KAIRANGA COUNTY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 15, 15 December 1937, Page 25

KAIRANGA COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL. REPORT UU WORKS. The monthly meeting of the Kairanga County Council was held yesterday, Cr D. Collis presiding. Also present were Crs T. D. Lynch, J. Smith, W. G. Shannon Jos. Batchclar, W. R. Honcroft, and N. P. Nielsen, Leave of absence was granted Cr M. W. Voss, who is on holiday in the South Island.

The ranger (Mr I. Baldwin) reported that 59 head of stock had been found wandering on county roads. The Linton Hall Committee applied for a grant of £SO from the Linton Domain Board funds towards hall improvements.—lt was pointed out that as the hall was not located on the Domain the grant could not lie legally made. It was agreed, however, that the request was a reasonable one. The Domain would never be used as such, and the money was lying idle. The matter is to be brought to the notice of the Commissioner of Crown Lands.

The Main Highways Board wrote asking that the council give special attention to the proper conditioning of roads during the holiday season. It was anticipated that, traffic would be heavy, and it was desirable that maintenance lie kept up so that undue damage to the surfaces would be avoided.—Received. The Fitzherbort West Water Race Committee asked that particulars of tlie rates in connection with the water race district be sent out along with the county rate demands so that each ratepayer would have a full record at the one time of In's total liability for rates.—Agreed to. The committee also directed attention to the insufficiency of water in the district, due to w-aste. The approval of the council -was sought for the circularising of ratepayers with a warning that any wilful waste would load to a prosecution.-—The proposal was approved and the engineer (as inspector) was given full authority to act. The Public Works Department replied to the council’s request that some highways should he lighted at night. The Highways Board, the letter said, was not agreeahlo to finding anything towards the cost of lighting, although it was realised that in the future the matter may have to he considered on some arterial roads adjacent to larger cities. It was reported that good work was being done on the Knhuterawa Road, and it -was decided to thank Miss Poppe and Mr H. Kilsby for donations of land for loading purposes.

It was decided to vote £2 2s towards a presentation to Mr W. Berry, formerly traffic inspector for the Manawatu group. The Manawatu County Council advised that it had voted £5. It was generally agreed that AllBerry’s services deserved special recognition Cr Smith reported on the visit to Palmerston North recently of the Main Highways Board. He said he had made representations for the Palmerston Nortli-Bunnythorpe road (known as Railway Road) to he declared a main highway, but the request had been turned down for reasons already published. “The board were, very sympathetic and saw our point of view.” said Cr Smith, “hut were compelled to hold to their policy of declaring no new highways this year.” He added that lie was and he had told the hoard so, that the road had never been treated on its merits in the first place. Cr Smith also repbrted that the chairman of the board had made it very clear that the county was lagging behind somewhat in adhering to the riding system of accounts. It was decided to place on record appreciation of the services of Air G. Collis on the Fitzherbert West Water Raeo Committee. Air Collis has resigned and is now residing in the city. With regard to a request to the council to take up shards in the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition Coy. it was decided to take no action. The dog tax was fixed at 2s 6d for sheep and cattle does, and 10s for other dogs, with a fee for Alsatians as may be fixed by legislation. ENGINEER’S REPORT. Hie engineer (Air L. C. Pickering) reported as follows : Taonui riding.—Approval of tenders for both the reconstruction or ijong-burn-llongotea Road and the construction of the new reinforced concrete culvert has been received and a coin-, mencement made with both contracts. The building up of the rbad to the correct cross section is now being proceeded with under contract, anti the foundations of the concrete culvert have been placed. All necessary timbers, including decking, arrived for building the wooden bridge on Uillespie’s Line and this has now ocen constructed to provide a 20-foot roadway. The structure lias been opened to traffic and the temporary bridge dismantled. With a view to improving the visibility at road intersections, all vegetation has been cut back for a distance of a chain each way at most road junctions. At the request of the’ Post and Telegranh Department, the council has been required to cut down a tall boxthorn hedge on No. 4 Line. The opportunity has been taken of the low level of the Manawatu River and trucks have been carting metal from the Karere riverbed to dumps fit Lockwood and Karere. Repairs to the bridge at the intersection of No. 1 Line and Jackeytown Road have been effected. When not carting metal to dumps, the trucks have been patching as. required. Afangaone riding.—The bridge over the Taonui Stream has had several planks renewed; the decking of this bridge, although not old has needed constant attention. Two corners at which visibility has been obscured by overhanging trees have received attention and a marked improvement effected. Grass has also been scythed at corners where considered necessary! The team has been carting out metal from the Alangaone Stream through Hyde’s to dumps for future use; and. grading during the wet weather. Screening of metal at James’s Line pit lias been proceeded with and the metal used for patching the roads. Corrugations have been more in evidence than potholes, and the motor grader has been over the roads continually coping with this nuisance. Fitzherbert riding: The request of Air Hart for assistance in regard to the lowering of a culvert on an unused road was investigated and an arrangement made that if he supplied concrete pipes the council, would carry out the work. The job has now been completed. Men umler the subsidised scheme have been working on Kahuterawa Road improving grades and the visibility. Two large cuttings and fillings are now in nrogress and several new concrete pipes nave been put in to replace fractured earthenware ones on this stretch of road. Stripping of the pit on No. 4 Line has been continued and metal not put directly on the road has been carted to the Alain Road corner dump. Other work has been in the nature of general maintenance, patching, carting from Buglass’s river beach direct to roads requiring attention, grading and watertabling.. Alatters pertaining o the supply of water to ratepayers of vest^ C Y ,at aid S,, Uverar V in S pection S

have revealed lack of co-operation with the committee. All ratepayers within the area have been sent a copy of the by-laws and a_ notice asking them to remedy all fai'dty connections, etc., within a stipulated time. Future offenders against the regulations will he prosecuted and the committee desire the hacking of the council in their proposed action. At the conclusion of business the chairman thanked the councillors and staff for their co-operation during the year and wished them the compliments of the season. Cr. Hopcroft reciprocated on behalf of the members, and the clerk (Mr N. 1. Nielsen) on behalf of the staff.