HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Shannon News, 15 February 1927, Page 3

HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

FEBRUARY MEETING The monthly meeting of the Horowhenua Couaty Council was held in the County Chambers, Levin, on Saturday, there being present: Crs Monk (chairman), Barber, Whyte, Ryder, Bryant, Kilsby, McLeavey. Catley and Jensen. MUNICIPAL HANDBOOK. Advice was received from the Government Statistician that the Local Authorities Handbook for 1927 would be published not later than April.—Received. ROADS COMPLAINED OP. Mr W. McKenzie, secretary of the Palmerston North branch of the Wellington Automobile Club, wrote further en the subject of the road between Levin and Paimerston,- regarding the condition of wlmh the branch had complained in a letter to the County Engineer, and the Council had replied objecting to the branch making charges of neglect based on hearsay evidence. In his latest letter the secretary stated that he had been directed to point out that during the period which elapsed from when the matter was reported until the meeting of the •Council, the portions of the road complained of were put in order. However, to satisfy the Council that the complaint was not made on hearsay evi-! dence, it was now stated that the following portions of the Tokomaru—Levin road were in very indifferent condition at the time the report was made: (1) That along past Makerua school; (2), that along past Waring Taylor's to Buckley road; (3) Ihakara flat; (4) portions'of hills at each end thereof; (5) the filling on the roadway adjoining Potts farm. The secretary added that he was also directed to express the appreciation of the splendid work the Council had accomplished. The branch felt sure that the Council would forgive a little mild criticism occasionally a«d that it would recognise that the branch was using its endeavours purely in the interests of the travelling public. The Chairman remarked that the branch evidently went out to find a few pot holes and succeeded. Cr Jensen:'The only fault is that the writer fails to supply the date when the complaint was made. The letter was received. DRIVERS' AWARD Advice was received from the N.Z. Counties' Association that the names of all County Councils who were parties to the Dominion Federated Drivers ■Union dispute, which was before the Arbitration Court in December, ■■-had been deleted from the. list,—Received. ARATANGATA FLOOD GATE.

Mr Andrew Guy, of, Palmerston N., -wrote stating that the floodgate at the Aratangata drain was out of repair. Several of the settlers interested pro-' posed to repair the floodgate at thek own eost and he was asked to apply to the Council for pel mission for the work to be done. Owing to the floodgate being out of repair for some years, continual damage had been caused by the backing up. of flood water from the river. The Buckley Drainage Board had given its consent to the proposed work. The Chairman stated that this came within the area recently added to the Buckley Drainage Board area He was of opinion that possibly the Council had not at this juncture any jurisdiction over it. He saw no reason, however, why they should offer any opposition to the suggestion that the settlers inteiested should undertake the proposed work at their own cost and risk. It was deeided to reply to Mr Guy accordingly. IHAKAEA SCHOOL PADDOCK. Mr J. A. Mitchell, of Ihakara, wrote asking for permission to fence a pier* of land between the Ihakara creamery and the school grounds, as there was no provision at the school for paddocking pupils' horses. On the motion of the Chairman ii was decided to give Mr Mitchell permission to fence off the end of a blind road for the purpose mentioned, during the pleasure of the Council. OTAKI BOROUGH BOUXDARIKR. Mr Alex. "Wilson, Town Clerk oDtaki, wrote confirming a verbal arrangement that April l?t would be t 1 r most suitable date for the olteratior. r\ the boundaries of the Otaki Borough to take effect and stating that he had advised the Minister of Internal Afaiis accordingly. With regard 10 .he agreement in connection with the financial adjustments, he had '.ot ye 1 b-en able to fix a definite date for the meeting, but ho would nivise this Council at the earliest opportunity.-—'Re-ceived. .-..1 !■**!•

TREES OBSCURE RAILWAY WARNING BOARD.

"Notification was received from the Kailway Department that the warning ' board on the west side of the railway at Otaki, on the Rahui road, was obscured by trees growing alongside. The Council was requested either to have the trees trimmed or the board moved to a position where a good-view would be obtained. The Chairman stated that the place referred to in the letter was in the Otaki Borough. It was decided to refer the letter back to the Department with that information. THE TAUNGATA ~ Mr. L. Barker, writing from Ethelton, Canterbury, stated- that the Taungata bridge was ' the only acces ~ which the Otaki north bank settle iSt ' '■-■-"■' -'"■?'. ---.V. -;.':-., VrC IV -- ■

had to their property, and in the case of the bridge being removed they should be assured of other reasonable access. He considered that the bridge could be repaired so that it would stand for a long time.—The chairman said that Mr. Barker admitted that he was an amateur and possibly did not know much about the state of the bridge. It had been condemned by the Public Works Department. The chairman had told him that if the bridge was taken down, means of access would be assured, the settlers.—The letter was- received. CLERK OF WORKS. The Main Highways Board intimated that where .a clerk of works is engaged to supervise a speeific work and is'kept continually engaged on that work during the progress of construction, the Board regards his wages as part cost of the work and subsidises them on the usual basis. "In future local authorities must seek the approval of the Board's representatives to the appointment of all clerks of works. Such approval is subject to review should the duties of , the clerk of works not prove satisfac- ' The chairman stated that the Board was not paying a portion of the County Engineer's salary; but the Council had | asked that the Board should do so. The ! idea had been to charge a portion of his | salary to th? work. Cr. Jensen asked if no portion of the overseer's or clerk of works' salary could be charged, to the Highways Board. The chairman: We have raised this point—the question of payment of a portion of the salaries of the engineer and the clerk of works. I raised the question of the engineer's salary when the Highway Board was here It is under consideration; but this comes inder a different heading and means •that a clerk of works or foreman must be approved by the Board. Unless he" -is approved by" them, we cannot charge a portion of his salary to that work. Cr. McLeavey: We can send in the man's name.

In answer to a question by Cr. Catley, the engineer stated that it was not necessary for a clerk of works to be a whole-time employee. The chairman said that the County's foreman eame within the definition of a clerk of works. Cr. Catley: Would it weigh with the Board it' the engine** said that the work did not require a whole time ma*i? The letter was referred to the Works Committee, with an instruction to investigate the whole position. WORKS COMMITTEE. . " The Works Committee presented the following recommendations: — 1. That the overseer (Mr. Henry Dyer) be appointed an inspector and official within the meaning of the Wellington West Counties Joint By-law, 1925; also for the purpose of such regulations as may from time to time be issued under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1924. 2. That the classification of all roads be complete! as soon as possible with a view to dealing with the heavy traffic j on the weaker roads. | S. That a committee, consisting of ', the Councillors for the Wirokino Riding, be authorised to meet representaI tivos of the Levin Borough Council to j discuss the question of the maintenance of all boundary roads. 4. That the dog tax for the year 1927 be fixed at 2s 6d per head for sheep and cattle dogs (subject to the provisions of the Dog Registration Act, 190 S) and for house and sporting dogs at 103 per Wd; and further that Mr. George Watson, whose residence is Mako Mako Road, Levin, be appointed •registrar for the Horowhenua County for the said year, 1927. The recommendations were adopted with the exception of the first one, which was held over until next meeting.

PILE DRIVING PLANT.

In answer to a question by Ci\ Kilsby, the engineer stated that he would be in Palmerston North in a I'ew days and would try to make some arrangement to secure the of a pile driving plant. "A BRIDGE YEAR."

Cr. Kilsby asked what was done about the bridges on the main highways. Some of them were in a bad state of repair.

Mr. Anderson (County Engineer): None of them are in a bad state of repair. I think we can make a "bridge year" next year, and tackle them ail at one time.

QUESTIONS ABOUT ROAD-MAKING

3 Cr. Kilsby: It seems a bad way to - work,, bitumenising a road to within n, - few chains of a bridge and having to i come back later. The engineer: There is only one bridge where that was done. Cr. Kiisby: The railway crossing, i also, at Ohau, and there are a cerj' tain number of new culverts to go in. r\ The engineer: Where have they -| been left out? . | Cr. 'Kilsby: They should be put in >' hand before the construction work. Ij The engineer: We have done that ( all along. At the Otaki end all the ( culverts are in. That was one of the 3 first things we tackled, j' Cr. Kilsby wt nt on to say that the i Koputaroa-Foxton Road, fiom half a r mile" beyond the Aratangata drain, was - very bumpy. The engineer: I don't know how much money is left. We have spent all - that there was for the roads at the - northern end thij year. 38 Cr. Kilsby: They missed out a mile jrswith the grader.

The engineer; All the road was done with the grader. Cr. Kilsby insisted that it had not all been done. He asked that the grad-. er. be used on Hearherlea Eoad. The engineer: I don't think we can do it unless I get definite-instructions to do these roads. I have been instruct-*; ed before not to over-expend on any account. I want an instruction about the work from the Council. . .; Cr. Kilsby: It is all in the month's work. The engineer: There has been too much done out there already—things, not on the estimates. Cr. Kilsby: What about banking on the corners? The engineer: We have not had time to attend to that yet. Cr. Catley asked what was the position in regard to telegraph poles being in the way of main highway construction. The chairman: Yes; Ave have this very satisfactory position now, that it has been decided that all poles have to be attended to at the expense of the Telegraph Department; but the Department is a big concern to move, it does not always move as fast as we would like it to move. To some is holding up the work. Cr. Catley: That should bo pointed out to them.

The chairman: We have been keeping close up to that. We are not losing sight of it, and we have made the position very satisfactory from our point of view. WATER WANTED AT GREEN LANE 'Cr. Ryder asked if the Council could assist the people at Green Lane, Otaki, to get water. He said that in the early days a water race was brought in from 'the Waitohu, but the flaming was just about perished now, and the race did not touch the Waitohu at all. No one. seemed to be responsible for cleaning the race out. He had told the residents interested that he thought it best for them to approach the authorities and see if water could be had from the borough main. It was a small job, and he would like to know whether'it, could-be done by this Council. The chairman: There would have to be a special rating area brought in. Cr. Ryder; It would run only into about £SO or £6O. There are four or five settlers concerned, and they want the water brought right up from the main road to the end of Green Lane. They have to traverse a county road with their pipe.

It was left to the engineer to confer with the settlers on the matter.