Kiwitea County

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6810, 17 March 1932, Page 3

Kiwitea County

MEETING- OF THE COUNCIL. The Iviwitea County Council met at Kimbolton yesterday, Cr. L. T. Ale Dean presiding. There were also present:—— Crs. D. L. Younger, W. Hair, N. V. ft'hannon, W. T. Wood, W. P. Shaw, 1' • 0. Stack, J. A. T. Brown and J. A. Williamson. Correspondence. The following correspondence was dealt with: — From the Public Works Department, advising payment of subsidy on Alain Highways amounting to £71(5 2s Od. .Received. Prom the Receiver of Land Revenue, advising payment of ‘‘thirds*’ accrued on Crown sections to 30/9/31, amounting to £32 14s 7d.—-Received. Prom the Palmerston North Free Ambulance Committee, inviting the council to elect a representative to act. on the executive body.—The chairman dul not think the council should have anything to do with the proposal. The Hospital Board had two ambulances and he could not sec the need for another organisation. “They call it ‘free ambulance,* but 1 understaud the intention is to invite donations to pay for its upkeep, ”, said the chairman. It was decided to take no action. From the Waitemata County Council, explaining the position in regard to the proposal appeal case re removal of power poles on county roads and requesting assistance towards the cost of the appeal. —Received. From the Valuation Department, advising payment of 75 per cent, subsidy ou general rates in respect of the current year, amounting to £1312 10s. — Received. From the Manawatu County Council, forwarding details of the operations of the traffic inspector under the group system since November 2 last—Received. From the Minister of Public Works, advising that the linancial position necessitated a review of all road authorities held by local bodies. Those held by this council are therefore cancelled as from 4th. inst., but where contracts have been let or definite commitments made the Government will consider issuing fresh authorities for these works on ]y, —'pho chairman stated than the county was not affected by this instruction. The two works in hand, for which definite commitments had been made by the Government, were practically completed. Power Board Matters.

In connection with the recent deputation to the Minister of Public Works from district local bodies on power board matters, the chairman said that ho had not been able to attend as originally arranged and Cr. Younger had consented to represent the county. Or. Younger briefly reported on the deputation and concluded by stating that members of the deputation had icason to hope that something would lesult from the representations made to the Minister. Rate Position. The rate position was reported on as follows: —General rates, struck, 1110,53 V Os sd; paid, £5307 3s Id; outstanding, £5170 6s 4d; special rates, struck, £OBOO Is 10d; paid, £.1325 Pis lid; outstanding, £1573 0s lid. The total arrears outstanding on account of the three past, years amounted to £llOB 14s 6d. Overseers’ Reports. The county overseers, Messrs. Pggers and Stent, reported as follows: Cheltenham riding: The main highway has been kept in good order by the power grader. Barrow’s Jiuo, Beac.onslicld valley and a section of the Cheltenham cross road have also received attention with the grader. The inlet to a large concrete culvert on the Cheltenham cross road has oeen repaired with a stone crate. The watertables were cleaned out and the usual repairs to roads attended to. lviwitea riding: The section of the main highway has received frequent attention with the power grader and 187 cubic yards of maintenance metal were delivered on the road during the month. Coulter’s line has been trimmed by the power grader; also the northern section of the Bcacouslield V alley road. Other maintenance work in the nature of cleaning out watertables and drains has received attention. VVaituna riding: The work of erecting a new fence at the approach to Haycock's bridge has been completed. The section of the main highway in this riding has been trimmed with the power grader. The roadman has attended to the usual maintenance work on this road, and effected repairs to icneesAt present the roadman is engaged cleaning out drains on the Eangitikci valley road south. Ongo riding: The roadman has been engaged attending to pot-liole repairs and other maintenance work throughout the riding. The work of erecting and painting a neiv fence at the approaches to the Waituna bridge is nowcompleted. Ivimbolton riding; Grading work has

been carried out on the section of Nos. 52 and 53 main highways. During the past month trucks delivered 43 cubic yards of maintenance metal on the No. 52 main highway. This work will be continued during the present week and should be completed before the end of the current iinancial year. Pecp-o’-Day riding: The new bridge known as England’s, was completed on February 23. The fencing of the approaches was carried out by the council’s staff, the timber from the old structure being utilised for the work. The roadman has attended to the usual maintenance w-ork, cleaning out watertables and cutting back fern and scrub. The contractor has made a start dcCTyeving maintenance metal on the Kiwi-toa-Tapuao road and is making satisfactory progress. Some of the back roads in this riding could be improved by the grader. Pakihikura riding: The usual maintenance work has been carried our, on ait roads in the riding and scrub and fern have been cut back on the Onwg-aiti-Pemberton road. The work of metalling the balance of the Mangarcro road has been completed. A,quantity of pit metal is now ready for pothole repair work. A section of the Hangiwahia road couid do with a light scarifying to take the high crown off before surface dressing it.

Rangiwahia riding: The heavy rain iu the early part of the month caused a lot of damage to the roads iu this r.-ding. The Main South 'road in the Mangoira Gorge was blocked for several days by big slips. A considerable quantity of the metal has been washed off the surface of the roads which are now in a rough state. Both the Mangoira and tho Mangawhariki were in high flood. The Karewarewa and the two Mangoira bridges have suffered considerably. Alt the cement bridge’on the Main south road, a stone gioyne and cement wall will iiave to be put i.i to protect the approaches. Protective works will have to bo put m at the other two bridges at an carJv date. Hautapu riding: Slips and watertables have been attended to on all reads. Repair metal was put out on the main highway and a further quantity prepared. The heavy rain in the early, part of the month washed all the line metal off the roadway in many places in the Kawhatau valley. The rough places on the Auputa road are receiving attention. —Received.