COUNTY AFFAIRS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 November 1939, Page 7

COUNTY AFFAIRS

i MEETING OF MASTERTON COUNCIL i FARMERS' MOTOR VEHICLES. j COSTS OF TRAFFIC INSPECTION. I The monthly meeting of the Masterton County Council was held yesterday afternoon, the chairman. Mr R. E. Gordon Lee presiding. There were also present: Councillors G. Moore. Donald, J. W. Colquhoun. P. R. Welch. W. I. Armstrong, and H. H. Mawley. The secretary of the Local Government Loans Board advised that the council's application to raise the Masterton County Workers’ Dwelling Loan of £l5OO had been approved, subject to certain conditions, the term of the loan to be 20 years, the rate of interest not to exceed £4 5s per cent, the loan to be repaid by equal aggregate annual or half-yearly instalments in NevZealand and not out of loan money. Advice was received to the eil'ec. that consent was forthcoming for tin taking of land required for the proposed road improvement at the junction of the Wangaehu and Castlcpoin main highways at Te Ore Ore. The engineers. Messrs Seaton, Siadden 'and Pavitt, reported that the estimated cost of road improvement work at 10 miles on the Masterton-Stronvai highway, revised in view of the use \ol mechanical plant for the earthwork was £ 1492, representing an estimated saving of £431. Advice regarding the delegation bl powers to the council m regard t< wandering stock was received from the Main Highways Board and Public Works Department. 1 The secretary of the Wellington Provincial Exhibition Council advised that the executive of the Wellington Provincial Court had decided that the mayors and chairmen of local bodies throughout the province, should, together, with their respective wives should be given the opportunity of act ing as official host and hostess in the court reception room for short period: during the exhibition. The perioc would probably cover a week and the secretary asked if the council's chairman could indicate which week woulc. be the most suitable. The letter -wai

received. ’’ The secretary of the Wellington Provincial Patriotic Council forwarded a: i appeal by the chairman, Mr T. C. A c Hislop, for donations to Patriotic funds c The letter was received. (• Advice was received from the secre- " tary of the New Zealand Counties' As--1 sociation stating that the next meeting of the executive would be held a r Wellington on Friday, November 17. I t copy of the legal opinion supplied b> 1 counsel to the association on the question oT the enforcement of the pay men £ of heavy traffic fees in respect of i'ar--1 mers' lorries was also enclosed.' ' The Pahiatua County Council' wrote I to the Masterton Council as the distrij buting authority of heavy traffic licence □ fees in the Wairarapa district, concerning the fees payable in respect of far- - mers - motor vehicles. The communication stated that as the counties of the ’ group were not in agreement they ’ should issue instructions to the Trans- : port Department to prosecute farmer: , who were reported to be operating ; motor vehicle without a heavy traffic ; licence. Some contended, it was added • that the Transport Department having i assumed responsibility of transport ■ control, the matter was one now out side the jurisdiction of county conn- : cils. Again, others were of opinion tha the fees payable in respect of farmers . lorries were unduly restrictive anc ■ harsh in effect. The letter suggestec ■ that in order that the counties in the ; Wairarapa group might reach unanimity, the question should be brough, forward for discussion when consider:) tion of the amending joint by-law: were being dealt with.—Received. The Pahiatua County' Council als< advised that consideration was given a its last meeting to the anticipated demands which would be made by the Transport Department towards traffic inspection in counties, consequent tipoi the Minister agreeing to drop tin clause in the Transport Amendment Bill recently before Parliament, relating to the disposal of fees in respect tc motor drivers' licences. Il was apparent that the Minister intended to allow counties to continue issuing driv ers' licences, but was making an appeal to county councils to make some con tribution from the fees received to wards traffic control. It added that the Minister's proposal had not been re ceived. as yet. but the Pahiatua Count; Council was of opinion that whateve the appeal or request might be. that n< individual county in the Wairarap: heavy traffic district should commi itself to a payment from these fees, un til the whole of the* counties in th. group had had an opportunity to con fer and decide upon a scale whic would be equitable and reasonable the individual local bodies. As th Masterton County Council was the eoi trolling body of the group system o traffic inspection prior to the adven of control by the Transport Depart ment. it was proposed that a confei once should be called to ventilate th matter. It was realised that until th Minister's request was received ac (ion could not be taken, but it was de sired to obviate any one particula; county committing the whole to ; course of action which might be detrimental to their interests. The lotto: was received. The Inspector of Stock. Departmen of Agriculture, wrote directing attention to the noxious weeds growing oi the council's reserve at Langdale. 1 was decided to purchase a flame throw er to deal with the weeds. An invitation was received, and a< . copied from the Anglican Boys' Home I Society. Diocese of Wellington, invitinj members of the council to attend th- f opening of the new Masterton Sedgle. Boys' Home, by his Excellency the Ge i vernor General, who will be accompan ; ied by Lady Galway on Monday. Nr , vember 27. at 2.30 o'clock. \ The chief engineer. Wairarapa Elei i trie Power Board, forwarded a prin showing an extension of the Board' E.H.P. 11 k.v. line along Railway an . t

Akura roads, and serving as new mail feeder tin 's for tiie Masterton borough and asked if (lie position of the pole: for thi' new extension would in an.' way interfere with any future road im oroveinent or alterations that the conn sit might have in view. On the advic of the county overseer. Mi' Larsen, i was decided to agree to the align ment. The ranger reported having deal with 5 head of cattle and eight horse ditring the month.