HAWERA NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 October 1926, Page 2

HAWERA NEWS.

MAINTENANCE OF ROADS. PAST MONTH'S WORK. MEETING OF THE COUNCIL. (From Our Own Reporter.) Hawera, Oct. 10. The monthly meeting of the Hawera County Council was held on Saturday. Present: Messrs. J. B. Murdoch (chairman), A. G. Lareom, G. A. W. Williams, B. C. Lysaght, T. Walsh, E. A. Washer, T. A. Winks and W. Rothery.

The foreman’s monthly report was as follows:—

The metalling of the Skeet Road was proceeding satisfactorily until a week ago when the weather broke, since when nothing has been done. It is of no use to grout when the stone is wet and if the metal were rolled it could not be done at all. Shingle is being delivered on various roads in readiness for bitumen dressing. The hauler is in position on the beach and will be in work shortly. The rubbish dump at the hairpin bend on the Whareroa Road has been fixed up. All the iron had to be taken out from the mouth of the culvert as it was backing the water up, and fortyeight feet added to the present culvert. If this is filled in with flattened tins only, and clay, in time there will be a good wide road at this place which is dangerous at the present time. The Waihi Road has not been started yet as the weather has been to unsettled. Everything is in readiness, and the work will be commenced as soon as the weather takes up. As instructed, the Omahuru, Road has had temporary repairs, and will be worse than it was before with all the rain following on the new earthwork. This being only a halfchain road which the natives are allowed to hand over to local bodies in its natural state, is the cause of this road getting so bad. The resident engineer of the Public Works Department (Mr. T. M. Bally was down to inspect the site of the new bridge for the Noonan Gorge, and as soon as the plans come to hand this work can be gone on with. Most of the late flood damage is now’ well in hand. The small bridge on the eastern side of the Tongahoe bridge will be put into position shortly. The road is passable at the present time, but the work will have to be done before the w’ool traffic starts. The road to Mrs. Hunt’s property at Mokoia will be graded during the coming week, and when this is done I would recommend the council to dispose of two teams of horses as there is very little of this class of work to be done now and it would be wiser to depend on the lorries for all carting. The teams have been getting shingle from the Waingongoro beach, and dumping it on the top of the hill in readiness for the topdressing of the roads that require bitumen dressing. The report was adopted.

HIGHWAYS BOARD SUBSIDY. The foreman stated that the Public Works engineer had only offered a subsidy of £1 for £2 and had been of opinion that the Noonan bridge was in good enough condition for the traffic over’ it. The foreman stated that the bridge had been up for about forty years.

Cr. Rothery pointed out that something would have to be done to allow of the roller crossing and carrying out road work in that district, otherwise the Whakamara ratepayers would have to raise a special loan within a few vears to metal the roads in the district.

The chairman of the Main Highways Board advised that by resolution passed at the last meeting held on September 22, the board decided to increase the maintenance subsidy from £1 for £1 to 30s for £l, and the increased subsidy was to take effect as from September 9, 1926.

The county ranger (Mr. G. H. Blackwell) reported that a quantity of tins and rubbish had been dumped at the head of a culvert on a metal road at -Hurstlands. The ranger stated that he was informed that several settlers in the vicinity were among the offenders. The practice of dumping rubbish in that place required to be stopped. Several cases of overhanging hedges were reported. There was a good deal of gorse growing on several farm frontages at Whakamara, and the ‘ owners had been interviewed on the matter. During the month 63 cows, 9 horses and one sheep were found wandering on the county roads.

The chairman pointed out that warnings had been given previously, and he was afraid that prosecutions would take place if the offences continued.

The chairman and Cr. Washer were, appointed to represent the council at the next meeting of the Taranaki Local Bodies’ Association at Elthani on October 29.

The Acting-Prime Minister (Hon. W. Downie Stewart) acknowledged receipt of the council’s letter advising of the resolution passed by the council in reference to the means of raising money for public hospitals. The letter stated that the council’s representations would have the earnest consideration of the Government.

The Native Trustee wrote thanking the Council for their courtesy in making their board room available to his paying officers.

“LOOK OUT FOR THE ENGINE." REPAIRING CROSS ARM NOTICES. At the last meeting of the Hawera County Council the Railway Department wrote asking the council to're-paint certain cross-arm warning notice boards at railway crossings in the county. The council, however, decided that they could not accept any responsibility fordoing this work, and the following letter was received from the Railway Department and read at the council meeting to-day—“l am in receipt of your letter conveying your council’s decision not to accept any further responsibilities' in relation to cross-arm notice boards erected within its boundaries. You appear to have drawn a wrong deduction from the wording of the letter forwarded you. Representations from this department were made to your council in 1914, in common with the majority of local authorities through out the Dominion, to the effect that if the department provided and erected the boards at its own expense your council would agree to co-operate in the maintenance of these boards. This it agreed to do. It was not obligatory on the department to undertake the heavy expense of providing these boards throughout the Dominion, but the advent of motor driver vehicles had, r.t that time, completely altered the cir-

cumstances of road traction, and it was for this reason the department decided to invite local bodies to co-operate in an endeavour to render travel along main roads intersecting railways as safe as possible for vehicular traffic. The necessity that then existed for such warning notice boards has, of course, much increased since 1914, and it is considered that it would be a retrograde step to allow them to fall into disuse.” The department also forwarded a copy of a letter received from the council relative, to the cross-arm notices in 1914 The letter read as follows:—“Referring to your circular of May 12. which was placed before our last meeting of the council, 1 was instructed io inform you that the council was willing to cooperate with the department in connection with ilie proposed warning boards and to suggest that the level crossings at which it was desirable that they should be erected were: —Main South Road, Mokoia and Hawera, Winks’ crossing, Austin Road and Onewhaia Road crossing, Normanby.” The chairman pointed out that it would be easy enough for the Railway Department to paint the boards, and he did not think that the matter had anything to do with the council. It was decided that no action be taken in the matter.

COST OF COUNTY RE-VALUATION. The Hawera County Council’s share of the cost of the recent re-valuation of the Hawera county amounts to £l9O, according to recent advice received from the Valuation Department. This ie one-third of the total cost of re-valua-tion, the other two-thirds being met, half by the Valuation Department, and half by the Income Tax Department, so that the total cost of re-valuing the county amounted to £570.

BOYS’ AND GIRLS’ CLUBS. MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE. A meeting of the executive of the Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs was held yesterday when there were present: Messrs. 11. Hodge (chairman), G. T. Francis, A J. Glasson, W. M. Dill-Macky, R. Syme, E. J. Betts, D. M. Cameron, J. Dakers, T. Innes, C. V. Smith and E. K. Cameron (secretary).

The secretary reported that 514 entries were the total up to date received for the root crop and calf rearing competitions, comprising, 127 carrots, 113 mangolds and 274 calves. A few late entries were coming in.

Mr. A. J. Glasson said he was prepared to receive late entries, provided they were all in by about Wednesday next. All seed and manure orders were already given out, Mr. Glasson also referred to the irregularity of and the incorrect filling in of forms. The forms in many cases did not indicate the school nor the name of the plot or the seed required. He thought a greater„measure of supervision from either parent or teacher would facilitate matters.

Mr. Dill-Macky referred to the ’extending of club competitions to schools in grade 2. One school in particular was desirous of- competing but had no entry forms. Mr. Glasson suggested that Mr. Macky take out extra forms with the view of getting them in. This suggestion was adopted. Mr. Macky also suggested that he and other instructors could facilitate the getting of entries of various schools by personally taking entry forms, stating that the personal touch with schools would be a desirable feature in the enrolment campaign. A Douglas School applicant wrote desiring to enter four calves. This was discussed and it was resolved to adhere to the previous rule that competitors be allowed not more than one calf in each class.

SENIOR DIVISION. Mr. Glasson suggested that entries should be received from boys who had never been in any competition during school life. The plots would be %-acre in extent. He had communicated with the senior officers of the department and who agreed it would be a god plan. The chairman said he was pleased to know that the department was open to receive such entries. These competitors were undoubtedly the future farmers.

The form of charts for the senior' division plots came up for discussion: Mr. R. Syme submitted a chart which he considered would best meet the rsquirements. The chart aimed at the “costing” of the crop. Some discussion arose concerning the apportionment of costs at various places of the work.

It was finally decided to arrive at the cost by a flat rate of 5s per hour for cultivation, 2s 6d per hour for horsehoeing and Is 6d per hour for hand hoeing. The costing of land was left in the hands of the judges. The conditions for the plots provided for ploughing, discing, and harrowing but the work from the seed sowing was to be carried out by each competitor. The chart points were fixed at the same as for field cultivation, and the judging points were fixed with a maximum of 15.

It was decided to extend the certificates to calf rearing as well as root growing, which would include Ist 2nd and 3rd and champion, and dairy type.

It was decided to leave the matter of additional certificates in the hands of Mr. R. Syme and the secretary. Mr. C. V. Smith suggested that the total points for charts be altered from 20 to 50.

After some discussion it was decided to leave the matter with Messrs. Syme, Smith and Dill-Macky, who would bring down a report for next meeting.