CONTROL OF ROADS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 11 August 1926, Page 6

CONTROL OF ROADS.

t PATE!A, COUNTY COUNCIL. MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting or the Patea County Council wais held yesterday, when there were present: Councillors J. Gibbs (chairman), Pi. G. Scown, M. Back, W. G. Belton., C. E. Johnston, 1). Sutherland and W. H. AA a-t-kins. Leave of absence was granted to Crs J. R-. Taylor and G. H. Alexander. WORK OP THE PERIOD 11EITEWED The county engineer, Mr. G. AV. King, reported on the work done during the month as follows: ivlaiin Road and General. —With the exception of the formation work on the Whenuakura hill, where fair progress has been made, there is no re construction or new work to report. The. old ■metal on Besloy’is frontage has been repaired. A large slip took place at the bottom of the Whenuakura hill (not on the contract length) and this has ’been cleared. The breakaway on the Manawapou hill, which hacl been repaired has been carried away again. This will be attended to at an early date, when the ground is not so wet. Elsewhere on the main road there is nothing to report. Otoia AVe-st.—The drainage outfall oil the Pukeratai creek lias been satisfactorily completed. The county surfaceman* - completed the drain right up to the road and has tunnelled under the road, put in the pipes, silted the tunnel and carried the whole work in a most satisfactory >aind praiseworthy manner. A short length of drain is to be pub in front the new culvert up to the road fence and this work will then be complete. A slip took place on the Otoia gorge and l lias been cleared. Surface work ill as also been carried out on the Ball Rio ad track. Otoia East.—There is nothing to- report in this district beyond a short length of metalling carried out on the Chinamen’s Road and general surfacework over the district roads. Waverley Riding,—Metalling with pit metal lias been carried out o-n the Beach, Stewarts, Parahake, AYaitangi, and Tower Roads. Slips have been cleared on the Kohi and Karahake Roads. The Kohi Bush Road has suffered badly with .the recent storm. A bridle track has been opened and the work of opening, the track, out to dray width has been commenced. The civp of one of the laud piers of the Karahake bridge is broken and should be attended to at an early date, Moumialraki Rliding.—A record flood took place at Ngutuwera, the water being up to within two. feet of tile decking of the new Ngutuwera bridge and over the handrails of the- old. bridge. Some damage took place to- the approaches to- the new bridge' which has been attended to. Several slips occurred on the ALU ley Road and these h»ve now, for the most part, been cleared and the road is again open for traffic. On the Waito-tara Station Ro-ad an. old culvert is giving trouble and attempts are being made to repair this work at no great cost. One approach to AVarner’s bridge is giving way, one of the legs of the land pier having given way. This work will have to be attended to at an -early date. Ivapara Riding.—The roads in this riding also suffered from the effects of the recent storm, -but are now for the most part open fox- traffic. The report was adopted. AVANGERING- STOCK.

The chairman brought up the question of wandering -stock. He said that on certain roads- the nuisance was very bad, stock—particularly horses—being allowed: to roam on the roads for extensive periods to the general danger of traffic. - •Councillors -agreed that the nuisance was gradually becoming worse and the privilege of allowing stock on the roads to eat grass was being b-a®ly abused. The question o-f appointing a ranger was discussed at length, but it. was felt- that this expenditure would not h warranted, it being ultimately decided to- authorise the engineer to employ drovers for the impounding of stock. The -fact- that horses after becoming useless for farm work were allowed tef

wander unrestrained on the council's roads for extended periods was mentioned dung tlie above discussion, the opinion being freely expressed that- if these animals were impounded—and concerning this there would be extreme difficulties—the owners would nut bother to claim' them. GENEfR.AiL.

It was decided to support the resolution of the Oliura County Council with, reference to hospital levies.,.to idle effect that the necessity for some new system for raising money for public hospitals, whereby the public should help to maintain the hospitals instead of the brunt falling upon the ra-te-p-ay-ers, should be urged upon, the Prime Minister. The chairman of the Main Highways Board advised that the board approved of the council purchasing a Wehr grader. Mr. J>. G. Smart advised that the claim of Mr. Amon against the council was set down for hearing before Mr. Justice McGregor at New Plymouth on August 17. It was proposed that both parties should agree to ask the judge to appoint Mr. J. S. Barton, S.M. ,to hear the claim at Hawera, the judge having power to grant this. —lt was decided to agree to the proposal. Mr. G. 111. Johnston, who waited on the council, requested, that a certain amount of metalling work should he done on. the Okutuku Bload in the Mouniahaki ridi-ng. He referred to the had '.state of the road and Cr. Belton supported his statements.—As the remaining representative of the riding. Cr. Alexander was absent, the matter was deferred until next meeting. The matter of putting into- good order a section adjoining the county house was left in the hands of the engineer. It was decided to consent to the proposed deviation near the Peraunui bridge in the Moumahaki "Riding and the chairman was authorised to sign the plans. The receipt of a copy of a legal opinion with regard 1 to kerbside petrol pumps prepared for the Waimate West Council, led to the council passing a resolution informing licensees of pumps that the council had no legal right to grant permission for the placing of containers under 'the footpath, 'and asked that such containers he removed within a year, and in the meantime the council undertook no liability in the'oa.se of accidents. The rates struck at the last meeting were confirmed by resolution. Certified balance-sheets; for the years 11)21-25 and’ 1025-26 were received from the Audit Department, confirmed and were passed: for publication.