Administration of Kairanga County

Manawatu Times, Volume 61, Issue 189, 12 August 1936, Page 10

Administration of Kairanga County

MONTHLY MEETING OF COUNCIL

The monthly meeting of the Kairanga County Council was held yesterday, when there were present: Crs. D. Collts (in the chair), J. Batchelar, W. E. Hopcroft, T. D. Lynch, W. G. Shannon, J. Smith, F. J. Russell, N. P. Nielsen and M. W. Yoss. The Public Works Department, in a circular letter, asked that the inspection of all main highway bridges made in 1930 be now repeated in order that the information on the board’s records might be brought up to date.—The engineer was given instructions to have the -inspection made. The Palmerston North City Council advised that tho Public Works Departmeut had approved of the acceptance of a tender at £sl for tho removal of the old Fitzherbert bridge. Following further consideration of the position as regards No. 60 highway (Palmerston North-Levin, via Shannon) the council decided to continue pressing for it to be declared a state highway. Advice was received from the Palmerston North River Board that repair work estimated to cost £5 was necessary at Stuart’s bend, Te Matai.— Authority is to be given for it to be done at tho council’s expense. The ranger (Mr I. Baldwin) reported that he had found 6S head of stock straying oil tho county roads since last meeting. The chief Postmaster at Palmerston advised that tho sum of £9S 55., representing payment due for refund of motor spirit taxation had been lodge! to the credit of tho council. Crs Batchelar and Smith were appointed to represent the county at the forthcoming conference between the Palmerston North Hospital Board, the Free Ambulance and local bodies to consider the matter of ambulance services in the district. The following property transfers wero notified: —Taonui riding: Estate A. W. Hamlin to B. A. and T. B. Zurcher, 62 acres 23 perches, GO acres IS perches; Estate M. Voss to Miss E. M. Voss, 50 acres; M. A. Delahunty to J. F. MacManus, F. W. Aisher and J. J. O’Shea, 1 rood. Mangaone riding: W. Stopford to Mrs M. Wood, 6 acres; D. G. Price to 11. K. McKinnon, 41 acres 1 rood 17 perches; C. J. Fox to D. G. Prince, 24 acres 2 roods 39.8 perches. Engineer’s Monthly Report.

The county engineer (Mr L. C. Pickering) reported as follows on the various works carried out during the month:— General; Tho weather. during- July has been tho wettest for some .years, and judging by tho surface conditions of paddocks and tho requests by ratepayers to have drains fronting their properties cleaned out the above statement is veriiied. Taonui riding: The following drains have been cleaned out under tho Returned Soldiers’ Association scheme: — Foxton line-30 chains, Maxwell’s line 40 chains, Pratt’s 60 chains, Knight’s 40 chains, Eglinton’s 30 chains, and a new drain cut on Lockwood road to improve tho road drainage. Tho following roads have been cut out and sods forked off, thus giving additional width and better surface drainage:—Flyger’s line, Walker’s road and Waldegrave’s road. The decking of Hoiher’s bridge is now in an advanced state of decay and several planks have been renewed during the month. An order for new decking has been placed and will be laid on arrival. Tho motor-grader has been grading in loose metal from the sides and' cutting out side-roads as opportunity has permitted. Tho truck has been patching roads as required. Mangaone riding: The weather has held up crushing operations, although most of tho boulders have been crushed and stacked in readiness for tho building up of Railway road. Several new concrete culverts have been either extended or put in on the following roads:—Setter’s line, 15 feet of 9-inch and 12 feet of 18-inch; Milson’s line, 40 feet of 12-inch. Now that the drain through Robson’s has been lowered, the culvert across Robert’s line will have to be replaced with larger pipes. The temporary bridge on Milson’s lino has been erected, and tenders for the erection of the new bridge will be called shortly. Tho banking of Milson’s line is now completed and specifications and plans have been forwarded to tho Highways Board for approval. Several small drains on Kairanga-Bunnythorpe road opposite Gallop’s and O’Donnell’s have been re-cut or cleaned out. Owing to the wet state of James’ lino formation last month, no further metalling was done; a light coat is now being applied to temporarily assist traffic. Trucks have been constantly patching. The motor-grader lias been cutting off corrugations, and tho light horse-grader has been maintaining road surfaces. Three roads were cut out and widened, namely, Richardson’s line, Te Matai road and Koehler’s road. Fitzherbert riding: A largo wooden box culvert ou' Hill Top road had subsided at one end, and as tho replacement of such would be a costly job, several stringers have been put across the breach and decked. A gang of men was taken up to Hill Top road, and metalling of same preparatory to the wet weather was carried out. The maintenance of No. 60 highway -has been carried out with pit metal, which gives a good running surface, although necessitating more constant patching. All small slips on hill country roads have been cleared away. Tho trucks and grader liavo been patching and maintaining good running surfaces.