HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Shannon News, 13 March 1928, Page 3

HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

—-» MARCH MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Horowhenua County Council was held in the County Chambers, Levin, on Saturday, there being present : Crs. Monk (chairman), Barber, Whyte, Ryder, Kilsby, McLeavey, Catlev and Jensen, Mr Hudson (clerk), and Mr Callander (Acting-Engineer). MAKERUA ROADING SCHEME.

With regard to the proposed SeifertWhitaunui special rating district, the Finance Committee recommended that the formation of the roads in the proposed special area in the Makerua be accepted with a minimum tilling of 8 inches consolidated, and that the petitioners for the Seifert-Whitaunui special rating area be asked to submit in writing the alternative scheme and estimates in respect to their reading pioposal, together with a plan showing the additional lauds to be brought into the area and the written consent of .the new ratepayers to be included in the district. " The Chairman stated that Mr. Callander had very carefully inspected the area, and- it had previously been inspected by the Finance Committee. It was proposed to extend the district and the roads so that they would become through roads. The committee was unanimous in making its recommendation. The report w'as adopted. f MOTOR VEHICLES. The Registrar of Motor Vehicles (Mr G. MeNamaia) forwarded a circular intimating that, for the period April 'lst, 1928, to May 31st 1929, the issue of plates' with initial letters to indicate the amount of license fees paid would be discontinued. “D” plates for issue to dealers and “E” platen for issue to owners of vehicles esomp; from the payment of license fees would be issued as heretofore. Renpivpfl f PORTABLE LAMPS. Mr. J. A. Smith, engineer to the Horowhenua Power Board, forwarded a circular letter quoting an extract from the Government Electrical Wiring Regulations, 1927, as affecting portable haiidlamps and apparatus, there havingbeen accidents due to the use of defective portable lamps. —Referred t-.< the Acting-Engineer. .UNDERTAKING AS TO MAINTENANCE. The District Engineer wrote staling that in the past some difficulty had been experienced in obtaining satisfactory resolutions regarding the future maintenance of roads to be metalled out of Government grants. Consequently the whole question concern ing these resolutions had been re-eon-, sidered, and it had now been decided to frame a standard resolution for us.' throughout New Zealand, as follows: “That this Council agrees to efficient ly maintain, in future, to the satisfaction of the local representative of the Public Works Department, the’ road metalled under these proposals.” “I , think this Council did that ai last meeting, in reference to the Oliau West Road,” said the Chairman. “The letter deals with a subject such as that;,”,

The communication was received. MILL TRAFFIC FOR OKUKTJ ROAR Whitanui, Ltd., wrote that it was their' intention in the near future to mill their flax across the river—on the Shannon side, in the Horowhenua County—and asked the Council to put the Okultu Road in order, so that heavy traffic might be conducted on it, to and from Shannon. They would be glad if this work.were commenced ai once, as they desired to tiegin carting material for -building purposes almost immediately. In view of the face that the company had paid considerable rates for many years to this Council,* although not -user# of the Horo whenua County roads, they trusted that early attention would be given to this urgent matter. The chairman said he received an intimation regarding the proposed shifting of the mill with some concern, because he realised that the Okuku Road was a weak road and would probably require considerable metal to make it suitable for heavy traffic. There had been a fair amount of heavy traffic over it when dredging was in opera tion. The matter would have to be given consideration with the estimates for the coming year. The company had in the past been paying rates while milling their flax and carting it in another county, when the Shannon bridge was down. It appeared necessary that an inspection of the road be made. A.this was a rifling matter, he suggesteu that the councillors for the riding and the Engineer inspect the road and endeavour to form an idea of what wa.--required. They might get in touch with the directors and the manager and find out what carting was likely to be doneand where it was proposed to erect tlu mill.

The course suggested by the chair man was agreed to.

TOKOMARU VALLEY ROAD.

Mr T. A. Johnston, resident engineer of the Public Works Department. Mangahao, wrote stating that it was proposed to hand back to the County as from March 31st, for control and maintenance, the Flat and Hill sections of the Tokomaru Valley Road extending from the Shannon Borough to the Tokomaru Ford. At present this ty was contributing £IOO per annuflr towards the maintenance, lie would be pleased to go over the road with councillors ad discuss any matters m connection with it.

The County Acting-Engineer reported that he had been over the length, of road, mentioned, and found the surfaer to be in ; very good order, especially the section from Shannon to the PowerHouse. Aly water tables and culverts were in good order. Some slight erosion under the sill of one bridge was pointed out ;to the Public Works Engineer, and he promised to effect repairs. One 24-in drain pipe culvert was in bad order, being- extensively

fractured, but there was some doubt as to its condition when the Department took over the road. The Resident Engineer would communicate further in this connection. The County ActingEngineer suggested that the matter of resuming control of this road was one for consideration by the Works Committee.

The chairman said that apparently the question referred to the road from the Shannon borough boundary to the Tokomaru river junction on the other side of the hill. He did not think that, under the circumstances, the Council should allow this agreement to go out without taking up with the Department the question whether- they should not contribute something at least towards the road on the flat. There was. always going to be a fair amount of traffic brought about by the hydro-electric plant, which traffic Avould not otherwise have been experienced by the County. Purely from the settlers’ point of view, the County’s traffic in that locality was not, likely to increase; but owing to the power-house being on this side, there would be considerably more traffic than iu the . past, fhe questio : which came up again was that of the user paying for the road. The traffic of non-ratepayers might be from 60 to 75 per cent., and that of ratepayers from 40 to 25 per cent. He would suggest that that aspect of the matter be placed before the Department, which would probably refer the road to the Highways Board to be declared a subsidiary highway. Under the circumstances, the Council was entitled to some consideration in regard to that road. If the Council took the road. back he still thought that the Department should contribute something; and the Council might suggest that it contribute a lump sum per annum towards it —particularly the road from the boundary to the power-house. Cr. Kilsby: Why*hot make it right over the hill? The Chairman: I don’t think there will be a great deal of traffic over the hill; there will be some. Suppose we take that in and ask them to contribute £IOO a year by way of grant, mid we will take over the maintenance of the road. I think you will find that wherever these big works have been started, they have had to keep these contributions going. Cr. Kilsby stated that he had been at Waikaremoana, and the Government had' had to do a great deal to the road .here, and. especially-with regard to bridges, some new ones having been put in by the Public Works Department. If the Department could do that for the Wairoa County, then this County should have a little more a. tentiojn than it ha if received. The Council should get something for the road right over the Jiill.- It was be cause of the works being there tha, there was likely to be more traffic tourist traffic.

Cr. Catley: I don’t sec* how they car justifiably refuse some help iu thi; matter.

Cr. Whyte: Before they took it over, we renewed all the concrete pipes. The Chairman: It is just a question now of what the maintenance is going lo be. On a hill road like that, then must be some maintenance.

Cr. Whyte: What is going to happen to Tokomaru river junction? The Chairman: They will keep that St is nothing to do with us. If, was decided, on the motion of the chairman, seconded by Cr. Catley, to write to the Department asking for a contribution towards, the road in the event, of the County faking it over. KUKU DRAINAGE DISTRICT. The Assistant-Under-Sccretary foi Internal Affairs forwarded an extract from the Gazette of February 23rd containing an Order-in-Conncil alter ng the boundaries of the Kului drainage district by the inclusion therein jf certain areas.

Or. Catley said he was concerned as ro whether the Government had in .dueled the drain opposite 1 1 is plac-e a> he upper part of the boundary. This ,vas the present outlet for the watei from the land about his property. He had to use his authority to some extern to stop an occupier from throwing stuff on to the road when cleaning the drain; out this man was entitled to some consideration from the local body because he latter had cut the drain so close to .he boundary line that it collapsed and .et his fences in, so' lie had a moral claim, if not a legal one, against; the Council.

The Chairman: Why—because we lou’t clean the drain?

Cr. Catley; No; because they cut tic drain so close to the boundary line, to leave space for traffic. I have asked mm, when he wants these drains cleaned, to let me know and 1 will ask the Council to do it on a 50-50 basis. If ihe Board is going to make that a waterway, we may come to some arlangeinent with them. It cannot go on as in the past, because the stuff bong, cleaned out is thrown on to the water-tables. You know wliat occurred before when it was thrown on to the road lower down. The wheels cut right through what was thrown out. The Chairman: Is this drain of any benefit to the land, or only to .the road ? ;

Cr. Catley: It is to take away the water from the land. The Clerk stated that the two drains referred to by the Commission were thrutigh Hrivate property, -and were not on any road. If there was a drain on the road, which had been constructed by the local body, it was a public drain and a liability or a question for the local body who constructed it, oi their successors. The fact of a drainage district being formed did uot mean that the liability passed to the newly formed district. If the board spent money on it, it became a liability. It was quite open to the Board to say what drains they should take oyer. The communication was received. HEIGHTS ROAD. Mr R. J. Law, Te Kohenga station, wrote asking the Council to bring under the notice of the Works Committee the condition of Heights Road and Extension. With regard to the Extension, which was in a bad way across

the swamp and required some filling and draining, Mr Robbie and himself were prepared each to supply one man, the Council to supply two men, to can> out this urgent work. He would also supply free a horse and dray. The work could be done-quite cheaply during the next month or so, before tlie ground becomes wet.

Cr. Catley said that this was a case that could be helped, as the people concerned were out to help themselves. The Chairman remarked that tn e whole of the Wiyokino* money was spent. He added that the mad ian both in the Wirokino and Tokomaru ridings. There was some £3O available that had been voted in the Tokomaru riding. The matter was referred to the councillors for the Wirokino and Tokomaru ridings, with power to act. ACCESS WANTED AT ORAL EAST.

Mr E. H. Saint wrote asking for access to his farm at Ohau East. lie had put in two seasons milking, and practically all his cream had to be sledged to the end of the present road during that time. He would esteem it a favour if the Council could sec its way to give him a road to his boundary before next winter. “There is only one thing worse that I know in the County,” said the ckau'man, “and that is the Otaki Gorge road.’ ’

Cr. Ryder: I endorse that. The Chairman: It is a problem. Cr. Catley: Something has got to be done. Cr. McLeavey: The present road line is no good to the Council. A road could not be made there.

Cr. Catley: Can the Council do anything. It is the block between Mr Saint’s and the road. The Chairman: You can take the land. The question is, How much would vou take? Cr.'Catley stated that there was 20 acres divided up among half as many Native owners. The Acting Engineer stated that such land could be taken so long as half an acre was left to an individual owner. The question was referred to the Works Committee. OYER-LONG DRAIN. lion. E. Newman wrote regretting that, through a misunderstanding, the drain near his property on the Main Road was extended beyond the limit agreed upon. In accordance with_the Council’s request, he had given instructions to have the same filled in wit.lv out delay.—Received. REQUESTS FOR CULVERTS. Mr E. Cooper, Malco Mako Road, Levin, wrote asking the Council to grant him a culvert to carry off the stormwater which collects in front of his residence. He was willing to put the culvert in at his own expense. Cr. McLeavey said ho was satisfied that the request was quite a reasonable one and could be dealt with at once.

It was decided that the request be granted. " Mr 11. Shanks, Levin, wrote stating that the water-race on his property was over-flowing on his Queen Street frontage, and a new culvert of 12 or 13 focj: was required, as the old one was rotten and would fall to pieces when moved. The race-would have,.to be deepened for a couple of chains’ to stop the water from overflowing in the paddock. Cr. McLeavey said he had been interviewed by Mr Shanks, and believed it was a genuine request. The matter was referred to the councillors for the riding, with power, to act; N WORKS COMMITTEE RETORT. The Works Committee submitted the following recommendations: — Lease of road reserve at Manakau: That owing to the road formation being right alongside the reserve which Mr Macdonald desires to lease, your Committee consider it is not desirable that the same should be used for leasing purposes. Lease or purchase of gravel pit on Ohau West Road: That no further action be taken in this matter.

Ohau West Road: That the Engineer be instructed to prepare an estimate of the cost of forming that portion of the Ohau West Road past the point where the road enters Mr Beylis’ property to a point where it reaches the Ohau River. No. 4 Crusher: That consideration ot the future position in respect to this crusher be held over until the Engineer (Mr Brewster) takes over liis duties. Removal of spoil and dumping of rubbish on County roads: That the Engineer be instructed to prosecute any person found removing spoil or metal or dumping rubbish or stones on County roads without, permission of the Engineer. A. .Carkeek—use of Mangaone Road for sawmilling purposes: That Mr Carkeek be informed that he may proceed with easing flie curves and strengthening and repairing bridges as indicated to°him by the special committee; and that in connection with the hauling oi timber over the Mangaone Valley Road to Te Horo, he will be required to maintain the road from the proposed mill to Mr Cooper’s gate and to pay to the Council a sum of £6O per annum towards the maintenance of the road from Cooper’s gate to Te Horo railway station in addition to the payment of "a heavy traffic license. The payment of the special contribution to be made quarterly in advance and the whole position to bo reviewed annually, or the permission revoked at any time, should the several conditions be not complied with. The recommendations were adopted with the exception that the clause referring to the Ohau West gravel pit was referred back to the committee for further inquiries, and the resolution regarding Mangaone Road was amended so that Mr Carkeek’s annual maintenance payment shall be £SO instead of £6O.