RANGITIKEI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XII, Issue 3594, 5 October 1920, Page 4

RANGITIKEI COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The Council met on Saturday. Present: Messrs B. P. 'Lethbridge (chairman), F. Brice, A. G. Simpson, R. Brown, J_ Brice, and A. Gibbs. Leave of absence was granted Crs. Duncan, Pederson, Doole, and Anderson. CORRESPONDENCE. The following "correspondence of local interest was dealt with: — From Department of Internal Affairs, agreeing to pay £l2 18/ subsidy on account bf the Prince of Wales’ visit. From Treasury, remitting £625 subsidy on general rates. Public Trustee, remitting £4OOO on account of Ruanui loan.

From Lands and Survey Department, stating that the Scenery Preservation Board had decided not to take action in the acquisition of the proposed scenic reserve at the Toi Toi bridge, Utiku. Prom Taihape Chamber of ConF merce, urging metalling at an early date of the Main South Road, especially the Turangarere Hill.—Receiving attention.

Prom same, urging that the Taihape Hospital be made a base hospital Held over on account of the northern representative of the County not being able to attend the meeting through floods anfl slips on the roads. From F R. Kelly and others, applying for a loan of £IOOO to metal portion of O'matane Road. —The engineer was' instructed to submit a special rating district for the proposed loan,

A letter from the Taihape poundkeeper in reference to the impounding of cattle was refrred to the Engineer.

Geo, Cameron wrote in reference to his duties as ranger, and applying for a salary.—lt was decided to allow the ranger the fines from prosecutions initiated by him. From Taihape Chamber of Commerce, re the Taihape-Waioru-Tokaa-nu Road—The clerk to reply that the work on portion of the road in the Rangitikei County is being pushed on as expeditiously as possible. A complaint was received from Nichols and Rayner re the impounding of their cows in the Mangaweka pound.—The clerk was instructed to write to the ranger and point out that he must comply with the Act by driving stock to the nearest pound.

ENGINEER’S REPORT

The Engineer (Mr. Mair) reported

Tekapua Riding.—Gravel repairs have been completed on Murray’s Track, and a fair start has been made metalling Wairepo Road. At a meeting of settlers it was decided to raise a loan of £I3OO to gravel Makohine Valley Road, from Tekapua Road to Moyle’s gate. Ruanui Riding.—Ogilvie Bro’ - . have made a start at Rangiwae with ten drays to carry out their metalling c-m-

tract. He had arranged with Mr W. F. Snow to undertake the quarrying oi' shell rock in Kiamatawi quarry, the Council to provide necessary machinery. In quarrying this rock it has been found that it breaks up readily and will not need to go through a crusher, therefore it is necessary to re-adjust Messrs Ogilvie Bros.’ contract. This has been arranged and the carting and quarrying of the necessary shell rock will be carried on in harmony by Messrs. Snow and Ogilvie Bros. Ballast train has continued hauling Ohingaiti ballast to Hihitahi and Turangarere. Brewhon Riding—Mr. Jenson has now much of the material on the ground for his new sawmill on Moawhango Valley Road. He has carried out some repairs on the TaihapeWainui Road, but there is still a good deal to be done to put the road in order.

During Thursday night heavy rain fell throughout the county, and reports were coming in of very serious damage on almost every road. Nearly three inches of rain were recorded at Hunterville. Men are being urgently engaged throughout the county to re-open the roads.

The concrete bridge over Maungaraupij.on Ngei Road, is reported to be seriously damaged by being scoured out. Water is over the road in many places down the valley.

In the Waugaehu Riding the Turakina .River has been in the highest flood since 1897. The flood was over the decljs of both Wheeler’s and Morton 7 s suspension bridges, and the latter is reported to be damaged. Heavy slips and a big washout are reported on Whareroa Road. Heavy slips are reported from all over the Otairi Riding, and all roads are blocked, some seriously.. At the time of writing the. road Up Porewa Valley is mostly under water, therefore the amount of damage cannot be assessed. No definite reports had been received from the Ruanui Riding. Slips and wash-outs arc reported

from the Te Kapua and Erewhoa Ridings, but few details axe Much damage is reported from the * Awarua Riding, hut no details are available. The Rangitikei River was in &gh flood at the Porewa Bridge. -4* The overseer (Mr Thoms) in his report on the lower end of the county. stated that in the Rangitoto Riding the floods caused the Tutaenuf Stream and many small creeks to overflow the roads and scour off the metal. In many places practically all the metal has been scoured off. Especially is this the case near theRangitikei Dairy Factory, near Bulls.# The present flood in the Rangitikei River is the highest since the 1897 flood, when all bridges then over the river were partly destroyed. On Thursday night no damage was done to the protective work at the Bulls bridge. The Turakina and Wangaehu Rivers have been in high flood; but as far as he could gather no serious damage had been done by them in the lower end of the county. The Makirikiri Stream was in high! flood and scoured off metal in places/

The Turakina River rose above the level of the Turakina Valley Road in places and left a thick layer of soft mud on top of the metal, which prevents cars getting through at present.. The Makirikiri and Onepuhi Roads were blocked with slips, hut are now •open for traffic again.

The numerous small creeks in the Porewa Riding overflowed the roads in many places, scouring off the metal and leaving, the roads very rough, but no serious damage in the lowerend, but fortunately the bridge was a very old one, and would have had to be‘ removed soon. If the Tong stringers had not boon taken from the Marton yard for the Onepuhi Bridge he could have put up a temporary bridge for the settlers in a few days, but now he would have to try and get timber from the bush to do so At present all traffic is stopped. The Maungaraupi Stream destroyed the low level bridge on the Ngei’ Road, and badly washed the metal on the Leedstown Road, otherwise the-

damage was not serious. MOTOR AMBULANCE,

Cr P. R. H. Brice brought up the question of a motor ambulance for Marton and surrounding districts., He considered that representation should ’ v be made to the Wanganui Hospital* Board for an ambulance car, as better facilities were required for conveying cases to the hospital If nti ambulance car was stationed at Marton it could at short notice be utilised to convey patients from Marton and the surrounding districts to the Wanganui Hospital. If the Martonand Rangitikei Jockey Clubs and the local authorties in the district were asked to contribute he was certain they would respond liberally. Pie moved: “That the Wanganui Hospital Board provide an ambulance, to be, - stationed at Marton. for the purpose of conveying patients to the Wanganui Hospital from Marton and thesurrounding districts-.”

Cr. Gibbs seconded the motion He was of opinion that the people of Marton and the surrounding districts were entitled to an ambulance.

The Chairman said that if an agij tation -was started in Marton for an | ambulance and funds were raised for thi s object the Hospital Board would' no doubt subsidise the amount donated, the same as had been done in the case of the.. Taihape and Ractihi Hospitals, These districts had collected handsome donations for their needs. He would certainly support the proposal wken if came before the Hospital Boarg. The motion was carried unanimously.