HAWERA COUNTY

Hawera Star, Volume XLIX, 20 January 1930, Page 4

HAWERA COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL. THE MONTH’S WORK. Members present on Saturday at the first meeting for 1930 of the Hawera County Council were Crs J. B. Murdoch (chair), E. A. Washer W Rotlierv, H. I. Crocker, G. W. Williams and A. E. Death. An apology was received 1 from Crs W inks and Larcom for absence from the meeting. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer (Mr Muggeridge) submitted the following report: Tnere has been a mile and three-quarters on the top end of the Allen Road metalled and grouted with bitumen; there is still some backing up to do, and this will be undertaken as opportunity offers. The Lysaght Road has had a coat of gravel from Lander’s pit laid from the Meremere Road for 70 chains westward; this joins up to the foot of the hill that was metalled some time ago. There are a few cul-) verts to put in and the watertables to open up. A start has been made with the metalling of the Ivetemarae Road; there is about 20 chains done and 15 chains grouted. The Manawapou Road lias been resurfaced with bitumen for the greater portion, and this end will be done as soon as the weather is suitable. Portions of the Denby Road have been resurfaced with bitumen where required. The bitumen gang are working on the Hastings Road at the present time. The contractor for the Mangatoki bridge has most of the reinforcements in place, and the boxing for the beams and decking are finished. _ The local gravel was found to be unsuitable for the concrete, not giving the required test, so arrangements were made with the contractor to procure beach shingle and this will cost about £SO more. The council’s share will he about £l2 10s, and this arrangement was come to with the consent of the Highways Board engineer. The subwav on the Main South Road lias received its filial coat of metal and bitumen grouting, and the wearing surface has been applied. This work was carried out for over £3OO below the Highways Board estimate after all the setbacks that had to be put up with. —Adopted. GENERAL. The county ranger (E. P. Grant) reported that two horses, seven cows and 22 head of cattle had been impounded during the month. The Town Clerk, Normanbv, wrote regarding repairs on the Ngoronga Road, stating that a considerable amount had already been spent and the board was not prepared to incur any further expenditure. It was resolved that the Public Works Department offer in connection with Maben Road he accepted and that the work he proceeded l with at a cost to the council not exceeding £175. TAWHITI CROSSING. The secretary of the Hawera. Chamber of Commerce wrote advising that a plan had been submitted by the Railway Department for a new crossing joining Collins Street at the corner of Grey Street. The site, he said, had been inspected by the Assistant General Manager, in conjunction with the committee of the chamber, and it had been agreed that further investigations should be made by the engineers of the department. He asked that representatives of the borough and county he appointed to confer with the chamber and the railway engineers on their next visit to Hawera, notice of which would he received shortly. The chairman said that he did not know what all the trouble was about. He had spoken to users .of the road and had found they were very seldom blocked. He considered that if they made the crossing elsewhere it would be inconvenient, unless it be an overhead bridge or a subway. It was agreed that the Ararata members lie delegates to attend the conference with the railway authorities. .SOUTH ROAD SUBWAY.

The Hawera Borough Council wrote agreeing to pay half the cost of the pedestrians’ route at the South Road subway, with a turnstile and side fence on each side of the track.

The engineer was cordially congratulated on the completion of this work and also for the work generally carried out in a season that was acknowledged to be one of the worst experienced. The chairman said they had made capital progress, despite the weather, and looked to doing still better. EXPENDITURE OF GRANTS. The Public Works engineer drew attention to clause 2 of the conditions under which money was to be expended. which stipulated that, unless the Minister’s permission was secured, all work was to be let by public tender. He asked, therefore, that arrangements he made to call tenders for all works being carried out under Public Works grants, unless exceptional circumstances intervened, -when a permit will be given by the Minister if considered necessary. The chairman said that what the council wanted was to be acknowledged as the local authority for carrying out work without getting a special permission for each work on any cession that a public grant was received. They should have freedom to* do the work in whatever way was approved by them. It was decided that the Minister he approached for a standing authority to enrw out work, when desirable, without calling tenders. FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

The statement of the financial position of the council was shown as follows : Rates collected, £693; license fees, £7 13s 6d; rents, £2B; bank overdraft, including accounts paid, £19,497. The county clerk (Mr J. W. Harding) said that the position was about £3OOO better than was the case this time last year. Accounts totalling £2840 were passed for payment.