PATEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXVI, Issue 18431, 15 March 1922, Page 2

PATEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The Patea County Council met yesterday, there being present Crs, Gibbs (chairman), Belton, Hooper, Sutherland, Taylor, Heirley, Murphy and Scoon. A communication was received from the Waitotara County Council re the former Waitotara Valley Road, and asked that a commission be appointed to consider the question of Patea contributing to maintenance of the road. The Waitotara County is to be referred to the minutes regarding the original negotiations. The Agricultural Department forwarded a letter stating that inspection of Whenuakura district would be made as soon as possible in regard to noxious weeds in the district The letter was received. It was decided to sign the debentures and declaration re the £lOOO Lower Ball Road loan. The presence of ragwort was drawn attention to by the Patea Harbour Board. The clerk said that he had written to the Freezing Co., in connection with the spread of ragwort. The clerk was instructed to supply the district engineer of the Public Works Department with a list of the most urgent works in the County for which Government financial assistance was required. The Napier Borough Council forwarded circular re the banks’ action in connection with the Finance Act. It was resolved to support Napier. The Forestry Department is to be communicated with in reference to the most suitable trees for the district. It was considered that it would be better to plant trees than have gorse growing. The chairman stated that the district nurse had been withdrawn and he felt this was a loss to the community . At present there were two unlicensed nursing homes in Patea and district. The engineer was instructed to look into the matter of hedges hanging over trees and railways. ENGINEER’S REPORT.

Alain Road and General. —The metalling of the Waitotara Hill is now completed, a total length of 42 chains of new metal being put down and tarred. The sealing coat will be put on as soon as tar and chips are available and any deficiences made good. The sealing of the length along Verry’s frontage will then be done and the tarring and reshaping of the length near the watertrough will also be carried out if chips are available. This length is I find- just about 20 chains, and very little metal will be required. A few trucks of 2J stone are being dumped for refacing nearing the top of the Waitotara Hill and above the watertrough. The main road below Waverley is getting rough and will be the better for being graded and the side grit placed on the metal, and this will be done as soon as the team is available. Tar patching is required on the road just north of Waverley, and a portion of this length should be sealed this season if time permits. So fa? the new planks have not been put in on the Whenuakura bridge, no labour being available. Stone raking on the side tracks north of Patea has been carried on and the watertables on the waterhole hill overhauled and a new outlet cut. Generally speaking the main road is in good order. An offer has been received to supply stone from the Mar.utahi beach, crushed and tipped on the road early next year, and this may be well worth considering before the estimates for the coming year are made up. Two of the Council horses should be disposed of. Waverley Riding. —The work of top-dressing the Oturi road metal was put in hand after last meeting, and has now been completed, 63 yards of pit meial being put on. The rough stones on the section just below the railway crossing were then napped and put down with the road roller, and this road for a distance of 16 chains is being top-dressed. The old metal was also well banked up with clay while the roller was ou the job. The Tower Hill metal has beer, breaking up during the dr? spell, and this read would be the better ivr a top dressing, say four yards to the chain of the Aramoho pit metal. The Kohl road grading was held up through a bearing getting run out and until this was replaced the tractor was idle and the men put ou to the Oturi road work. The grading was again put in hand last week and good progress has been made, though the men were off two days last week on the tar work. It has not been possible to make an inspection of the back roads of this district during the month owing to pressure of office work, but these are reported in good order. Pipes for the Mataimoana Road have been ordered this month. Moumahaki Riding.—General surface work has been carried on throughout this district by the surfaceman, though the Ngutuwera section has been rather neglected as the casual hand on this length has been engaged on other work. The overhaul of the Waitotara Station Road is now in hand, ,100 yards of pit metal being obtained for repairs to this road. The roller is scarifying the old shell rock and this is being reshaped and about four yards of pit metal to the chain will be put on and rolled. This repair is only of a temporary nature, as the untarred portion of this road requires a new coat of metal. The tarred length really requires sealing this season, if funds will allow of this being tione. The fillings on the Waikare Road have been put in by Featherston Bros, during the month, and minor •repairs effected to the Omata Road. The question of the repairs to the lower end of this road, adjoining the proposed new work, should be considered, as this was held over last meeting. The plans and specifications for the new formation of 2 miles 15 chains are now nearly completed, and will go forward for approval to the engineer on Thursday. As soon as these are approved and the vote authorised, tenders will be invited fo rthe work. A circular letter from the Department regarding the expenditure of the amounts ap-

pearing on the estimates is to hand, and reply has been made regarding this Council's urgent works. Kaara Riding.—The contractors for the clean up of the Upper Makakaho Road commenced work on this road soon after last meeting, Messrs Duffy and Menefy combining to carry on the work, arid are making steady progress. The. roads in this district are reported to be in good order. Advice has been received from the Public Works office that the sum of £3OO (£1 for £1) has ben voted for the work of restoring the road in the,Upper Waitotara Valley near Taumatatalii. Specifications for this work have been prepared, but as the financing of this work will require the Council's consideration tenders for the work have not been invited. Nothing further has been received regarding the plans for the Waitotara River suspension bridge, which were sent away prior to last meeting. Surface work has been carried on over the Lower Waitotara Valley road, and an extra man has been put on to assist .In cleaning up the Aharoa Hill before winter. Time has not allowed for an inspection of the Kapara Riding roads during the