MANAWATU COUNTY

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 136, 9 May 1928, Page 4

MANAWATU COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL. Tho monthly meeting of the Manawatu County Council was held at Sanson yesterday, Cr. Barber being in the chair. Also present were Crs. Boyce, McKelvie, Perrett, Hunt, Pearce and Reid. CORRESPONDENCE. From the Public Works Department asking that, when this year’s estimates were being prepared, sufficient funds be set aside for more extensive maintenance of wooden and steel bridges. Tho letter further stated that there were numerous bridges tho steel work of which required painting.—Referred to tho engineer to report on the condition of the Whirokino bridge and others. From the Waipa County Council forwarding a circular resolution asking tho council’s support of a protest against the action of tho Government in passing regulations of a nature which restricts the powers of county councils to make by-laws fixing the speed limits of motor vehicles for the purpose of preserving tho roads; and also that representations be made by county councils to the Minister of Public Works to have enacted an amendment to the Public Works Act enabling local bodies to make by-laws restricting the speed of motor vehicles for the purpose of preserving the surfaco of all roads in the counties. The letter further stated that, with the motor regulations in their present form, the councils might just as well save the expense of appointing inspectors who would, except in tho event of a very serious accident, find it difficult to obtain convictions under regulation 15 of the Act. —The county inspector (Mr W. Berry) said that the maximum speed allowed by regulation 15 was 35 miles per hour and the point the Waipa Council was stressing was that it had had a bylaw restricting the speed of motor vehicles in its county to 25 miles per hour, but in a recent case the by-law had been upset by the magistrate. After a general discussion on the matter the council arrived at a decision that tho new regulations afforded ample protection to the local bodies, and also that, in view of the fact that it was inadvisable to have different speed regulations in different countries, no action be taken in the matter.

From the Horowhenua County Council stating that it had received an offer of £IOO for tho old Shannon, bridge as it stands and £350 for the dismantling and stacking of it on the shore. —Tho council considered that this offer was inadequate considering the excellent state of the timber and decided that the question of tho disposal of tho bridge should be left in the hands of the chairman and the county clerk to endeavour to obtain a more satisfactory return to the council.

From the Rangitikei County Council, under dato 19th April, stating that it had adopted recommendations to carry out the necessary temporary repairs to the Bulls bridge at an estimated cost of £2700, and that, in view of the urgency of the matter, the work would be put in hand at once. Further, that in the meantime tho council had restricted tho weight of loads taken over the bridge to a maximum of eight tons as recommended by the recent conference.—Received.

From the same, under date May 4th, stating that the proposed expenditure on tho Bulls bridge and protective works this year was £2BOO, which sum tho Highways Board would subsidise to tho oxtent of £1 10s for each £1 and asking the Manawatu Council to make provision on its current year’s estimates for its share of the outlay amounting to £560. —“I thought our share would be more than that,” stated Cr. Hunt. Tho letter was received.

From the Main Highways Board stating that it had been decided that future payments by local authorities on accident insurance policies covering workmen and other risks in connection with any work on main highways would bo regarded as part of the cost, of tho work and would bear the board’s subsidy on the basis ruling for such work.— “Very acceptable,” commented the chairman in moving that .tho letter be received. From Mr J. Simonsen, secretary of the Rongotea Cemetery Trust, asking the council to make a further grant towards the funds of tho cemetery for the purpose of improving tho footpaths in tho cemetery grounds.—Held over till tho cemetery trust formulates some plan of action regarding the footpaths. From Mr A. H. Rogers, Tangimmna, asking permission to shift his house to Dominion reserve as_ the river was endangering his present site.—lt was decided that the council had no power to grant permission. ENGINEER’S REPORT. Mr H. Bond, acting-engineer, reported on the month’s work as under: — Main Highways. —Bull-Sanson: A little draining has been carried out on this length. Tho Bulls bridge is now under repair by tho Rangitikei County Council staff. Sanson-Awahuri Road has been graded, patched and rolled. A length of 43 chains has been ploughed in from tho sides and flattened out at a cost of £2 5s 6d per chain or £lB2 per mile. Awahuri-Feilding: Bridges and culverts have been cleaned and tho road graded and patched. Stewart’s Line: With tho coming of the rain this road cut up badly but has now been patched. Sanson-llimatangi; Grading and patching have been carried out. With fresh supplies of metal a great deal more patching will be undertaken. Himatangi-Rangiotu: Grading and patching have been carried out. With fresh supplies iof metal a great deal more patching will bo undertaken. HimatangiRangiotu : This road became very rough after tho recent heavy rains. Patching is now being carried out, both from the Hiinatangi and tho Rangiotu ends. This road has been graded. Himatangi-Foxton: Grading has been the chief item on this road. A little metal ha 3 been spread and the big stones raked off to tho sides_ for building up. Foxton-Shaniuon and Whirokino Roads: Patching and grading have been carried out and culverts cleaned. A contract has been let for carting out metal from the Whirokino pit to the road. Forty chains of fencing and sixteen chains of noud formation have been completed on the new Shannon bridge approach road. The recent wet weather held this work up considerably. Tho Highways Board’s engineer advises that a floodgate is required in the stop-bank by tho new bridge. Rongotea-Longburn: Culverts and bridges have been cleaned and grading and patching carried out. Awahou Riding.—l have nothing to report in this riding for the past month with the exception of the grading of the Beach road. Kawa Ivawa: Patching and weeding' lias been carried out ion Main Drain Road; also, 180 cubic yards of metal have been dumped at intervals along the z-oad. Bainesse and Pyke’s Roads have been patched and culverts cleaned. Tho formation of 10 chains of Kellow’a Road is almost complete. Repairs have been made to Couper’s Line and a concrete culvert put in by Mr Lancaster’s property in place of an old wooden culvert. On Taikorea and Kellow’s Roads culverts have been cleaned and patching carried out. Carnarvon: Old River, Lako and Koputaru Roads havo been graded. Otherwise, there is nothing to report until a roadman has been appointed. Rongotea; A culvert on the Alain Drain on the corner of Jones’s and Tompkins’ Lines has been repaired. A sixinch culvert has been replaced by a nineinch in Tompkins’ Line. Rowe’s, BanksWaitohi and Banks’ Roads have been patchand and culverts cleaned out. Grading has been carried out on Mill, Green, Banks’, Ivopano and Sansons’ Roads. Property owners on Banks’-Waitohi Road have been notified to clean out tho drains: Waitohi: Grading has been carried out on Taipo, Waitohi and Awahuri-Tnipo Roads. Patching has been done on Penny’s and AwahuriTaipio Roads. Mt. Stewart: Whilst excavation work is being carried out on Kowhai Road, haunches have been built up along the sides of the metal. This excavation work has now ceased. Patching has been carried out on this road. Culverts have been cleaned out on Leo’s and Cemetery Roads. Deviations have been brought up to their former standard. Sandon: Ohaken and Richardson’s Roads havo been graded and all deviation roads brought up to their former standard. For 'tho formal ion of approximately 20 chains of Wightman’s Road I recommend that the hoi'se grader be used and, providing that the horses are supplied by tho settlers, I estimate the cost of the work at £l2 10s. Crusher: This plant is still closed down and undergoing repairs. Arrangements have now been made to screon tho river-bed metal before being sent out of the pit. Tramway: Several lengths of track havo been lifted and packed. Curves have been regraded and switches attended to. Sleepers and fish-plates have been renewed and general repairs carried

out. General: The bitumen plant has boon thoroughly cleaned and scraped ready for future use. The coal shed has been shifted from Ohakea tio Sanson. The boundary fence at tho council’s section at Himatangi has been repaired. The contract for the erection of a dwelling in Sanson is progressing satisfactorily, and should be completed in ten days’ time. Repair and additions are urgently required to some of the council’s cottages. —Adopted. TRAFFIC INSPECTOR’S REPORT. The county inspector (Mr W. Berry) reported as follows: —Two informations laid against a service car driver and tho driver of a heavy lorry for exceeding the speed allowed by tho regulations were dealt with at the Bulls court on 27th April, and the offenders were fined £2 and costs 12s each. On perusing tho regulations under the Motor Vehicles Act the part that appeals most to mo is regulation 3, which deals with headlights on motor vehicles and provides for the proper adjustment of the lights; also regulation 4 which deals with tho proper adjustment of brakes, which are among tho most essential parts of a motor vohicle to havo in good working order. This regulation gives tho polico or inspectors power to stop and inspect tho brakes of any motor vehicle, and if such aro found to bo faulty, they may prohibit tho use of such vehicle until the brakes aro repaired. One building permit was issued during April, _ tho value of same being £250, and 15s in fees was collected. Fines under tho motor regulations totalled £4. —Adopted. ' TRAMWAY REPORT. Tho tramway manager, Mr A. K. Drew, made tho following report on the _ working of the Sandon tramway:—Tho chief items of traffic for the month were: —Grain 19 tons, minerals and manure 349 tons, general merchandise 46i tons, stock 41 trucks, timber 2800 sup. feet, eggs 64 crates and metal 112 trucks. Fares amounted to 14s 3d. Tho accounts show a debit balance of £44 3s 3d for tho month’s working.— Adopted. RATE ROLL ALTERATIONS. The following alterations to the county rate roll were authorised: —A. E. Fowlos to F. L. Stephens, lot 96. Awahuri; T. A. Grammer _to J. and M. Gibbs, lot 13, Oroua district; Win. Brookio to E. N. Rowe, part sec. 230, Carnarvon; estate W. Port to L. Thompson, lots 3-4, sec. 346, Carnarvon.