POHANGINA COUNTY

Feilding Star, Volume 1, Issue 49, 10 December 1923, Page 7

POHANGINA COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL. At the regular meeting of the Pohangina County Council on Saturday, the chairman (Cr. H. W. Smart) presided, and there were also present: Crs. W. Howell, W. T. Pratt, A. Brooking, S. J. Strahan and F. \V. Arbon. CORRESPOXDFXCE. The Lands Department notified that tin- Commissioner of Crown Lauds had not power to authorise the impounding of .stock straymg on Goverument reserves. It was decided to make representation t;> the officer in charge of the Forestry Department at Palmerston and to the member for the district. The Oroua County Council forwarded the following resolution which had been passed: ''That this Council agrees to a joint loan being raised by the Pohangina and Oroua Counties for tin.' purpose of constructing the Malton Block road through Mr Akcrs' Broadlands property." The special rating aiva would be the Malton Block in the Pohangina County ana 500 acres id' Mr A leers' property in the Oroua County.—The matter was left in the hands of the chairman. X. Moar, on behalf of the i'ohangina Domain Board, asked permission to remove a quantity of meta. r*om the Council's pit at Calvin's Hill.— Granted.

The Director of the Feilding Agn cultural High School, enclosed copy of the publications of the institution ami expressed the wish that they would contribute to forward tire agricultural and pastoral industry.Rceeivud. The Public Works Department con veyed forma! notification of a maotin; of district Xo. 9 under the Mail Highways Act to be held at Palmerston North on Wednesday. 12th inst., when th.e election of chairman ait' executive would be held. FXGIXKKR'S REPORT.

In his monthly report, the County engineed (Air I). Watson), stated: In the Awahou riding 1!) cement culverts varying in size from Din. to 30in. had been installed. The eastern approach to the Baumai bridge had been cleared and the toad widened in thi.s vicinity. Together with the usual road maintenance in the Coal Gnvk riding, 1G pipe culverts had been placed in position. The bridge on tlie Creamery road in the Alangaono riding had been found to be unsafe for: heavy traffic, and although b had been repaired temporarily, redecking 'would be found necessary at an early date. 11l the Mangapikopiko riding 700 < übic yards of .stone has been crushed and carted on to Apiti-Xorsewood road. The above amount of boulders had to be carted from the paddock to the crusher, as it) other metal worth putting on the roads could be obtained in this locality. The crushing plant is now .shifted to Main road and ready for operation where a quantity of hard boulders are available and can be dealt with cheaply. The decking of the bridge near the cream factory, which is a 32 feet snail, has been removed ' and replaced with a better quality timber. The stringers are. very much advanced in decay and to make the bridge quite safe for the heavy traffic J have had it strengthened by the addition of two light totara piers. 1 would recommend that within the next two years this old structure be replaced with concrete. A small amount of clay for binding the newly crushed metal has been spread, and the balance required will be completed in a day or two. The permanent roadman has attended to the water tables and overhanging scrub in the Pohangina riding, while in Tamaki ridi:;g improvements lane been effected to the ro,ad on Biri L'iri Hill by cutting back a projecting point and metalling worn portions. Work of a similar nature has been carried out on the Valley road. Ten cement culverts have been installed in the Uinutoi riding on the Xorsewood road and an amount of clay spread on the newly-crushed metal. t'p to the present time I have inspected several of the old bridges, two of which w::w found to be in a wry unsafe condition. These 1 have had repaired. I would recommend that substantial protection work be constructed at the end of Digger's. Creek bridge to prevent any further erosion which is gradually taking place, and which, if not cheeked, will be in danger of being scour-'d away. J. would also riicommend that direction posts as a guide to travellers bereefed at the junction of the following roads: Valley, Zig Zag, Mikura. and the Ferry roads. 'J he number of cement pipe en Berts placed in. the roads throughout the county for the past month is 84.

TREASURER'S REPORT. The report of the treasurer was read as follows : The balances at the bank are: County fund account, dr., £24GI 5s 7d; Xo. 1 loan account, cr. £lO 5s 3d; loan account, cr. £782 Is lOd; cower tery account, cr. Coo IDs 9d ; leaving a dr. balance of £1576 IDs 7d. The collections on rates tor the month totalled £1552 IBs 7d made up as follows: Awahou riding, £4,33 os Id; Coal Creek ridng, £3l IGsUUId; riding, £l3l 'lCs\Bd;

Pohangina riding, £275 4s; Tamaki riding, £23 lis 5d ; Umutoi riding, £443. Other collections were : Rents, £23 lis sd; driving fees, ±.'2 Is; sundry. £B9 1,5 s 4d. This makes u total amount collected of £1067 19s 4d. RANGER'S REPORT. The report of the night ranger (Mr Geo. Davey) was to the effect that during the month he had impounded two horses and four rigs, the fees collected totalling 3s. GENERAL. The arranging of the Christmas holidays was left in the hands of the engineer. Accounts totalling £576 7s were passed for payment.