COUNTY AFFAIRS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XIX, Issue 282, 13 November 1929, Page 5

COUNTY AFFAIRS

PATANGATA COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING.

(Special Representatives.)

The Patangata County Council held its monthly meeting in Waipukurau yesterday, the chairman (Cr Chas. Pattison) presiding over Councillors Thos. Butler, A. W. S. Longley, C. R. Edgecombe, H. M. Christie, R. H. White, E. C. Nation, E. T. Wilder and A. McGaffin.

A letter was received from Lady Hunter, expressing thanks for the letter of sympathy forwarded to Sir George Hunter, in his recent illness. The writer stated that Sir George was anxious to be well enough to take up all his interests again.—Received.

The Otane School Committee acknowledged with thanks the council’s grant towards the dental clinic funds. —Received.

The N.Z. Counties’ Association advised that it was preparing a set of model by-laws, which if adopted by each County Council in the Domin.on, would make them universal, thus reducing. ambiguity and assuring easy understanding to all ratepayers and the public generally.—lt was decided to advise that the matter would bt referred to the joint Hawke’s Bay Counties for consideration. The Dannevirke Retailers’ Association acknowledged the council’s letter with regard to itinerant traders and asked that it be advised ot the decision arrived at at the confe’ence of County Councils, when the position would be gone into again.—A copy of the by-law adopted by the Joint H.B. Counties is to be forwarded.

The Waipukurau Borough Council, writing in connection with the proposed new traffic bridge at Waipukurau, advised that it had decided to lodge a formal objection to the proposed assessment of the portion of the cost to be contributed by the 'real authorities. The council considered that as the amount to be contributed by the four local bodies was small—£6333—a conference should be held to discuss the matter and arrive at an amicable assessment. The chairman stated that tbo recent conference haft proved fruitless

A letter was received from the Waipukurau County Council on the same subject, and advising that an objection to the assessment had been forwarded to the Governor-General, a copy of which was attached. A letter was received from the Porangahau Householders’ Association in connection with having the electric power lines extended to Porangahau The council was asked to indicate if it was prepared to assist the project, and also if it would contemplate installing power at Kate’s Quarry.—lt was decided to reply that the council did not desire to avail itself of electricity for the quarry. Writing in connection with claims for past maintenance on the Danne-virke-Weber highway, the Dannevirke County Council advised that it had resolved to forego all claims for maintenance that may have accrued against the Patangata County Council, to March 31st last. With r»gard to future maintenance the council advised that it was willing to review the matter from year to year.—Received.

Mr A. M. White, solicitor, wrote inquiring whether the council would grant Mr Bodley an extension of his Kate’s Quarry contract for a term of two years on the existing terms. The present contract expired on March 31st next, and as Mr Bodley had considerable plant on hand for the contract he was anxious to secure an extension as early as posible, which, if not granted, would mean that ho would require to make arrangements for the disposal of the plant.—Vhilo appreciating the good work performed by the contractor the council deeded that it was unable to extend the contract.

The District Engineer, P.W.D., in reply to the council’s inquiry with reference to the provision of a footpath on the proposed new traffic bridge at Waipukurau, advised that as the footpath was a separate item it would be difficult to estimate without having the bridge re-designed. As near as could be ascertained the extra material and cost of labour renuired for the footpath would be £llss.—Received.

The Public Works. Department advised in respect of the council’s letter anent tho proposed revocation of warrants in regard to the DannevirkeWeber and Mnkura-Pongawa rjain highways that if all the councils concerned agree to same this action will be taken. The opinion was expressed that. it. would not apparently be necessary to apnoint. a eommision to inquire into the matter. K. .T. Ward, Wallingford, drew tho council’s attention to what he c-nsi-tiered the very bad state of one of the fence lines surrounding his property—about 12 chains in length. A special mooting was held fo*- the nnrnnse of passing a special order authorising the rate of two cottages hitherto utilised by roadmen, at lurimu and Wallingford.