KAIRANGA COUNTY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 40, 15 January 1935, Page 8

KAIRANGA COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL. REPORT~ON WORKS. The monthly meeting of the Kairanga County Council was hold to-day when Cr. D. Collis presided. Others present were Crs. Jos. Batchelar, W. R. Hopcroft, M. A. Moody, R. A. Mercer, C. Anderson, W. G. Shannon, M. W. Voss and P. G. Mildon. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The acting-engineer (Mr L. C. Pickering) presented the following report on tlia work carried out during the month ;—Taonui riding: Good progress is being maintained with the banking of the Kairanga-Bunnythorpe Road, 320 chains having been completed. Longburn-Rongotea Road has now been pegged to No. 4 Line. The whole length from Hughes’s Line to No. 4 Line has now been levelled and a commencement with banking and wntortnbling of the Longburn-R.cmgo-tea Road has been made. Fur the' repairs to the Awaliuri bridge have been effected; a recent inspection of the structure reveals further decay in important members of this bridge, the maintenance of which in the very near future will be heavy. Noxious weeds liave been grubbed on several roads. The motor grader has been over the more important roads during the holidays. Mangaone: All bends on Napier Road have now been completed to the correct alignment and camber. Private accesses fronting these improvements have been attended to. The progress of breast cuttings on James’s Line has been satisfactory, although the work is of an extremely hard nature. Teams have been patching the by-roads of Bunnythorpe township, these roads having received greater use, caused by. a detour of heavy traffic. The formation and improvements to tlie drainage of Rangitikei Line from Mangaone bridge to Richardson’s Line have been completed. Minor repairs to the wooden bridge on Milson’s Line have been effected. Realignment of the formation on Setter’s Line lias been commenced, the tractor, plough and grader being used together with No. 5 scheme workers. The riding truck has been patching where necessary together with the carting of crushed metal and chips for sealing works. The motor grader has been over the more important roads only. Fitzherbert: Owing to tlio extremely parched nature of the ground surface causing an excessive run-off, the downpour on December 12 caused considerable damage to culverts and roads. In one case a large culvert, together with the road, was eroded to a depth of seven feet. Instead of replacing this culvert a rock face was blasted and boulders and large rocks were used to construct a ford. A gang of men liave been working on No. 4 Line widening the road and improving the visibility in the vicinity of Mr Share's. The Aokautere gang lias been stripping a pit, the metal being used for patching. Arrangements for the crushing of metal for maintenance purposes have been made, 275 cubic yards having been crushed and carted to the dump. Trucks liave been patching as required. The motor grader lias been over the more important roads only. Now that the road formation is completed, it is intended to proceed with the metalling of Scott’s Road extension.—Adopted. The following statement of riding expenditure was tabled 'bv the clerk (Mr N. I. Nielsen):—Taonui riding: As per estimates, £2lßl ; expended to 6ate, £1216 I3s 8d; balance, £934 6s 4d._ Mangaone: As per estimates, £3581 ; expended to date, £2043 4s; balance, £1537 16s. Fitzherbert- As per estimates, £2565: expended to date, £I2OO 17s 4d; balance, £1364 2s Sd.

Bank balance^.— County fund No 1 account, dr. £3523 11s 7d; county fund No. 2 account (plant), cr. £loj--165 0s 9d; county fund No. 3 account (tarred roads), cr. £4Ol 15s 4d; loan accounts, cr. £2237 14s 9d. Linton Domain Board, cr. £llO Is 9d; Fitzherbert West AVater Race, cr £lO7 16s lid. RATES STATEAIENT. The following rates statement was tabled:—Taonui riding 1933-34 rates unpaid at Alarcli 31, 1934, £472 3s 3d: Paid to date. £387 4s 2d; outstanding, £B4 19s Id; arrears prior to 1933-34 unpaid at date, £6O 12s od. Alangaone 1933-34 rates unpaid at Alarcli 31 £522 3s lOd; paid to date, £376 19s 8d •’ ? Ust l non U of’ i = Jl4fi . 4s 2d; arrears prior la j;U34, unpaid at date, £166 l()s 10d. I'ltzherbert riding: 1933-34 rates unpaid at Alarcli 31. 1934, £548 10s 5d ; paid to date, £420 17s 7d; arrears prior to 1933-34, unpaid at date, £134 18s. lotal unpaid,, £719 17s 4d. The total unpaid at Alarcli, 1934, was £2224 19s 9d; paid since Alarcli 31, 1934, £1505 2s od; balance, £719 17s 4d. Year 1934-35. Total levied: laon in riding, £6490 15s 9d • Alangaone, £4212 16s 7d; Fitzherbert, £4301 8s 9d; total, £15,005 Is Id j paid to date, £1747 Is 8d; unpaid at date, £13,257 19 s sd. The N.Z. Counties’ Association advised that a meeting of representatives of the association and the Motor Union would be held on the 22nd List, to discuss the question of a £i for £1 subsidy from petrol taxation on all road expenditure other than on main highways in lieu of the derating of rural lands. —Received, certain figures pertaining to riding expenditure over a period of five years to be supplied. Air AV. E. Pinfold, Aokautere, wrote asking that the fences and gates erected on his road be removed and the road fences erected on their correct line. Mr AV. Gosling, writing in respect to the matter, said that it was a blind road running between bis two farms. He had held possession of the road for 16 years, and the property holder did before him. Air Gosling also waited on the meeting and it was decided that the chairman, Cr. Hopcroft- and the engineer meet the two property owners on the spot. The Treasury, in acknowledging the council’s application for the 121 per cent, subsidy on rates, stated that it was unable to give any indication as to when the subsidy would be paid.—Received.

The Alanawatu Racing Club forwarded a cheque for £8 2s 6d as its share of the cost of permanently sealing the Awapuni railway crossing. Thanks were extended the council for the assistance rendered in the matter. —Received.

The Public AVorks Department advised that it had been decided to take the next Dominion-wide traffic census from January 25 to 31, both dates inclusive. —Left in the hands of the engineer, the chairman suggesting that tallies be taken on Railway Road. Cameron’s Line and the extension of Alilson’s Line with a view to applying for their inclusion as main highways. It was decided to carry out a census on the routes suggested when suitable. The Department of Health advised that the licenses of the offensive trades registered in the county for the year 1934 could be regarded as satisfactory and may be renewed, also the licenses of the public halls in the district. — Received. The Unemployment Board forwarded particulars of the revised scale of relief and of the elimination of the standdown week.—Received, the chairman remarking that the board did not appear to be simplifying matters for the local bodies. . The Alain -Highways Board advised

that it had been decided that in future any road to be recommended for declaration as a main highway must first be completely legalised as a public road. The district engineer, Public Works Department, advised that during its recent tour the Main Highways Board had viewed the alternative approach to Palmerston North via the Makerua swamp road and the toll bridge over the Manawatu ltivor. The board bad now agreed that it will undertake an engineering survey of this route so that the alternatives can be considered.—The chairman remarked that lie had been given an assurance that the work on No. 60 highway would not be affected, and the letter was accordingly received. Cr Batchelar added that the cost of the survey would not entail any expenditure to the county. Mr H. Wynyard, of Auckland, in a joint letter to the local bodies concerned, stated that it was his intention to make application for the right to work the lime deposits on section 20, block XIV Woodville Survey District. The Woodville County Council advised that it was Mr Wynyard’s intention to call a conference of the four interested local authorities in Palmerston North on the 28th inst.— Received, the chairman being deputed to represent the council.

The clerk reported that the council’s portion of the heavy traffic fees was £l6O Os 7d.

The Awapuni ranger reported having impounded 64 head of stock during the month, while the Fitzherbert ranger reported having impounded 49 head. At a special meeting of the council at noon, Wednesday was set down as the statutory lmlf-day for the closing of shops in the county.