COUNTY AFFAIRS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 September 1940, Page 7

COUNTY AFFAIRS

EKETAHUNA COUNCIL MONTHLY MEETING YESTERDAY. HOLDING OF ELECTIONS FAVOURED. (“Times-Age” Special.) The monthly meeting of the Eketahuna County Council was held yesterday, there being present Councillors J. B. Carruthers (chair), C. T. Richardson. P. Davies. F. M. Goggin, C. Davie. G. Bailey. H. N. Kebbell. R. W. Kebbell. A. J. Perry. Leave of absence was granted Cr J. J. Dougherty. The Main Highways Board wrote approving of the following work for the current year: Eketahuna-Alfredton maintenance; Masterton-Weber main tenance, Mangaone Valley maintenance, Eketahuna-Nireaha maintenance. Pah Valley maintenance, Napier’s Bridge East construction, Perry’s Culvert construction. Summit Hill concrete ford. The engineer was granted permission to attend the annual conference of the N.Z. Engineers' Institute to be held in Wanganui, on September 27. The Wellington City Council wrote appealing for the council’s assistance in the collection of waste materiallead, copper, brass, aluminium, etc. It was decided to ask the Patriotic Committee? now functioning in the various districts to - assist in the collection, and to leave the same in a convenient place for the county lorry to collect whenever it visited the districts.

In his report for July, the Traffic Inspector, Mr W. G. Milne, reported tha( six new applications for licences had been authorised. One case of excessive loading was detected and a prosecution will follow. The conduct of road traffic generally appeared to be satisfactory. After a brief discussion the council decided that it could see no reason why local body elections should be postponed for the/duration of the war. It was of the opinion, however, that any postponement should be the responsibility of the Government. The chairman gave a report on the recent conference of local body delegates held in Masterton recently, which discussed the formation of groups inJthe Home Guard movement. The Engineer (Mr W. C. Duffill) reported inter alia on the month’s work as follows:—West Riding: A full programme of new metalling work has been maintained in the riding, some further 750 cubic yards of crushed metal having been run out from Blewitt’s Pit. The metalling of North Road was carried on simultaneously from the Hamua and Blewitt’s pits and the entire length from Sweet Holm corner to Newman has been given a coat of crushed metal. It was not anticipated that it would be possible to do the whole length in this crushing season but aided by fair weather conditions the crusher gangs maintained a higher daily output than was estimated. The road was graded following metalling and further grading will be necessary as the road consolidates. NireahaHukanui: This, always a weak road, was also given,a good coat of crushed metal from O’Neil’s bridge to Hercock’s. the section from O’Neil’s to Sweet Holm corner, having been done last year. The whole road has now an ample cover. Mangaraupui: A. certain amount of new metal was run out but several days crushing still remain to be don for this road. East Riding: Tawataia West: The road was heavily graded from the factory to Dunns but requires a good deal of metal to bring it to a reasonable standard. Some further grading will be necessary before the road settles down. Alfredton Riding: Barton’s Line: The metalled portion was graded. Puketoi Road: Slips were cut back and drained, water tables attended to, and a willow breastwork erected. Wrights Road. For the second time in recent months, a pipe culvert was washed out. A new one is being laid at a point higher up the road and this time twin 3ft diameter pipes have been laid, and new training channels cut to lead to and from same. The Treasurer. Mr W. N. Richardson, reported: The balances of the various accounts at date are:— Country Fund account, dr £3106 2s lid; less Imprest Account cr £94 14s lid: net debit balance, Bridge Loan £BOOO Account, cr £2412 13s lOd; Bridge Fund Account, cr £263; Workers Dwelling Loan Account £1550, cr £42 11s 6d; Workers Dwelling Loan Account £lOOO, cr £4O 13s. The balance at end of July. 1940, in County Fund Account was £2286 19s. Receipts for the past month have totalled £2092 9s 2d. Rate demands for the current year were posted on August 30, and the demand date was September 1. Details of levies compared with the previous year are as follow: East, 1940/41, £2476 6s 2d; 1939/40, £1946 15s Id. West, £4786 0s 6d; £4194 ss. Alfredton, £6471 7s Id; £5413 Is lOd. Total, £13,733 13s 9d; £11,554 Is lid.