COUNTY BUSINESS.

Otaki Mail, 17 August 1928, Page 3

COUNTY BUSINESS.

MEETING OF HOROWHENUA COUNCIL. The monthly meeting of the Horowhenua County Council was held in the County Chambers, Levin, on Saturday, there being present: Mr O. A. Monk (chairman), Crs., Barber, Ryder. Bryant, Kilsby, McLeavey, Catloy anil Jensen, Mr F. 11. Hudson (Collity Clerk), and Mr J. T. M. Brewster (County Engineer). Leave of absence was granted to Or. Whyte. MAKEEUA-RANOUTANE ROAD. Mr A- Seifcrt wrote asking the Council 'to inspect the part of the Makeiua-Raxgitane Road, which he had had constructed on behalf of the other owners and himself. The length of the road in question was 12 miles 01 chains, and the work was now completed with the exception of some alterations to the bridges, necessary to meet the requirements of the County Engineer. The chairman stated that Mr Seifert had taken a contract from thosc - interested to carry out the formation of certain roads. It was possible that, while the certificate from the Loans Board was being awaited, .some of the formation might deteriorate before the metal could lie put on; therefore it might be xeeessary to have certain work done on it in the meantime. Mr Seifert was willing to enter into an obligation that the road be formed to the Council's satisfaction, and to give an undertaking that it would lie kept up to that standard. A resolution was passed giving the County Engineer authority to approve the work, provided that it is to his satisfaction, and subject to an undertaking by the adjoining owners that >'' will lie kept up to the necessary standard until such time as the road is metalled. MAKERUA ROADING SCHEME.

A petition from the owners of lea properties was received, asking for the formation of a special rating district to gravel the following roads in the Makerua Plains:—From Makerua railway station to the road formed by Mr Akers and called the MakeruaTanc Road, -1 miles 07 chains; Seifert's Road, being ihe road from the present Okuku Road to junction with the Mil-kerua-Tane Road, 1 mile 58 chain-; Campbell's Road, being a road leading off from the Makerua-Taiie Road, X mile -U chains; a par) of Ashley Road connection, 20 chains; total, 7 miles 7!) chains. In a covering lettei, -Mi A. Seifert stated that a Dart of the Ashlea Road connection would lie grnvelled by the interested parties finding cash tor this purpose, so gravelling the road mentioned in the petition would make a complete through system of roads for Makerua lands all properly formed and_ gravelled. It was mentioned by the writer thai, on a previous occasion, tin- Council formed a special rating district to road Makerua lands, but the Loans Board would not agree to a loan being raised, on the grounds that the roads to lie formed were not through roads and thai rates would be put on land thai was already heavily rated. It had now been arranged for all connecting roads to be completed, which would get over ihe difficulty in this respect. Tiepromoters had cleared the line, put down tlie sub-foundation, aiiTT constructed bridges, etc., by finding cash, so that the rate for gravelling would be very much less than it would have been for the whole of tin- work. 11 Would be impossible for the various settlers interested to find the "ash to gravel the iroads, and it was very necessary that these should be completed with as little delay as possible, in order to give tlie settlers every opportunity to work .their farms. In addition' to the land that had already been sold to small farmers, a further block of 800 or 900 acres would shortly be offered for sale. The chairman, in explaining the readjustment of the scheme, stated that, while the rating district had been extended so that there would be a through road connecting with the Bangitane Road, the area at the southern end had been curtailed. The estimate now submitted was 01000, which was about half the sum estimated for the original scheme. The application was referred to tlie Finance Committee, with power to submit the proposal to the- Loans Boari, COUNTY CLERK'S ASSOCIATION', j Advice was received from -Mr F. C. I Perry, clerk of the Waitomo County Council and authorised conveuor of a conference to launch the County Clerks' Association, that the meeting would take place in Wellington on September 26th.

The chairman remarked tli.it the movement was not for the formation of a labour union. The Counties' Conference had agreed that nothing but good could come out of an association such as this. He added that, in connection with the Power Boards Association, there was the Secretaries' Association and the Engineers' Association, and they did the principal good, generally speaking, in relation to the working of power supplies. The proposed County Clerks' Association should make for the better working of the Councils themselves. The suggestion was made that, before a man could take up the position of a county clerk. he should have some special training or knowledge, and later that it should be necessary for an applicant to pass some examination before being allowed to take up such work. The ability to interpret a statute seemed to be essential as a qualification for a county clerk. He moved that Mr Hudson be given authority to attend the conference. The motion was carried. OVERFLOW FROM WATER-RACE. .Mr A. C. llacdonald. of McDonald Road, in the Levin district, wrote stating that there was a culvert on the water-race in Section 2S that was tcu small to take all the wafer. The overflow came out oil to the road, found its way below the road, and came on to Section lo from one sbla to tit--other. He had recently tried to put in a few posts, but the water was on the surface, so he had had to postpone, the attempt. The matter was referred to the Engineer, with power to act. DEVIATION AT MAXAKAL". For the purposes of a small deviation at the Manakau railway overbridge, a resolution was passed, oil' the motion of Cr. Bryant, seconded by Cr. Ryder, consenting to - roods 4.7 perches in Section 29 D.l'. 41.', Block VIL, Waitoliu S.D., being taken for a new road, and consenting to the closing of the old road abutting on See. 29 D.l\ 41a Block VIL, Waitoliu; S.D., containing 1 rood 15.4 perches, such area to btr granted to Air .1. H. staples, of Manakau, for an estate in fee simple. RATES LEVIED. The necessary public notice having been given, a resolution was passed making and levying the rates for tar.' year ending March 31st, -1929. TAB-SEALING RAILWAY CROSSINGS. On the recommendation of the Works ; Committ(e, it was deeided thut the clerk ascertain from the Main High- ' ways Board or.the Audit Dejmrtiucnt if ] Main Highways construction loan moneys could bp legally expended on tar-sealing railway crossings or any j portion of the highway oa a ciaiHten- j