OROUA COUNTY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LV, Issue 245, 13 September 1935, Page 16

OROUA COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL. The monthly meeting of Oroua County Council was held at Feilding yesterday afternoon, Or A. Campbell presiding. Also present were Crs O. McElroy, W. Greenliow, E. Henaghan, A. B. (Shannon, T. Green, and W . McLennan. CORRESPONDENCE. From the district engineer, Public Works Department, stating that he was prepared to recommend that the council be allowed to carry out preparation work on Poliangina Hoad provided a schedule was prepared showing unit rates and the total cost at which the council was prepared to carry out work.—-The engineer said the letter was the outcome of the board’s request to do the sealing work by tender instead of the council doing it by day work. The chairman, in moving that the request of the board be acceded to, said the council had a good staff and good machinery, and the work it had previously done was a credit to all concerned. The motion was agreed to. From the district railway engineer, advising in reference to Slierrard’s Itoad that the council would have to pay lor land at a valuation to be made when • negotiations were completed. ' No further action is to be taken in the meantime.

From Mr J. A. Deer, Halcombe, asking that portion of Clifford Street, Halcombe, which has been fenced off, be now opened.—Agreed to. From Mr A. G. Havill, Ashhurst, stating that he was prepared to form and metal Short Street, Ashhurst, provided the council assisted by completing the junction with the Main Highway.—The chairman said a culvert and filling would be required, but with the help that Mr Havill was prepared to give the council he thought they could act as required. Or Henaghan agreed with the chairman’s remarks and it was decided to give effect to the request in terms of the writer’s letter. From the Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce giving details of the conference held in Palmerston North recently in regard to the enforcement of motor vehicle' regulations, so as to minimise road accidents, and asking lor the appointment of a representative of the council on the “safety first” committee set up.—The chairman was appointed. From the Commissioner of Transport, sugesting that the period for checking brakes and fights on motor vehicles be extended to end of September.—The chairman said the council could very well accede to this as the period of one month was too short. The request was agreed to. From the Commisioner of Crown Lands, stating that the council’s application for a lease of a plantation reserve and river accretion thereto had been granted.—Deceived.

A resume of the business done at the Counties’ Association conference was given by the chairman who was thanked for his report. The engineer’s and treasurer’s reports were adopted.

PURCHASE OF GRADER

RESCINDING OF MOTION. NOTICE GIVEN. Further mention was made of the decision arrived at at a special meeting of the council, recently, to purchase a New Zealand made grader equipped with an American power unit. The subject was raised by Cr A. B. Shannon following the receipt of a letter from the Main Highways Board giving the council authority to purchase a grader, the speaker giving notice of motion that the motion already carried in regard to the purchase of the grader be rescinded. Cr Shannon said he did not intend to go into the reasons for his motion at the present juncture, beyond remarking upon what the policy of the council had been in past years. During the speaker’s period of 10 years on the council this policy had been one that was clearly defined and followed, and that it had been in the best interests of the council Cr Shannon thought all would admit. In propounding this policy the chairman (Cr A. Campbell) had always adhered rigidly to the set lines and the speaker was emphatic that when the chairman had advocated that an American grader be bought at a cost of £I7OO against £IOOO for the one that had been decided upon, the chairman had been strictly following what was in the best interests of the council. The decision arrived at had given the speaker much thought since the meeting, and his decision to give notice that the motion be rescinded was, lie con.side.ied, in lino with the policy he had referred to. The chairman said if Cr Shannon had any new ground to cover or fresh reasons to adduce in support of his motion he had no option but to accept the notice of motion. Other than that he could not see any good reason in re-opening the subject. Cr Shannon replied that he certainly had new points to bring before the council on .the matter. Cr W. McLennan said he was surprised at the attitude of Cr Shannon, and suggested that he (Cr Shannon) had made an inference that the councillors had not voted on the subject as their conscience dictated, or that they had not had all the information before them when they voted.' He felt certain that the council had done what was considered best by the majority of the members, and that no good would come of a fresh discussion on the subject. Cr McElroy: I take it that the discussion on this will be heard when the motion is moved? The chairman : That is so. Cr McLennan asked how the coun-

cil was getting on in the meantime. It had been led to believe that the grader was urgently required, and yet a delay of a further period was contemplated. Cr Campbell said the special meeting to take the notice of motion would fall in seven days’ time, and lie personally would like to see the matter cleared up. Cr Shannon no doubt had received fresh information regarding the graders, hut whatever it was the conviction was still firm in the chairman’s mind that the council had not agreed to buy the machine best suited to its needs. Cr W. Greenliow said that Cr Shannon had been quite within his rights in bringing his notice of motion forward, but he questioned whether any change in. the decision of the council would be arrived at. Personally, he would not change the view that the New Zealand machine was the one the council should buy.

The engineer (Mr 11. L. Harding) read -to the council a report by the machinery foreman on suggested adjustments,. and alterations to the New Zealand made grader. In reply to Cr McLennan the chairman said the adjustments had not been carried out for the reason that the special meeting had not authorised this. The instructions had been that tlie engineer was to report back to the council and the foreman’s report was the outcome of this. Referring to the Main Highways Board’s letter the chairman said a clause therein gave cause for thought in that it said the hom'd should be acquainted of what the council wished to buy, the board then to call tenders for the supply of the machine. These tenders would be referred to the council but apparently the board required a say in what machinery the council purchased. This closed the discussion and it was decided to consider Cr Shannon’s notice of motion at a special meeting to be held on September 20. Later in the meeting Cr T. Green asked what the position was now that the minutes of the special meeting had been confirmed. The chairman said even if they were confirmed a resolution could be rescinded, but in any case the matter had been open until the report of the engineer had been heard as specified in I t he motion for the purchase of the grader.