OHURA COUNTY

Taranaki Daily News, 14 September 1934, Page 12

OHURA COUNTY

ADMINISTRATION OF AREA OTANGIWAI SETTLER'S REQUEST.? TELEPHONE LINES OVER ROAD. Tire monthly meeting of the Ohura County Council was held on Wednesday, the chairman, Mr. Jas. Caird, presiding. There were also present: Crs. Geo. Denison, A. Renner, L. Fauchelle, A. F. McKenzie, and F. Romayne. The Otangiwai Ratepayers’ Association wrote as follows: About, last February the association wrote asking the council to enforce the proper erection of all prir vate telephone lines, as many are a danger to traffic as erected at present. As to date nothing has been done to these lines, the last meeting of the association decided to communicate again asking what the council's intentions are. Cr. Denison: Is it at Otangiwai where the lines cross the road? ■ Cr. Renner asked if the council had not instructed the engineer to attend to the matter. Cr. Denison said that where the lines were dangerous they should be attended to. , Cr. Renner said there are private lines in other parts of the county which should be attended to. The engineer said he had had one line raised at Otangiwai. Cr. Fauchelle said that Mr. Higgie stated at the meeting that all the lines were too low. Cr. McKenzie thought the Otangiwai settlers should fix their own lines. The discussion was allowed to drop. Mr. T. R. Etherington, Matiere, wrote asking for permission to erect a cream stand near his property. Permission Was granted subject to the approval of the engineer and during the pleasure of the council. It was moved by Cr. Denison, and seconded by Cr. Renner, that in all cases where cream stands were erected on the road lipe, the owners should protect the surface of the metal Or loading adjacent, otherwise the structures would be removed. The motion was carried. WAIKAKA ROAD.

Mr. M. Smith, Waikaka Road, wrote asking the council to place a larger culvert in the road near his stock yard, the present culvert not being large enough to carry the stoi*m water and is too high; Mr. R. Clever, Matiere, wrote as follows: Permit me to draw your attention to the main drain at Matiere, better known as ‘‘the White Elephant.” There are several slips in it, and as I have been attending to it I think the council should either clean it out or remove it to Ohura.

Cr. Renner said he understood thiit Mr. Clever would clean out the drain for £3. It was completely blocked and was too deep. The engineer said floods backed the water up and caused damage to the drain.

The chairman did not think there was very much to cause a fuss about. The engineer was instructed to report on the drain. The chairman of No. 6 Highways Council wrote drawing the council’s attention to an accident caused to a horse-rider by a root which projected from a, road batter at Mapiu, and asking the council to prevent the possibility of similar accidents and subsequent claims against tire council. The writer also suggested that special instructions be issued to those responsible for the maintenance of liigliways.

The engineer was instructed to have all obstructions removed from the side of all county roads. It was decided that the stock ranger be instructed to range the county toads two days each week instead of one day as hitherto at the same rate of remuneration per, day. Mr. E. Comes, Ongarue, wrote asking for permission to. use the unoccupied section at the comer of the Te Kuiti-Bulls main highway and the Ohura Road. The clerk was instructed to inform Mr. Cornes to apply to the Main Highways Board for permission to occupy the section.

The secretary of the Egmont Collieries, Ltd., wrote stating that 317 tons 7cwt of coal had been delivered from the Tatu bins during the month of August, the council’s royalty for road carting being £7 18s 9d.

The district engineer, Mr. L. May, wrote that approval had been given of the metalling of Koiro, Opatu, and Opura roads as special works for married men, provided the Ohura council would give an undertaking, in the form of a special resolution, properly to maintain the roads when they were completed. The resolution Was carried. Tire Commissioner of Crown Lands, Naw Plymouth, wrote that section 36, block XIV., Ohura survey district, containing 23 acres, had beer, permanently set aside as a papa burning reserve. It was held wider a 21 years’ lease by Mr. J. Mac Kay. This lease would expire on June 30, 1935, and tire question of re* disposal, subsequent to the expiration of the existing lease, was under considerat ti'on by the Land Board. For the information of the board, when dealing with the case, he would be pleased to have the council's comments as to whether it was considered that this section was likely to be required in the near future for the purpose for which it was set . aside.

The chairman did not think the section would ever be required by the council. Cr. McKenzie Said there was no timber handy to hum the papa.

The clerk was instructed to inform the commissioner that the council would not require the section for papa burning. The traffic inspector (Mr. J. H. Delves) reported that nine vehicles were licensed during the quarter and the total collections amounted to £2l 13s 6d. Twenty* five motor drivers’ licenses were issued. A lorry owner, who was found to be carting logs on the Mangapapa Road which the council had closed to heavy traffic, was prosecuted and convicted.