WAITOTARA COUNTY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 188, 11 August 1931, Page 5

WAITOTARA COUNTY

THE MONTHLY MEETING' The Waitotara County Council met. yesterday, Cr. W. Morrison presiding. There ■were also present: Crs. A. R. Richardson, R. Laird, H. G. Birch, A. G. Goldsbury, F. H. Allen, J. Cameron, and E. Parsons. The Wanganui City Council wrote, asking the county to make a contribution towards the payment of the salary of the secretary of the unemployment committee. The amount asked for was granted. The Secretary to the Treasury wrote, advising that under the provisions of legislation passed this year the rate of interest to be paid by local bodies in respect to loans raised was to be reduced. After August 1 the highest rate a local body can pay in respect to any loan not raised, or negotiated, at that date, is five per cent. —The letter was received. The Wanganui Automobile Association wrote, asking that proper steps be taken to prevent stock wandering on the roads. It was desired that traffic inspectors be given the power to impound. The letter provoked discussion on straying stock on the main road, and it was decided that steps be taken to keep the particular stock off the roads. The Public Works Overseer wrote with regard to Ngarino Road, pointing out that it was usual to insist on fencing before a subsidy was granted. The council decided to forward a copy of the letter to the settlers concerned an<! to give them three months in which to get the gates off the road. Tn reply to a council letter, Mr H. G. Dickie, ALP. for Patea, wrote that he was giving the matter of taxations for highways close attention and was in touch with the president and secretary of the North Island Alotor Union The Budget of last year, Afr Dickie pointed out, had promised that any petrol tax, other than that required for main highways, would be spent on subsidiary highways.—The letter was received. Discussion took place with regard to a punt which had come adrift from Paranui Landing. Air H. G. Dickie. M.P., having advised the engineer that the Public Works Department was not responsible, but that replacement of the punt was a county matter. To this the engineer had replied that, the

punt had been established by the Department, and at no time had the county taken it over. After discussion it was decided that Cr. Allen and the engineer be a committee to confer with the Department and arrive at some finality in the interests of the settlers.

Subject to the enginer approving of the work, the council granted permission to Afr W. G. AfeKnight to lay 3 water pipe across the road at Nuknmaru.

The Principal of the Friends’ School wrote with reference to several matters connected wtih drainage and a committc consisting of the chairman, Cr. Goldsbury and the engineer was appointed to confer with him.

Mr A. C. Thynne wrote with reference to the lease of a county section on the Waitotara Valley Road. The clerk (Afr A. S. Dyniock) reported that he had replied to the effect that the rental was £1 a year and the tenancy w’ould be at the pleasure of the council. —The action was endorsed. Cr. Laird asked that the drains in Waireka Road be cleaned out, and his motion to this effect was carried, it being agreed that the work be done by unemployed, hut that no transport be provided therefor. Cr. Parsons requested attention to the fence lines on the Waitotara Valley Road. He pointed out that the fences had encroached on the road to such an extent at places that it was not above half a chain wide.—The engineer was instructed to find the correct lines and have the fences moved back where that was considered necesENGINEER’S REPORT The engineer (Afr T. Dix)) reported as follows: “General.—Though there has been an undue amount, of wet weather recently, it is pleasing to report that, with tho exception of the Ahu Ahu road, there has not been an extraordinary amount of damage done to the roads. On several roads in the Tokomaru Riding settlers have given their services to help clear slips. An average of about 20 Omen per week were employed on relief works. Tho men have been engaged in quarrying metal in Brunet’s and Pajcaraka Pits, and widening tho Auckland-Wellington highway near the Okehu Bridge. The Leyland truck has received a complete overhaul. An accommodation paddock for cattle has been fenced off at tho Okehu stream, Handley Road. “Auckland-Wellington Highway. The contract for metalling work at the 11-mile post has been satisfactorily completed. Good progress is being made with the formation contract at 13-mile post. Shingle for a loose surface was spread where required between mile posts 7 and 17. Portions of the roadway in miles 13 and 16 were

scarified and re-shaped. Several springs have developed in tho asphalt surface between Goat Valley and Kai Iwi; they have proved a difficult problem to combat. It is proposed to construct rubble drains to top them. The macadam surface has been patched and tho grader has periodically trimmed the highway. Extensive slips have occurred in the new formation at the 7 and 11-mile posts; they have been cleared sufficiently to allow traffic to pass. “Waitotara Riding. —Several slips have come down on the RangitatauWatershed highway; there are two dry ones on the Paparangi Hill that arc causing trouble; the hillside appears to bo on tho move. The highway was metal patched and graded. The wet weather has delayed the completion of the metal contract which, is being carried out beyond Paparangi; the metalling of the highway has been completed, but a clump of 10 Oyards of shell rock has .yet to be made before the contract is finished. Fourteen men were, engaged in clearing slip’ on the Waitotara Valley roafl; the slips arc of a sloppy nature, and are continually running. Five relief workers have been widening tho roadway on the Parekaina Hill. The Ngarino, Paetaia, Parekama. Rangitatau West and Nukumaru station roads were graded; Waitotara Valley and Afaxwell station roav were metal patched. A portion or the Rangitatau West road at Oamarunui, was scarifict. and re-shaped, and 107 yards of shell rock were used to strengthen the surface. “Tokomaru Riding.—Slips completely blocked the lower end of the Ahu Ahu road; a track for horse traffic has

been opened, but it will be many weeks before the slips aro cleared sufficiently to allow for vehicular traffic. The Kauarapaoa road was blocked for a few days by slips; these have now been cleared for vehicular traffic. About two chains of roadway near Raorikia have slipped away, but repairs have been effected. Routine maintenance work has been carried out on the Rangitatau-Watershed highway. “Mosston Riding. Heads-Mosston and Springvale-Francis highways were metal patched and graded. Fox, Peakes, Devon, Lincoln and Surrey roads, Parsons and Buxton streets and Fitzherbert Avenue were gaaded and Parsons Street was metal patched. ‘ 1 Brunswick-Westmere Riding.—Rapanui, Springvale-Francis and HeadsMosston highways were graded and metal patched. Seafield, Kaikokopu, Grange, Brunswick, Western Line, Tokomaru East, Cameron, Livingstone, Riverbank, Waireka, Flemington and McNeill roads and Delhi Avenue were graded, and Blueskin, Tokomaru East and Livingstone roads were metal patched. The new metal on the Brunswick road has been scarified, re shaped and rolled. Water-table were cleaned along Campbell, Mission, Symes and Smith roads. Surfacemen have been , taking off points on the Tokomaru West road near Kaiwhatu. Twenty-five macracarpas were required to plant missi ing trees in the Kaiwhatu plantation. i A washout occurred on the Riverbank , road at Te Korito, owing to blockage ■ of a culvert; settlers helped the «irfacemen to repair the damage.” The report was adopted.