COUNTY AFFAIRS.

Wairarapa Age, 14 February 1934, Page 7

COUNTY AFFAIRS.

MEETING OF MASTEBTON COUNCIL. REPLACEMENT OF BRIDGES. The chairman. Mr. W. L Armstrong, presided at the monthly meeting of the Mastertor County Council, held yesterday. Others present were: Councillors H. IL Mawley, G. Lee, P. R. Welch, J. W. Colquhoun, J. W. A. Falloon and G. Moore. Authority was received from the Local Government Loans Board to use portion.,:£lBoo, of the unexpended'balance of .the Bridges Loans 1920, of £12,650, for the purpose of reconstructing four 1 bridges in the county. The District Engineer, Public Works Department, advised that the Main Highways Board was anxious that all possible maintenance expenditure .for the current year be.-brought to charge before March 3-1, 1934. The Clerk, Mr. J. C. D. Mackley, said. tb.ati.all the council’s claims were up-to-date. The letter was received and the contents noted. A letter was received from the iState Advances Office, returning the land plans, duly executed, in connection with, the Devil’s Elbow road deviation on the Masterton-Castlepoint Main Highway. The land plans in connecr tion withfthe Bennett’s Hill road deviation were also returned. It was stated that both sets of [plans had been forwarded to the Public Works Department for proclamation •purposes. The Clerk’s action in the matter was endorsed. The Department of Lands and Survey forwarded two tracings and area schedules with reference to the Wan- , gaehu deviation, on the MastertonWeber Main Highway, which has been approved for proclamation purposes. The Clerk’s action in applying to the Public, Works Department for a proclamation declaring a road and closing as a road certain lands adjacent to the deviation was endorsed. With reference to the proposed alteration to the angle of the Goodlands stream bridge, the District Public Trustee advised that the Public Trustee was prepared to consent to the taking of certain land in the mortgages of Mr. C. J. Bennett and the Estate of A. J. Percy for road purposes. The consent, which was being endorsed on the plan, would ’be handed over oh payment of the sum -of £3 3s. The offer Was agreed to. The county engineers, Messrs iSeaton, Sladden and Pavitt, .wrote stating that it was necessary to make a survey to ascertain the legal boundaries and the amount of land required to be transferred from the Mcßae Estate to the county in connection with the land rei quired for the Wangaehu bridge No. 2 ' site and approaches. They had coni ferred on the ground with one of the j trustees, who intimated that the trus--1 tees would be prepared to give the i land in exchange for the old bridge, ' the council to bear the cost of the i transfer and any alteration to fences ' made necessary by the deviation. The i trustees would not dismantle the prei sent bridge, but would use it as a 1 private bridge for stock. i The offer by the trustees was ae- ' cepted, but it was decided to point out i that the council would be in no way | responsible for the upkeep of the old 1 bridge. i Mr. T. A. Brown accepted with ' thanks the council’s offer to pay eomi pensation for the land to be taken for ' the approaches to the Wangaehu bridge i No. 3on the Masterton-Weber Main ' Highway. The action of the Clerk in making i application for the sum of £2l 8s 3d, due to the council as fifths of revenue from State Forest royalties for the j quarter ended December 31, 1933, was 1 endorsed. i The chairman of the Local Govern- ' ment Loans Board wrote drawing attention to the principal features of the Local Authorities Interest Reduction and Loans Conversion Act, 1933, and I also to the facilities being granted in connection with local body conversion i schemes. The letter was received. A ratepayer wrote drawing the ati tention of the council to the fact that | by deepening the Paierau drain, the 1 council had interferred with his water i supply and deprived him of water in ' two paddocks. He suggested that a i f-ermanent flood gate be erected in the 1 drain which could be lowered in the i summer months and opened up when [ not required. The ratepayer is to be allowed to take certain measures to secure an adequate water supply. The Masterton A. and P. Association wrote thanking the council for its donation of £2 2s. The Finance Committee’s report was adopted and ’accounts amounting to £3,941 16s lOd were passed. The ranger reported having dealt with 19 head of cattle during the [ month. The fees received amounted to 13s, making the total collected to 1 date, £lB 11s 6d. OVERSEER’S REPORT. i v - The Overseer (Mr. B. L. Larson) re1 ported inter alia, as follows:— Opaki Riding:—Evans Road: The i erection of a small bridge on this road ' has been put in hand and work is i completed with the exception of filling 1 at one end. The work has been delayi ed owing to heavy rain flooding out ' excavation. Waingawa-Camp Road: i Test bores have been taken and a j thorough examination made of the Rua--1 fnahunga river bridge at the 51 mile, i Wellington-Napier Highway: Work has 1 been commenced on the 60 chain seci tion at Mt. Bruce and good progress [ has been made with the formation of i shoulders. Sealing 11 chains at Opaki: i This work has been completed in a 1 satisfactory manner; cold emulsion i was used for the work, lin. chips for ' first coat and finished off with sand. # Rangitumau Riding:—Masterton-We-i ber Highway: 871 cubic yards of crush- ' ed metal ex To Ore Ore Depot has been ' spread on the road during the month. Timber is being delivered to tho deviation bridges to redeck same.

Uriti Biding:—Masterton-Castlepoint Highway: 34 cubic yards of crushed metal ex Te Ore Ore Depot has been spread on the road during the month; nine men and a truck have been widening and improving the road at the 8 -mile. This work has been completed and the men are now working on the Kahumingi hill at the 12 mile. Blairlogie-East Coast Road:—-Good progress has been made with the scarifying and regrading at 23-25 mile section. The road has been very much improved and is now ready for metalling. Dheinjjloyed Relief 'Camps:—Blairlogie Camp No. 1: The work of widening and improving a section of the Waihora hill has been completed in a satisfactory manner; men are now engaged in putting in the last block cutting in the deviation at the 194 mile; cleaning up of slips and general cleaning up is also being done; rock is being quarried to be used for foundation work on the deviation. Stronvfr Camp No. 2: Good progress is being made on the second block cutting; general cleaning up is also being carried out,-no new work is being cleaned up at present. Wangaehu Camp No. 4: The Deviation and heavy block cutting near the camp has been completed in a satisfactory manner; the work hs.s been metalled with a light coat of metal; men are now engaged cleaning up cuttings and regrading the filling on the No. 1 Deviation. ENGINEERS’ REPORT. The Engineers, Messrs Seaton, Sladden and Pavitt, reported:— Masterton-Weber Highway:—Bridge at 9.4 miles: Satisfactory progress has been made. Pile driving is complete with the exception of two pHes_at the north end. About 600 cubic yards of filling has been deposited at the southern approach. Bridge at 14.1? miles: Excavation for the culvert has been completed and boxing for the concrete is being constructed. All the steel is on the site, and about 1200 cubic yards of filling has been done at the northern end. Bridge at 16 miles:.The contractor is preparing a temporary diversion for traffic prior to commencing excavation for piers at the existing bridge site. Masterton-Stronvar Highway:—Karearea stream bridge: Maintenance requirements having been attended to, the bridge and approaches are now approved.