PATEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 10 February 1926, Page 10

PATEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. At the ordinary jneeting oi the Patou County Council on Tuesday there were present: Councillors -Ins. Gibbs (chairman). \V. G. Belton, \V. A. Scown, W. 11. Watkins, McDonald and W. Back. ENGINEER’S REPORT. In his report the County Engineer referred to the undermentioned matters : . Main Road and General. —I he final sealing coat has been completed on the Patea Hill and the one to two mile sections of the Main Road. Re-sealing has also been carried out where required over these lengths. The deck of the Patea bridge has also been attended to, a coat of bitumen and chips having been laid. The contractor for Whonuakura Hill has made a start, and is making very fair progress. The earthwork contract at the \\ aver ley Racecourse is also progressing. It is intended to commence metalling the first coat over this deviation straight away. A survey ‘has been made for improving the top end of the Manutahi Gorge at the Patea end. Otoia West. —There is little to report in this district, the work being coniined to general surface work and bonding, which has been carried out on the various roads.

Otoia East.—The grader and party have been engaged widening and impioviiiir on the Otauto Road and binning the metal recently laid. Metaj has also been carted out and spread on a section of the Opaku Road between Gowers and Milnes.

Waver ley Riding. Metalling has ben carried out as weather conditions have permitted on the Kohi and 1 Karaliake Roads under the separate .rate and Government grant available. The grader and party have also been engaged on these roads grading, widening and blinding the metal already laid. Given line weather, these works should go ahead and be finished before next meeting. In the rest of this riding there is littl© to report. Moumahaki Riding. —The contractor for the Ngutinvera bridge is making good p rag res s. The main trusses are in position and the decking will he going on in a few days. Hayward has been carting tli© screenings on to the meta l carried out last year on the Valiev Road.

Kapai'a Riding.—Pike 'has finished upon the Aharoa Hill. Owing to shortage of metal he has not completed the metalling contract. Ail inspection has hen made of the Orangimea Road, which is in fair order. The Upper Waito.tara Valley and Makakaho Roads are also reported as being in good order. GENERAL. M,r F. R. Palmer, storekeeper, Manutahi, asked permission to erect a kerbside pump for motor spirit in front of Ins property. Or. Belton suggested that car© was necessary as to where these pumps were placed, and added that he noticed the northern counties were allo.wing them strictly in terms of the joint bylaws. —The matter was left to the engineer. A claim was made by Mr Jas. Fair, for 80s for two days’ work in opening up a road near Waver ley to get out his sheep for shearing.—Tt was agreed that 12s per day be paid to him. Mr W. A. Hurley asked for a refund of fjf) Gs 8d on the license fee for his lorry, because it was not on the road from July to October. —The matter was left to the engineer.

The chairman said that such cases were provided for by regulation, and there would he a number of them throughout the Dominion. If a motorist did not use the roads for any peri ml he should not he charged.

A letter was received from the New Zealand Counties’ Association, stating that'the Crown Solicitor was of opinion that- motor traffic regulations were mandatory, and it was therefor© the duty of local authorities to collect all licenses and to see that they were paid. Jas. Mitchell, Tvohi, was granted the right to erect a private telephone wire, and an application will be sent to* the chief telegraph engineer, Wanganui. WA V ERLEY D EYIA TlO N.

In regard to land taken from W. J. Jeffries for the Waverley racecourse deviation, Mr. T. E. Roberts advised that the council should empower a member to discuss the question, naming a limit figure. He considered that after such'a discussion a settlement would probably he reached. UJO A L iff )D IES’ LO A NS.

Alarm at the large and ever-increas-ing indebtedness of local bodies throughout- the Dominion was expressed in a letter from the New Zealand Chambers of Commerce Association. It was urged that the Government should inquire into the matter with a view to checking unnecessary borrowing, and especially into the matter of trading spell as 'would compete with private firms. The association recognised that general utility supplies to the public, such as electricity, water, tramways, drainage, etc., which it is unwise to leave in the hands ol' private enterprise, and the profits of which rightly belong to the ratepayers, should be controlled by public bodies, but that, although a large proportion of loans were invested in necessary works, the extent of borrowing by local bodies was a matter for serious consideration.- —The letter was received, general agreement being ex. pressed with the opinion that sinking funds should always he compulsory. HOAD WORK. A request was received from Mr. ,1. R. Taylor for metalling on the Tomo Road, Manutahi. He agreed to pay £IOO, provided the council found an equal amount and the cost of the work, estimated by the county engineer at £65. He said he would like the work to be done in the autumn. The chairman said that in a case like this, where a man was out to help himself, they should assist him. He said it meant supplying £2OO worth of metal. 51 r. Taylor uiso stated in his letter that if the cost of laying was over £IOO he would find one-third of the additional cost. The chairman moved that the offer be accepted, an agreement to be drawn up by the engineer between the council and tlie applicant. CT. Scow n seconded. saving that it was ton good an offer to lie turned clown. Accounts were nnsesd for payment and the meeting adjourned.