COUNTY COUNCIL MATTERS

Taranaki Daily News, 9 July 1930, Page 6

COUNTY COUNCIL MATTERS

ADMINISTRATION AT BATEA. The Batea County Council met yesterday, there being present Councillors W. G. Belton (chairman), J. Lupton, R. Scown, R. Watt, J. Beat, C. Johnston,. W. Watkins and A. J. Gibbs. The engineer (Mr. L. F. Row), reporting on the work carried out in the various ridings for the past month, stated: Kapara Riding.-—One formation contract on the lower Waitotara. Valley Road has been completed and three other contracts are progressing satisfactorily. Sections of the road between Laird’s and Leith’s are badly cut up and are now practically closed for car traffic. The contractors for the construction of the Matemate Road are making steady, progress, but small slips are causing some delay. Moumahaki. . Riding.—Sanding and general roadj repairs have been carried out on Aiken’s and McGregor’s Roads. A general cleaning of drains, watertables and footpaths has been done in the Waitotara township, and the drainage of the hill has received attention. The approaches of the Ngutuwera bridge have been improved by carting extra material to the fillings on either end. A new culvert is being laid at Verry’s to replace an old box culvert, and this work has necessitated the closing of the Waitotara-Ngutuwera Road for a few days. Waverley Riding.—Sections of metalling have been completed on Stewart’s and Hunter’s Road, and maintenance metal Ms been carted to the Tower Road. The metalling of a short length of Farahaki Road is in progress.. Minor formation works on the Whenuakura hill have improved several dangerous places, and the decking of the bridge has also been repaired. Otoia East,—Approximately 20. chains of the Kaharoa highway has been dressed 'with stone chips. No other work except general road maintenance has been carried out in this riding. Otoia West. —Sanding and general repairs have been completed on Crompton Road and metal patching and general repairs in the Makino- Gorge. The shoulders of the main road have been brought up as much as possible with the grader, and in several places clay and sand have been carted to build up along the edges of the bitumen. General.—All holes in the bituminous surface of the main road between Waitotara and Batea have been attended to, and it is proposed to continue the improvement of the shouldering in order to preserve the edges of the bitumen. The estimates for proposed works on all highways have been submitted to the District Highways Council. It is proposed to finalise the metalling programme for each riding at an early date in order to allow time to arrange for the delivery of materials. Satisfaction was expressed by the chairman with a new system arranged between the clerk and the engineer whereby the general administration of county affairs was placed on a more satisfactory basis. In view of the fact that a great amount of extra work would result it was decided to grant the clerk an increase in salary of £75 a year. It was decided to authorise the engineer to procure a temporary assistant. The chairman was voted an honorarium of £75 a year. The tender of Messrs. Hodder and Tolley, Ltd., of £7 Ils. 3d. per ton for the supply of 140 tons of bitumen was accptod subject to the approval of the engineer. The tender of the Cherrybank Metal Co. for the supply of pit metal at Bs. 3d. a yard was accepted. Mr. H.J. Hill was granted a slaughtering license.

MAORI’S SUDDEN DEATH. That death was due to syncope was tho verdict returned by Mr. R. S. Sage, coroner, at the inquest yesterday into the death of Paul Hikatu, a Maori farmer of Manaia. , Constable Scannell conducted proceedings for the police. Hikatu’s wife, Ngatitou Tauru, eaid her husband had for the past two years complained of pains in the chest and on several occasions had fainted. He had been attended by Dr. Gray, Kaponga, who had advised him to go to Hawera to be X-rayed. A itness did not know whether he had done so or not. No doctor had attended Hikatu since he was attended by Dr. Gray two years ago. Dr. C. A. Davies stated he had performed a post-mortem examination. There were scratches on the body caused by boxthorn and there was a piece of boxthorn embedded in his right eye. All the organs with the exception of the heart were apparently normal. The heart was much enlarged and on the left' side the muscles were thin with evidences of fibrosis. To Constable Scannell: It was more than likely that the boxthorn hail been embedded in the eye when Hikatu fell to the ground. Paddy Akamanu stated that as he was going towards the haystack to help Hikato feed the stock on Saturday afternoon he saw that he was lying on his face, Hikatu had told witness that he was going to chase a cow from the enclosure where the hay was. Witness had gone for .another Native, Toroa Ngatan, when he discovered the body and they had examined it, finding Hili at n dead. BATEA PERSONAL ITEMS. i Captain Me'Laughlan of the s.s. Kiipuni is undertaking tho duties of harbourmaster . while Captain Tinney as indisposed. Mr. G. Peachey is visiting relatives at Ngacre. Mr. “Jimmy” Bourke is an inmate of the Batea hospital. Miss M. Sheild, Stratford, is visiting relatives in Batea andrdistrict.