HOROWHENUA COUNTY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 166, 15 June 1936, Page 2

HOROWHENUA COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL. ’ The monthly meeting of the Horowhenua County Council was held at Levin on Saturday those present being Crs. G. A. Monk (chairman), L. H. Best, J. R. Whyte, F. J. Ryder, H. G. Bryant, D. K. Guy, .A. J. Gimblett, A. M. Colquhoun and C. I*. Jensen. The New Zealand Counties’ Association forwarded a memorandum explaining the operations of the Rural Alortgagors Final Adjustment Act. —Received. The Public Works Department advised that the Main Highways Board had taken over the maintenance of the roadways at all level crossings on main highways. County councils, in turn, were expected to maintain such roadways under a subsidy of £3 for £1. — Received.

The Shannon Borough Council forwarded a request for a grant toward the cost of reinstating the mortuary chapel at the cemetery, stating that the building had teen blown down in the recent gale and the cost of the repairs had been £2s.—Or. Best said that a grant had teen made recently. Cr. Gimblett said the cemetery was not used only for the interments of Shannon people. Cr. Ryder moved that a grant of £5 be made, Cr. Best remarking that this was a special occasion. The motion was passed. The district engineer of the Public Works Department (Air R. H. P. Ronayne) forwarded a copy of a letter sent to the Alakerua Drainage Board dealing with the cost of repairing the Kara Stream floodgate on No. 60 highway, a mile north of Shannon. The communication advised that the Alain Highways Board had agreed to find a third of the cost which, as the estimate was £l3O, would be £43 6-s Bd. The Horowhenua County Council’s contribution was limited to £3O, so that a total of £73 6s 8d would te available, leaving the board to find the balance of £56 13s 4d. —Received.

The Tauranga County Council forwarded an opinion that if county council employees were affected by the formation of a union, such union should be one embracing all and only county council employees and should te distinct from any other union of workers. It was suggested that the Counties’ Association approach the Minister of Lahour on the matter, the contentions being based on the fact that it was possible that two or more awards might be made operative i n counties (as shown by the citations of county councils by the New Zealand Drivers’ Federation and the suggested agreement with the General Labourers’ Federation), and workers engaged on interchangeable duties might te bound by both awards. It was pointed out, also, that the conditions governing work undertaken by county councils differed from those pertaining to private employment.—The chairman said he did not think there was any objection to the proposal, and Cr. Colquhoun thought it was quite a good suggestion. _ The council agreed with the suggestion. The Horowhenua Boys’ and Girls’ Agricultural Club wrote asking for a contribution towards its funds. — It was decided to contribute £2 2s.

The engineer (Mr J. T. M. Brewster) submitted estimates for expenditure on main highways, which were adopted. The proposals for the main Wellington-A uckla nd highway had -been £3600. he said, £9OO of that sdm to be found by the council. Last year, the latter portion had been £736. but to bring this year’s estimate to within a reasonable approximation of that sum two items had been eliminated —£1000 for the reformation of the camber on the Village Settlement Rond length at Weraroa and £6OO for the renewal of two bridges at Te Horo. The amount for the Shannon-Foxton Road was £l4O, £35 to be found by the council (£4l la-;t year). For the No. 60 highway £2016 was apportioned, £504 being the council’s quota, as against £546 last year. This amount included proriison for the re-sealing work south of Shannon. Other items of interest to the northern section of the county mentioned by Air Brewster were : Ihakara hill improvements, £BO6B (council’s share £1614); Alakerua deviation, £SOOO (free grant); Levin-Hokio, sealing 90 chains, £1555 (£389); general maintenance, £425 (£106); JTeather-lea-Foxton maintenance. £437 (£109): Waitarere Beach maintenance, £599 (£150), and improvements and sealing coat, £1327 (£332); Shannon-Alanga-hao maintenance, £429 (£107). On the motion of Cr. Best the engineer was instructed to make preliminary inquiries as to the possible acquisition of land for road widening purposes at what is known as Prior’s corner on Kaihinau Road. The engineer reported, inter alia.: “Tokomaru riding: The sealing in front of the Tokomaru Hall has been carried out and ior one coat work has taken well. A start has been made on the cleaning of drains on Kara Road. General maintenance has been attended to in the riding. AVhirokino ruling: Lupins have been cut on Hokio-Wai-tarere Road; some of the property owners have cut gorse along their road frontages. Aletal patching has been carried out on the upper end ot Gladstone Road. The reforming and metalling of portion of the road east from the Levin water supply settling tanks has been' completed. All expense except the hire of lorries and drivers was met by the settlers interested. The approaches to the Ohau River bridge on Aluhunoa East Road have been repaired. Heavy grading has teen carried out on Waihau Road. Main highways- General maintenance lias been attended to. The construction work on No. 60 main highway is proceeding satisfactorily. Ranger : The ranger reports having dealt with 40 head, of wandering stock and to date has lettered 834 (logs. Building Seven building permits of a. total value of £2212 were issued. Adopted.