WHANGAMOMONA COUNTY

Taranaki Daily News, 16 August 1934, Page 14

WHANGAMOMONA COUNTY

MAKAHU ROAD METALLING.

CONTRIBUTIONS BY SETTLERS. The Whangamomona County Council met at Whangamomona on Tuesday when there were present Councillors N. R. Cleland (chairman), J. D Law, G. Gower, M. P. Ford, J. W. Rawlinson, B. Neustrowski and E. B. Roberton. That at present there appeared little prospect of having anything done on Mohakau Road, more especially in view of the very small proportion of cost which interested settlers were prepared to contribute, was the advice forwarded by Mr. P. Keller, district engineer. Mr. Keller pointed out that it had been impossible this year to make provision on the estimates, with the limited funds available, for very many more deserving works towards which settlers or local bodies were finding a much greater proportion than was the case with Mohakau Road, when it appeared only £4O was available from the settlers for work estimated to cost over £l4OO. The work referred to by the engineer was the metalling of the final section of Mohakau Road between Kiore and Te Wera, about two miles of which lay within the Whangamomona County. The chairman said he had received a communication from one of the two settlers interested, in which it was pointed out that the offer to contribute £4O applied only to the metalling of a distance of about 50 chains, and was not intended to apply towards the metalling of the whole distance of two and a-half miles. The chairman thought £4O was a very liberal contribution, having in mind the much shorter distance required to give metalled access. It was agreed to urge upon the Public Works Department the advisability and the desirability of pushing ahead with work on the 50 chains. The engineer is to be advised that although the council fully appreciated the advantages that would accrue from completing the whole distance, it was concerned with expediting the realisation of the settlers’ desire to have metalled access to their homesteads from Te Wera. Cr. Ford: It has to be borne in mind that Te Wera is now a recognised stopping place for express trains and the completion of the through road from Kiore would undoubtedly confer a great benefit upon all settlers living in that district. The district engineer advised that the reforming and metalling of Poarangi Road from the junction with Whangamomona Road to Mr. P. L. Coxhead’s section having been completed, the road had been handed to the council for future maintenance. In connection with the proposed metalling of a portion of Akama Road from the Ohura Road to Mr. D. Yandle’s homestead, an application was received from an interested party to have the road deviated in order to give more direct access to two houses. Before proceeding further in the matter the clerk was instructed to ascertain the feeling of all the settlers affected and to what extent they were prepared to meet any costs involved. The clerk was also instructed to communicate with the Public Trustee, as administrator of the estate of one property concerned, to ascertain whether permission would be granted to acquire the land. The amount of fifths due to the county from revenue derived from State forest royalties within the county amounted to £5 5s sd, wrote the Conservator of Forests in asking how the council proposed to expend this money. The conservator is to be informed that the fifths will be devoted towards metalling a portion of Moki Road. Having noticed that the council was thinking of having papa burned for the purpose of metalling Mangere Road, Mr. W. Telfa? wrote offering a word of warning based on experience in earlier days.' The chairman commented that if any papa was to be burned it would no doubt be done by the Public Works Department. The Wanganui County Council forwarded the following resolution asking for the council’s support: That this council considers the Transport Board is not functioning in the best interest of the farming community, inasmuch as its operation is creating a monopoly, with consequent increased costs, by eliminating competition in the carriage of goods to and from farms; it is considered that the payment of heavy traffic license fees by the owners of motorvehicles is sufficient to cover the use of any road, subject to compliance with the road classifications or special local restrictions. “There is a lot in the motion,” commented Cr. Roberton. The chairman mentioned the case of one lorry owner ho was delayed on his run nearly two hours while an official measured the vehicle, while other councillors in turn expressed the opinion that interference and restriction in this form of business was becoming “almost intolerable.” The Wanganui resolution was unanimously supported. “I propose that we support this move and that the chairman represent this council at the conference,” said Cr. Ford when a motion from the Temuka Borough Council suggesting the holding of a conference of representatives of all local authorities with the object of framing and adopting a national scheme to bring people into remunerative and civil employment, was under discussion. “I will support anything that might tend to improve the present position of our unfortunate unemployed,” he added. The motion was carried. A resolution protesting against the extension of the life of Parliament received from the Westport Borough Council was not supported. The provision of a copper and other facilities at the county cottage at Makahu was left to Cr. Ford with power to act. Authority was given for the fencing of the surfaceman’s paddock. at Tahora.