FLOOD DAMAGES ROADS

Taranaki Daily News, 16 January 1935, Page 8

FLOOD DAMAGES ROADS

WHANGAMOMONA COUNTY SLIPS AND WASHOUTS SERIOUS. APPEAL TO PUBLIC WORKS. Reporting yesterday upon the effect of the extensive damage done by the New Year rains to roads within the Whangamomona County, the chairman, Mr. N. R. Cleland, told the council yesterday that he believed it was beyond its means to reinstate the damage to Marco Road. Two very large fillings had been washed away and he did not think £lOO would reopen the road in a satisfactory condition. These washouts were particularly unfortunate for one settler, who was practically Lsolated and was only able to get his cream out with extreme difficulty. The situation on the Okara Road was still serious, and the Porangi Road still required a certain amount of work. The chairman stressed the point that the only work the council could undertake in its present financial position would be of an unsatisfactory nature, merely a car track through the slips and a track round the wash-outs. Following a discussion, it was agreed to apply to the Public Works Department for assistance in repairing the extensive damage. “I do not think £2OO will look at the jobs on the Marco and Okara Roads,” said Cr. Law. Pending a reply from the department a certain number of casuals are to be kept on with a view to giving slipbound settlers some sort of access. EFFICIENCY OF AMBULANCE. HOSPITAL BOARD SATISFIED. Complete satisfaction with the Sanders memorial ambulance and keen appreciation of the service provided by. Messrs. Kleeman and Bishop, Stratford, in housing, maintaining and driving the vehicle was expressed at a meeting of the Stratford Hospital Board yesterday.. The board was unanimous in praising the care given the ambulance and the excellence of the service given the board and the public. Following the reception of the annual report from Messrs. Kleeman and Bishop, they were voted a donation of £2O as a mark of appreciation. The St. John Ambulance Brigade, whose efficient and ever-ready services, it was stated, were also available throughout the year, was granted the sum of £5. During the 12 months since the ambulance had been bought it had been called out 68 times, reported Messrs. Kleeman and Bishop, and the total mileage run was 695 miles. ,Petrol purchased during the year amounted to 76 gallons, and the total cost of oil and petrol for the year had been £7. The running cost, including petrol and oil, was 2Yzd per mile. This made an average of 11 miles per gallon of petrol used over the year, and included all the running that the motor had done in the garage. In the winter the motor was started up and run for a while every day so that the machine was always ready for any emergency. The ambulance had given no trouble, and the calls had always been attended to promptly. Members of the board expressed their surprise that the ambulance had been used so frequently and maintained so well during the year at a total cost to the board of only £7. It was probably the most efficient service in Taranaki, said Mr. L. Bunn. GENERAL ITEMS. Damage by Dogs. Stray dogs were a great nuisance, doing a lot of damage to the garden reported the Stratford Hospital Board’s gardener, Mr. M. W. Priest, to the board yesterday. He had also noticed that damage was being done in the borough by stray dogs, said the chairman, Mr. W. L. Kennedy. The board decided to-write to the Stratford Borough Council strongly protesting against the number of stray dogs about and drawing the council’s attention to the need for some action. Efficiency of Nurses. All the staff nurses were successful in passing the recent State examination, reported the matron, Mrs. Hunt, to the Stratford Hospital Board yesterday. One candidate, Miss Muriel Taylor, a general trainee of the hospital, had gained honours in maternity nursing. The board decided to send a letter of congratulation to Nurse Taylor on the distinction she had gained, and to the instructors of the four who had passed the examination. There were only six passes in Taranaki, it was stated, two-thirds of the passes being from Stratford. Earthquake Precautions. Safety measures in the event of an earthquake are responsible primarily for alterations now being made to the Public Trust building, Stratford. The heavy parapet surmounting the front of the building is to be removed, altering the appearance of the front considerably, and other alterations will be made. Thursday Still Half-holiday. Thursday was fixed as the day for the statutory half-holiday within the Whangamomona County at a special meeting of the council held yesterday. Conversion Suggested. That the Whangamomona County Council should consider the question of loan conversion was suggested in a notice of motion tabled by Cr. G. Gower at yesterday’s meeting. It was to the effect that at its next meeting the council should adopt proposals outlined by the Local Bodies’ Loans Board regarding the conversion of loans. Ragwort Eradication. According to statements made at yesterday's meeting, it is the confirmed opinion of the Whangamomona County Council that proper stocking of sheep is the only effective means of combatting the spread of ragwort in the back country. Leisure or Pleasure. “I think the council can remove this gate at its leisure,” said a councillor whose tongue baulked at the word “pleasure” in the course of a speech at the Whangamomona County Council yesterday. Following a general laugh at the expense of the confused speaker, the council decided to require the owner of the gate, which is erected across a count}* road, to remove it to another position.