HAWERA NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 September 1926, Page 2

HAWERA NEWS.

MAINTENANCE OF ROADS WORK FOR THE MONTH. COUNTY COUNCIL MEETS. ((From Our Own Reporter.) Hawera, Sept. 11. The monthly meeting of the Hawera County Council was held to-day. Present: 'Mr. J. B. Murdoch (chairman), Crs. T. Walsh, E. A. Washer, B. C. Lysaght, A. G. Larcom, G. A. Williams, J. Rothery and T. A. Winks. The county overseer (Mr. A. Muggeridge) reported as follow:“The scarifying on the Skeet Road will be finished hi a few days. There was about 10 chains on the eastern side of the Inaha Hill which was very thin and eight yards of metal to the chain was laid on this length. As soon as this job is finished the metal for the length between the Duthie Road and the Ahaipaipai Road will be gone on with. The metal has all been delivered for the Normanby-Okaiawa Road for backing up the sides of the tar and making of horse tracks on the worst portions of the three hills. It took 320 yards of pit metal to do this work. The same class of work has been carried out opposite the racecourse on the Waihi Road and 70 yards of pit metal was used. The hill on the Austin Road -has also been metalled with pit metal and is now passable for all traffic. “The hauler that was purchased recently is now on the beach and is being erected on the site where it is required. It all had to be dismantled to get it down the tram line as the wooden rails were not strong enough to carry it and the deep cutting was too narrow for it to go through. The crusher has been shifted to a more convenient site, and the erection o-f the screen and bins will be gone on with at once. The culvert on the Morea Road has been erected and the wash-out filled in. This work took about 500 yards of earth. There are two large slips further along which are being cleared at the present time, one of them is a chain wide. Bitumen patching has been carried out throughout the county where required. There lias been less of this work to do this winter than previously. Two of the teams are engaged at the present time carting shingle from the Waingongoro beach, and the others will be going on to the Waukino Beach shortly. The Tawhite culvert on the Tawhite Road will cost £l*2-5 to widen out and put the filling in. This will give an extra 8 feet of roadway.” The report was adopted. METALLING THE AUSTIN ROAD. The foreman advised that he had 50 tons of bitumen in store at New Plymouth at £8 a ton, and he had secured 250 tons at £7 5s M a ton on the trucks at New Plymouth. The Public Trust Office, Wellington, asked in regai-d to the proposed Austin Road loan of £lOOO, whether the council was yet able to lodge an application for the loan. The chairman said he understood that nothing was being done in this direction. A deputation of Austin Road settlers waited on the council, and asked that the council should! metal either the whole or part of the road. Seven settlers from the section of the road between the Normanby Road and the Fraser Road were members of the deputation, Mr. O. Vickeridge acting as spokesman. They asked that as much of the road should be metalled each year as possible. The chairman said the riding representatives and the foreman would go into the matter and the worst portions would probably be attended to. Mr. Winks said as a riding member he was prepared to spend all the revenue from that road on the road after administrative expenses had been, deducted and even more on the worst portions of the road. The riding members gave their assurance that everything’ possible would be done in order to meet the settlers’ requirements. After the deputation withdrew the riding members were instructed to go into the matter with power to act. THE RANGER’S' REPORT. The county ranger (Mr. G. H. Blackwell) reported that a considerable amount of rubbish, including tins, tanks, and barbed wire, had been dumped at the foot of the culvert on the Whareioa Road, and he was of opinion that some persons thought that it was a public dumping place. On the Glover Road opposite the factory a pen constructed of hurdles had been erected, and a similar pen had been erected on the Ahaipaipai Road without the council’s permission. Mention was made of poles on the comer of Fantham Street and Turuturu Road, which constituted a danger to anyone not acquainted with the locality. During the month a number of lorry drivers had been approached with regal’d to their heavy traffic licenses, and two were not carrying licenses as required by the regulations. During the month 7'B cows and 17 horses had been found wandering on the county roads. —The report was received. The sanitary inspector (Mr. F. G. Coleman) reported that during August two eases of pneumonia had been attended to, one nuisance had been abated, and three samples of butter, one of bread and one of lard had been taken, while one dairy, two stores and one bakehouse had been inspected. ReSTRATFORD .MAIN TRUNK LINE. The Stratford Progress League advised of the following resolution passed by the league in connection with the Strat-ford-Okahukura railway:—“That this league regrets the Minister of Public Works has not been able to put a larger sum than £lBO,OOO on the estimates for work in connection with the StratfordMain Trunk Railway, and expresses the hope that this comparatively small sum will be exceeded in the ensuing year and that the work will be pushed forward to completion with the utmost expedition.” The letter continued that in view of the question being one of outstanding importance both to Taranaki and the Dominion, it was felt that all public bodies in the provincial district and in the Main Trunk area affected should be circularised and asked to endorse the resolution. After making careful inquiries the league ascertained that the present estimates could not be altered and felt that every effort should be made to induce Cabinet to place a much more considerable sum on the 1927 estimates. While it seemed unwise to press fpr this at the present time, the league

considered that the opportunity would present itself of enlisting the sympathy of the new Minister, who would no doubt visit the district on his tour of inspection of public works during the recess. The league asked for an expression from the council as to the advisability of a combined deputation waiting on the Minister on his visit to Taranaki. “We want to see the railway pushed through,” said the chairman, who thought the line would expedite the cartage of goods, especially of coal and timber. The council unanimously decided to support the Progress League’s resolution and agreed to the suggestions of the league with regard to a deputation meeting the Minister. LOCAL BODIES LOANS BOARD. A copy of a resolution passed by the New Zealand Counties Association and forwarded to the Prime Minister was submitted as follows:—“That while the New Zealand Counties Association is not opposed to the supervision of borrowing powers as proposed in the Local Government Loans Board Bill, it is anxious that the operations of the proposed board should not unduly add to the administrative cost of counties in complying with the board's requirements or delay the carrying out of legitimate requirements of county areas. The association is, however, of opinion in view of the large and important interests of rural communities involved, that one. of the members of the proposed board should be representative of county councils.” The letter also regretted that the Bill was not circulated in time to receive consideration at the recent counties’ conference, and the executive did not claim to be voicing the views of the county councils on the matter. The council decided to support the resolution. The Under-Secretary of the Department of Lands and Survey forwarded a copy of the Order-in-Council appointing the council a domain board to have control of the Te Ngutu-o-te-Manu Domain. OMAHURU ROAD REQUEST. The Hawera Co-operative Dairy Company advised that the directors had decided to endeavour to arrange for a renewal of the existing lease of the Tokaora factory site for a further term of 21 years and for the insertion of a clause in the lease providing that any party successfully competing with the company for the site and buildings at the expiration of the lease should be required to pay compensation to the company for improvements.—The council agreed to the proposal. Mr. S. C. G. Radford, of Matapu, drew attention to the bad state of the Omahuru Road. The entrance from the Hastings Road was axle deep and was full of dangerous holes, and Waki’s filling was “nothing but a bog hole,” while the dip known as Manaia hill was a dangerous bog.—The chairman said the road led down to native lands and it was in a bad state. The county engineer said it was awkward to do much repair work at the present time as the lorries could not be taken down. The foreman was instructed to make any possible improvements. MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS. The Prime Minister acknowledged receipt of the council’s'letter in regard to the Local Government Loans Board Bill and replied as follow“I can assure yon that careful consideration has been given to the representations of. those affected, but it has been decided by the Government to proceed with this measure during the present session. The Government will at all times be prepared to consider sympathetically the views of local bodies affected by the operation of the Act. The suggestion of your council that advance copies of Government measures affecting local bodies should be supplied to such bodies will receive consideration.” The State Advances Office advised that it had been resolved to grant the council a loan of £l5O for the purpose of completing the formation and metalling of the Ngawhine Road. The council decided to support the Oliura County Council’s resolution that the basis of the hospital levy should be on the basis of population. EXTENDING FIRE PROTECTION. SERVING THE NEW HOSPITAL. The new Hawera Public Hospital is outside the area at present served by the Hawera Eire Brigade, and for the purpose of insuring the protection of the hospital against outbreaks of fire a deputation from the Hawera Fire Board consisting of the chairman (Mr. L. A. Bone) and the secretary (Mr. H. S. Elliott), waited on the Hawera County Council to-day. Mr. Bone explained that if the brigade went out to the hospital without having first secured permission the Fire Board would be liable for any damage done by the brigade. The way to overcome the difficulty was for the Fire Board and the council to enter into an agreement giving the brigade permission to serve the area. By such an agreement, if the brigade caused any damage, the Fire Board would then be immune from claims fpr such damage. The chairman (Mr. .1. B. Murdoch) said he did not think the council hud any objection to such a step as they fully recognised the necessity of it. Mr. Elliott explained that after such an agreement any damage done by the brigade would be included in and covered bv the insurance. The'deputation then withdrew, and the council passed a resolution entering into an agreement with the Fire Board for the protection of the hospital against fire. PRESENTATION TO MR. FOX. In recognition of his help in coaching the Methodist choirs for the recent competitions in which the Methodist A choir won, the members of the choirs held a pleasant little social evening in the Methodist Schoolroom last evening in honour of Mr. 11. C. A. Fox. On behalf of the choirs the Rev. W. J. Oxbrow presented Mr. Fox with a handsome attache ease, and in the course of his remarks he paid a tribute to the valued assistance Mr. Fox had given in training the choirs. Messrs. T. Hun-ell and B. Smith added tributes to Mr. Fox's assistance.. Miss M. Hurrell presented Mrs. Fox with a handsome bouquet. The evening was brightened by competitions and vocal and instrumental items as follow: —(Pianoforte solo, Miss A; Curtis: recitations, Miss Dixon and Miss and Master Fox; songs, Mrs. E. M. Carter (with Hute obligato by. Mr. lox) and Messrs. E. H. Piper and C. Douglas; and cornet solo, Mr. Fox. T.he .accompaniments were played by Miss Rogers and Mr. Thorbur.

PRECAUTIONS AGAINST FIRE. At the meeting of the Hawera County Council this morning a letter was received from the Department of Internal Affairs stating that in view of the large number of outbreaks of fire occurring in the Dominion: with the loss of life and excessive destruction of property caused thereby, the Government had published a circular “Fire Precautions for Householders,” and two copies were enclosed. The department suggested that local bodies might distribute the circulars in their respective districts and for that purpose supplies could be obtained from the department at a cost of 17s fid per thousand copies. The pamphlets enumerate fifteen dangerous articles and give information in each ease with regard to the proper precautions to take to prevent fire. The council took no action in the matter. BANKRUPT CONTRACTOR. ESTATE OF WILLIAM HAYWOOD. A meeting of creditors in the bankrupt estate of William Hayward, contractor, was held at the office of the D.O.A. (Mr. R. S. Sage), Hawera, yesterday. There were present: Messrs E. M. Beechey (for Messrs A. C. Pease), P. T. Donnelly, J. F. GiHanders, G. W. Gane, H. Taylor, C. G. Trotter, H. Collier. Mr. L. At. Taylor represented the bankrupt. The unsecured debts were stated as follows: Newton King, Ltd., £100; Farmers’ Co-op., £103; F. Gillanders, £ll2 15s 4d; H. Livingston, £6O; Hawera County Council, £46; Ha Hi well, Spratt and Horner, £46; W. G. Gane, £2O; W. A. Parkinson and Co., Ltd., £’7 10 s; P. Donnelly, £2l; Curtis and Sprang, £l5; Estate J. Kirk, £9 Iss; Welsh, McCarthy and Beechey, £5; E. Bach, £5; Estate G. C. Sage, £3; O’Dea and Bayley, £2. The only secured debtor was A. C. Pease, £260 (estimated value of Security £.500). i Under examination bankrupt said that hie plant consisted of waggons, drays, and horses valued at £5OO. All were pledged under bill of sale. He gave a list of the horses, numbering 12, of which three had been replaced since the bill was given. He also had seven sets of dray harness and one waggon. There i were no other assets but some old drays I and a wfoare on a lorry. He said he was not the owner of any eows, which belonged to his wife, who was milking them. Some were at the Ohawe beach and others at Normanby. There was a motor-car, but that also belonged to liis wife, bought with money saved by her and the boys. He used it occasionally to go to work. Bankrupt said he had carted 140 yards of sihingle during August, for various contractors, three teams working. The D.O.A. said that although bankrupt rvas carting for the Borough Council he had no contract. He had an arrangement to supply 100 yards, of wliiah he had delivered 52, and had been paid for 44. Mr. Trotter said apparently there was no profit in taking shingle from the beach at l’2s a yard. Bankrupt said he did most of the shoing of his horses himself. It cost 18s per - set to have it done. He paid £l2 per week in ■wages and there were repairs and renetvals. Last year he had about four months’ idle time. After some discussion it was resolved that the business be wound up and the assets realised as soon as convenient. The D.O.A. said he would first endeavour to sell the horses by tender, and if no offer was received, he would

put them up t.o auction. Bankrupt would assist the estate by continuing to work the horse*. The meeting d< Ldcd to allow bankrupt to retain h| furniture. The D.O.A. undertook to be responsible for the heavy traffic licenses until September 30. The meeting was adjourned eine die. GENERAL ITEMS. Through the hood of a now car being damaged by rats gnawing holes in it during it ( « transit from America a Ifawera minor firm had to epend several pounds in repairing the damage. “Put some gorse on it."’ said a councillor when the matter of repairing a particularly boggy road was ipider consideration at the Hawera County Council meeting to-day. There is evidently plenty of money about since the Hawera county clerk (Mr. J. VV. Harding) stated at the council meeting to-day that he had received several offers of large sums, one of ;£4OOO, for depos.it with the council. ‘‘This i-s the first month since I’ve been here that I have not collected some native rates,” said the clerk at the meeting of the Hawera County Council to-day.