POHANGINA COUNTY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 296, 12 November 1934, Page 2

POHANGINA COUNTY

MEETING OF THE COUNCIL. REPORT ON WORKS. Tlie Pohangina County Council met at Pohangina on Saturday, those present being Crs S. Strahan (chairman), YV. Howell, T. Close, T. E. Craino, J. Mackenzie, and YV. T. Pratt. Leave of absence was granted Cr M. Arbon. CORRESPONDENCE.

The Conservator of Forests (Mr D. Macpherson) advised that £2O 3s fid was duo to the county as fifths of revenue derived from State forest royalties in the county for the quarter ended September 30.—Received. The Transport Department asked that reports and comments on the checking of brakes and lights be forwarded as soon as possible, also any suggestions as to the future enforcement of the regulations dealing with those two items of equipment. All information in the reports from the local authorities would be summarised and made available to local authorities and other interested organisations.—information to be supplied. The Commissioner of Crown Lands asked for suggestions as to the term of a grazing license to be offered Mr Grotrian for portion of a reserve. —The term of 10 years is to be proposed. The Waimairi County Council urged that the council vigorously oppose any alteration to the existing county voters’ franchise in view of the proposal to substitute universal suffrage.—lt was decided to support the protest. Cr Mackenzie said universal suffrage would be dangerous. The chairman thought the position might develop into “the tail wagging the dog” as the small townships could outvote the rest of the county.

CHURCH HILL BRIDGE.

The council’s consulting engineers (Messrs Seaton, Sladden and Pavitt) advised that the drawings had been completed for the Totara Reserve Road, Church Hill, Opawo Stream, Porewa Stream and To Ekaou Stream bridges. Following the county’s assertion that the design for the Church Hill bridge was too elaborate, the district engineer of the Public Works Department was to view the site in the near future.—The chairman said the district engineer had visited the site and had said that the bridge was to be 25 feet wide in order to acconimodate the specially wide lorries carrying lambs. The department did not desire to force anything on the council, but the contour of the road necessitated a wide bridge. Cr Craine said the bridge on the main road at Aorangi, near Feilding, was not 25 feet wide.

The chairman said new regulations had come into force since that bridge was erected. The council briefly discussed the possibilities of making , a deviation to a point lower than the present bridge to improve the road approaches and to cheapen the total cost. The engineer said the deviation could be made.

Or Close strenuously opposed the proposal, if it interfered, he said, with the church property in the vicinity. The engineer said that two property owners were objecting to the proposed road going through their properties. The land could be taken, however, if it became imperative, under the Public Works Act. It was decided, on the motion of Cr Howell, seconded by Cr Close, that a survey of the proposed deviation be made and an estimate made of tlie cost of tlie deviation, provided it did not cost more than £2O, in which case the matter is to be referred back to the council.

Cr Close explained that he seconded the motion for the survey to be made on tlie ground that the total cost should be as low as possible. As a churchman, however, he did not desires to see any interference with the church ground. Tt was decided that tenders be called for the construction of the three smaller bridges—the Totara Reserve Road, Te Ekaou and Porewa bridges. HIGHWAYS BOARD VISIT.

The district engineer of the Public YY’orks Department advised that the Main Highways Board could meet the council’s representatives at the Feilding Borough Council offices on December I.—The chairman said that on previous occasions the board had missed an inspection of the Pohangina County roads, but he had made representations and it had been decided, as a result, that the members of tlie board would spend December 2 in inspecting the Pohangina County roads. The chairman said that the council should bring before tlie notice of the board the extension of the gazetted main highway up the Pohangina Valley to Apiti as the main highway runs at present to a point 13 miles from Apiti. . It was decided that the chairman represent the council at the meeting with the board. The Main Highways Board advised that subsidy of £2 for £1 could be obtained for the preparation of plans and specifications for certain types of bridges by engineers specially competent in that direction.—Received. Mr L. G. H. Sinclair advised the receipt of £2(3 7s for the council _as royalties from a section of bush being cut by Mr A. H. Martin and asked that certain roadwork which had been agreed upon bo commenced immediately.—Received. The ranger (Mr A. A. Coop) reported that 35 head of stock had been impounded during October and £1 6s fid received in fees. The treasurer (Mr A. E. Orgias) advised that the credits at the Bank of New Zealand were: Cemetery account £l9 12s 6d; cemetery deposit, £6O- loan account, £579 14s fid; plant account £2736 15s 3d. The county fund account was £277 6s 4d. Accounts for payment amounted to £IOSB 5s 4d. The riding expenditures, with the estimates for the year and the balances, were shown as follow:—Awahou £206 6s, £716, £509 14s; Coal Creek, £225 10s Bd, £538, £312 9s 4d; MangAone, £305 13s 9d, £668, £362 6s 3d; Mangapikopiko £237 Bs. 9d, £702 £464 Ils 3d; Pohangina, £236 Is lid, £573, £336 18s Id; Tamaln, £l3O 14s 7d, £B4O, £709 5s sd; Umutoi £598 16s 4d, £1145, £546 3s Bd. Culvert loan.—Credit balances were shown as: Awahou' Riding £36 17s lid • Coal Creek, £IBO 18s sd; Mangapikopiko, £lO 18s 2d: Pohangina; £l4B Is 4d; Tamaki, £3lO 6s lid, TTmutoi, £2O Is 3d. Apiti cottage, dr. £82.11s 6d. The clerk notified a transfer of section- 16, block 10, Pohangina Survey District from the executors of James Stanton to Mrs Mary Stanton. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The report of the engineer (Mr D. Watson) was adopted, as follows: A 2000-gallon concrete tank was built at the engineer’s residence and the interior of the wharo in the council yard matchlined. Awahou Riding: Giavel was carted with the motor truck for the top ends of No. 1 and No. 2 Lines. The main highway was trimmed up with the grader and the usual maintenance work attended to. Coal Greek Riding: A fair amount of work was done to protect the bank of the Oroua ‘ River below Parson’s Ford bridge, the

tractor and motor truck being used in connection with the work. Gravel on the main highway was raked in with the heavy grader. Improvements have been effected on London’s Road, where some of the abrupt bends have been widened out. Mangaone R.iding: Fine gravel was carted and stacked on Ferry Road for future use. One hundred and fifty macrocarpa trees were planted and fenced off in the reserve. The grader was run over the Ashhurst-I’ohnagina and Ferry Road highways. Some improvements were effected where sharp bends on Zig Zag Road were widened out. Mangapikopiko Riding: The main road to the intersection of Table Flat junction was trimmed up with the grader. A small quantity of gravel was carted for the school. Pohangina Riding: A start has been made to build a concrete culvert to replace a small bridge that is known as Bray’s Filling on Pohangina Road; also a concrete chute to carry the water well clear of the road, where it is falling in owing to the faulty construction of the old bridge. About six chains of fence have been erected on the roadsido at the top of Passey’s Hill. A small quantity of gravel for repairing this road was put out with the motor truck. Coulter’s Road has been very much improved bv being widened out in several places. Tamaki Riding: The posts and handrailing on the Diggers’ Creek bridge have received two coats of white paint. TTmutoi Riding. The work of reforming tlie extension of Unnitoi Road, which is about 30 chains, and building a culvert is nearing completion. The motor trucks are at present carting metal required for this portion of the road ; also what will be required to repair various bad narts of the road to Tumpo junction; 144 yards of gravel were carted and spread on Makoura Road. Watertables on Table Flat were cleaned out.