COUNCL ADMINISTRATION

Taranaki Daily News, 10 May 1930, Page 6

COUNCL ADMINISTRATION

ENGINEER’S REPORT ON WORK.

The monthly meeting of the Hawera County Council was held yesterday, there being present Messrs. J. B. Murdoch (chairman), H. I. Crocker, E. A. Washer, E. L. Death, A. G. Larco-m, G. A. Williams, W. Rothery and T. A. Winks. The engineer, Mr. A. Muggeridge, reported as follows:—“The widening of the Waihi Road from the Glover Road to the show grounds gate is completed, making a width of 16 feet for the whole distance. Thirty-five chains of metal has been laid on the old Mountain Road, and will be rolled and blinded as soon as a roller is available., The Whakatau Road has been rolled and blinded, and as soon as. the sides are, straightened the job will be finished. 1 -The metal authorised for the Oinahuru Road has been delivered' and the blinding will be attended to as soon, as possible. The Mawhitiwhiti Road is being metalled for about 20’chains. '/.The work will be finished in another., .two days. All the programme of metalling that the Mokoia‘riding members laid out will be finished during nextyVeek,. there being only about 20 chains more to,do. The men engaged at Lander’s pit procuring the gravel are knapping stone on the .roads where the metal was- delivered. The HaUroto Road has been surfaced with road oil, as hit vic-been a portion of the Tempsky and a mile of the Ngawhine and about 60 .chains of the Austin Road. Portions of the Ohangai, Fantham Street, Wait!, Denby and Skeet Roads have been surfaced with bitumen. All the bitumen, has been used except that reserved for patching. The suggestion that the Egmont National Park Board i should arrange for the Dawson Falls mountain road to be declared a main highway was made by the council at last meeting, when the board made a request for a subsidy. Yesterday a letter was received from ,the chairman of the South Committee, Mr. W. G. Walkley, in which he stated that if the road was declared a main highway the board would be unable to collect tolls for the use of the road. As such tolls were its principal source of revenue the council would see that the situation was somewhat difficult. He was sure his committee would appreciate very much the council’s expression of its willingness to assist the board to arrange for the road to be declared a main highway.

Discussion was deferred until the decision of the board was received.

The Highways’ Board representative, Mr. P. Keller, advised that a public inquiry, would be held at Hawera on May 23 for the purpose of hearing evidence from all interested parties to determine the boundaries of the region comprising the boroughs and surrounding districts. The chairman invited interested coun-' cillors to attend the meeting. The engineer was instructed to provide metal for the Whakainaru Road filling. Work on Ketemaru Road is to be proceeded with next week. “It seems the object of the Whakatane conference’s circular urging an increased petrol tax is to pass the control over to the Highways Board,” said the chairman. “If that were done the costs of administration would be doubled or trebled.” The chairman considered that the man on the land would be affected more by such a system than was apparent at the present time. The present system of highways was not an equitable one, and it would pay county councils better to endeavour to have a more equitable basis to work upon. After further discussion the letter was received.

MID-WEEK RUGBY.

OHANGAI DEFEAT FRASER ROAD.

By 9 points toI’nil 1 ’nil Ohangai defeated Fraser Road on tho letter’s ground yes-: terday in their first match in the midweek competition.' The • game was a, dull and ragged exposition, in which! Ohangai held a territorial advantage ■practically throughout tho second spell. Hard forward play was the chief characteristic of the match, which was almost devoid of any spectacular or cohesive back play. 1 Shortly after play commenced Ohangai attacked. In tho melee a Fraser Road player misjudged his kick, with the result that after fast following up in company with Garrett Stead drew first blood for Ohangai. Savage’s kick failed. Upon resuming Fraser Road set up a hot attack, but Ohangai quickly turn-, ed defence into attack and swarmed to tho blue line. Play see-sawed up and. down the field until Ohangai infringed.' An attempt at goal by Newall failed.' Ohangai 'returned to the attack. Follow-, ing & period of .dull play brightened ; only by ineffective Ohangai rushes in : which Savage and Hartley were prom-1 inent, the spell ended without further! score.

In the second half Ohangai. were early; on tho offensive. Newall miskicked and; tho magpies swarmed for the line. The! •blues’ defence kept them out, a good ground. Ohangai returned to tho attack, line, when off-side 'play gave Fraser Road a chance to clear. Territorially Ohangai were holding the advantage, but seemed unable to infuse sufficient lite into their play to score. Savage was successful in adding a further three points from a penalty goal. Ultimately the magpies’ efforts’were rewarded when Findlay crossed the Tine. Savage missed an easy kick'. Mr. G. Hurley refereed. MANAIA TALKIES TO-NIGHT. . The “Idle Rich,” four years as a stage success, now an all talking film sensa-j tion, will be shown at the Manaia Talkies to-night. The story deals with an average American family living in .a • middle-class .'flat in a larger city,"and is’ delightfully in.t'imatc and yer,y real in its dialogue action and lt. is filled with' laughter, romance and . heart interest. ' There, are splendid sup- ] ports, including Madame Q (comedy), songs from George Washington, items from' Gan-'Garbers.'Wnd and "catchy” numbets'from'GoYdbm and Squires. i;p • Ci »CU j • ' hilt b’s4l'7i»u«cr-. aw