COUNTY AFFAIRS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 13 September 1928, Page 8

COUNTY AFFAIRS.

PATEA COUNCIL. MEETS. THE MO NTH’S OPERATIONS. At th© monthly meeting of the Patea County Council on Tuesday there were present Grs. Jas. Gibbs (chair), AV. G. Belton, It. S. Scown, J. Alexander, A\ r . Back, AV. Johnston, AV. H. AVatkins, and A. Sutherland, j Leave of absence was granted to Apr. J. R. Taylor. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer reported as under: Main Road and General. —There is very little work to report on the main load. General maintenance has been attended to, and there are no construction works in hand. The Main Highways Board has written signifying its willingness to treat further widening work as maintenance, the subsidy for which will .shortly be at the rate of £2 for £l. During the month the position of roller driver has been advertised, and many applicants have been interviewed'.

Otpia West. —The contractor for the Pukerata Gorge improvement lias completed his earthwork contract, and the county men are now laying the final metal. This work is being delayed both by the weather and the slow metal supplies. The Otpia Gorge road has been overhauled, the settlers concerneu having given material assistance. ■' OtoTa East.—The heavy weather brought down some slips on the Maben Road. These have been attended to. Two culverts have been put in, replacing old ones on this road. One. Idling which lias been washing away lias been inspected and will require watching. Elsewhere general surface work has been carried out on the Otauto, Nicholson, Hukatere, and Matuku Roads. AVaverley Biding.—The roads in this riding are in fair order. On the upper portion of the .riding, on the Kolii Bush and Mataimoana. Roads, slips have occurred and on one portion of the Kohi Bush Road it lias carried awa; for a short distance. Elsewhere in the riding there is nothing to report. Moumahaki Riding.—The special wpyking party has, been the whole period attempting to keep pace with damage on the Lakes and AA aikare lengths. On the road near the AVeraweraonga Road turn-off there is a bad wash-aw ay caused by the straightening of the creek carried out some years ago by the settlers. This will be a very difficult piece of road to keep open for some time. Some large slips have taken place on the Lakes length, and these have been cleared as far as funds permitted. A few days have been put in on the AVaikare Road, and this week should finish the present programme of work on this part of the riding. A considerable amount of work has also been done on the Mptor-ja Road. The shoot near the school at AVaitotara has been carried away by the settlers using the place as a rubbish dump- The slip into the nver near the hotel at Waitotara has also again developed slightly, it is proposed to attend to both these jobs as soon as a lorry is available. Kapara. Riding.—Hanclley finished up at the end of last month and as yet no surfaceman has been appointed in his place. It is proposed to carry on with local labour, doing only necessary worlc, and to conserve the funds as much as possible. The paddock has been fenced in and the Shed moved to the Te Ngaue length. On the Lower AA’aitotara Valley Road metalling Peachey has made very, fair progress. It was decided that £IOO he taken from Kapara Riding and £IOO out of general rates, and if the owners gave £IOO the Paten, Comity , Council would devote all the riding rates available, less what was expended on the main road. The chairman considered that the Public Works Department should be asked to give a subsidy, of £3 fox £l.

WAITOTARA VALLEY ROAD. It was resolved that the riding members, Crs, Belton and Alexander, be a committee to consult with the Waitotara County Council and the settlers interested with reference to the work to be done on the Waitotara Valley Hoad. The member for Patea (Mir H. C. Dickie) wrote enclosing a letter from the Minister in connection with the extra money, for the Waitotara Valley Road. He said that although not agreeable to provide a subsidy of £3 for £1 on the estimates, he was willing to give an equivalent in free money. He referred to an interview with Mr. Dickie regarding the subsidy, and said that in view of the isolated condition of the settlers and the recommendations made by,-Mr. Dickie, he had decided for this year to provide a certain amount of free money in addition to the £2 for £1 subsidy, but he added that the department might not be able to continue such, generous treatment in connection with the metalling of the rest of the road. The engineer of the Waitotara County Council wrote stating that a grant of £304, on the basis of £2 for £l, was available, with the balance of the previous grant, £ll, and asked it Patea would contribute two-tliirds, £lO5. —The matter was left for consultation with the riding members. ACCESS TO FARM. Mr F. Ohesswass, Ngamatapoun, wrote concerning a right-ohway to his farm at the junction of Waitotara- | Miakakiiho streams. His access, he said, at present was across a bridge—no legal outlet being in existence—between road and stream. This was the only access for over twenty years, and' now he was threatened with its closure. He asked for a legal outlet to he arranged, and enclosed a letter from* Mr. H. Q. Dickie in connection with tiie matter. The chairman said it appeared to be a case of one settler endeavouring to stop another having access to his farm which lie had had for many years. On his motion it waw resolved that tly* engineer visit the locality and interview' 1 the settler on the inurttor. Failiiiisr a settlement, the chairman swid clerk were empowered to,take steps to lOsume the land required unde,- the Public Works Act. A ROAD INC* QUESTION. Mr 0. McGregor, of Waitotara., 1 wrote in reference ito repairs on his road which he said had been promised but had not been done. The ohairman said that the council ga.vja a. definite promise to do the weak as soon as rates were collected. No more definite promise than that was ever given. He advised that the council .should go ahead quietly as arranged and take no noticvj of the letter. THE WORK OF THE GANGS. The eh air man and Or. Belton >ere appointed to go injto the question of costs of labour and of rba.dwoak. The chairman said that the council were feeling'its way steadily in the matter of the organisation of the gangs. C.V liddon stalil that records should be kept of costs ot tar, kjbour, and metal, and submitted! to the counoil.

Until now there bad been 110 1 estimate oil which, to go. AVihen work was done, costs should always he given and labour costs should be kept separate. Everything depended on having a competent gauger. GENERAL.

The representative of the council in No. 8 Highways Council 1 wrote regretting that the widening of the bitumen in Paitea County could not be regarded a® work upon which £3 for £1 subsidy could be allowed, blit lie, was prepared to consider it ;assi maintenance and allow £2. for £1- . It was resolved. on the motion of the chapman, that a. piece of land adjourning the property of the AVaverley Domain bs sold! to that board at £ls per acre. The chairman said it was right to give the board the chance to enlarge and improve its properties. . Air E. T. Jarvis was given permission to erect telephone win? over AA rai!caro Boat!, subject to (the usual conditions. Air P. J. Davies, of AA'aveiiey, wrote protesting against the deposit of weeds and. rubbish on the load, by the AA’avrarley Town Board. Cr. Johnston .said it was quite unfair to use the part of the road as a rubbish tip. It. was agreed that the engineer should take steps to prevent the dumping of weeds on the road and that the Waroiley Town Board should he asked to cease the practice. Cr. Bolton uecommended taking action if a case could, be proved. The chairman, Crs. Belton and AA a.tkins and the engineer were appointed a committee to go into the question of the purchase of a bitumen heater. The secretary of the South Taranaki Automobile Association wrote to say that the Association had taken no with the Railway .Department the question of the hank impeding visibility at the Ball Road crossing. The chairman said it was most satisfactory' to know that this dangerous corner would soon he rectified. Airs Hnr vie. of the Alainitahi Hotel, forwarded, a- sum of £lO towards! repairing of the roadway in front- of the hotel. ~ The engineer said the amount had been exoended. The council will not be. represented directly on the deputation to wait on members of the Government at AAellington with reference to the direct representation of local bodies on hospital bodies. . , ~ C The accounts, with the exception or one for wharfage on bitumen, which was paid without prejudice, mere passed: for payment! '