HOROWHENUA COUNTY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 111, 13 May 1939, Page 7

HOROWHENUA COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL

(Special to the "Evening Post.") LEVIN, This Day. The monthly meeting of the Horowhenua County Council was held yes- . terday, A welcome was extended to ■ Councillor J. D. Aitchison, who was elected to fill the vacancy in the Tokomaru Riding., . A letter was received from the Direc*. . tor of- Transport, Mr. G. Laurenson, dealing with the proposed restrictions .■ on motor-cyclists, especially learners. Councillor Jensen was of the opinion " that motor-cyclists should be compelled to wear a distinctive coat, especially: for night riding. Referring to the numerous accidents ■ to cyclists the Department forwarded a 1 circular informing the council that ■ during the coining winter an active campaign was being initiated to endeavour to teach cyclists road sense. The chairman said that in tha coun- „ try in particular little heed was paid ' ' to the regulation that cyclists must not ' ride three or more abreast. The public should know that prosecution would follow anyone giving information to the authorities. Police and traffic offl- ■■ cers could not be- everywhere. ; On such a busy highway as runs . through the Horowhenua County wandering stock is a grave danger. The Main Highways Board asked the county to arrange for the county ranger to deal with the matter, the . county to collect and hold any fines " v and fees, but the board would not ■ agree to pay towards the ranger's - salary. Councillor Colquhoun pointed - out that the ranger had a full-time job ! at present without ranging the main *• highway. It was decided that the' county ranger could not do the- work ', and further representations should be made to the Main Highways Board on the matter. The Palmerston North Hospital Board's levy on the Horowhenua; - County for the ensuing year has been reduced by £319. This was brought about, said the chairman, by the fact that an overdraft of £90,722 had been ' . wiped out, and there was a credit balance of £85 in the bank. The fees - collected also had been the highest to -~ date, £16,924 against an estimate of £15,000. Councillor Gimblett wanted to know what percentage of fees were, collected. The chairman said he did. ,• not know the percentage, but hospitals whose patients were mainly rural v always collected more. than city hospitals. There were always a numbed •.- of people who could but would not pay fees. " . «. \ The money to provide a water supply for Waikanae Beach has been re- . ceived from the department, and a! , start is to be made immediately.' At one time a deadlock appeared possible owing to the attitude of the owners f of the land where the pumping station '* and bore are to be. The county clerk, ; however, was' able to smooth out the difficulties, and Waikanae, with eleo- '" trie light and an abundant water sup- '[ ply, will become one "of the best-ap-- ;? pointed resorts on the coast. ' . '