MANAWATU COUNTY

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 38, 15 February 1939, Page 6

MANAWATU COUNTY

Meeting of Council

Present at yesterday’s meeting of the Manawatu County Council were Crs. W. E. Barber (chairman), A. N. Morcom, J. Boyce, W. D. Reid, J. H. Perrett and R. A. Wilson.

The Minister of Transport advised that the Ohakea aerodrome road had been reclassified into class 3.

The Commissioner of Transport directed attention to an accident which had occurred on the Feilding-Awahuri highway at Beaman’s bridge on January S. It had been reported that a car driven at 25 m.p.li, had skidded in loose metal, crashed through the bridge railing and fallen into the stream. From this report it would appear tfiat the presence of loose metal may have contributed to some extent to the accident. Ho asked tho council to consider whether some action was necessary in the interests of road safety.

The engineer (Mr. H. V. Bond) said the car had started to run off tho road nowhere near tho bridge. Even if the gravel did have something to do with the accident, the driver should have been more careful, as the road was under construction, with notices up. The State Advances Corporation advised that it was not in a position to consider the council’s application relative to tho construction of the Bainesse x-oad, until the consent of tho Loans Board had been obtained to the proposal. It was suggested the council prosecute inquiries elsewhere for the amount required. The clerk (Mr. A. K. Drew) said his application had been an inquiry if the corporation would consider the proposal provided the Loans Board sanction was obtained.

Tho State Advances Corporation advised its readiness to offer £4OOO in respect of tho Main Highways Reconstruction Loan, 1925, at 3J per cent, for 10 years, repayable on the basis of a 20 years amortisation table, with the balance outstanding at the end of the tenth year to be payable in one sum. Tho Alain Highways Board brought to notice the need for improvements to corners at intersections with main highways where visibility was restricted. The board was prepared to assist financially.—Referred to the engineer for a report.

Tho Rongotea Dairy Company wrote with reference to the sealing of the Rongotea-Longburn highway and suggested that the sanction of the ratepayers to the scheme be obtained.

Cr. Morcom said he would rather see the council go for the £30,000 loan for a comprehensive sealing scheme. The Feilding and Foxton roads were almost finished and the council had no preparatory work on other roads in hand. The chairman said he also favoured the comprehensive scheme and Cr. Wilson agreed that the gravel roads were deteriorating under motor traffic. Tho clerk explained that the sanction of the Loans Board would have to be obtained as a first step. Last June the council had advertised its intention to approach the Loans Board for its approval of a £30,000 loan but the matter had not been proceeded with because the council had been informed thero was no hope of getting the money. Tho council decided to go ahead now. A number of ratepayers forwarded a petition asking the council to deal with overflow water from the drain commencing at E. C. Vile’s property and passing under the Sanson-Bulls highway on to R. Anderson’s property and leading down to tho Alakowhai settlement after crossing Frecklington’s line. Air. K. Bailey waited on tho council in reference to the same matter and said the extension of a drain for another 10 chains would obviate flooding.—The matter was referred to the engineer and chairman to investigate certain legal and other aspects.

Air. H. T. Oliver (Oroua Downs) wrote complaining that the train had set fires alight on his property on. three occasions during January. He had had about five chains of fencing burnt and asked the council to compensate him to the extent of 10 posts, 4cwt. of barbed wire and 1 cwt. of plain wire. He also complained that nothing had been done to the road in front of Airs. Oliver’s property on Puke Puke Road as promised. —It was reported that the road work had been done. The discussion on the fires was taken in committee.

Air. D. C. Cook complained about the state of the unmetallcd portion of Pykc’s road and a wooden culvert over a drain.—Left with the engineer to report. The Sluggish River Drainage Board wrote asking for a contribution towards the cost of a floodgate at the mouth of the main drain. The board also pointed out that the main drain and road w/ro in a much worse position than when the council and board members last inspected it.—Discussed in committee.

Air. J. Funncll asked for metal on the Downs Road to Kellow’s Line and offered £4O towards the cost of the work.—Further information is to be secured.

Air. L. J. Carmine (Feilding) complained about a portion of a road being fenced off for the purpose of running a horse and cow.—To be investigated.

Air. L. Fletcher (Foxton) asked that gate and fence obstructions be removed from Kare lvare Road. There were four gate and fences and Air. F. S. Easton used the enclosures as holding yards for hundreds of dairy cattle. When the obstructions were removed the Shannon Dairy Company would consider collecting cream up the road. —• The engineer reported that while the road was dedicated, it was unfenced. — Air. Easton is to be requested to fence the road. The Marist Brothers arc to be informed that rates struck on tho Highden estate are a liability on the property and must be paid. County Finances County fund debit £9617 19s sd. Loan account credit £429S 15s Id. Since tho December meeting rates amounting to £2430 Is lOd had been paid. Licenses Lad produced £2l 38s and the miscellaneous receipts £1566 13s 7d. Tramway Report

The items of traffic for the month wero as follow:—Aletal, 1514 cubic yards; minerals, 82 tons; merchandise, 6 tons; manure, 8 tons; wool, 32 tons; firewood, 31 tons; general items, 3 ton. Tho earnings for the month were £177 19s 3d.

and the running expenses £379 15s 2d, showing a credit balance of £9B 4s Id. Engineer’s Report

During the holiday period maintenance work was continued on all main traffic routes and members of the outside staff not required for this work were given their annual leave. The gravel-surfaced main highways wero graded frequently. Aletal patching was undertaken on the Foxton-Shannon highway and the auto-patrol grader was put on this road. It was proposed to send this machine to the southern end of the county periodically to undertake the reshaping of tv3 more important roads in that area. Aluch greater improvement will bo made when the roads are not so dry as at present. Aletal patching was undertaken on the Rongotea-Rangiotu highway. Tho deviation at Alangawhata had been commenced. A building had been removed from the new road line and a new fence erected, together with tho necessary gates. Tho IS chains of formation work had been half completed and the pit metal for the base and top courses had been delivered to Rangiotu in readiness for carting on to the new formation. Sand-drifts had been cleared on the Tangimoana highway; metal patching and clay binding nad also been undertaken. Tho Rongotea-Longburn highway had been patched and the bridge at Kopano was now being repaired. The reconstruction work on tho Foxton Beach highway was progressing satisfactorily. Formation work was complete for a distance of 2 miles 2 chains; top course metal had been applied for a distance of 1 miie 40 chains, and a length of 1 mile 30 chains of the new road had been tar primed. The swamp portion of tho road, which was excavated, was partially refilled with sand. The level of this filling was gradually increasing and was now nearing the specified final level. Tho reconstruction work on Alount Stewart and AwahuriFeilding highways was now making more satisfactory progress. Tho formation work on tho Alount Stewart highway had been completed with the exception of the final trimming over a short distance. Base course metal had now been applied to 108 chains of this road. Tho earthwoi’k on tho AwahuriFeilding highway was being pushed ahead very satisfactorily at present. Formation work had been commenced at the Feilding end of the job and it was expected that the spreading of base course metal would be commenced in a day or two. Pumping plants had been installed in two properties and the electric power had now been run on the new road line at the bush deviation. The pumping plants could now be put into commission within the next day or so. Tho county staff had shifted the ornamental gates on Air. Burke’s property back to the new fence line. Roads and bridges.—Tho road surfaces were very dry and ravelling wps taking place in most parts in consequence. The auto-patrol grader was put over Piaka road and some very good work done for the time it was there. Some widening was undertaken and the surface was much improved. Sand drifts were attended to on Wilson’s and other roads during the recent gales. Metal was spread on Motuiti Road. A concrete pipe culvert had been laid on Puki Puki Road and a bridge on Taylor’s Line had been repaired. Aletalling had been undertaken on Rosina Line. Sand drifts on Kellow’s and Downs Roads had been repaired. Aletal had been spread on Downs, Pyke’s and Kellow’s Roads. In the Rongotea area metal patching had been undertaken on Kaimaterau, Tompkins and Alill Roads. The filling of the unused drain on the south filling of the unused drain on the sothern side of Kaimaterau Road would be commenced next week. Drains had been cleaned on Taipo Road and metal had been spread on Coles, Taipo and Penny’s Roads. A commencement was to be made immediately with the replacement of tho Rowe’s Lino bridge with reinforced concrete pipes. The pipes of the required size had now become available. Speedy’s, AlcDonnell’s, Richardson’s and Ngaio ltoads had been patched. Tho Sandon township roads had been graded. A temporary holdup occurred with the Wilson’s Road bridge but this had now been overcome and the structure would be finished this week. Kawa Kawa Road had been remetalled, Rakehou Road surface had been ravelling badly and some finely-crushed pit metal had been spread on the worst portions. One stringer on Nairn’s bridge had been replaced with hardwood. All metal surfaced roads had been graded at intervals. General: A good stock of Australian hardwood decking had now come to hand.

Tramway: During the holiday period opportunity was taken to lit new tubes to the locomotive G. The tram had now completed the two trips per day to Foxton and was at present making only one. The track had been maintained as well as possible, but sleepers were badly wanted.

l’ukenui crushing plant: During December three shifts were being worked at the plant but this had now been reduced to two. All tho top course metal for the Foxton Beach Road had been supplied and the sealing chips would bo supplied from stock at Pukenui. Concrete metal and sand was still being supplied to the Ohakea aerodrome. During the month of December the output was 2935 cubic yards and 3493 cubic yards for the month of January. The plant was being maintained up to its usual standard. Owing to the uncertainty of supplies for the erection of houses, the staff on this work was cut down to a minimum. However, they were now almost complete, the outside plastering being the main item to be carried out.

Cemetery.—The Sandon cemetery was cleaned and the grass cut. The recent gales did minor damage to the trees, but the debris had been cleared away.