MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 19008, 8 May 1924, Page 3

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Manawatu County Council was held on Tuesday. Present: Crs. Sir James G. Wilson (chairman), W. S. Penny, H. H. Hunt, J. F. McKelvic, J. Boyce, and W. E. Barber. Leave of absence was granted to Councillor H. J. Fagan. Inward correspondence was received as follows and dealt with. From N.Z. Railways, forwarding payments for tram freight collected. From the Department of Internal Affairs forwarding notice of proposal to include lands in the ManawatuOroua River District.—Received. From the Public Works Department forwarding copy of Order-in-Council declaring roads in the Tangimoana township, county roads. —Received. From the Board of Health re disposal of refuse.—Received. From the State Advances Office stating that the Department is not in a position to consider application for loans at present. From the Railway Department forwarding lease for signature for tramway siding at Pokaka. From the Main Highways Council, forwarding rules for proceedings of District Highways Councils. From Palmerston North Hospital Board advising that inquiry is being made with reference to county visitors. From Feilding High School, applying for payment of grant for furnishing hostel.—£loo to be forwarded next month. It was resolved as follows:—That steps be taken to declare the roads submitted to the Highways Council as Main Highways, to be main county roads. That the chairman and Cr. Hunt be authorised to sign and affix the common seal of the council to the agreement of loading siding at Pokaka. That notice be given that the council intends to enforce the heavy traffic by-laws as from May 12. That a committee consisting of the chairman and Crs. Penny and Fagan be empowered to deal with matters arising out of the heavy traffic by-laws and have power to make special arrangements in cases where they think necessary. That as the Maori Council has failed to have dogs owned by natives within the county registered, this council applies for an Order-in-Council conferring on it the powers and functions of the Maori Council within the county with respect to the registration of dogs. That the following alterations be made on the rate roll:—F. Fanthorpe to G. and R. Thow, lot 7, pt. 3 Sec. 313, Carnarvon; G. Ball-Guymer to Smith and Mathison, Sec. 206, Rongotea; L. Berry to F. J. Mansell, Sec. 49, Tangimoana.

ENGINEER’S REPODT.

Sandon Riding.—The heavy traffic on the Bulls-Sandon road during last month destroyed and damaged the surface of the road. The damage has been partially repaired by trimming up with the grader, and the dump truck sent up by the Public Works De partment is now completing repairs to the road.

Mt. Stewart Riding.—The main road between Awahuri and Feilding has been trimmed up with the road grader, and at the present time is in good order. We have also graded up the Kowhai Road. Stewart’s Road will be the next to be treated in the same manner. An old wooden culvert on Feilding-Awahuri Road collapsed during the month and has been replaced with concrete pipes. A large culvert on Lee’s Road is very much decayed and must be replaced with a double row of 30-inch concrete pipes immediately. The cost will be about £4O. Two more culverts on the same road, of a smaller type, also require attention. Messrs Drinkwater and Candy have not yet commenced their contract for supplying and delivering metal on Feilding-Awahuri and Rakehou Roads.

Rongotea Riding.—Messrs Hurst & Vallender have not yet commenced their metalling contract on Leen’s Road, and under present weather conditions it is not likely that the work will be completed before next summer. We have completed the construction of a concrete culvert on Jones’ Road and expect to remove the casing and the old bridge in a few days’ time, and also make the road over the concrete culvert.

Awahou Riding.— The contractor has not yet commenced supplying metal on the Foxton-Shannon Road. During last month I arranged a contract with Mr. K. Easton to deliver metal on the Whirokino Road for the sum of 7/- per yard up to the bridge over the main drain. The work is now being proceeded with, and I hope to have the road in good order shortly. Carnarvon, Awahou and Kawa Kawa Ridings.—A number of teams and drays are commissioned on the Fox-ton-Sandon Road to repair the damage caused by the heavy traffic during the railway strike. It would be advisable to approach the Public Works Department to allow us to retain the dump truck for another week or ten days to put this road and also the road between Himatangi and Rangiotu in order.

Tramway.—Repairs have been carried out along the line in various sections. One set of* 401 b points and crossingn are now placed in position at the Whale Line Siding, but there remains a good deal of work to be done in the way of coupling with the 281 b track, which will be put in hand when we have completed repairs to the Foxton main highway road. Stone Crushers. —Operations at the crushing works have been retarded considerably during the last month owing to floods in the river, which completely flooded the pit. The output for the month was 705 cubic yards. Notwithstanding the nature of the wet, sloppy material to be crushed, the crushers are working satisfactorily.

TRAMWAX' MANAGER’S REPORT.

The accounts show a credit of £99 6s 3d for the month, but included in receipts is £126 for sale of old rails, etc. The chief items of traffic were: General merchandise, 132£ tons; minerals and manure, 169| tons; cheese, 60 tons; stock, 35 trucks, and metal, 710 cubic yards. The boiler tubes for “G” class locomotive have landed in New Zealand, and are expected within the course of a few days. The building of the new blacksmith shop should be completed by the end of the present week. During the railway strike the tram kept up its service with Foxton, running both goods and metal. Owing to the shortage of coal wc succeeded in purchasing 15 tons of coal from the Railway Department at Foxton, at a cost of 64/- per ton.