PAHIATUA

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 63, 10 February 1930, Page 8

PAHIATUA

COUNTY MEETING. (From Our Own Correspondent). PA HI AT L’A, i-eb. 8. Cr. S. Bolton (chairman) presided over the monthly meeting of tne Pahiatua County Council held at Pahiatua to-day. Also present were Crs. T. iloclgius, I. louhy, H. W. Bisset, H. Cornelius, J. Champion and H. Mason. Apologies were received from Crs. H. Whitta and F. V. Bryant. A vole of sympathy was passed with Cr. F. V. Bryant in the loss of his brother, councillors standing in silence. A deputation consisting ol Messrs H. D. Grocott and G. H. Hodd, representing the Chamber of Commerce, and Air K. Sinclair, president of the Pahiatua Aero Club, waited upon the council in connection with the proposal to obtain a landing ground in,Pahiatua. Mr Grocott stated that they had already waited upon the Borough Council, which had set up a special committee to go into the matter, they desired the County Council to do the same. The Director of Air Services, \\ingCommander Grant Dalton, has visited Pahiatua, and inspected the ground they wished to obtain. He had been very favourably impressed with the property. A branch of the Wairarapa Aero Club had been formed at Pahiatua, and already they had members willing to tako up Hying. Without the local bodies the Aero Club could do little and he hoped the council would give the matter their favourable consideration. Mr Sinclair stated that if the ground was obtained by the local bodies, the fees derived therefrom would _go to those bodies. They were only asking them to obtain the ground. All the labour necessary for the perfecting of the aerodromo would be provided by the Aero Club. Mr Hodd told the council that it had been intimated that only a certain number of landing grounds would be allowed by the Government and he hoped that the council would not let the opportunity to obtain such an excellent piece of land slip bv. , , , . When the deputation had withdrawn it was decided that a special committee consisting of the chairman, and Crs. Hodgins, Bisset and Fouliy be appointed to go into the matter with the special committee appointed by the Pahiatua Borough Council. Tho consulting engineers reported as follows: —Brown’s and Galvin’s bridgos: It is correct that progress on these bridgos has been unsatisfactory as well as the work on tho approaches to Brown’s bridge. Those matters havo received our serious consideration and tho contractor has been notified that unless bettor progress is immediately instituted wo shall have to take such other stops as arc considered necessary. Ho has boon notified of the council’s intention to enforce tho conditions provided in tho event of the non-com-plction of tho work within tho specified time. Tho contractor reported: Approaches to O'Grady’s bridge: Because of much rain it was impossible to get traffic over tho new fililng. Brown’s bridge: Four weeks of rain and tho fact that the flood water had to be pumped out accounted for the delay. The flood water nearly washed away the temporary bridge and I had to have two pumps going day and night. Tho pilo driving has proved very difficult as thero is solid papa twelve foot down below the bed. Trio unexpected additional work has all hindered progress. If conditions arc favourable I nope to finish at Brown’s Bridge in three weeks. Galvin’s bridge: The papa here is eight feet down. A good temporary bridge has been installed.

The engineers further reported:—Gorge End bridge: The bridge and approaches wero completed in October when traffic was diverted over the new bridge. Tho road deviation was completed on November 22. An existing 12-inch pipe culvert at the eastern end of the deviation was found to be inadequate and is to be replaced. O'Grady’s bridge: The road is now in good order and traffic is using tho new bridge and approaches. Brown’s bridge: The piles for tho southern abutment, over which there has been delay in driving, havo now been driven to a satisfactory depth. Now that the contractor has overcome tho water difficulty progress should bo more satisfactory. With regard to the proposed new bridge at Kaitawa the following telegram wa6 received from the Minister for Public Works (Hon. E. A. Ransom) : In connection with the representations made to me regarding Kaitawa bridge I have pleasure in informing you that after further consideration I have agreed to the department’s contribution to tho cost of re-erection being on a £1 for £1 basis instead of £1 for £2 as previously offered. The clerk stated that the Government would subsidise on, roughly, £4518, the council being required to raise a loan for £2900. Tho Carnival Park Domain Board wrote asking for a poll of county ratepayers to be t aken for the purpose of collecting a rate not exceeding £l5O for maincollecting a rate not exceeding £l5O for maintenance.—lt was decided to take the poll. The Masterton County Council forwarded a list of heavy traffic fees and tho allocations for various local bodies in tho district for quarter ended 31st December, 1929. The amount collected in fees by tho Pahiatua County Council was £66 I6s 5d and the amount allocated to them was £BS 18s 4d. It was decided that the Main Highways Board be written to protesting against the policy of requiring contracts for tho construction of small culverts.—Tho clerk was instructed to apply for exemption from this provision. The ranger reported that during January ho impounded one horse. GENERAL. Air Maurice Smith, of Pahiatua, is a visitor to Paraparaumu. Mr J. J. G. Britland, a housemaster at the Whangarei Boys’ High School, returned north to-day. He was accompanied by Air L. G. Miller, of Waipawa, who is also on the staff of the school, and who has been the guest of Air and Airs Walter Britland, of Pahiatua. Lieut. L. Wales left this morning for the annual camp of the Ist Battalion of the Hawke’s Bay Regiment which is being held at Waipukurau,