WAIPAWA COUNTY

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXV, Issue 126, 14 May 1935, Page 5

WAIPAWA COUNTY

Meeting of New Council

CHAIRMAN RE-ELECTED

(From Our Own Correspondent) WAIPAWA, May 13. The first monthly meeting of the Waipawa County Council for the new term was held this morning. Present: Crs. N. M. Paulsen, ,T. Butler, L. Glenny, B. Gray, C. Thomsen, C. Bainbridge. In accordance with the regulations, the County Clerk, Mr F. Holt, took the chair and after announcing the result of the election called for nominations for the position of chairman. On the motion of Crs. Gray and Glenny, Cr. N. M. Paulsen was re-elected. Cr. Thomsen congratulated Cr. Paulsen on his re-election.

Cr. Paulsen thanked the members for re-electing him to the position, and said he would continue to do his best to serve the eouneil and the ratepayers faithfully. He congratulated the members on their re-election fur a further term, and said it proved that the administration of the affairs of tjie county during their term had been satisfactory to the rate-paying public.

The ordinary business of the meeting was then proceeded with. The chairman reported on the visit of the council to Smedley Estate and said the thanks of the council were due to the manager (Mr R. J. Douglas) and the county representative on the board (Mr A. Robottom) fof the interest they had shown. A letter of appreciation is to be forwarded to the board.

The chairman also reported that the county representatives had met the chairman and members of the Highways Board on Friday last, when representations for the carrying out of certain works as recommended at the special meeting held recently had been placed before the board and careful consideration had been promised. The District Highways Council wrote asking for nomination of a representative for appointment as member of No. 5 Highways Council.—On the motion oi Crs. Thomsen and Bainbridge the chairman was appointed to represent the council on the board. The Soldiers Civil Re-establishment League wrote suggesting the purchase of a portrait of His Majesty The King to hang in the Council Chambers. —Purchase of portrait at £2 10/- approved on the motion of Cr. Butler and the chairman.

It was resolved that all future applications to remove material from county roads or metal pits be dealt with by the riding members and the engineer. The action of the engineer in granting permission to the P. & T. Department to lay a cable under the tar-sealing at Takapau was confirmed, the cost of repairing the sealing to be borne by the department. The District Highways Council asked that the council’s highway proposals for the coming year be submitted as soon ns possible.—Engineer to make application on lines of proposals submitted to the Highways Board. Mr A. Robottom was granted permission to engage the horse-grader for a half-day when it is working on the Argyll-Otane road. The linesman reported on repairs to telephone lines in various parts of the county. A report was received from the health inspector advising that visits had been paid to houses in Tikoklno and Ongaonga; in some cases the plumbing required attention. There had been no epidemic of infectious disease during the year. The traffic inspector reported proceedings against various persons for breaches of the regulations. Also that a tractor had been driven on a road at Takapau with grips on. —The owner of the tractor wrote advising that he had not been aware of the by-law and had since procured bands for the machine.— No action is to be taken.

ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer (Mr. V. E. Douglas) reported to the Waipawa County Council as follows on the work carried out in the county last month: — WAIPAWA RIDING. The grader worked on ridng roads for 8 13-16th days during the month, and 861 labour days were occupied in general work throughout the riding. The following works were carried out: The cutting back of manuka on Mathieson’s road was completed; the improvement of McCartin’s corner on College road is nearing completion; new 24in. pipes were installed and 30 yards of pit metal was used for surfacing. Two and one-eighth days were spent in the Argyll water race. ONGA RIDING. The grader worked on riding roads for 12 J days during the month and 13 and 9-16th labour days were occupied in general work throughout the riding. Glenny’s road was patched with 62) cubic words of pit inetal and water lables were cleared. The patching of the Wakarara road between Wakarara School and Gardner and Yeoman’s mill has been commenced and 47 cubic yards of metal has been spread. Due, however, to bad weather this work is proceeding slowly. For the same reason it has not been possible to proceed with the repairs to North Block road authorised at last meeting. Arrangements have been made to cut manuka on one mile of Look-out road by contract for the sum of £5. This work is in hand. The approach to the Pendle Hill suspension bridge from the Wakarara road has been patched. The repairs to the fence fronting Gray’s property on the Onga road hill have been inspected with the manager to the estate. It will be necessary to set the fence back at certain corners that have been widened hut it would be advisable to wait until the filling has more thornughly consolidated. In the meantime temporary repairs are being carried out to the fence. The sealing of the approaches to the Onga bridge author ! ised at last meeting has been postpon- ' ed until more favourable weather conditions prevail. CLINTON TrfDING. ■ The motor grader worked on riding roads for 4} days during the month, ’ and 12J labour days were spent in

general maintenance. The contractor nus commenced work on the metalling of the niakaretu-Uliutou road, and approximately lUD cubic yards were spread during the month. Due to the shortage of lumis it has not been possible to allow a greater cover than ij cubic yards p>*r chain, but the best pussrble use is being made of the material available. The laying of cjlverts on Milno road has been completed. A bad corner at the junction of the Back Makaretu and South Makarotu roads has been improved though further worn could be usefully carried out. The junction of the Ashley Clinton and i’ernhiU-Takapau roads has been inspected aud 1 am of the opinion tnat an improved view could be obtained by battering back the cutting on the I'ernhill-Takapau road to the renee for a distance of about 40ft. The horso grader has worked on riding roads throughout the month and various roads including Mill road and Milnes road have been graded.

TAKAPAU RIDING. The grader worked on riding roads for 3 and 3-16th days during txie month aud 2J labour days were spent rn general maintenance. The cutting or corners on Otawhao Block has proceeded during the month and is now practically completed. Approaches to motor bridge were patched. I again recommend tnat the Ashcott-Waipukarau road from its intersection with the Fairfield-Takapau road to the Waipukurau county boundary bo metalled.

MAIN BRIDGES. Milne’s bridge; As authorised by council the revision of the tender for this bridge was considered by Cr. Thomsen and myself and a revised tender of £l4O was eventually accepted. The work has commenced. Butler’s bridge: This bridge is practically completed except for the handrails. Hansen’s bridge; The existing bridge has been moved to the side to provide a temporary crossing, and work on the new bridge is due to commence. Two-mile creek bridge: Completed proposals are now submitted to council and if approved must be forwarded tc the Main Highways Board.

MAIN HIGHWAYS. Napier-Wellington main highway: (a) Te Aute section. Grader worked for 11-lUtb. days and 4J labour days were spent in patching. No progress lias been made with reconstruction during the month as the roller has not been available. (b) Waipukurau section. Patching of bad holes has been carried out and 5 5-16th labour days were utilised in this work. Further extensive patching is necessary, (c) Takapau section: One hundred and twenty-nine chains of re-sealing were carried out during the month making a total of 397 chains completed. Due to the unfavourable weather conditions it was considered advisable to suspend further sealing operations for this season and to complete the work next summer. With the approval of the district engineer work was closed down on April 27. The crushing plant closed down on April 18 and during the month crashed the following:—Crusher-run shingle, 506 cubic yards; lin. inetal, 36-j cubic yards; fin. chips, 141 cubic yards; iin. chips, 50 cubic yards. The crushing plant has been dismantled and brought into Waipawa for overhaul prior to ic-erection. Sufficient chips are now available for the completion of sealing work next year. Fernhill-Takapau main highway: The grader worked on this highway for 14 days during the month and 4 7-16th labour days were spent on maintenance. Thirty-one running feet of lI.W. were used to repair St. Hill’s bridge. Waipawa-Pourere main highway: The groder worked on this road for days during the month. Forty-five and threesixteenth labour days were spent on repairs and maintenance. A 24in. twin pipe culvert was installed in place of a timber structure which was dismantled. Considerable work in the digging of water tables was carried out round corners which were widened last year.

Waipawa-Tikokino main highway: The grader worked for 6 7-16th days on this highway and 10 9-16t.h days were spent in patching and general maintenance. During the month 624 cubic yards were used in patching. Further work remains to be done. McKay’s culvert was repaired with sixty feet of Rin. x "in. lI.W. It is intended to erect the jaw crusher at Waipawa for the provision of 1000 yards of inetal for strengthening the foundations of the mite to be. sealed.

Waipawa-Onga main highway: The grader worked on this road for 8 1316th days during the month and 5$

labour days were used in patching and general maintenance. Fifty-five cubic yards of metal were put on the mile through Onga in preparation for sealing. The stretch of this highway for one mile from the Ruataniwha School towards Waipawa has been inspected and examined, ft is found that in some I places the depth of foundation through this stretch is only fin. and only 2ft. L’iu. on an average. The road contour i is also too flat. The road requires an : addition of an average of at least Sin. ; of metal throughout or a total of approximately 9111) cubic yards for the mile. The loose metal on the road should be graded to one side, the existing foundation scarified and the extra metal incorporated with it. The new metal should preferably be pit metal, ! and I estimate the cost of the whole work at approximately £450. Waipukurau-Matamau main highway: The grader worked on this road lor 7 l-10th days during the month and <5l labour days were spent in maintenance, 21 cubic yards of metal being used in patching. The sealing of one mile through Takapau Townsnip was I commenced and completed during the month. Takapau Saleyards main highway: I The grader worked for 1116th day. i Takapau West main highway: The grader worked for 1| days and 1J labour days wpre spent in patching, 12 yards being used.