OHURA COUNTY AFFAIRS

Taranaki Daily News, 12 April 1935, Page 10

OHURA COUNTY AFFAIRS

FORMATION OF FOOTPATH CHAIRMAN’S ACTION CRITICISED. A QUESTION OF PROCEDURE.' The construction of the Matiere footpath, stated to have been put in hand by the chairman without the matter first being placed before the council, caused considerable discussion at the monthly meeting of the Ohura County Council on Wednesday. Cr. Renner asked what the Matiere footpath had cost. the council. He took strong exception to the work being put in hand before it . had come before the council.- He was present with the chairman when the matter was discussed at Matiere and the engineer’s estimate of the cost was said to be £l5O to £2OO. The chairman had said a highways subsidy could' be obtained. The next. Cr. Renner knew of the matter was that the work had been commenced. He held that the work as carried out was nothing but. a botch. At the crossroads the footpath was six inches above, while at . the school it had been diverted to the school fence instead of being kept alongside tin road. Cr. Renner reminded the chairman of the remark that he had made two years ago, when the Matiere people asked for the footpath. The chairman: Yes, I know. Cr. Renner said that the. council had let a grant of £3OO go because it could ndt raise a few pounds as a subsidy, yet it could spend money on the footpath. The chairman: Not a few pounds, but £BO. , . Cr. Renner considered the chairman was not very consistent. To do the Matiere footpath now appeared nothing more than an attempt to Catch votes. He was prepared to guarantee that in 12 months there would be no footpath, as trucks were already making use, of it. In any case, if the work were worth doing at all, it was worth doing well. He took exception to two crossings being provided from. the footpath to the road while settlers did not have metalled ac-. cess. Cr. Fauchelle expressed surprise that the work was started before it had been discussed by the council. He had seen a car, a tractor and a tradesman’s van on the footpath, which would not last long. If any ratepayers’ money had been spent on the footpath he would strenuously object while settlers on the back roads had no access. It was not right that a fine little town like Matiere should have footpaths while settlers had been for 30 years without metal. He did not care whether the Matiere people voted for him or not. At any rate, they had good metalled roads. He held that more money had been spent on Matiere than on any other township in the North Island. The road had been deviated three times. He held that no work should be put in hand until it had been discussed by councillors, who should have firsthand knowledge of the cost and whether any money from the rates was being used. . ■ ' The engineer said the councils share of the cost, exclusive of timber and pipes, was £ll 13s Bd. CHAIRMAN’S EXPLANATION.

The chairman said the work had been started 'to provide : work for the men who had been taken off the work of clearing willows. He had told the engineer to consult Crs. Renner and Fauchelle when they came to Matiere. Cr. Renner said he had not been consulted until after the job was started. The chairman said some councillors might think it was “over the fence” on his part to have started tire work but he held that the footpath was necessary as the road was dangerous for children and even for adults. Women, too, when they went shopping were entitled to go dryshod. Cr. Fauchelle: Women living not 100 yards from the footpath would need gumboots to get on to the path. Cr. Renner: Why did not the chairman give a favourable reply to the Matiere people two years ago? The chairman: Because we did not have a penny to bless ourselves with. Replying to further questions, the chairman said that the council had authority to expend money on footpaths. Such expenditure would carry a subsidy. Cr. Romayne agreed that every matter should come before the council before any expenditure was Undertaken. As a councillor the chairman had criticised previous chairmen on the same subject. He could see how easy it was for any critic to make a mistake. The council could not be too careful of its expenditure as once the work was started, the council never knew what it might be let in for. , ' , Cr. Fauchelle: They are already asking to have the footpath extended. The chairman: They have been definitely told that the council has no more money to spend. ■ Cr Renner held that it was not fair to have constructed crossings at Matiere when other applications had been turned down. The activities of the staff and plant during the period ended on April 9 were reported on by the engineer (Mr. H. Seerup) as follows:— Main highways: On the StratfordTaumarunui highway slips were cleared on the Paparata saddle and on the hill near the Tqkirima school. Grading work

was done between the Harvey Road junction on the county boundary and general maintenance was undertaken on the Ohura Road. On the Pio Pio-Tatu highway 250 cubic yards of gravel were delivered on the tunnel hill. Slips were cleared and water-tables opened on the Ohura Road. Grading and the clearing of water-tables was carried out on the Waitewhena Road, on which there had also been some prospecting for metal. The Haparua stream bridge was completed and the approaches were almost completed. On the Okahukura-Qhura highway general maintenance work was carried out. Widening arid footpath formation had been carried out in Matiere township. On the Tokirirpa Road slips were cleared. The erection of the Tokirima stream bridge was proceeding. WORK IN THE RIDINGS. Matiere riding: The Tapuiwahine Road was graded, a culvert was replaced and water-tables were opened. Grading was -done on the Koromiko and OngarueWaimiha roads. A large number of slips were cleared on the Mangapapa-Akate-rewa Road. Extensive maintenance work, the clearing of slips, opening of watertables and culverts and the raking in of metal were done on the Ohura-Mokau Road,' from Ghaytor’s to the county boundary. Light grading work and open-, ing of water-tables were undertaken on the Ongarue-Matiere Road. Ohura riding: The large wooden culverts that collapsed on the Turoto North Road , were, replaced with concrete • pipes at an approximate cost of £45. Grading was done on the Turoto South and Hapurua roads. Slips were cleared on the Tongaporutu Road. . A concrete, pipe culvert was placed in position and watertables were opened on the Kakahi Road. Contracts for the approaches to the overhead railway bridge on the Kokopuiti Road, the metalling of 112 chains of the Waitangata Road, and approaches to the Waipapa stream bridge on - the Turoto Road were satisfactorily completed'. The Prentice Road work was proceeding satisfactorily, but the Kokopuiti Road metalling and Pura pit contracts were not commenced yet. In a special report, the engineer expressed the opinion that the council was obliged to keep the access bridge to section 11, block 14, Ohura survey-district, in repair. In connection with the application of Mr. Passan, the engineer reported that earth removed-- from a comer on the Whenuakura West Road with the object of improving the width and visibility.

The courity ranger, Mr. G. Box, reported that he had ranged the Ongarue, Otangiwai, Niho Niho, Turoto, Tokiriiha, Opatu, Tatu and Waitewhena roads and had seized 20 cows, which had been released. ,

The chairman said that at the request, of the Matiere settlers he had inspected the drains. ’ The settlers wanted them put back in the old location for the watering of stock. He had pointed out that the drains were put in by the Lands Department and the Public Works Department, the council having merely to maintain them.

Cr. Reimer said there would be objections from other settlers if the council again diverted the drains. Cr. Fauchelle said the public Works Department had straightened the stream originally with the object of securing a better fall. Councillors were of, the opinion that it would be an expensive work, besides causing complaints from various settlers if the present drains were interfered with.

On the motion of the chairman, seconded by Cr. Renner, it was decided to inform the Matiere Chamber of Commerce that the council had no power to interfere with/the local drainage system. The council suggested the chamber should apply to the Lands Department for redress.

The Director-General of Agriculture, Mr. W. A. Robinson, asked what action, if any, the council was taking with regard to the administration of the Noxious Weeds Act and the appointment of inspectors.—lt was decided that the county clerk should obtain further particulars. Mr. E; H. Bishop, Otangiwai, applied for material to make a culvert at the entrance to his property.—The engineer was instructed to make a report on the application. x At the request of the school committee it was decided to metal the entrance to the Tatu school. Mr. T. Borthwick, Niho Niho, asked that the drain alongside his property should be cleaned.—The request was referred to the engineer. Mr. F. Langstone, M.P., notified that the Hon. J. Bitchener, Minister of Public Works, would endeavour to visit the Ohura county about the first week in May. ' Present at the meeting were Crs. J. Caird (chairman), G. Denison, A. Renner, L. S. Fauchelle, A. F McKenzie and F. J. Romayne.