MASTERTON COUNTY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 September 1940, Page 7

MASTERTON COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL CENTENNIAL PUBLICATION REFUSAL TO TAKE SURPLUS COPIES. The monthly meeting of the Masterton County Council was held in the County Chambers, Chapel Street, yesterday afternoon. The chairman. Mr R. E. Gordon Lee presided. There were also present Councillors H. H. Mawley, W. I. Armstrong. J. W. Colquhoun. P. R. Welch. J. Donald and G. Moore. "I don’t see why we should be the ’mugs.’ and take them,” observed Councillor Colquhoun in commenting on a letter received from the secretary of the Wellington Provincial Council, concerning the allocation of surplus copies of the “Wellington Provincial History.” Mr J. C. D. Mackley (County Clerk): "From the start we stated that we would take one copy at 7s 6d and gave no commitment to help to dispose of the surplus. Now we receive this letter advising that the Provincial Council was allocating surplus copies to all local bodies on a population basis. Under that our quota is 14 copies at a cost of £5 55." Councillor Colquhoun: “We only promised to take one copy. We shouldn’t turn around now and take more.” Mr Lee: “The books should be placed in the schools.” Councillor Donald: "If we don’t take them heaven knows who will pay for them.” A motion that the extra copies be taken was lost on the voices. Mr C. R. Mabson, Masterton Borough Engineer, advised that in the course of cement lining the 10 and 12 inch water mains from town to the Upper Plain Reservoir, it was necessary for the contractor to open up the flank of the road approximately every 300 feet. Where it was necessady to cut into the edge of the bitumen, the sealing would be repaired with asphalt and top-dress-ed with bitumen. The whole of the repair work would be carried out to the satisfactory of the county. The letter was received and the contents noted. The District Engineer, Public Works Department, wrote forwarding details of estimates for main highways controlled by the Council. It was stressed that in all cases, apart from ordinary maintenance, it was necessary for proposals to be submitted and approved before the monetary authority could be issued and tenders called. In view of the present financial stringency it was desired by the Highways Board that local authorities should exercise the utmost care in the expenditure of funds voted this financial year and on no account should over-expenditure be incurred without the board's prior approval. The letter was received. In connection with the British children evacuation scheme the County Clerk, Mr Mackley reported that he had forwarded the names of nine farmers to the secretary of Zone B, Masterton district, who would take the children. The County Clerk reported on the result of his interview with Mr J. H. Payton concerning the erection of a stop bank on his property at Matahiwi. The clerk's action was endorsed and councillors expressed the opinion that the position was very satisfactory. Three notices of .sale of property in the county were received. The ranger reported having impounded 27 head of stock during the past month. Traffic Inspector W. G. Milne submitted a report on his activities during the month. Messrs Seaton, Sladden and Pavitt, engineers, reported that the Wangaehu Stream bridge on the Masterton-Stron-var main highway had been completed. Steady progress was being made on the Taueru River bridge on the same highway. A bridge at 4.25 miles on the Te Ore Ore-Bideford main highway was having the approaches attended to, and when the work was completed, it would finish the bridge. All work on the Mangapokia Stream on the Blairlogie-Langdale main highway had now been completed, and the construction of approaches was well advanced. The Kiriwhakapapa Road bridge had been competed subject to maintenance of the approaches. The old bridge had been dismantled. The Wangaehu stream bridge on the Te Ore Ore Settlement Road was being constructed and the piles were being driven. The overseer, Mr B. L. Larsen, reported that slips had been cleared, the usual maintenance work carried out and grading attended to as required, during the month.