POHANGINA COUNTY COUNCIL

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 4218, 15 February 1921, Page 4

POHANGINA COUNTY COUNCIL

■MONTHLY MEETING. Tlie following wore jgosenb at the monthly mooting of "too Pohnngina County Council held on Saturday: Crs. 11. AV. Smart (chairman), F. \V. Arbon, 'l. E. Grain, H. Osborne, A. Brooking, and .1. J. Lynch. CORRESPONDENCE. From tho Department of Public Health, stating that the Department could givo no assurance that tho levy paid by the Council to tho Pulmerston North Hospital Board would bo reduced by i'27, the amount of tho contribution payable in return for tho service.-, ol a Departmental inspection.— Lett in the hands of the Chairman, who is to report after tho next Hospital Hoard meeting. From tile liepartnient of Lands and Survey, stating that the land lying between .sections l'2'J and 131, Block XIV., Apiti, was public road land, the control of which was vested in tho Council.—Received. From the Woodvillo County Council, stating that it had baen decided to obtain a fresh petition for tho Gorge Block settlers ami that that body intended to agree to the petition when received. -Received. From the Wellington Harbour Hoard, advising that two members to the Hoard would be appointed for the district on Wednesday, April 27.—Received.

From S. Webster, asking for a reduction in the price of a number of wheels which he purchased from the Council.—l/ofl in the hands of the Chairman and Engineer. From the Mnilgahao Hydro-electric league, forwarding a report on the progress of the works at Mangahao.— !{< ived. From P. K. A. Curtis, asking for permission to erect a boundary fence on the roadlino of his property at Uniutoi.—Permission granted, subject to Engineer's approval. From H. Passey. calling attention to the nnkcpfc state of the cemetery paths.—Cr* Smart stated that if any neglect had occurred it was because of shortage of labour, and not through lack of funds. He suggested that, the Council form a working bee and attend to the matter themselves. Cr. Craine said that at present there was a movement on foot to establish a cemetery lioard of control. Mr Passey had doubtless been ignorant of this fact when he bad written the letter.- It was decidi-d that the Councillors visit the cemetery after the meeting.

GENERAL. ft was decided to refund rates amounting to XI 3s 2d to Mrs fc). Lawson, of Apiti. Tin' Chairman reported on the recent informal conlerence held between the Pohnngina and Oroua County Councils regarding the proposed Broadlands road. He stated that for some years past the settlers ot the Multon block had been labouring under great difficulties with regard to the matter "f an outlet. At present their only outlet was over a very bad,road to the Woodville County. It cost them fully £1 per bale to have their wool carted away. Some 10 years ago negotiations had been entered into with the Oroua County to have a road put through the Broadlands estate but no satisfactory decision had been arrived at. A short time . ago the Pohanginn County Council liad met representatives of the Oroua body and others interested, with the result that consent iiad been obtained from -Mr Alters, of the Broitdlandfl estate," to have the road put through. It had been decided to have the engineers of each of the counties concerned go over tho road and submit a report as to the estimated cost to their respective bodies. It was decided t'> hold the matter ov ( .r until the engineers' report is ty blind.

TREASURER'S REPORT. County fund account (cr.) £252 17; cemetery account, (cr.) £lO 8s 7<l; No. 1 loan account ,(cr.) i'-lC 10s sd; loan account (cr.) £BSO, The item of £BSO, loan account, was received from State Advances during the month, against the engineer's bouse loan. The following collections have ftcon made during the month: Rate.-: Mangapikopiko riding, £43 .'is 3d; Tamaki riding, £l9 2s lid; Uniutoi riding, C2l 7s I! Sundry collections: Rents, £|C> ICs (id; driving fees, £5; sal.' of material, £1 3s. During the month the books have been audited mid the balance-sheet, as at September 30, 1020, has been sent, to the audit nffice, Wellington, for approva.l. Accounts totalling £152 15s 9d are sulimitti d for payment.

ENGINEER'S HEPORT. The general conditions of the road,' and other naiHi r> throughout tIV county are Ms'tsfuctory. Awahou Biding.- Koad grading in this riding bad to be suspended as the work could nut I"- satisfactorily done owing to the continuous dry weather. The Council teams have been satisfactorily engaged putting on a thin coating of metal on the main road. Coal Crer-k Hilling—'Hie building site selected for the roadman's cottage in this riding at the junction of the Ridge and London's Ford road.- lias been cleared and lev,died. and a stall, lias b-eii mado with the eottagc. Manga..ne Riding.-—A start has been made with Southie's bridge. A gang of men are at work with horses and scoop excavating the road for the purpose of diverting the creek. Most of the limber for the construction of the bridge is to hand, and the preparatory work is well advanced. A start will be made driving the pile* in a few days. Mangapikopiko Riding.—The mo'tor truck engaged carting metal on to the main road in this riding is .working verv satisfactorily. A considerable amount of mVtal has been carted during the month at i much b-ss cost and with creator satisfaction than any carting previously done with horn- teams.

Pohangina Riding.—An ol<l culvert on Tr Ana road that had collapsed has been removed, but cement for building a concrete culvert was unobtainable, F have had it rebuilt with limber. Only a few days vrork hap been done on the Branch road, as labour for any further work is unobtainable at the present timeTamaki Riding.—The roads in this riding are In good order. Soma improvements have been made to the road in the vicinity of the Reserve by clearing tho scrub and widening the ro.-i<j in places sufficient to allow heavy vehicles to pass. Diggers Creek and i'iripiri bridge have both received a good coaling of tar and sand. Umuloi Riding.—-A new culvert has been built on Dmutoi North road lo replace the "Id structure that had rollapscd. Satisfactory arrangements have been made for labour to tar and sand bridges in ibis riding, The material for same being on hand. fiorieraJ. —In company with the Chairman of this Council I visited the Malton block for the purpose of inspectin.r the proposed road through Mr .Akcrs' property. Taking advantage of tho river being l'"i, I hfive had considerably over 1000 feet of K ood Australian hardwood timber recovered from beneath the Raumai bridge. This will be valuable for bridge building in the future. The plans of To Awa culvert, submitted to the Public Works Department, have been approved ami returned. ' Mr Fisher has now completed bis contract for squaring totara timber for Southie's bridge.