EKETAHUNA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 October 1940, Page 7

EKETAHUNA

COUNTY COUNCIL . BUSINESS AT MONTHLY MEETING (“Times-Age” Special.) The monthly meeting of the Eketahuna County Council was held yesterday. Cr J. Carruthers presided, and there were also present Crs C. T. Richardson. P. Davies, G- Houlbrooke, C. Davie, G. Bailey, H. N. Kebbell, R. Kebbell. A. J. Perry, J. J. Dougherty. Leave of absence was granted Cr F. Goggin. Accounts amounting to £2757 5s 7d were passed for payment. The Mauriceville County Council wrote asking if it would be possible for the Eketahuna County Ranger to patrol the Putara Road. —The request was agreed to. In his report for the month of August the Traffic Inspector stated that five tests were conducted during the month, particulars of which are as follow: New licences 2. re-test 1. extension 1, licence refused 1. A visit was paid to the County Office by Senior Inspector Crawford, of the Transport Department, with reference to the policy in connection with traffic control of the county. Attention had been given to heavy motor vehicles seen on county roads but no cases of overloading had come under notice. One local operator had been reported for a breach of the transport regulations relating to passenger carrying. The report was adopted. The president of the Counties’ Association forwarded an appeal for counties to contribute the sum of £lO towards the London Relief Fund. After discussion it was decided that no action be taken as far as contributing from county funds was concerned, but the members agreed to con tri-’ bute £1 each towards the appeal, thus making up the amount asked for. The engineer (Mr W. C. Duffill) reported as follows: —Hare’s Road bridges: Work on Goggin’s bridge was completed during the month and the contract has now been placed on maintenance. The work of shaping the approaches is to be carried out by the council’s plant, and as soon as this is available the work will be put in hand. Perry’s culvert: The contractor has his plant on the job and is making an early start. Realignment of fences was put in hand by the council’s staff, and is now completed. The laying of a 12-inch diameter concrete pipe culvert in the gully beyond the culvert site is in hand. An early start is anticipated with the placing of the filling. Waitawhiti bridge: The final plans for the work are practically finished and the same will be despatched during next week to Wellington for approval. West Riding: The Kopikopiko road was patched with metal from the Mangahao over some weak sections. The work of metalling the Hamua-Hukanui road throughout was completed during the month. The grader is now employed reshaping and consolidating the same. Patching from the Hamua pit was done on the Brown’s, White’s, Te Awe Awe and Kakariki North roads. The crushing season at Hamua pit is now finished and since the middle of July approximately 1300 cubic yards of metal have been crushed and placed on the East and West riding roads handy to the pit. Alfredton Riding: Slips came down at Waihoki and were removed in due course. The wet weather during this month has caused a considerable number of slips throughout the riding but none of any great size. There are, however, some very bad fractures in places and it is feared that theer will be trouble if flood conditions should develop. The treasurer (Mr W. N. Richardson) reported: The balance of the various accounts at date are: County Fund account, dr £l4B 10s 3d; plus Imprest Account, cr £320 2s 7d; gross credit balance £l7l 12s 4d; Bridges Loan £BOOO Account, cr £2119 13s lOd; Bridges Fund Account, cr £263; Workers’ Dwelling Loan £1550 Account, cr £42 Ils 6d; Workers’ Dwelling Loan £lOOO Account, cr £4O 13s. At this period last year, the County Fund Account, was in debit to the extent of £1724 3s 3d, and last month was in debit to the extent of £3Oll Bs. The receipts since last meeting amounted to £5734 7s 9d and include the following: Rates —East Riding current, £1069 7s 9d; West Riding current, £1603 13s lid, arrears £2 14s 9d; Alfredton current, £2529 Ils 3d, arrears £3 Ils, The collection of rates during the rebate period has maintained the level of previous years, the total collections representing 40.2 per cent for this year as against 43.3 per cent for last year.