PATEA COUNTY COUNCIL

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXI, Issue LXII, 14 May 1912, Page 5

PATEA COUNTY COUNCIL

The Patea County Council held its monthly meeting at Patea on Monday, , Mr.G. V. Pearce, M.P., presiding, ijiere'wei-e also present Crs. Van Asehe J-Coombes, Dickie, K. H. Cave, Death, Kennedy, and O. Symes. The Main South'road surface men employed by the Council, asked to be paid fortnightly instead of monthly. After a short discussion it was resolved on the motion of the chairman to pay the man up to the Saturday immediate.ly preceding each regular meeting DEFENCE ACT. Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce wrote asking the Council to endorse its resolution supporting the Minister of Defence in his expressed determination to enforce the compulsory provisions of the Act. The chairman expressed his emphatic opinion that the Minister's action should be upheld. It. was generally the "wasters" who tried to evade laws, and the law should l>e enforced without fear or favor.—The Council agreed and passed a resolution accordingly. LOCAL GOVERNMENT BILL. The Chairman mentioned that he had attended a conference of local bodies held at Hawera on Saturday, and that the conference appointed Mr J. T. Quin, chairman cf the Eltham County Council as its delegate. The delegates generally regarded the present proposed Bill as absurd, and that what was required was a Lill on the lines suggested by the Counties and Municipal Conferences, me proposed conference and the methods of electing delegates was on an entirely wrong basis. Mr. ' Quin doubtJess knew a great deal about County Council work, but he probably did not know a great deal about Education .Boards or Borough Councils. The proper course would have been to have invited a representative from every local body or from every class of local body. *' MONUMENT TO SOLDIERS. Ihe Normanby Town Board asked the 1 atea County Council to be represented a*'the unveiling, ceremony of the cairn in the \Vaihi Military Cemetery and the monument in Victoria Park Normanby erected to commemorate the memory of raJlei? soldiers. The ceremony 'will take place on May 29, at 2 p.m.—Left ' with any Councillor who can make it convenient to attend. SLAUGHTERHOUSE LICENSES. Renewals of slaughterhouse licenses were granted to A. Muggeridge, Manutani; ci ar k Brothers, Waitotara: and Edgar P. Symes, Waverley. TELEPHONES. Cr. Van Asche moved that the engineers private house be connected with the telephone. It was absolutely necessary for councillors, especially those far back in the district, to be in communication with the engineer, and although the Counoil s ofrice was on the exchange, the engineer was generally out during the day-time. If Councillors living at lon** distances could telephone the engineer during the evening it would save a great deal of time and money. Cr. Dickie questioned the advisableness of adding any more expense to the engineer's department. It was already argued that the Council's administration was too costly. The Chairman agreed that in some instances the private telephone on to the engineer's house would be an advantage, but he questioned if the expense would be justified. It would only be available between the hours of 7 and 8 o'clock in the evening, and it was' not desirable to intrude too much busi- } ness on to a man's evening hours. He I thougnt councillors could arrange to i telephone the clerk, and leave messages | with him for the engineer. After some little discussion, Cr. Van Asche withdrew his motion. ENGINEER'S REPORT. JVlain South Road.—Contract No. ?6' This contract, which was for carting out metal from Kakaramea Station on to Main Road, is now completed. All the metal has now been spread and napped> .the total length of road metalled being 18£ chains, besides some metal carted out for patching. During portion of the month both graders have been in use, backing up the metal and forming side tracks. Balance of work done on this road has mostly been maintenance Patea West—The portion of the Taumaha Road on which the Council at last meeting authorised expenditure, has now been repaired. Further repairs have now been effected on the Wilford road, which has now been repaired throughout its entire length, and should not require any further attention beyond a little maintenance, for some time to come. I am having the Hunter Road graded, and when that is completed, will also frrade up portion of. the Hursthouse Road.

Contract No. 27 —During; the month I called for tenders for the unloading and depositing of metal inside and outside of station yard at Ball Road. Five tenders were received, namely, Messrs Muller and Hart. 3s od, 3s 9d: D. Green, 4s 3d, 4s 9d; Locker and Dickson, 4s 3d, 6s 6d; Geo. Cockerten, lOd, Ik 4d (per yard**; William Redding, 4s 6d, 6s 6d. Tenders were to be by the truck. The four latter were refused, and Messrs Muller arid Hart's retained, being the lowest, for the Council to decide whether to accept it or not. Patea East.—That portion of the T,ittle Tfnanaki Rond between the Main Road and sea has been graded up. Balance of work done in this district has been mostly maintenance. ( *

General.—The Waitotai*a Valley Road is now in vei'y good order, in fact is in as good condition as it was during th*» summer months.

The report was adopted, accounts passed, and the meeting adjourned.