POHANGINA COUNTY.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 2730, 13 July 1925, Page 3

POHANGINA COUNTY.

MONTHLY COUNCIL MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Pohangina County Council was hold on Saturday, when Cr. H. W. Smart occupied the chair. Other members present were Crs. S. J. Strahan, F. W. Arbon, T. E. Craine, W. Howell, W T Pratt and A. Brooking Correspondence The letter from the Ruananga Borough Council regarding the question of the Governement providing pensions for victims of Infantile paralysis which w’as held over from the previous meeting was brought up, but nothing was done in the matter. The Commissioner of Crowm Bands wrote stating that the Department was making inquiries regarding the damage to the reserves in the Pohangina County. The letter stated that the matter of dealing with the offenders was in the hands of the Council and as the ,dam a & e was done to County property, the Department could take no action except warn picnickers against camping on reserves without authority.—Received. The Council’s attention was drawn to the condition of the road from the Tunipo junction on the Umntoi-Table Flat road by Mr B. W, Sixtus. The engineer reported that he intended to send the roller over the road and had asked th e settlers to shift the stump. The chairman took exception to the statement made by the writer to the effect that as soon, as the rates were paid, no further notice of the roads was taken by the Council. The council was doing all it could and should some of the roads be neglected for a short while. It was because of finance —The engineer -was instructed to attend to the matter. Regarding the Malton Block road, Mr ;A. J. Toxward wrote on behalf of several other settlers approving of the decision of the Council to raise a £6OO loan. The Feilding Agricultural High School wrote asking for the final instalment of £SO towards the fund for

equipping the hostel. The letter stated that the Rangitikei County Council had voted £IOO on its own initiative. —Owing to the funds not being available at present, it was decided to hold the matter over for a month or two. The New Zealand Counties’ Association wrote regarding the movement of the Motor Association to appoint a commission of inquiry into the cost of administration of County Councils, and asking the Council to supply the writers with particulars of amounts charged under the heading of “administration” as it was considered the charges were too extensive. The chairman stated that the charge made by the Council was about ten per cent, and this could be reduced to 7 or 8 per cent.—lt was decided to supply the information. The State Advances Office wrote stating that the sum of £ISOO had been credited to the Council as advances towards various loans raise*!.— Received. The Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce wrote asking for the financial support of the County giving l-40th of a penny in the £1 on unimproved values for expenses in regard to the Wellington Provincial Bay at the New Zealand and South Seas Exhibition. —The chairman considered that the exhibition was of chief value to the towns and cities, and it was decided to reply that the idea could not be entertained. Engineer’s Report.

The engineer (Mr D. Watson) reported that in the Awahou riding a truck load of concrete pipes for replacing the old wooden culverts was to hand, and a start was being made With the work. Good progress was being made with the work of diverting the crock, which was causing an erosion to the road below Church Hill, but owing to the continuous rain bringing down so many slips on the roads through the County, the men who would have been employed to finish the work had boon engaged in this connection. In the Coal Creek area about 16 old wooden culverts on the Ridge and London roads had been replaced with cement pipes. Repair metal had been carted and spread on the Main road from Pohangina to Raumal school in Mangaone riding. The willow trees along this road had been cut down as it was necessary to clear same for electric wires. Concrete pipes 12 to 30 inch in diameter, to replace old culverts on Pollock’s and Finnis roads had been carted and a start had been made placing them. In Mangapikopiko riding a start had been made to cart metal for a short length, but had been abandoned for the present. A bad turning on Makoura road had been improved by cutting back the high projecting bank. In Pohangina riding, maintenance Work had engeged the attention of the men for the past month. The roads were all in good order, with the exception of the Ridge road, which being only a very light structure, was considerably knocked about by heavy motor traffic some little time back. A good deal of extra "work had been done on Piri Piri Hill in shifting slips in Tamaki riding. To protect motor traffic a fence should be erected, or as an alternative, the road widened at one point. In the Umutoi riding the Council’s teamsmen wore employed trimming and grading up Makoura road, but had been taken off the work to engage in repairing other roads that had been badly damaged. Norsewood road near Mr Buckman's had been repaired, but work of a more permanent nature would have to bo effected soon as the road, in the first place, had been formed on the slope of the hill by building up the outside with timber. Traffic on Umutoi North road was cut off in consequence of an old timber culvert having collapsed. A gap was cut in the road by the creek about 14 feet wide and 10 feet deep.. The damage had been repaired, a-nd the men were now working at a 28 feet by 30 inch concrete pipe culvert at a more suitable position. —Adopted. General. The ranger reported that ho had impounded 31 head of wandering stock and had collected the sum of 17/- in fines. The treasurer reported that the following accounts were in credit: Cemetery. £55 4/9; No. ,1 Loan, £45 5/5; Loan Account, £969 2/11, while the County fund account showed a debit of £1902 11/4. It was decided to accept the tender of Mr H. J. Fell for cutting posts. The request of Mr H. W. Bartlett for royalty on metal was referred to the engineer. Accounts amounting to £7Bl 14/5 were passed for payment.