PATEA COUNTY COUNCIL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXI, Issue 19034, 11 June 1924, Page 8

PATEA COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. The usual monthly meeting of the PaFca County Council was held yesterday. when there were present: Messrs J. Gibbs (chairman), McDonald. Belton, Watkin, Back, Taylor, Scown. Sutherland and Alexander. CORRESPONDENCE. Correspondence was received from: Mr. W. Hicks, applying for permission to erect a telephone line along Puao Road —Left in the hands of the county clerk to arrange. The Walmate West County Council wrote asking support of a proposal that subsidies for the upkeep of main highways be sufficient reason for the abolition of tolls.—The letYer was received. As the matter was of local interest only it was decided to advise the Wairnate County Council to settle the matter locally. MAIN ROAD. The chairman outlined the position regarding expenditure on reconstruction of the main road between Patea and Waitotara. He stated that the Highway Board had granted £4OOO toward the required finances and he moved that the council increase the amount to £BOOO instead of £6OOO as had been previously decided upon. One member said that the council should spend less on the main road and devote some of their finances to repairing the back country roads. The chairman’s motion was carried. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer (Mr. G. W. King), reported as follows:—■ The metal piece between Moumahaki and Waitotara has had further grading work done on it. This piece is still in bad order at places and requires metal patching which will Pc attended to. The racecourse length has been patched with metal and graded over and is in good order. On other lengths of the main road general surface work has been carried out and the road is generally in good order On many places on tue main roadand on others throughout the county, the high boxthorn hedges are overshadowing the roads and I think the council would be well advised to consider having all hedges on road boundaries kept well cut back and down to a certain height. Otoia West.—Very fair progress has been made in the Alton Gorge. The level has been transferred to the cutting on the lower level. The grader and party have been engaged on the Upper Ball Road,, at Hurleyvill<H and the Clifford roads, making up the sitle tracks and the shoulders for the metal and carrying out general repairs. The entrance to the Crompton Road from the Ball Road is being widened and a new culvert neing put in. Culvert pipes have come to hand for the crossing for the Taumaha Road, near the Manutahi Hotel, and for draining the hole opposite Gearv's at Manutahi.

Otoia East. —The metalling of the extra two chains of the Opaku Road near the Maori Road, has been put in hand. A survey of the improvement of the Otauto Hill has neen made and the grader party is now engaged in this work. Repairs nave been effected on Oakley’s Road near Patea. Waverley Riding.—All new works have been at a standstill. Repairs have been carried out on the Karahake and Koho Roads and in other parts of the riding general surfacework has been carried out. Moumahaki Riding.—The Last timber for the Motoroa Bridge is to hand, and the ironwork ordered. As soon as the timber is carted to the site there is nothing to hold up the work and the contractor has been ad vised of the position. All the timber for the Ngutuwera Bridge is also on order and should be to hand by the time the contractor has completed the Motoroa. The grader an I party have completed the job on Matthew’s Road and have now turned out their horses with the exception of one for the winter. They will now carry out re pair and metalling works on the Beach roads and have commenced on the Moumahaki Station Road. Kapara Riding.—The contractor on the Upper Waitotara track (Train) has been making good progress. Elsewhere in the riding there is little to report beyond general surfacework. Arrangements have been made for planting willows at the Taumatatahi slip, on the slip and in the old river channel. A flood damage grant of £25 (£ for £) has been obtained for clearing slips on the Upper Makakaho Road.