Building in County.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 139, 14 May 1941, Page 6

Building in County.

Building statistics for tlio Kairanga County Council in the last year show decreased activity, 16 permits having been issued of a total value of £9441, the fees amounting to £23 10s. Damage to Roads. From his observations he was of the opinion that most of the damage to roads was caused by the present day fast moving heavy lorries and not by motor-cars, said the chairman (Cr AY. It. Hopcroft) in his annual report to the Kairanga County Council yesterday. “Although the speed of motorlorries is governed by regulations, very few drive within the'prescribed limits,” he said. Small Attendance Deplored.

The paucity of the attendance at the Opera House last evening to attend the civic function to men of the N.Z.H.F. on leave was commented on bv the Mayor (Mr A. E. Mansford). Although it was Home Guard parade night, lie said, bethought there should have been a much larger attendance. The function was timed to last half an hour so that the men could have more time with their friends and relatives. and it was disappointing that so few had availed themselves of the opportunity of saying farewell to the hoys.

Neglect of Weeds. “I am sorry to say many settlers have neglected their responsibility on their farms and have created further nuisances by allowing 4 lie weeds to seed,” said the chairman (Cr W. Tl. Hopcroft) in his annual report to the Kairanga County Council. He mentioned that the clearing of roadsides of noxious weeds, including gorse. hemlock, blackberry, ragwort, and goatsrue, had l>een carried out by the council’s staff.

The Mayoralty. “With due deference to Mr Blair Tcnnent, we hope that when the boys return the present Mayor will still be in his position —and i hope lie will ho after Saturday —to welcome them hack, and that the city will be in its present prosperous state,” said Air K. A. Henderson (president of the Chamber of Commerce) when speaking at the civic function in the Opera House last evening to the men on leave.

Response to Home Guard. The response made in the Kairanga County to the Home Guard movement was mentioned in the annual report of the chairman of the Kairanga County Council (Cr W. R. Hopcrolt). “It is with regret that I have to mention the life and death struggle in which the Empire is now engaged for the second year, bringing with it all the destruction and horror that it docs,” said the report. “However, we have to face facts and 1 am pleased to say that, as regards the Home Guard movement, the settlers and districts within the county are to bo congratulated upon the fine enrolment of their respective units. In many districts 90 per cent, of the available manhood has joined. It will be the duty of this council to co-operate with other local bodies in the Emergency Precautions Scheme and thereby assist in putting the scheme on a proper looting. This council is closely associated with the cit.v of Palmerston North and our activities in this direction Acust be closely related to theirs.”

Water For Engines. An additional water tank is being erected in the Palmerston Nortlj Railway yards to better facilitate the provision pf water for the “K” class of engines drawing the north-bound through expresses. The “K” class engine, because of its larger tender, takes more water than the earlier type. Mail Deliveries.

In reply to complaints regarding the irregular delivery of mails in the county, a letter was received at the meeting of the Manawatu County Council, yesterday, from the chief postmaster at Palmerston North advising that investigations are still being undertaken and on completion a report will be furnished.

Kairanga Hospital Levy. The Palmerston North Hospital Hoard advised the Kairanga County Council at its meeting yesterday that the council’s levy this year would be £614(5, compared with £6193 last year. The chairman (Cr W. R. Hopcrolt) said the hospital rate would be the same as last year and expressed pleasure that the levy had not been increased. He said there had been a gradual reduction in the total levy from £45.252 in 1935-39 to the proposed levy of £44,788 for 1941-42. River Control.

The opinion that the whole of the Manawatu River from the Gorge to Foxton Heads should be under one control was expressed by Cr It. A. Wilson at the meeting of the Manawatu County Council, yesterday. Councillors agreed that this, procedure should be followed, it being staged that the matter of control would thereby by simplified. Rural Housing.

Although the Government scheme for building under thd Rural Housing Act had the approval of Lhe council and complied with its by-laws, said the annual report of the chairman of the Kairanga County Council (Cr W. R. Hopcrot't), the scheme for erecting whares tor sharemilkers and farm hands, the buildings of which neither complied with county, health-, or fire regulations, was not to bo commended. Tile council had applied for £IO,OOO for financing county applicants under tile Rural Housing Act; several applications were received and buildings were now in oourse of erection.

Famous Italian Pilpt Killed. The London Times special correscorrespondent on the Italian frontier writes: Lieut.-Colonel Count Pietro Scapinelli, of the Italian Air Force, has been killed in a crash somewhere on the fighting front. In 1933, flying a Macclii seaplane, he won the Bleriot Cup (which took the place of the Schneider Trophy) by maintaining for half an hour a speed ol 384.8 miles an hour. He afterwards took part in the Spanish civil war. Boats For Use in Floods.

A suggestion that some suitable boats should be available in Palmerston North for use in floods was made by the engineer (Mr L. C. Pickering; to the Kairanga County Council yesterday. Mr Pickering spoke of the difficulty he and the police had experienced in obtaining suitable boats in the recent flood and said that a boat with trailer could perhaps be boused at the fire station, ready to be taken whenever required. Cr N. P. Nielsen said that boats had been wanted for years, and yet when a flood occurred it was found that there was not a suitable one. Members of the council also agreed with the proposal. which it was suggested could l>e placed before flic Emergency Precautions Scheme Committee.