Pohangina Valley

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7031, 15 December 1932, Page 11

Pohangina Valley

MEETING OF COUNTY COUNOHi. Pohangina County Council mot yesterday at Pohangina. Present: Crs. a. Etrahan, W. Howell, T. Close, T. E. Craine, J. McKenzie, M. Arbon. A. E. Billett, Utuwai, wrote seeking grazing rights of a small piece of reserve on the Piri Piri side of the Pohangina river backing on to his section. It was the only way he could keep stray cattle from wandering on the back of his property.—Hold over for inquiries. Tho Commissioner of Crown Lands advised that it did not look with favour upon tho council’s intention to grant grazing rights over tho reserve at Delaware flat. E. B. Schulze, Utuwai, wrote complaining of stock grazing on the roads daily unattended. On November 25 ho suffered a serious accident through striking an animal on the road. These animals were a distinc.t menaco to traffic. Cr. McKenzie said Mr. Schulzo had been unable to avoid a collision when on his motor-cycle. Tho engineer said the same state of affairs existed all over the county. Cr. Howell: The only thing is to keep a ranger going all through the year. Cr. McKenzio did not think it was advisable to close tho roads all tho time as they would get overgrown. It was decided to cypress sympathy with Mr. Schulze. The Manawatu-Oroua Power Board advised that the board had no power to make contribution to the cost of removal of poles unless it was a specific case and then it must be mado from unauthorised expenditure. The chairman thought that if poles ■were in the wrong place it should be the risk of the Power Board. The Counties’ Association had the matter in hand with a view to getting the position altered. The Main Highways Board wrote suggesting that in order that the travelling public may not have reason to complain of tho surface conditions of the highways during tho holiday season, that surfacemen and gangers remain at work in preference to being granted holiday leave at this particular

period. The engineer: They ask us to keep the men on and yet won't help us with a subsidy. Cr. McKenzie thought the suggestion hardly necessary. The letter was received. Tho Treasury advised that fines collected amounted to £ll 8s lid had b»en remitted. ' Reduction of Interest. The council received a copy or the Otago Electric Power Board’s circular urging compulsory conversion of local body loans. Cr. Howell: Just exactly what do they want? t Tho chairman: I think they want conversion to a lower rate of interest. Cr. Howell «aid most of tho Pohangina loans were either to the Advances Department or Public Trustee. Ihere ivas only one to the bank. Cr. McKenzie said the Public Trust loans had been reduced from 6 per cent, to 5 per cent. Cr. Howell: All commodities have dropped and there was no reason why money should not drop also. The chairman agreed. Cr. Howell: It will be repudiation if there is no reduction. Cr. McKenzie: The Government itself is offering 5 per cent. The request was supported. To Awa Bridge. Tho Public Works district engineer advised that tho plans of the 1c Awa bridge had been approved. Owing to the fact that small cars sometimes experienced difficulty on bridges when two tows of longitudinal decking are used, it has been decided either to place the longitudinal decking for the full width of the bridge or else to omit the longitudinal decking and increase the thickness of the traverse decking. One of these alternatives should bo adopted. If no longitudinal planks are used the thickness of the decking should be increased to 4 inches for M.A.H. and to b inches for New Zealand timber. Piles should bo ironbark not M.A.H. Application is being made for monetary authority, but no commitment should bo made before this is received and tenders should be submitted to the department before accepting.

The Kiwitea County Council -wrote suggesting that the time was not opportune for local bodies to carry out new works and trusted that the council would see its way to defer erecting the bridge for at least two yeai’3. The chairman to Cr. Craine: What is the opinion of those interested? Cr, Craine: Push on. They are stronger for it now than ever. We have been battling for years for the bridge and we will be able to get it built cheaper now than at any time. Kiwitea's contribution, spread over the county, won't be very heavy. Cr. Howell raised opposition though he was sorry to have to do so. The chairman of Kiwitea County Council had seen him and requested postponement of the bridge for a year as Kiwitea expected to have great difficulty in collecting their rates this year and expected a debit balance at the end of the year. Kiwitea County Council did not suggest going back in the matter but simply wanted postponement. Kiwitea had been very generous so far in its attitude towards the bridge. It was not a question of whether the ratepayers concerned could pay or not but rather one as to whether the land' could stand it. It had been the experience of local bodies that the more ratepayers were able to pay their special rates, the less general rates could they pay. The council’s viewpoint should be whether the land could stand it for all time. Cr. McKenzie: If they default does it mean. the whole of the county will be responsible? Cr. Howell: The legislature has expressed the same view as I am stating. The chairman said there were many .aspects to be considered when asked by Cr. Howell for a statement as to uolicy in such matters..

Or. Howell: then appealed to Or. Craine to reconsider his attitude. Tho chairman said the council should know his views as far as economy was concerned, but tho position of the bridge was a little different—they had gene on a fair way. Perhaps, however, the scttlere could bo seen and some amicable arrangement come to. Cr. Craine said a special rating area had to find tho money and the council would not bo dealing with a dud lot of ratepayers. There could bo no doubt as to the standing of the ratepayers concerned. Tho chairman: That is not questioned. Cr. Craine said tho bridge should have been thero years ago. Kiwitca bad promised £6OO and that amount would not embarrass tho Kiwitca county by any means. Thoso concerned were going to press for tho bridge. “Why not lot us go on if we are prepared?” he asked. “I don’t want to create any stir. I havo told you just what my ratepayers’ views are. Wo will be giving work to tho unemployed also.” Tho chairman: Most will bo spent on material. Cr. McKenzie thought tho council should not oppose the bridge if the financial arrangements were all right, but suppose somo of tho ratepayers referred to by Cr. Craine sold their sections? What would be the position? Cr. McKenzie also asked who would be responsible for maintenance of the bridge? The chairman said it would bo a county affair when answering Cr. McKenzie’s last question. Cr. McKenzie: Our special rates are far too high. That is the whole troublo with pur county. We can reduce tho general rates, but not the special ones. Cr. Close askod if there wa3 any likelihood of the approach to tho bridge going in a heavy flood. The engineer said the design had been mado to protect tho approaches. Cr. Craine said the river had hold to the one course for years. When the department’s engineer visited the area he had been struck with tho enthusiasm of the ratepayers. The chairman said the council had decided previously to go on with the bridge. The .future did not look very bright, but there was a certain amount of tho preliminary work yet to do such as purchase of land. There w-as no need to call for tenders yet. Cr. Close said that as Cr. Craine had given considerable thought to the matter his wishes should be complied with. Cr. Howell said ho was not going back on what the council had done so 'far, but still thought the construction should be postponed. The chairman again urged a conference of the ratepayers concerned and the Kiwitea Council to discuss the situation and this was agreed to. . _ ■ Answering Cr. Howell, Cr. Craine said he did not know what the special rate would amount to, but tho hardest hit man would have to pay about £lB a year. The engineer said it was intended to use traverse decking, but all the same he could show tho defendant decking only three inches in thickness and New Zealand wood, which had stood the last 30 years. Belief Works.

The Unemployment Board advised that after December 31 no person in occupation of farm lands shad be given relief under No. 5 scheme. Each such case, however, may be considered for assistance under scheme 4A for work on his own property. The Unemployment Board also advised that it had been decided to makelabour available to farmers for the eradication of ragwort. Farmers would be required to provide food, transport, materials and other costs and accommodate the men. If any man refused this work they should be given no further relief under any of the board'3 schemes. The Unemployment Board also advised that old age-pensioners may be eligible for relief provided they had dependents under 16 years of ago and agreed to forego or not to apply for the old-age pension as the case may be. Riding Expenditure. The county clerk (Mr. Orgias) reported a debit balance of £647 Os lOd. Tho riding accounts stood as follows: — Awahou: Expended, £2BB 17a 3d; estimates, £605 15s; balance, £316 17s f»d. Coal Creek: Expended, £382 3s 6d; estimates, £752; balance, £369 16s 6d. Mangaonc: Expended, £2BB 14s Id; estimates, £763; balance, £474 5s lid. Mangapikopiko: Expended, £4BO 11s 4d; estimates, £918; balance, £437 8s Sd. Pohangina: Expended, £2BO 10s 4d; estimates, £662 ss; balance, £3Bl 14s Bd. Tamaki: Expended, £ll2 8s lOd; estimates, £487; balance, £374 113.2 d. Umutoi: Expended, £669 10s; estimates, £960; balance, £290 10s. Engineer’s Report. The county engineer (Mr. D. Watson) reported as follows: — Awahou riding: The permanent surfaceman, assisted by' one of the men working under No. 5 scheme, was employed attending to general road maintenance, which was the only work done for the month. Coal Creek riding: 350 yards of metal were put through the crusher and carted out on Apiti-Kimbolton highway. Ridge road, from Hall’s road to the boundary of tho riding, has been shaped up with the heavy grader. With the exception of a small amount of gravel required, which at present is being carted by one of tho motor trucks, this road, from Pohangina township through to Apiti, ,is in good order. A start has been made with a motor truck to cart some fine gravel for London’s road. Some yards of pit gravel were carted and. spread on 'Makqura road from the creek to the top of the hill. Mangaone riding: The watertable, in places that werp yery deep on Zig Zag road near the. junction of Eznnis track, have been filled in. This work will be continued at a later date by the roadman with, horse and dray, as he is at present employed in clearing gravel in a pit close bjr in readiness for carting. Metal on Ashhurst-Pohangina highway has been raked in, and some of tho overhanging scrub cut back. Mangapikopiko riding: About 200

yards of rough gravel -were put through the crushing machine, carted and spread on. Apiti-Kimbolton highway. 416 yards were crushed and put out on Table Elat, Marton block, and Nix’s roads. 7S yards of fine river shingle were carted and spread on Marton Block hill. SO yards of pit gravel were also carted and spread on Ridge road.

Pohangina riding: About 100 yards of fine river shingle, for repairing Pohangina Valley road, were carted by the roadman. Gravel on the main road was raked in and watertables attended to.

Tamaki riding: The permanent roadman, with horse and dray, ha 3 been carting gravel for repairing the main highway, and filling in with stones the watertable, which is very deep in places, and so widening narrow parts of the road.

Umutoi riding: A concrete pipe culvert was put in and a small amount of gravel for repairing, was carted by tho roadman on Makiekei road. During the absence of one of the permanent roadmen, general maintenance work is being carried on by men working under No. 5 scheme. Land Transfers.

The following land transfers were notified:—Sections 21 and 14, block 12, Apiti, to JY R., W. and T. Burton; section 51, block 3, Pohangina B.l)., to trustees of the estate of E. Riddiford; section 8, block 16, Apiti S.D., to W. G. S. and A. E. Romley. The meeting concluded with the chairman and councillors reciprocating good wishes for a brighter 1933,,