MANAWATU COUNTY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 63, 15 February 1939, Page 5

MANAWATU COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL. ACTIVITIES DURING AIONTH. The monthly meeting of the Alanawatu County Council was held yesterday, Cr. W. E. Barber presiding. Others present were Crs. J. 11. Perrett, J. Boyce, A. N. Alorcom, D. W. Reid and It. A. Wilson. Leave of absence was granted Cr. W. E. Pearce. FINANCES AND TRAAIWAY. The county treasurer (Mr A. K. Drew) reported that tho county fund account had a debit of £9617 19s sd, and the loan account a credit of £4298 15s Id. Receipts since last meeting had amounted to £4OIB 13s od, iucluding £2430 Is lOd for rates. Reporting on the operation of the tramway during January, Air Drew stated that traffic had consisted of 1514 cubic yards of metal, 82 tons of minerals, 6 tons of merchandise, 8 tons of manure, 32 tons of wool, 34 tons of firewood and 1 ton of general freight. Earnings had been £477 19s 3d and running expenses £379 15s 2d, showing a credit balance of £9B 4s Id. VISIBILITY AT CORNERS. Following the offer of a scale of subsidies from the Main Highways Board for tho improvement of visibility at corners, it was decided, on the motion of the chairman, to refer the matter to the engineer to report upon any corners which required urgent attention. Cr. AVilson said the advent of motor traffic had completely altered conditions on side roads of the county’s system.

Both Crs. Perrett and Boyce said that trees on corners were the greatest menace, and should be removed. Cr. Alorcom said the time was coming when permission should he sought from the council by property owners : to plant trees within a 'chain of corners. The council did not want to take the land off tho corners. 1 Cr. Boyce said he was not in favour of taking the land. Easements only faeilitated fast traffic. Atost of the accidents happened on good roads. Cr. Perrett was afraid Cr. Boyce was not following the trend of events to-day. Cr. Boyce: The traffic is becoming too fast. The chairman said the council should take steps to obtain authority to prevent the planting of trees close to corners, and it was decided to frame a remit on these lines for submission to the New Zealand Counties’ Association. NEGOTIATIONS FOR LOANS. Notification was received from the State Advances Corporation that it regretted not being in a position to consider the council’s loan application for the construction of the Bainesse lload until the consent of the Local Government Loans Board had been obtained for tho proposal. In the meantime it was suggested that inquiries bo prosecuted elsewhere for the amount required.—Received. The corporation also advised that it was prepared to offer £4OOO under the main highways reconstruction loan authorised in 1925, the terms to be 34 per cent, interest for a period of 10 years, repayable on a 20 years’ amortisation table, the balance outstanding at the end of the tenth year to become payable in one sum.—Received. PETITION BY RATEPAYERS. Eleven ratepayers in the Sandou riding petitioned the council to consider a satisfactory way of dealing with overilow water from the drain passing under the Sanson-Bulls highway and leading down to tho Aiakowhai settlement after crossing Frecklington’s Line. The water, it was stated, damaged a considerable area of land, and also flooded the road at times on Frecklington’s Line and Speedy’s Line. Air K. Bailey waited on tho council in connection with the matter, and said the extension of the drain for’ another ten chains along Frecklington’s Line would overcome the trouble. The subject was referred to the chairman and the engineer for a report. OTHER CORRESPONDENCE. Advice was received from the Alinistcr of Public Works (Hon. R. Semple) that he considered theOhakea aerodrome road should be reclassified in Class 3, and notification was received from the Commissioner of Transport that this had been effected. —Received. Following an inspection of the council’s tramway, the Railways Department wrote stating that fifty 24ft. 53 lb. rails required renewal. The county clerk (Air Drew) said these were on the section between Saiulon and Alakowhai, and about twenty tons of rails would be required.

The matter was left in the hands of the chairman and the engineer, with power to act. Advice was received from the Manawatu-Oroua Power Board .that

it intended to erect a transmission line through a portion of the council’s property at Awahuri. —Received. Consideration of the metalling of the part of road from Downs Road to Kellow’s Line was sought by Mr J. Funnell, of Oroua Downs, who offered £4O towards the cost. —The council decided to seek further information. Mr D. C. Cook wrote stating that the unmetalled portion of Pyke’s Road was in a bad state of repair, also the wooden culvert over the drain adjacent to his property. It was unsafe for traffic, as there was one plank missing.—The matter was referred to the engineer. A complaint was made by Mr H- T. Oliver, of Oroua Downs, that on three occasions during January his property had been set on fire by engines using the tramway. Five chains of fencing had been burned and, but for the action of a passer-by on one occasion, he would have lost 200 mature trees, also his residence and farm buildings. He sought compensation for the cost of restoring the fencing, either by payment or deductions from rates. Owing to the seriousness of these fires, lie stated, he had to keep a man working close by every day until after the broom had been burnt. —The subject was discussed in committee.

The Sluggish River Draining Board wrote seeking a contribution, in conjunction with the Highways Board, towards the cost of a floodgate at the mouth of the Main Drain. It was pointed out that the Main Drain and the road were in a much worse position than when last inspected by the council and the board.- —Discussed in committee.

Mr L. J. Carmine, of _ Awahuri Rpad, wrote protesting against the action of two men in fencing off part of the roadway and running stock there.—The matter was left in the hands of Cr. Reid.

Mr L. Fletcher, of No. 1 Line, Foxion, wrote asking the council to take immediate steps to have opened the road outlet connecting his property with the Kare Ivare Road. He said it was obstructed by four gates and fences, which obstructed the delivery of cream to the lorry a third of a mile away. The road enclosures were used by another person as holding yards for hundreds of dairy cattle. —It was stated that the road had been dedicated and, on the motion of Cr. Wilson, the council decided to request the person concerned to open the road, as objections had been lodged by ratepayers. Maintaining that tho owners of the property had a clear right to a substantial partial exemption from rating, if not complete freedom from liability, the solicitors for the Ilighden property at Awahuri, formerly conducted as a seminary, wrote to the council seeking the remission of rates in arrears or accruing. On being informed that the Valuer-General had no power to grant any exemption for ihe current year, the council decided to advise the Marist Brothers that they were liable for the rates, which must be paid.