maintenance in most Counties by the adoption of up-to-date methods. On the other hand, in some localities poor materials and wasteful methods were still adhered to, but as the Board was finding as much money for maintenance as the Local Bodies, it felt in duty bound to insist on this large contribution being spent as wisely as possible. If no further improvement were effected the Board's representatives must refuse to pay a subsidy on any work not up'to the Board's standard.. It was still quite common to see 3-inch and 4-inch stones Ving used for mainten- | an The chairman said the Council must * agree that the old methods could not stay and if they saw a man shovel hi g 'metal from the side of the road into ' 3IV centre, he should be stepped, and fit was the County's intention to do

; away with this system as much as pos sible. The letter was received. Metalling at Manakau. -Robert Bevan (Manakau) wrote as follows:—"Yours of the 15th January, to hand re account for metalling: 1 also saw the account of your meeting m the "Otaki Mail" and also the "Manawatu Standard." Reading the account one would think I was trying to get money from your Council by fraud, and I would like to again explain why 1 got work done |without getting the consent of the whole of the Councillors. I was told that Campbell and McLeavey had teams carting metal for the County, and for a few weeks the? were stopped, so I thought it a good opportunity -to metal my road. Mr. Campbell agreed to metal from my gate to my section for £4O and I told Campbell I would see Councillors i Ryder and Bryant about metalling from j my gate to the County Road, which I did. I told them as they were metalling my road I thought it was a good opportunity to get th'em to metal from my gate to the County Road. They both thought it would be alright, so I told Campbell I had seen them and for him to go on and metal it, but keep a separate account from metalling my private road, which he did, and that is the account I gave you. Wh'en I paid them for mine I gave them one cheque for the lot (£SO). That is why I asked your Council to refund me the £lO I paid them. At one of your meetings a working committee was asked to inspect this metalling and recommended I should be allowed £3, and because Councillor Harkness objected this v was thrown out. As for Councillor Harkness suggesting that the Council had fought for me for five years, I, might say that during that time I have always paid my .rates although I had nolegal access to my land. I also pair, your Council for all costs they were put too in getting this road for me, and I certainly think 1 am entitled to the money I paid these men for the metal they "have put on this road. Whatever has been done by the Council in this matter has only been their duty to provide me with a road, if they expect mo to pay rates." > Mr. Bevan waited on the Council in support of his letter, and admitted that he was in the wrong in not getting the consent of the whole of the Council before doing the work. He could not understand, however, why such trouble should occur over such a little metal, especially as the ratepayers were using the road more than he was. ne paid £SO for the work and if the Councillors did not think he was right they could consult Messrs Campbell and McLeavey. The ehairman said that the Council could not agree to pay so much for the metal as Mr. Bevan had done, and said if individual Councillors were going to authorise work over £5 the Council would not know where it was. If Crs. Ryder and BTyant has given authority for the work they had overstepped the mark.

Cr. Harkness considered the Council had. taken the right action, while Cr. Ryder said that Cr. Bryant had emphatically told him that he did not advise Mr. Bevan to do the work, but advised that he should see the Council as a whole. Mr. Bevan said there must have been a misunderstanding or Cr. Bryant had a very bad memory. He considered it very hard to have ' to. pay rates and taxes and yet get no consideration. The chairman said that he was in sympathy with Mr. Bevan, but he maintained the Council had a principle to support. Ratepayers had to be safeguarded. Mr. B'evan said both he and the Council had been abused over the mutter of wasting money. It was deeided to take no action. . A Benzine Pump.

From H. Priddy, asking for permission to fix a benzine kerb pump on the footpath at Waikanae, near the Po*t Office. —Referred to the chairman and engineer with power to act. -" A Te Horo Matter, W. J. Blake, Te Horo, asked if the Council would be prepared to construct a culvert at the writer's drive-way, one sufficient to carry flood waters that were the cause of considerable damage to the lawn and garden. If the Council supplied th'e pipes the writer would do the work. —Referred to Cr. Jensen and the engineer. pahiko Drain. A. P. Ferguson, Otaki Riding, thought something definite should be done in regard to cleaning of the Pahiko Drain, as when this was -dirty it affected about 40 acres of his land—a big handicap in the winter.—Left in the hands of Cr. Ryder. A Motorist's Complaint. From Chas. Lamb (Wellington) objecting to the way he was accosted by 'the engineer on the 26th January. He maintained he was proceeding at about 2o to 30 miles when he was stopped and charged with doing 50 miles. He'was, he addc, subjected to uncivil remarks, and the engineer's attitude was absolutely uncalled for. The engin'eer stated that the letter was without foundation. On,the morning in question the driver, a man in one of the service cars, was coming down the hill approaching Otaki Railway at a high speed, and had come round the corner without sounding his horn. At the time there were drays and heaps of metal on the road, and the engineer said he had been obliged to hold up the man and warn him concerning the excessive speed at which the car was travelling. There had been not the slightest suggestion of incivility, his remarks being more in the nature of th'e customary warning. The letter was received.

Collection of Rates. Motor-cars, considered Cr. Monk, while dealing with outstanding rate-;, made a difference regarding the collection of rates, 'in fact affected business*, generally. Ratepayers, he maintained, should do their best in paying rates, it would save 'extra office work and be cheaper to all in the long run. The Clerk had done his best in the matter. The chairman then moved, that the following rates be written off as at 31st March, 1925: For the rating year 1921-22, general rate, Tokomaru Riding

£37 15s, Wirokino £203 7s 11.1, OtaTn £75 13s Id, Te Horo £l3B 11?. PewjTate Tates: Hauloro Wn it r Rnce 1 fis Sd. Horowhenua walor xaecs £lO 5s 2d. and sundrv special rates anion* tin* to £lB7 5s Bd, mat s up n totnl of £fin3 15s 4d. Seconded V.y Cr. Ryder and carried. A . . - Accounts -.wed £»v payment totalled £6119 16s.