COUNTY AFFAIRS

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11210, 5 August 1929, Page 5

COUNTY AFFAIRS

ACCESS THROUGH RESERVE THE OETE ROAD. The chairman (Cr. S. Holton) presided over the monthly meeting of the Rahintna County Council on Saturday. There were als 0 present (is. H. Mason, H. R. Whitta, J. •Champion, F. V. Bryant, H. Cornelius. A \Y. Bisset, T. Fouhy and T. Hodgins. Mr G. F. O'Rourke waited upon the Council with regard to the state of the Oete road, in the Kohiuui riding. There was a brok'•n culvert, he said between Air S. Belton's property and his own winch required immediate attentidC Tile overseer (Air S. Alacrae) said that the broken culvert did not block the road. However, the pipes were already there ready to he put in. Air O’Rourke asked for the road to he attended to and metal put on to the end, up to his gate. There had been no metal put on for 2J years. The continuation of the road from the gate through the Forest reserve leased by him down to the river was also in a shocking state and if this road was going to be used by settlers to cart metal out from the river then the County wojild have to metal it also. The, chairman asked who had used the road, and Air O’Rourke said that Air Bolton had done so himself. The chairman denied this, and Air O’Rourke said that Mr Bolton’s men had used it, or rather his son, which amounted to the same thing. The chairman said that his son was not his employee but a partner. Air O’Rourke, he said, had locked the gate recently and prevented access, but if he expected the road down to the river attended to he would either have to remove the gate or leave it open. Mr O’Rourke contended tjiat no private person should go through the reserve without his permission. Some further argument followed, and the chairman assured Air O’Rourke that he would get exactly the same treatment as any other settler through whose property the County had access to river metal. Mr O'Rourke said he was only asking for British fair play. He had another property leased also by the Ngawapurua bridge. and the County recently had trespassed on it with the teams to get metal. Tlie overseer explained that the emplo had done this without instruct; .. and had been taken away »Anight afterwards. All- O'Rourke said he had had to order them off. At tlie leanest of the chairman, he then withdraw from the room after thanking the meeting for allow’ng him to state his case. The overseer maintained that the Oete road as far as Air O’Rourke’s

gate v. us in quite good order for tlie use required of it, and as Air O Rourke did not hold this view he invited some of the councillors to see for themselves. • rhe chairman said that the Council had a perfect right to go through the property to obtain metal, as this was a condition in Mr O’Rourke’s lease. On tlie motion of Cr. Bolton, seconded by Cr. Hodgins, it was decided that steps he taken to legalise the road through the Forest Reserve at the junction of the M.anawatn and Tiramnea rivers as this track has been used by the -ettle’-s s nee 1888, public monies had he->n spent on this by the Public Works Department, and the road is fenced through the hush. The chairman said that this course could be taken under Section 12 of th? Lands Act. 1924.- It would give a chain right-of-way through the property. The consent <>f the Conservator of Forests, the County Council. and the lessee would require to be obtained, and tlie step would he no disadvantage to tiie latter. Access was desired by a number of settlers and also picnic parties that had to go through All- O’Rourke’s property to get to the hush reserve, which was not leased by him. TRAFFIC INSPECTOR. The Alain Highways Board wrote suggesting that the local authorities in each highway district should co-operate to employ a traffic inspector whose yearly salary and expenses would he divided among the several Counties on a capital value basis. Local authorities. it was contended, did not realise the damage which was being done by reason of the non-enforcement .of •lie Alotor Vehicle and Alotor Lorry Regulations. The result was that highways and roads generally are int being protected. and motor lorry owners are avoiding payment of the lees provided under the regulations. Numerous instances had recently come before the Board where motor lorries were carrying much heavier loads than permissible, as well us without licenses. In connection with a similar proposal, the Wairavnpn South County Council wrote again concerning the proposed meeting for the purpose of considering and determining the matter of appointing a traffic- inspector for the local Alain High'll ays Group, suggesting a meeting of delegates at Masterton on August 7th, at 10 a.m. The clerk said it was significant that the lorries caught in this district invariably included quite a number of offenders from Hawke’s Bav where this proposed system is in vogue. On the other hand there

was very little overloading on the part of the Wairarapa lorry owners. The Council, however, decided to give the chairman full power to act. THE PAHIATUA TRACK.

It was reported that the heavy traffic inspection on the Paliiatua Track had ‘ been terminated. The clerk said that the chief offender for overloading was the Tui Brewery, Ltd., whose lorries had been caught repeatedly. There were .several other owners with a less number of offences. The Tui Brewery, Ltd. had offered to pay a deposit as a safeguard against damage to the road rather than be barred the use of this route.

Cr. J. Champion moved that all the offenders be prosecuted. He maintained that the Tui Brewery, Ltd. had its remedy and could have sent its goods out by rail. Cr. Champion’s motion was carried. SUBSIDIARY HIGHWAYS.

A circular letter received from the Alain Highways Board intimated that no furtjier roads at present would be declared subsidiary highways. The clerk pointed out that in order t 0 apply for the Mangaone road as a subsidiary highway, the County had been compelled to take a traffic tally costing £54, which, in the light of the letter to hand, appeared to be quite useless expenditure. It was decided that the Council again apply for the Mangaone— Kaitawa—Paliiatua road to be declared a secondary highway. NEW COUNTY RANGER. Sixteen local applications were received for the position of County ranger and Mr E„ G. Hutton, of Paliiatua, was appointed. One application evoked broad smiles. It terminated thus: “I do not keep testimonials, as in my opinion they are not worth the paper they are written thereon. I have plenty of ability but lip influence ; if you think me suitable elect me, if not, don’t.” Another wrote that lie had • a “capacity for work which increases rather than diminishes.” GENERAL.

The Closer Settlement Committee of the Wairarapa Progress League wrote asking for a list of Paliiatua County ratepayers who hold over 300 acres of land, together with the acreage of land held by such ratepayers. The letter was received without comment. ,• . Notice was received of the appointment of Cr. S. Bolton as a member of the No. 10 District Highways Council. The Masterton County Council forwarded a statement of the allocation of heavy traffic license fees for the quarter, the Paliiatua County’s quota being £lsl, 18s 9d. All- Robertsliam was authorised to sign up contract for O’Grady’s bridge, and that on the certificate of the engineers he he made a progress payment. The consulting engineers, Messrs Seaton. Sladden and Pavitt, are to be asked to furnish their account at once.

Copy of New Zealand Counties’ opinions was laid on the table, together with a Bi'l from the Minister of Justice regarding aviation encouragement. From the Department of Internal Affairs the scale and dimensions of town planning maps was received. Accounts amounting to £4,356 9s 6d were passed for payment.