COUNTY COUNCILS

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 245, 11 September 1930, Page 9

COUNTY COUNCILS

MONTHLY MEETINGS. POHANGINA COUNTY. The Pohangina County Council met yesterday, Mr S. J. Strahan presiding. Also present were Crs. G. M. Arbon, H. Knight, W. McKay, T. E. Craine, T. Close and W. Howell. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer (Mr D. Watson) reported as follows: —“Awahou Riding— The main road at the approach to Raumai Bridge has been widened to an average width of 20ft. The power grader has run over the main highway. Slips were shifted and a cement pipe culvert put in near Dundas Creek. The dram on No. 1 Line was cleaned out and a roadway cut through the big slip. A concrete pipe culvert and filling were put in on No. 4 Line, and a projecting bank on No. 2 Line was cut back. Coal Creek Riding.—The work of" widening the’main highway, which is very narrow, near Apiti Bridge, has been commenced. Owing to the increased heavy traffic this work is very essential and will be completed as soon as possible. Mangaone Riding.—The usual maintenance work only was attended to by the permanent men. Mangapikopiko Riding.—lo 4 yards of gravel were carted and spread on Reed’s Line. An old timber culvert w'as taken out and replaced bv 18in. cement pipes. A start was made to level off the sides of the road for parking area near the cemetery. Cawood s Bridge was repaired with som® totara timber that was taken from a bridge recently renewed with concrete on Makoura Road. A corner on Norsewood Road was cut back and some repair gravel carted out on the main road and Table Flat. Pohangina Riding.—Some gravel for -repair work was carted out with horse and dray and spread on the Valley Road. The power grader was run over the main highway. A fairly heavy slip, carrying away a portion of the timber fluming, came down on the main road above the township. A gang of men was immediately at work clearing away, and the road was opened again early the following day. Tamaki Riding.—A start is being made with the power grader to shape up Opawe and Takapara Roads. Repair gravel wad carted, and some of the drains cleaned out on the main road. Uniutoi Riding.—The permanent surfaceman in the Apiti district has been carting gravel, repairing culverts and shifting slips on Table Flat and Norsewood Road. The permanent man at the Umutoi end of the riding has been engaged renewing timber culverts, 'cutting bends, and, at present, with horse and dray, is carting repair gravel.” FINANCIAL POSITION. The treasurer reported as follows: Credit at bank: Cemetery account, £8 3s 6d; cemetery account (deposit), £9O; loan account, £B4 4s lid; loan account (deposit), £900; plant account, £6Ol Is 3d; county fund account (credit), £ll4O 16s 4d; cash on hand, £SB; total, £ll9B 16s 4d; outstanding cheques, £ll 18s; accounts for payment, £602 18s 2d; total, £614 16s 2d; credit balance after September 10, £584 0s 2d. The following estimates were submitted for October : —Payments : Hospital Board, £356; interest, £372; accounts, £550; total, £1278. Receipts : Balance, £584; plant account, £601; M.H. Board, £57; from loan account, £65; total, £1297. Accounts totalling £602 18s were passed for payment. REGIONAL PLANNING. Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle advised that the following districts were included in ' the Manawatu regional planning area: Counties of Horowhenua, Manawatu, Kairanga, Oroua, Pohangina and Kiwitea; boroughs of Feilding, Foxton, Shannon, Levin, Otaki; city of Palmerston North; town district of Rongotea. JOINT CONTROL OF ROAD. On the motion of* Crs. Craine and Howell, it was decided that Coulter’s Line be considered a joint road as between the Mangaone and Pohangina ridings for the purpose of maintenance in future on the basis of half to each riding. APITI DOMAIN. Cr. McKay said that the Apiti Domain Board proposed carrying out levelling and filling work on the ground, and wished permission to take tilling from the pit in the vicinity of the factory. It was further desired to hire a lorry for several days to cart the material, N It whs decided, on the motion of Crs. Howell and Craine, to supply the lorry and driver free of charge. The engineer was instructed to inspect the pit before material >vas removed. GENERAL . The Kiwitea County Council wrote suggesting that the matter of reforming the roadway leading to the riverbed under the Marton block bridge should be left in abeyance in the meantime in order to see if there was any likelihood of the river changing its course.—Agreed to. Mr W. Foot wrote agreeing to keep Pettigrew’s Road in order while carting over it. Messrs R. Brown, D. Walls and A. T. Welsh-Dick wrote requesting the council to push on with the road to section 1, block 8, Umutoi, Table Flat. It was decided to apply to the Government for a grant. The Manawatu Automobile Association wrote thanking the council for the valuable assistance received from the engineer and his staff in the erection of signposts in the district. Favourable consideration was given by the council to an appeal from the secretary of the British Empire Cancer Campaign Fund for a donation, but in view of the financial position of the county the matter was deferred until the New Year. The ranger reported that 28 head of stock had been impounded during the month. Notice was given of the transfer from W. T. Pratt to C. H. Wataon, and C. H. Watson to W. R. Pratt of sections 21 and 22 Block 7 Apiti S.D. OROUA COUNTY. The monthly meeting of the Oroua County Council was held yesterday at Feilding, Cr. A. Campbell presiding. Also present were Crs. 0. McElroy, W. Greenhow, T. Green, W. McLennan, A. B. Shannon and R. McDonald. CORRESPONDENCE. From the Highways Board, forwarding a paper by Mr A. .Tyndall on motor accidents as a problem from the road maker’s point of view.—Received. From Feilding Agricultural High School, asking the council to appoint a representative to the electoral committee to elect the local bodies’ representative on the Board of Managers. —The chairman was appointed to act. From the committee of the Wellington Division of the New Zealand Branch of the British Empire Cam- 1 - paign Society, making further appeal

for funds for cancer research.-—The council discussed the question and, while feeling sympathetic with' the request, decided to hold over making a donation till later in the year. From the New Zealand Society of Architects, forwarding a copy of a resolution dealing with the information required to be submitted to local authorities when building permits are being applied for. —Received. From Mrs M. A. McCool, asking that an improvement be made to the access to lrer property on the Bunnythorpe-Aslihurst Road Referred to Cr. McDonald to inspect and report. From the district telegraph engineer,. forwarding plan showing the position of department’s underground cables at Halcombe. —Received.

From the Public Works Department asking that steps be taken to prohibit any load over three tons passing over the Upper Manawatu Gorge bridge.— The engineer explained the position that had arisen, stating that it was due to the Pnhiatua Track being closed and that the matter had been attended to since. From Mr C. W. White, Bimnythorpe, asking permission to shift a fence three feet on to the road line.— Granted, subject to the usual conditions. From the Manawatu Automobile Association, thanking the council for assistance given in the erection of signposts . —Received. TREASURER’S REPORT, The treasurer reported as follows: Total rates levied, £14,836; collected to date, £1220 12s lid; outstanding, £13,615 7s Id. Total rates outstanding (three years), March" 31, 1930, natives £783 16s 8d; Crown, £66 15s 9d; European (mainly absentee) £2l 4s; total outstanding, £B7l 16s sd; collected (European) £5 17s 6d; outstanding May 14, 1930, £865 18s lid. Riding Accounts. —Expenditure on maintenance Western Riding, £1492 7s; expenditure on maintenance Eastern Riding, £Bl7 16s 6d. Bank Balance. —General account, cr., £159 Is sd; Highways Loan Account, cr., £63 3s 3d. —Adopted. TRANSFERS. The following alterations are to he mad© on the county rolls: —Olga I. Zotoff to Thomas O. Russ; Frank Waldin to Alexander F. Waldin; Robert Hard to Robert Edwin Hart; W. K. Stewart to Paul Sterne; C. J. Fra; to Thomas William Eaton; John McLeod to Christina McLeod. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer reported as follows: Eastern Riding.—The work of widening the filling on Pohangina Road, near Spur Road junction is in hand. Several streets in Aslihurst and portions of the Feilding-Colyton, Pohangina and Bunny.thorpe-Ashhurst Roads have been gravelled. Large boulders painted white have been placed along the outer edge of the curve on the main road between the Gorge bridge and the Manawatu Gorge. A number of small slips came down on Siberia Road, but have now been cleared. A large slip also occurred in the Manawatu Gorge, blocking the road for the greater part of .one night. This has been cleared, but it will be necessary to remove further spoil from the face in order to make the position safe. Willows have been planted on the site of the slip on Upper Watershed Road. The watertables and drains in this riding are in good order as a considerable amount of time has been given to this class of work during the past few months. Western Riding: The stone crusher at Kakariki has ceased operations as all the necessary gravelling in that locality has been completed. Three old wooden culverts on the Feilding-Halcombe Road have been replaced with; concrete pipes. A few years ago a portion of the road on Tokorangi Hill slipped away. .This has now been filled out to its original width and willows planted to secure it. A fair amount of work has been done on Arapata Road, principally clearing several small slips and cleaning out watertables. The work of regravelling Kimbolton Road has been proceeded with, about 60 chains having been completed.”—Adopted.