HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Shannon News, 15 June 1926, Page 3

HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

I JUNE MEETING. The Horowbeiiua County Council * met on Saturday. Present— The f Chairman (Mr G. A. Monk) and Crs. j Barber, Whyte, Bryant, Kilsby, McLeavey, Catley and Jensen. DRAINAGE WORK.

Mr A. A. Macdonald, representing Mrs G. iPotts, Palmerston North, advised that two men would he available for assisting the County workmen on the road through Mrs Potts’ property. The Engineer reported: Re raising road in the vicinity of bridge on Potts’ Road—l have inspected this part of the road and have to report that I do not think this work will be necessary, particularly when the piece of land between the Potts Road bridge and the Main Road has been drained and the culvert on the Main Road lowered. The work of lowering this culvert and the putting in of an additional three feet of culvert will be started within the next few days. COMPENSATION CLAIM.

Mrs Emily Gapper, Weraroa, who recently applied for compensation on account of her having lost a Jersey cow by drowning in one of the County drains, estimated her loss at £2O. The Engineer reported that about two chains of fencing would be 'required to make the drain' safe.

Cr. Jenson said this was a more serious thing than appeared, as there were many more water races in the County and the Council could not make itself liable for damages. He asked whether the 'races had been constructed with the consent of the land-ownens.

The chairman said the whole crux of the question rested upon whether or no the water race was of (benefit to the applicant. Cr. Catley considered it would be. a dangerous precedent to do otherwise than make enquiries into the circumstances.

CrS. Catley and McLeavey were appointed to interview Mrs Gapper, obtain the full circumstances, and report to the Council. UNFULFILLED CONTRACT.

Mr H. R. Farquhar, surveyor, Palmerston North, and acting for the Ashlea—Temukanui road district, advised the Council that he had discussed the Ashlea road contract with Mr C. A. Loughnan, one-of the bondsmen, pointing out to him that owing to the contractor not attempting to complete the contract within reasonable time, and taking no notice of repeated warnings, the writer was obliged- to recommend the Council to terminate the contract and call upon the bondsmen to complete the contract or forfeit tlieir bonds, in which case fresh tenders would be called to complete the work. Mesrs Farquhar and Loughnan waited upon the Council to outline the position. Mr C. A. Loughnan stated he was the largest ratepayer in this special area. One of the chief difficulties had been experienced with the plant, and lack of experience on the contractors’ part; but they had faithfully performed their job, and, in some instances, had put in more clay than was required by the contract. He suggested he now take ove the contract as he was the person chiefly interested in having it completed to give access to his sections. He did not think the job could be completed at the contract price. If the present contract could be rescinded and a fresh one. entered into with him, he would ask the Council to increase the grant by a further £3OO, to be paid him direct. He possessed the necessay facilities, in the form of plant, and was in the best position to do the work.

The Chairman: You haven’t advanced any reason why we should pay you this extra £250. You cannot come to a local body and ask it to bear the brunt of such things. If we did that we would be setting up something that would be hard to pull down again.

Mr Loughnan said that if the Council were going to cut down the contractors to a 30 per pent, advance it wouldn’t be worth while, but if it would pay up to 75 per cent, of the value of work done he would take over the contract. The delay in completion of the work had lost him an appreciable sum of money, owing to having lost the sale of a farm approached by way of this road in process of formation. He would make a good endeavour at reaching an, output of 65 yards a day, but that would largely be dependent upon the weather.

The Engineer said 75 per cent, of the contract money had already been advanced.

The Council decided to take legal advice as to their position in agreeing to the proposal. DRAINAGE AT MAKERUA.

Mr P. F. Wall reported that about twenty chains of drain, from his boundary to the new channel made by the Makerua ‘Drainage Board on the Okuku Road, required deepening and cleaning. He asked whether the County Council would he prepared to assist him in the work.—Referred to Cr. Barber and the Engineer. MANAWATU-OROUA RIVER DIS-

TRICT. The Department of Internal Affairs advised that a commission has been set up to enquire into the allocation of cost between the various local bodies included in the benefits/ likely to be derived as a result of the operations of the Manawatu-Orona River Board. The commission will comprise Messrs R. M. Watson, Stipendiary Magistrate, Feiilcling. A. C. Koch, Civil Engineer, Auikland, and 11. E. Leighton, auctioneer, and estate agent of Wellington. The Chairman suggested leaving

the matter to himself, the Clerk and County solicitor to take whatever action was necessary.

■This was agreed to, Cr. Barber saying it was necessary to watch the matter very closely. A SHANNON REQUEST.

Mr J. J. Hennessy, Shannon, asked tire Council to give its consideration to the question of constructing a cutting on the roadway leading to hie property, situated across the stream beyond the County gravel pit at Shannon. The writer suggested that the cutting should be eight feet wide, suitable for stock traffic, as at present there was only a narrow water track that was very' dangerous lor stock.—Referred to the Engineer for a report as to cost. WATER SUPPLY AT SHANNON.

Messrs Moynihan Bros, and G. G. Mitchell, Shannon, ratepayers of the Tokomaru Riding are desirous of obtaining a high pressure water, supply from the Public Works Department at Shannon, and to that end are at present in negotiation with the Department to ascertain their charge and conditions of supply. Meantime, the writers desired an estimate of the cost of a pipe line from the Public Works main along the County Road in front of tlieir properties, with a view to the formation of a special district should the cost be found reasonable, the cost of connecting each property with the main to be paid for by each owner. In the event of a maintenance rate being necessary, they would be prepared to have R levied on their properties— Engineer to give an estimate of cost. A SPECIAL LOAN. The Stae Advances Office advised that the Council had been granted a loan of £3OO for the purpose of forming and metalling Te Whanga Road. —The Clerk said this loan had taken about two years to obtain. The road went in to the McDonald homestead.

Works Committee’s Report. The Works Committee reported: , Tim n gat a Bridge, Otaki Gorge.— Tills matter is At present m the hanUs of the chairman to interview the Public -Works Department. Metal supply for the coming season. An inspection of the proposed souice of supply is to be made by youi eom mittee prior to the next meeting of -the Council. ’ Mangaore Bridge, Tokomaru Riding. The engineer has been instructed to inspect and report as to the advisability or otherwise of erecting a groyne near this bridge. Engineer’s Report. The engineer’s report, wheih in accordance with the procedure agreed on at. the previous meeting had been •‘hid-, mitted to the Works Committee, was as ‘follows: — . , “Although the weather in the eai > part of the period was very wet and broken, work progressed throughout the County in a satisfactory manner. The main roads suLercd a good dea

but now the annual estimates have been approved, a start u ill, be made with the maintenance metalling foi the sea S °Tohomaru Elding.—The district roads in this Riding arc in very tan order. v I have sent one .„o± the smal graders into this Rid'ng and it is doing aood work. No. 2e; usher is to be sent to Tokomaru at the end of tins week and arrangements have been mad with Mr. W. H. Web'', of Tokomaru, to crush and deliver metal ° n all the roads in the northern end o± this Rid ing at a very satisfactory price. I am also arranging for metal supplies for the' roads in the southern end of tufl Riding. An old cu vert on Kaihmau Rood has become unsafe and it is be replaced with 21 in concrete pipes which have been orclwed. A bridge on the Ivingstone Road collapsed during last week and the bridge gang are at present putting in a temporary pier so that the road can be opened for tidfiio until timber arrives for a permanent structure, , Wirokino Riding.— 1 have veiy hum

to report on in this Riding. A stai» has been made with: the maintenance metalling for the season. Pipes have been ordered to repli: e several old culverts which have bro fen down. A sLut was made during the week, with repans to the road known as Hokio band Koaci. bottlers on this road are giving a good deal of assistance v rth the woik b> supplying seven men and throe drajs so with the amount of money available a good job can be made this sea- | S °Otaki Riding.—Tlu roads in this Riding are all in fr. r order and t No. 3 crusher is now crushing for tldistrict roads. An o'd box culvert on the South Manakau Road has practically collapsed and will require to be renewed with 21in concrete pipes, lhis work will be attended •to as soon as pipes come to hand. Several othci large culverts arc to be renewed. To Horo Riding.—’l he mam road between Te Horo and Vuikanae is m bad order and arrangements will have to bo made almost immediately to have a large amount of met: 1 put out on tins section. The district roads arc all m fair order. 'Pipes har e been ordered to replace old box culvert on the Mangaono Road, also fo" of culvert on the Rahui Road. Woik will be commenced o'i both these job. whenever pipes come to hand. , laying of culvert on the Otaki f o Road has been completed.

Be -Power Grader.- As the time has now arrived when additional giadem are required to help with maintenance of roads throughou the County, .. would recommend tlur the Council consider the purchase of an additiona power grader and a grader to be c taclicd to the presen' Fordson tractor. The engineer’s rep- rt was adop cr. Cr. McLearev ashed whether it was a parable propositi m to heep the crusher going up the Valley as there was little metai available “leio. The engineer said th'cy / u \ d " CCI J; crushing for chips an I were just about finished. Cr. Whyte ashed for authority to carry out work for the removal of. two

small bends on Victoria Road, and this was granted. Cr. Catley considered the sealing should be cut out as a start could not b'e made before 10 o 'clock and .they had to knock off at 4 p.m., which meant that it was very expensive. The recommendation of the Work's Committee that fresh applications be called for the surfacemen's positions had not been carried out.

Cr. Jensen criticised the grader at work in the Te Horo Riding as being too light or not having sufficient power. There was something wrong with it. The engineer said the grader was alright if it could be kept on the work long enough. Coarse or Pine Metal.

Cr. Kilsby said the general opinion was that the crusher had been turning out too coarse m'etal. For some time finer metal was turned out but they had gone back to the coarse stuff which was not suitable for maintenance. He would like to see them revert to the fine metal.

The engineer’ said they could only crush 12 yards of small metal a day and it would not wear at all. It looked alright for a few days. He did not agree, with fine-nretal for maintenance, but wanted some body in the nt'etal.

Cr. Kilsby considered it was a mistake to put down the coarse metal. Or. Barber said that in other counties the fine metal was put down and had a surface/equal to a sealed road. It gave the grader a chance to work and keep the potholes, closed. He quoted the road between Tokomaru and Palmerston.

Cr. Catley said the camber was the secret .of the whole thing. It let the wa'ter off. t The engineer said he was working at the present time to get a body into the road which would help them considerably when they came to do their penetration. The roads -referred to was getting a big camber-on it through the fine metal, but had no, body. The engineer said there was increasing difficulty in getting river metal in this County.

Cr. Whyte agreed that metal was scarcer than previously.

The chairman said a lot of fine metai had been put down at the Ohau railway crossing recently and it had all gone quickly, except for a little at the edges of the road. On the other hand in Te Horo they had had coarse stuff put down and were shortly going to have a very fine road.