LOCAL & GENERAL

Horowhenua Chronicle, 10 July 1916, Page 2

LOCAL & GENERAL

The need for a culvert on MoDsnald road was stretasodi by Councillor Broadbelt at Saturday's imjeeting of Alio county council. It was in a disgraceful state at present and something should be done. The chairman drew attention to the fact that it was provided For in the estimates. If councillors weru going to follow that line tliey would go baok to the old state of affairs and the overdraft would be as great as ever. The engineer said it would' cost only about £10, which sui.i oomld com© out of contingencies. A report of the cost i 6 to he laid before the council at it* next meeting* Another matter referred to by Oouncflloi Broadbelt was the state of a culvert en Potts's road.

Councillor Retter staged at tlio csunty oouncil meeting on Saturday that ho considered the sates to tlio metal pits should be locked and that anyone requiring should'first obtain the permission of a councillor or the engineer before removing metal. Councillor Stephenson said that locked gates would not keep the people out in hie district}. Councillor Catley moved that the pits in Te Horo and Wirokino ridng be fenced and the gates lockedi, and that any settler wanting metal be required to get authority from tlio councillors for the riding or the engineer, the key ot the gates to be Jqft 'with ijoadmion. Councillor Retter seconded the motion and it was carried.

The county council on Saturday passed accounts for payment totalling £1100.

Some people in the county seem to have a queer idee of the methods of the county engineer in setting about hie work. A member of a deputation that "waited on the county counoil on Saturday anked tEat the engineer take levels beforo commencing the putting in of a certain culvert!

Still another deputation is to wait on the Minister of Health about the troubles agitating the local bodies who are contributing to tlie "Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. The Horowhenua County 'Council on Saturday appointed! its chairman Councillor Monk to act on th« proposed deputation.

Referring to the result of the recent deputation which waited on the Minister of Public Health, concerning the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, the chairman of rtfie county council, who represented the council on the disputation, reported on Saturday that things seemed more hopeful , more than that he would not s.\v

The W'irojkino (Riding 'Raitotpaylers' Association is asking for information respecting the amount of rates collected by the county council in the riding and as to how the money was spent, and forwarded to the council a request for the information. On Saturday the council passed the following resolution, moved by Councillor Better and seconded by Councillor liroadbelt: That tho WirokTuo Riding Ratepayers' Association be advised that the county balance sheet will bo printed as booh as it is audited, and the clerk will forward a cepy of tlie same to the association.

"In case there is trouble who would they come at?" "The Council. They always come at the council." Councillor Braadibelifc's question and the chairman's answer at the county council meeting on Saturday.

"I am not going into the question cf drains. I've had enough of drains. 1 am full up of them."—Tliel* cou ity chairman on Saturday in reference to the matter that is troubling certain Te Horo settlers so much

A letter was received from G. Is'. Wood., of Shannon, by the county council on (Saturday. It was somewhat involved and after hearing it read the chairman said* that he did not understand what it waa about; he did not inow whether other councillors did or not. He thought it best to leave it to the councillors for the riding and the engineejr. The engineer: Yeis, leave him to me. I'll settle it alright. -Mr P. . Goldsmith, treasurer of the Levin and District Patriotc Society t desire# to acknowledge the sum ot £3 5s from Mr Stockdiale, of Koputaroa. The money waa the proceeds of three socials held there.

Drainage matters have exercised several Te Horo settlers for quite a Jong time past and the subject has been a recurring one at the county council meetings. On Saturday a deputation of settlor* from the southern district set before the council a scheme ' for settlement. This wias discussed at some length but councillors seemed to be a bit dubious about the position. Tlie chairman, however, was positive on one point—that he was not goixig to involve the council in any responsibility in connection with the schem.v The settlers themselves would have take al> that. He hoped their time had not be«n wasted and that a settlement would be effected.

With reference to the shortage of paper caused by the war, the annual report of the Government Printing and Stationery (Department says that during the last year the difficulties in obtaining supplies of paper have been constantly increasing, and the prices have advanced in some cases more than 200 per cent, and in but fow oases is paper obtainable at less than 100 per cent.