OTOROHANGA COUNTY

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 57, Issue 4116, 26 October 1938, Page 12

OTOROHANGA COUNTY

MONTHLY MEETING. (Our Resident Representative.) Cr W. Bluck (chairman) presided over- the monthly meeting of the Otorohanga County Council on Tuesday, when the following' members were in attendance: Crs V. W. Simms, W. Thomson, P. T. Crowley, H. E. Grierson, A. Jamieson and F. Potts, with Messrs S. J. Fortescue, county clerk, and G. Jackson, county engineer. RAGWORT CONTROL. The county noxious weeds inspector, Mr N. Smith, reported that there were at present 45 men engaged in the eradication of ragwort in various parts of the county. The men were working in four gangs, with a foreman in charge of each gang. The inspector suggested to the Council that the five men who were mixing the lime and sodium chlorate should receive one shilling per hour extra, as the occupation was a very unhealthy one and the ventilation in the mixing building was not satisfactory. The Council was of the opinion that an increase in wages would not get over the difficulty. They decided to improve the conditions at the mixing depot. The wage of the men is at present 18s 8d per- day, working a five day week. Where Crown lands are infested with noxious weeds, within the county, the men will operate on these properties at the expense of the State. FINANCIAL STATEMENT. Due to the exceptionally fine weather conditions since the previous meeting of the Council there has been rather more than the usual amount of expenditure in the Mangaorongo and Te Rau-a-moa ridings. In the other three ridings the expenditure has been approximately the monthly average. The rates collected to date show an increase of £122 10s lOd in comparison with the same period last year: 1937, £2,865 13s 6d; 1938, £2,988 4s 4d. The following are the balances of the respective ridings: Honikiwi, debit, £453 3s; Mangaorongo, credit, £lO7O 8s 9d; Te Rau-a-moa, credit, £236 8s 7d; Waipa, credit, £2lO 15s 6d; Wharepapa, debit, £6O 18s lid. The expenditure out of riding funds has been: Honikiwi £755 3s lOd, Mangaorongo £BO6 Us Bd, Te Rau-a-moa £572 17s 3d, Waipa £441 17s Bd, and Wharepapa £639 0s 9d. RELIEF WORKERS. Several councillors complained of the methods employed by relief workers engaged on reducing acute angles in the roads in the Happy Valley district in the Wharepapa riding. They considered that much of their work was wasted owing to the fact that the best use was not being made of the soil being excavated from the banks. The engineer was instructed to see that .the works were more carefully supervised in the future, and that the spoil from the cuttings should be placed to the very best advantage in locations requiring fillings. SPEED OF TRUCKS. The matter off truck drivers travelling along the main highways at excessive speeds was discussed fully. Cr Simms stated that he followed a heavy metal laden truck the other day along the main highway, when his car was doing fifty miles per hour, for a short distance, but the truck driver kept in front of him. This sort of thing was the cause of accidents and would have to be stopped. The Council decided that truck drivers would, for the future, receive greater attention from the traffic inspector. UNSAFE BRIDGE. The condition of the large Whatiwhatihoe bridge, over the Waipa river, near Pirongia, has been causing the Council some concern. It was decided to confer with the Public Works engineers with a view to having an immediate and thorough inspection made of the structure with a view to arriving at a definite decision regarding what work will be necessary to render the bridge safe for the heavy and almost continuous traffic passing over it. WAIPA RIVER ROAD. On the motion of Cr Simms, it was decided to apply for a free grant for the widening of the Waipa river road, in the Otewa riding, at places where the actiop of the river has cut away portions of the roadway near Corboy’s property. TENDERS. The following tenders were received for new alignments on the Serpentine, Honikiwi main highway: Contract 197, section 3, H. Vincent £913 9s 6d, J. B. McGrath £llB4, Henry Rothery £1583 17s 6d; section 1, E. F. Hooper and L. M. King £1700; section 2, £671 17s; section 1, W. Smale £1519 12s 6d; section 2, £723 Ils 6d. As the tenders for the larger contracts were considerably above the engineer’s estimate, the matter was left with the chairman and riding member to finalise. The tender of H. Vincent was accepted for the smaller contract. FLAME THROWER. It was decided to purchase a modern flame thrower, to be employed against noxious weeds, the same to be hired out at 2s 6d per week when not in use by the county. DOG COLLARS. It was decided to procure 1400 dog collars from the Disabled Soldiers’ Products Manufacturers, Dunedin. The price was quoted at £43 Is for 20 by jin collars, plus sales tax, the same price as was paid by the Council for last year’s supply from the same source. SALEYARDS SANITATION. The matter - of the sanitation at the stock yards (local) controlled by the Otorohanga Saleyards Co., came up for consideration. The engineer estimated that it would cost £l2OO to provide modern sanitation for the saleyards, with drainage into the Waipa river, which flows near by. The health inspector had suggested drainage into a near-by hollow. This

idea did not have the approval of the Council. As a change of ownership of the yards was likely in the near future, it was decided to leave the matter in abeyance until the Council meets again in November. A long list of accounts was nassed for payment.