PATEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 12 May 1925, Page 8

PATEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Patea County Council was held yesterday, when there were present: Crs. J. Gibbs (chair), W. G. Belton J. R. Baylor, h* Scown 'I). Sutherland, W . back, W. H. AVatkms. Leave of absence was granted Crs. Alexander and McDonald. PRIME MINISTER’S DEATH. The council met at the usual hour, but out of respect for the late Prune Minister, Rt. Hon. W. P. Massey, it was decided to adjourn the meeting until 1.3(1.p.m. . Before the adjournment, however, tne following motion, moved by Cr. Belton, was carried by all present standing a moment in silence: “That this council place on record its appreciation oh the valuable services rendered to the Empire and this Dominion by the late Rt. Hoii. AY. P. Massey during Ins term of office a s - Prime Minister, particularly during the time of stress and trouble" experienced in connection with the Great War, and that the council tender to Mrs. Massey and family its deepest sympathy in the irreparable loss sustained.” Cr Belton said that at such a time all political feelings were dropped,, and evervone admitted that the nonunion had "had a Prime Minister that could not have been excelled. Hi s work durum the war period had been prompted by^ the highest ideals, and the position that New Zealand Tfeld in the Empire to-dav tfas to a great extent due to the fine spirit displayed bv Mr. Massey. GEN ERAL 15 OSIN ESS. Surfaceman W. Willis applied for an increase in wages of Is per day and one day a week off to attend to Jus farm. The council decided to advise Mr. Wills that they cop Id not comply with his request. Mr. Eric Whitcombe, Meetapoor, wrote suggesting that the landowners having frontage on the lower side of steep sidling roads be invited to put their fences on the edge of the formation. The letter stated 1 that there could be no doubt that such fences made the roads safer for all kinds of vehicular traffic. —Received. . ’ The circular letter from the Kiwi tea County Council suggesting certain alterations in hospital administration, which has already been published in the Star, came before the council. — The letter was received.

The State Advances . Office advised that in respect of loans, the limit of £5001) in any one financial year, referred to the applications entertained and not to the amount paid over. In the case of a loan of say, £BOOO, of which only £2OOO wa s required, the loan proceedings would be for the full amount of £BOOO, but the application to the State Advances- Department completed for £2OOO only. In this way a council could have several loans in progress without exceeding the £SOOO limit in any one year. ENGINEER’S' REPORT. The engineer, Mr. King, submitted his monthly report as follows : Main Road and General. —The grouting of the length at the Waverley Racecourse was completed early in the month, and the roller and party moved to Patea, where they are engaged in completing the Patea Hill. This work is slow owing to various bad places in the foundation, but should now he complete in about two days. The grader and party completed the widening of the cutting approaching the Patea bridge. The railway district engineer has inspected the overbridge at Patea, and will be putting in hand the work of widening this bridge at an early date. On the filling in front of Hirds the bottoin course of metal has been put down. A connnencement lias been made with the sealing of the main road with a second party. About one mile has been completed between Ball

Road and Kakaramea, and over a mile fiom Manutahi towards Manawapou. During the month the annual estimates for the highway board have been prepared and forwarded, and a statement of the railway crossings on main highways has also been prepared. Otoia West. —The grader and party

have commenced countersinking and metalling the remainder of the Alton gorge and fair progress is being maintained. Arrangements have also been completed as regards fencing on this work. Aletailing has been done with shell jock on the Taumaha Road, and the metal on the Taumaha gorge has also been extensively repaired, and watertables, culverts, etc., attended to. Aletal will now be coining to Manutahi, and the first road to be done is O’Sullivan’s corner. Otoia East.—Aletal from Patea has been' taken up to Faifweather’s Flat, where about four chains has been metalled. Pit metal has also been carted up to Loftiis Hill at M-a't-akaroa, where a new coating has been put on the old worn metal. The filling to the Patea Station has been completed with the exception of the stock fence, which will be proceeded with at an early date. Repair work lias also been carried bait on the lower portion: of the Nicholson Road, where the creek has been dragged, culverts Jilted and relaid, water tabling carried out and holes filled.

AATiverley Riding. —The metalling on Boyers Hill, Karahake Road, lias been completed. Repairs have been carried out on the AVhenuakura Station Road near the Main Road, and also behind the AA’hehuakura Station. Elsewhere in the riding, general surface work lias been carried out.

Mbuihahaki Riding.—The metalling of ihe’length to be done at Ngutuwera this year has been completed (foundation course), the work on Block VIII Hill (repair metal and new metal) practically complete, and over half the work to be done on Warner’s end of Block IX has been completed. Repair metal has come to hand for the Dickie Hill, and further metal supplies have been ordered for work on O’Reilly’s Hill. The repair metal job on the Valley lload has been completed for this season as far as funds permit. The grader and party have been engaged on the upper part of the riding, and are now to go on to the blinding and shaping up on the newly metalled sections. Most of the timber for the Ngutuwera bridge has* come to hand, and the contractor has notified me that he will commence on the Motoroa bridge within a fortnight. Kaparn Biding. —General surface work has been carried out in this riding. On tbe Moewatea, Neilson and party have completed their filling of the washout. Bike is making good progress with his contract on the Aharoa Hill. All the pipes for this work have now been carted as far as tbe top of tiie hill, and arrangements have been, made to have them carted on to the work. Pipes have also come to hand and been carted for the Orangimea Road and the Kaimanuka 'Hill. The report wa lS adopted.