OROUA COUNTY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 141, 14 May 1930, Page 8

OROUA COUNTY.

MEETING OF THE COUNCIL. (Special to “Standard.”) FEILDING, May 14. The Oroua County Council held its monthly meeting at Feilding to-day, Cr. A. Campbell presiding. Also present were Crs. O. MoElroy, W. Greenhow, T. Green, W. McLennan, A. B. Shannon and R. McDonald. CORRESPONDENCE. From tho Public Trustee, forwarding £2500, being final instalment of highways loan. —Received. From the Main Highways Board, stating that no indication can bo given as to whether the board will be in a position to subsidise -sealing work, as requested, next summer. A decision must await the annual estimates. —Tho chairman said that the letter was the outcome of a conversation he had had with tho chairman of the board concerning the tar sealing of Kimbolton Road, and the council could only wait developments. The letter was received. From tho Highways Board, stating that the board and the Railway Department were co-operating with a view to improving the vision at railway crossings, also giving particulars of crossings in Oroua County and proposals for improvement.— The particulars set out stated that tho crossing on the Taonui-Bunnythorpo Road was not consideßd dangerous in spite of the heavy traffic between Palmerston North and Feilding, but that the crossing just south of tho Ashhurst railway station was considered dangerous. Here is had been proposed to build an overhead ramp, but the Oroua County Council had refused to find the 10 per cent, of the cost of the ramp (£795) asked for. The report advised that tho ramp be constructed without delay. Regarding the Bunnythorpe crossing, the report said that this was not considered dangerous, but recommended the erection of a wig-wag warning signal. Tho providing of an overhead bridge at this crossing was considered inconvenient owing to the grade of the road. Commenting on the crossing at Ashhurst, the chairman said the proposal would mean that the entrance to the Ashhurst racecourse would bo interfered with to some extent and Cr. McDonald thought likewise. The chairman was of tho opinion that the crossing was not so dangerous as was thought and the council ought to bring this before tho department. Cr. McDonald agreed that if every train stopped at Ashhurst the crossing was not dangerous—nowhere near as bad, in fact, as that at Terrace End or on Kimbolton Road. The chairman went on to state that if tho department did insist on building tho bridge a portion of the cost should be borne by tho Pohangina County. ' In reply to Cr. McDonald, tho chairman said three overhead bridges had been decided upon in the No. 9 Highways District—one at Waikanae, another at Levin and this one at Ashhurst. The Kimbolton Road and Terrace End crossing had not been decided upon so far as ho knew. It was decided, to again point out to the department that the council considered tho building of an ourhead bridge unnecessary and that if tho cottage, fence and treos on the crossing were removed, it would moot all present requirements.

From tho Highways Board, suggesting that scrub on faco abovo Manawatu Gorgo Road bo cut. —Agreed to. From tho Highways Board, asking for approximate cost of proposed cottago for roadman at Manawatu Gorgo.—Reforred to tho engineer to attend to. From tho Railway Department, agreeing to pay half cost of scaling a strip 10 foot from tho centro lino of the crossing between Bunnythorpo and Taonui. —It was decided to ask tho department to seal a 33 foot strip on eacli side of the lino, this being tho width of tho railway lino reserve. From tho Palmerston North Hospital Board asking for tho payment of £2191 6s 9d maintenance levy and £403 6s 6d capital levy as tho county’s share of this year’s estimates. —In moving that tho levies bo paid, tho chairman said that tho accounts were well watched by the board and, although they were evcr-incrcasing, they could not bo helped and would go on unless some relief was forthcoming. Cr McElroy said that unfortunately population was not takon into account as much as it was when the levies were being made, but this was not tho fault of tho board, but tho system under which it was compelled to make its levies.’ Tho speaker wont on to stato that tho board went into every item throughly and it was hoped that, so far as tho capital expenditure went, this year’s requirements would carry tho board on for many years. Regarding tho establishment of a cottage hospital in Feilding Cr McElroy said there was not a hope of it being secured, but ho was in favour of a maternity home being built in Feilding. Tho DirectorGeneral of Health (Dr Valintine) had expressed himself emphatically against a cottago hospital being built in Feilding. Cr Greenhow stated that the Otaki cottago hospital was costing tho board £2500 per year and on a recent visit made to the institution only one inmato was found to bo in the hospital. It would bo seen, therefore, that £2500 was a very high price for upkeep. The board had not wanted this hospital, but it bad been forced upon The chairman said that with tho splendid road transport offering there was little need for a cottage hospital in feilding. Tho work could bo done much more cheaply at Palmorston North seeing the towns were so close. Cr McElroy said he had been informed that the local branch of the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union . were against a maternity home being built in Feilding if no cottago hospital were provided. Regarding tho cost of hospitals and charitable aid, the speaker gave it as his opinion that theso charges should bo borne by the Consolidated Fund and so relieve local bodies. The chairman pointed out that it only cost Jd in the £1 to run the Oroua County whereas the council had to strike a rate of id in tho £1 for the hospital rate purposes only. The discussion then lapsed. From Hon. J. G. Cobbe, promising to do his best in tho matter of the council receiving £1 for £1 subsidy toward the cost of the Spur Road bridge, estimated to cost about £I6OO. —Received From tho Minister of Internal Affairs, stating that arrangements havo been made by tho Town Planning Board to hold a public inquiry in Palmerston North for the purpose of obtaining evidence to determine tho boundaries of the region comprising the borough of Palmerston North and surrounding district.—“l .wonder if ii is proposed to take in Feilding as . a suburb,” inquired Cr McElroy. The chairman and tho county clerk were appointed to attend the gathering.