KAIRANGA COUNTY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 45, 22 January 1936, Page 14

KAIRANGA COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL. RETORT ON WORKS. The monthly meeting of the KairangaCounty Council was held yesterday, those present being Crs I). Collis, T. J). Lynch, W. G. Shannon, Jos. Uatchelar, F. J. Russell, A. W. Hamlin, M. W. Voss, J. Smith and W. R. Hoperoft. 'The chairman extended his best wishes for the members’ prosperity in the New Year and remarked that the future appealed Letter now than was the case a year ago. The report of the engineer (Mr L. C. Pickering) was as follows:—Taonui riding : Roth footways on College Street aiid Melford Road have received a coat of tar and chips; channels also have been cleared of weeds etc. . Noxious weeds have been gruboed on several roads, but further operations have been delayed by the wet condition of the side growth. The contractors for the construction of two miles of KairangaBunnythorpe Road have completed both the base course and top course, their attention now being directed towards its consolidation preparatory to the application of the priming coat. Other work carried out has consisted principally of the usual maintenance of shingle surfaces to cope with increased holiday traffic. Mangaone riding: The work of improving Linklater’s Road, leading to the aerodrome, has continued and now that the drains have been shifted over the road width has been metalled to a width of 24ft. Owing to the heavy rains, together with the continued carting of heavy girders for the hangar, etc., many weak places have developed but these have now been repaired and, given fine weather, should stand up to future traffic. That portion of James’s Line which was formed last year, from Cleveley’s Line to Cemetery Road, has received a light coat ot metal for the full distance. Metal brought down by the Inst flood in the Mangaone Stream at Rangitikei Line has been scooped on to the road for future use. All the necessary gear and plant for an early commencement of tarring operations has been overhauled and transported to the Ivairanga-Bunny-thorpe Road awaiting settled weather conditions. The truck has been patching as required and the motor-grader has been employed in the usual maintenance of gravel surfaces. T itzherbert riding: The opportunity of the low condition of tho Manawatu River at Opiki has been taken to obtain supplies of metal for winter use. Shingle has been carted to tho junction of Tanc Road with No. 60 highway. That portion of load recently taken over by the council at Linton has been pegged for alignment and a commencement with formation work will be taken in hand immediately tarring operations are completed. The road leading to this new formation has been patched and graded. Owing to the further settlement and precarious state of the concrete abutment of tho old Iyahutorawa bridge it was deemed advisable to blow three feet off the top. Should it topple over no harm can now be done. The contractors for the erection of Hubbard’s bridge have commenced work and good progress can be reported. Both abutments have been completed to deck height. f lhe traffic uuj*ing the holidays was exceptionally heavy, necessitating a constant vigil on the metalled roads. The motor-grader lias been on roads practically every day for the last month coping with the coirugation nuisance. The truck lias been patching roads as required. LAND TRANSFERS.

The following transfers of land were ad'vised : —Taonui riding : Estate J ■ Kearins to M. Kearins, 100 acres 33 perches; Estate J. Kearins to I. lvcaiins, 96 acres 3 roods, 32 perches; Mary Kearins to M. Kearins, 99 acres, 27 perches; Mary Kearins to IV Kearins. 99 acres 22 perches. Fitzherbert riding: E. J. Read to W. Gilliland. 105 acres 1 rood 8 perches; estate J. W. Kingsbeer to W. V. Ivingsbeer, 1 roods 4 perches; estate F. Jicckctt to 11. A. N. Beckett, 2 acres. CORRESPONDENCE.

The chairman read a letter received from Mr J. Linldater in reply to 'a letter thanking him for his services to the county as the former member for Manawatu. “It is a great pleasure to know that my efforts on behalt ol the county, with' which I have been so long associated, have met with the councillors’ approval. If I can assist any movement in future years that has as "its object the advancement of the Kairanga district and its settlers you may bo sure that I will be only too pleased to do so. Will you please convey to the'' council my best wishes tor a happy and prosperous New Year and mv thanks for the kindness and consideration they have always shown me during the years I have had the honour of representing them,” the letter added. . . TT * The chairman of directors of union Airways, Ltd. (Mr N. S. Falla), wrote expressing appreciation of the arrangements made by the County of Kairanga in conjunction with the Mayor and councillors of Palmerston North, in the arrangements made for celebrating the opening of the company’s service. It ■was trusted that the . service would assist iff some material way in the advancement and progress of the county of Kairanga as well as the city of Palmerston North.—The letter was received, the chairman commenting that it was very nice to receive such a communication.

The district engineer of the Railways Department advised that the St. Andrew’s crosses and notices wanting road traffic of railway crossings in the county required attention. Tlie responsibility for such maintenance work lay with the council. The matter was referred to the engineer for his attention., The secretary of the Wellington Stock Exchange wrote asking for copies of tlie last three annual reports and statements of accounts.—Left with the clerk for liTs attention. A letter was received from the Palmerston North River Board stating that shingle was being removed from the river foreshore by a contractor on behalf of the county. ,As the board desired to work amicably with the council it would be pleased to have the council’s co-operation in future.— The engineer said that 6d a yard realty was the charge and at that tlie county would have to pay £2O as the next amount due. It was decided that the county’s representatives should bring the matter up for further discussion at the next meeting of the board. A cheque for £196 7s was received, being the council’s share of heavy traffic fees.—Received.

The Manawatu County Council advised that they were still of tlie opinion that a subsidy of at least £3 for £1 should be obtained for the Awaliuri bridge, and that the matter should not be allowed to rest where it was now. The suggestion was made that when the plans for tho new bridge were ready a fresh application for an increased subsidy should be made.— The letter was received, approval being given to the suggestion. The secretary of the Wairarapa Automobile Association wrote conveying appreciation of the council’s co-opera-tion in regard to the change of name of the Palmerston Nortli-Pahiatua Hill Road.—Received.

Mr 11. It. Farquhar, surveyor, for-

warded for approval plans for 181 chains of new roadway, being the continuation of Long Melford Road to Maxwell’s Line, in connection with'the Flock House subdivision.—lt was reported that the matter had been attended to by the engineer and the chairman, their action being confirmed. Applications for trade licenses were received from the Palmerston North City Council (abattoirs), the National Mortgage and Agency Coy. of New Zealand, Ltd (freezing works) and North Island Products Coy. (freezing works). Tho Inspector of Health (Mr S. B. Reed) advised that the premises used were satisfactory.—The licenses were renewed. Tlie inspector also reported that the licenses could be renewed for all public halls.—The clerk reported that uany had been renewed. The ranger (Mr i. Baldwin) reported having found 74 head of stock straying on the county roads since the last meeting of the council. The 10 per cent, penalty on rates, it was decided, should become operative on March 24. It was decided that "Wednesday should l>3 tlie lialf-lioliday in the county. BRIDGE COMMITTEE. The chairman reported on a meeting of the bridge committee with the Palmerston North City Council representatives to discuss the lighting of the new Fitzherbert bridge. It was stated by Cr. Batchelar that the suggestion bad been made that only 12 lights would be sufficient, but it had been pointed out that a reduction in charges had been made by the supply authority allowing the cost of 32 lights to be the same as that for 12 fights. It was decided on the motioo nf Cr. Hamlin, that an offer of £ls a year for 10 years be made as the council’s share of the lighting costs. The chairman reported tha't Mr I. Baldwin had undertaken the duties ol ranger for the whole county,- and it was decided that his remuneration should be on the same basis as that paid previous to any “cuts” being made. NO. 60 HIGHWAY. Mr J. Hodgens, M.P., replying to a letter conveying the congratulations of the council on his election to Parliament, gave an assurance that he would at all times do his best to further the interests of the county, particularly in so far as good roads were concerned. The first to engage his attention would be No. 60 highway. Mr C. L. Hunter, M.P., also acknowledged the counill’s letter of congratulation. The clerk (Mr N. I. Nielsen) reported having written to both gentlemen outlining the past representations regarding No. 60 highway and giving the council’s reasons for applying for a £4 to £1 subsidy. Under a separate cover there was received from Mr Hunter a letter stating that he would do his utmost to have that very important highway sealed at tho earliest opportunity. Both letters were received. The chairman urged (that action should be taken to expedite the commencemcV, of the work, and Cr Lynch moved that the chairman and the members for the Fitzherbert riding, with the engineer, wait on the Main Highways Board and the Minister of Public Works in regard to the matter. The motion was carried. The engineer reported that he had investigated requests for bridges at two points on the Hill Top Road and he thought that one at the far end of the road should he bridged. The cost would be about £2o.—That course was agreed to. RATES STATEMENT. The treasurer reported that the overdraft at the bank stood at £3508 14s. The balances in the riding accounts were : —Taonui riding : Rate struck, £3591; amount spent, £1225 12s 4d; balance, £2365 7s Bd. Mangaone riding: Rato struck, £3260; amount spent, £1382 8s 6d; balance. £1877 11s 6d. Fitzherbert riding: Rate struck, £2801; amount spent, £1348 9s 3d; balance, £1452 10s 9d. The rates outstanding from last year were: Taonui riding. £53 2s 7d: previous, £72 14s sd. Mangaone riding, £SO 14s 3d; previous, £l7O 5s Bd. Fitzherbert riding, £176 9s 4d; previous, £142 2s lid. The total arrears amounted to £665 9s 2d. For the year 1934-35 98.1 per cent, had been paid, only £2BO 6s 2d being to come in yet. Of the current year’s rates the amounts to be paid were: Taonui riding. £5164 7s lid; Mangaone riding, 1 £2677 Is 9d; Fitzherbert riding, | £3068 19s Bd. The total rates unpaid 1 were £10,910 9s 4d.