HOROWHENUA COUNTY.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 16 September 1929, Page 7

HOROWHENUA COUNTY.

SEPTEMBER MEETING OF COUNCIL. 'The monthly meeting of the Horoivhenua County Council was held in the County Chambers on Saturday, there oeing present: Mr G. A. Monk (chairman), Crs. Barber, Ryder,. Bry•ant, Colquhoun, Gimblett,, Catley, and Jensen, Mr F. H, Hudson (County Clerk) and Mr J. T. M. Brewster (Cdunty Engineer). Leave of absence was granted to Cr, Whyte, who was absent from'the district. With reference to the petition presented to the last meeting by twelve ratepayers interested in the Waikawa water-race district, in tu.e vicinity of Manakau, asking the Council to maintain the water-rave-—resulting in a de■eision by the Council to carry out urgent work required and to take steps to levy a maintenance rate for the ■current year—Cr. Bryant, who was absent from the last meeting of the •Council, explained that although his name was not on the petition, he had paiu rates ever since the water-race .was put in. ' • , A resolution was passed that, in accordance with Section 55 of the Public Works Act, 1928, the Council appoint Mr N. 11. Mackie, valuer, Palmerston North, to be an assessor, on its behalf in the matter of a claim for •compensation by’Mrs C. T. Tatum, of Manakau, ror land takeiV, near the Waikawa Bridge, for the purposes of .* road to give access to property formerly owned by Mr Robert Bovan. C: D. FARM ROARING. The Commissioner of Crown Lands wrote acknowledging receipt of the ■Council’s letter and expressing his thanks for the Council’s approval of the scheme of reading for the Central Development Farm. He stated that pro-vision had been made for the side roads to be 40 feet and the continuation of the through road to Buller Road to be one chain wide. With regard to the Council’s requirements for a metal pit, in the scheme as surveyed provisions had been made for an area of 2 acres 2 roods 18 perches, which it might be possible to dispose of to the Council. Of this area he understood that approximately two-thirds had been worked. The question of dealing with the Council regarding this area was receiving attention and was at present witlibcld from any disposal of adjoining area.

The Chairman stated that, a week or 'two ago, he interviewed the Commissioner and pointed out that, in view ■of the cutting-up and additional reading, the Council anticipated receiving the pit gratis, as they were expecting to take over the roads. The Commissioner was looking into the matter.

Cr. Gimblett said he thought that the Council would not be receiving ■enough in the remainder of the gravel reserve, even if it was given to them. They should look ahead and try- to get a little’ more.

Cr. Jensen; What we wanted was two acres of fresh land.

Cr. Gimblett: We wanted two a&res of metal, ami they are offering less than one acre.

The Chairman remarked that the ‘Council had power under the Public Works Act to take land where there was some metal. Cr. Gimblett asked the Engineer if ho would use the metal from the C. 1). Farm4n preference to river metal for the Hokio-Waitarere Road. The Engineer: I think so, I would have to crush it. Cr. Gimblett: It is quite a different class of metal from that of the Tararua pit. The Engineer: It is not quite, as big, h'ut it is in the same class of metal; it is too big for road-metal. With regard to the proposed roads, ■Gr. Gimblett said that ho was opposed to the Council taking over anything less than a chain wide. The Department had not offered any valid reason for not increasing the width of the side roads to a chain. Cr. Ryder: They only go to two see- *. tiona. Gr. Gimblett: Is there any likelihood ®f the 40ft. roads being used for a/i ■extension. t ( The Chairman: No. Or. Gimblett: Supposing that Arawhata could be drained, it would be waluable country. The Chairman: It is roaded by the Arawhata Road. These two are deadend roads, and it would be a mistake to throw a chain-wide into non-use. Cr. Gimblett; What are the lengths ef the 40ft. roads? 1 The Engineer: Twenty-five chains. Gr. Gimblett: We have the example of the Kawiu Road. There was a time when it was said that it would never be needed. Now there is no room there and you have to pick a place to turn .round. I don’t see that the land would be wasted in widening these roads to a chain. The Chairman remarked that the scheme had been agreed to by the Council, provided that the Department metalled the road to the Duller Road a •chain wide. LOADING BANK. Messrs A. Ross, Enough and Co., Ltd,, fiaxmillers, Foxton, wrote conveying their thanks to the Council for having panted them permission to erect a loading bank on the Koputaroa Road. They would guarantee that no obstruction would be ckused. to the passing traffic along the road. With regard to the road, their lorries all had wide tyres, and no damage should ,be done. ““Ifeccivcd* DANGER AT A WATER-RACE.

Mr J. Hi Mungavin, Ohau, wrote -drawing attention to the water-race running in front of Mr C. Aplin’s property, at the corner of McLeavey Rd. In hi& : -Opinion, it was very dangerous, it bqipgsome ten or twelve feet deep and -mifoneed. To his knowledge, one killed 'through falling 1 into the at : the place mentioned. Ho an-inspection be made with a view 1 to fencing it. stated that the Works Conupittee had visited the spot and found two hydraulic rams there, and these were the cause of the race being so deep, He did not know by whom they The I 'Chairman: Were they working?

Cr. Ryder; Not when we were there, but apparently they are in working order. They supply two farms. As

things ate to-day, the race is a danger to stock.

Cr. Catley stated that the drain had been blocked to make a fall for the pipes to drive a ram. He considered that the two settlers who were getting the benefit should do the fencing. Cr. Ryder: The rams are on the public road.

Cr, Colquhoun: With the motor traffic nowadays they cut the corner, and the metal has -worked into the culvert. It is at this end of McLeavey Road, on, the corner. The culvert wants extending as well. On the motion of Cr, Catley, seconded by Cr. Colquhoun, it was resolved' that the holders of the properties served by the rams be requested to fence the race and thus protect stock from falling in. Cr. Catley .raised the question of the rights of the persons who had installed the rams to do so; and it was decided that the (Councillors for the riding make an investigation and report. WATER SUPPLY AT OHAU. Mr A. S. Easton, Muhunoa Road, Ohau, wrote with reference to the water -supply on his farm. He stated that last year, during the summer months, his stock were without water, and recently it had failed again. He hoped that the Council would be able to remedy the matter at an early date. The Chairman stated that it’ was in connection with the same matter that Mr Anyan had written to the Council, as a result of which the Engineer had been authorised to instal a new ram. The Chairman had- received a letter from Mr A. McLcavcy, who previously owned the land now held by Mr Anyan, and he asked the Clerk to read this.

In his communication, Mr MeLeavoy stated that when the late Sir Walter Buller subdivided his property, ho raised a special loan to road and water it. Mr McLeavey and ms .brother bought several sections on the western iSide of the road, and the only water they had was on the front of their ■ sections, so they' applied to the Council, asking if it could give them a better water supply. The late- Mr J. Malcolm, tfien County Engineer, inspected the locality and said there was some money left over from the loan and recommended 7 biio present ram. Some years after that two settlers applied to the Council to extend the waterrace system to their properties situated on the Muhunoa West Eoad, but the Engineer of that time, Mr W. N. Anderson, after taking levels, found that it was impossible to take the water there in an open race; therefore ho recommended an extension -of the ram. To do this he had to take the pipes through the writer’s property and also build; the present concrete tank, and the only' compensation which Mr McLeavey then asked was two troughs in his back paddocks. The two settlers formed a special rating area over their properties to raise a loan of £3OOO to do the work; and the Council would readily see that he (Mr McLeavey)' would not pay rates on this extension, as his•>property was not in the area. Perhaps this was the agreement that Mr Anyan had written about. The writer’s opinion was that the Council would never have satisfaction from a ram unless there was someone on the spot to look after it, as he had done. The only time he had worried the Council was when shis had wanted overhauling, and that was not very often. He desired to correct the impression held by some people that he had used his influence as a councillor to do this work. The work was finished years before he had become a Councillor.

Cr. Catley stated that the scheme was originally made for half the number of cows that were now being supplied. The ratepayers of Ohau had been told clearly that what was wanted was a scheme costing £lB5, with an electrically driven motor to pump the water; but they had not replied. The Chairman: Mr Any an is not interested in that. ' '

Cr. Catley: He is, because he draws his water from the tank that this ram fills. On the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Cr. Ryder, the matter was referred to the Councillors for the riding and'the Engineer for a report. MAKO MAKO ROAD. Mr 11. B. Cooper, Mako Mako Road West, Levin, wrote stating that no metal for maintenance of that portion of road had been sent out. It was some considerable time since his first request was made, and he was then given to understand that the matter w'ould be attended to. He also mentioned .now, that one of the pipes of the 'water-race culvert in front of the Racecourse gates had been broken for some time; all floodwater flowed over the mouth of the culvert into the Racecourse grounds, and when the weather became

drier there would not bo enough water coming through to keep the races further down supplied for the stock. The Chairman said he understood that this road had had attention.

The Engineer stated that about a month ago he put metal on the road. There had been scvera| : , potholes with a depth of about an inch. The waterrace had a pipe broken in the centre, not at the end. It was decided to reply to Mr Cooper stating that the matters mentioned by him were receiving attention. FLOODING OF AN ENTRANCE. Mr F. C. Leddra, Arapaepae Road, Levin, wrote reminding the Council that, some time ago, he communicated with them concerning the water from the road draining into his entrance and forming a pond in the gateway. He had pointed out that, at the time when the main road was being formed, the Council lorries, loaded with metal from the dump near-by, used to back into his gateway very frequently while the dump lasted, for the purpose of turning round. This was quite all right, p f course, but it had the effect of making mere pronounced the depression in front of the gateway. His first letter was referred to the Engineer and a member for the riding, with power to act. ’Soon afterwards the late Engineer resigned, and'probably the matter was overlooked. If the Council could dump a load of metal in front of the gate, it would cause the surface -water to be diverted from the road, and rectify the trouble.

' The Chairman stated that this was an old complaint; he remembered Mr Leddra bringing it up in Mr Anderson ’a time as engineer. On the Chairman’s motion, the mat-

ter was referred to the Engineer, with power to act.

CLERK OF WORKS.

The District Engineer (Mr E. 11. P. Eonayne) advised the Council that the appointment of Mr E. W. Goldsmith as clerk of works in charge of the construction of the’ Waikawa and Kuku Stream bridges was approved. —Received.

ROADING IN TOKOMARU BLOCK

Messrs Hankins, Fitzhcrbert and Abraham, solicitors, Palmerston North, wrote with reference to the question of Mr Craw’s road in Tokomaru Block. They stated that they understood from Mr Craw that a deputation from the Council recently waited on the Makcrua Drainage Board with reference to the levelling of the road running through Mr Craw’s Tokomaru Block, and that the Chairman of the Board informed the deputation that the road had been levelled off and was actually in a better condition than it was before it was blocked by the Board’s operations. Mr Craw informed the solicitors that this was quite incorrect and that the road had never been touched by the Board and that it was irot in a fit state for any traffic whatever. The writers suggested that this could easily be confirmed by an inspection, and Mr Craw would be pleased to meet any members of the Council on the spot. It was resolved that the Chairman, Crs. Catloy, Colquhoun and Jensen make an inspection.

BRIDGE CONTRACTS

A resolution w.as passed to sign the contracts with Ales.-rs Brayshay and Brayshay, at £555 Ids lid, for the erection of the Kuku bridge, and Messrs Christian and Nielsen, at £2256, for the erection of the Waikawa bridge.

The latter contract is well under way, and the Engineer reported that the contractors for the Kuku Bridge had commenced operations and the time allowed for completion would be three months. Cr. Gimblett suggested od that at the Kuku bridge the white lights be replaced with red ones, to give a more effective warning. The Engineer stated that he had procured a number of red glasses, but found that the colour washed out in thfe rain. He would see what could be done further in the matter. OTA WHI Will EOAD.

For the purposes of the Otawhiwhi Eoad, which is .a blind road running from Paiaka Eoad to the eastward and which has recently been legalised, the Council passed a resolution consenting to the taking of land in Te Ngae Otawhiwhi A Block No. 10, 3 roods 14 perches, in B Block 1 acre 1 rood 38.2 perches, and in part Otawhiwhi-Mana-watu Kukutauaki No. 7G 1 rood 17.2 perches, as indicated in the cons.mit of the owners endorsed on the plan; and that the common seal be attached to the plan.

SAINT’S EOAD DEVIATION,

The Council adopted a recommendation by the Works Committee that the Engineer be authorised to engage a surveyor to survey the proposed deviation of Ohau East Eoad (Saint’s Eoad). EOABING IN OPUHI BLOCK.

The Engineer having submitted to the Works Committee specifications for proposed road to serve the Opuhi Block, these were approved by the Council on the Committee's recommendation. They provide for the road to be formed up to a total width of 26 feet, in a manner similar to that carried out on Akers Road; metal to be placed on the road 10 feet wide and nine inches deep; culverts of ample diameter to be placed in the road where required; metal not to be placed on the road until the formation has been in existence over one winter, or a minimum time of six months.