RAETIHI

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 167, 18 July 1933, Page 3

RAETIHI

GENERAL. Mork.nru - ac present clearing sups on tho Mangapua, Waipapu ami Mangatiti roads, under the direction of the I’ublic Works Department. The Minister iu charge of the Department of Industries and Commerce, Tourist and Publicity, has approved of the grant of £lO for the purchase of txout Iry lor restocking the streams in the vicinity of National Park. The Waimarino Acclimatisation Society will undertake the distribution of the fry when it ariives from the hatchery. The Waimarino Acclimatisation Society has decided to reopen the stretch of river between the Victory ami iMatapuna bridges at Taumarunui. '1 he Auckland Acclimatisation Society has agreed to reopen its .side of the river. This action has been taken at the request of the Taumarunui Rod and Gun Club. Fair progress is being made with the erection of the bridges and concrete arch on the Hikuhiku road. Some difliculty was met iu obtaining a satisfactory foundation, but that has now been overcome. The Department; of Lands and Survey has advised the Waimarino County Council that it was not prepared to vest the gravel reserve ou section 16, block .12, Mangauui, iu the council, but it could remove metal from tho place. The Public Works Departments intends to undertake repairs to the Manganui-teau bridge. Owing to the condition of its finances the Waimarino County Council finds itself unable to give a donation to the Wanganui-Main Trunk Division of the Boys’ and Girls’ Agricultural Clubs. At the annual social gathering of the Ractihi Fire Brigade the following were elected officers for the ensuing year:—Superintendent, 11. D. Sandford; deputy-superintendent, A. H. Rose; foreman, R. Smith; senior branchinan, C. Rickards; junior branchinan, A. Cunningham; hydrantman and motorman, T. Griffin; secretary, H. D. Sandford; assistat secretary, A. Cunningham. The output of the Ractihi Dtairy Company for the past season was 321 tons as against 219 for the previous year. There were 50 more suppliers last season and it is expected that the number will be increased during the coming year. BOROUGH COUNCIL. At the monthly meeting of the Borough Council the Mayor, Mr. W. Harris, presided over a full attendance of councillors. Waimarino Radio Listeners’ League wrote with regard to local interference and it was agreed that the council and the Electricity Committee would receive a deputation from the league ’and discuss the matter. It was decided to meet the other local bodies of the district and endeavour to arrange for a delegate to the suggested conference ou tho question of rates payable on Crown lands. Mr. J. Swain, health officer, submitted his monthly report; Tho sanitary condition was satisfactory. He had made 15 visits to premises. On the motion of the Mayor it was agreed to send a letter of appreciation to Mr. Swain on the occasion of his transfer to another district. Councillors agreed he had gjveu good service during his stay in tne district. Mr. A. W. Ash well l was appointed successor, there being no other nomination. The borough foreman was instructed to inspect water connections with the object of taking action whore there was waste of water. Several applications for men over-thc-fcnce on the No. 5 scheme were agreed to when the men were available. It was agreed to recommend the granting of the renewal of slaughterhouse license to G. Anderson. Minister of Internal Affairs wrote asking tho borough to observe 19tb iust. as Arbor Day, but it was not considered advisable to hold any ceremony as the date was not suitable for the district. Tho question of the transfer of the telephone from the late Fire Brigade’s superintendent’s residence to the present holder of the position was refcriiul to Cr. Willoughby to act. Tho application of Mr. Snow for a crossing in Duncan Street was granted. The request that he be allowed to work out his rent was made by the occupier of a section but was refused by the council. The chairman of the various committees were appointed a sub-com-mittee to prepare a scheme for the utilising or unemployment labour for stumping and clearing property in the district. Accounts amounting to £505 Is 6d were passed for payment. UNEMPLOYMENT. VISIT OF MR. JESSOP. Last month the Unemployment Commissioner advised the local Unemployment Committee that the deputy-chair-man of the board, Mr. J. S. Jessop, would confer with it and the local bodies at an early date, and last week he motored through from Taumarunui. After meeting the local committee, Mr. Jessop received a deputation from the Waimarino County Council and the Ractihi Borough Council. The Member for Waimarino, Mr. Langstone,: was also present. The Mayor, Mr. W. Harris, brought before Mr. Jessop several requests on behalf of the residents. They asked for increased allocation and for the use of tools belonging to the Public Works Department stored at Ohakune, that married men bo not asked to go into camps at a distance as long as there was work to be done in the district. Mr. Willoughby stressed the. desirability of starting a camp to metal the Raetihi-l’ipiriki Road. Mr. D. J. Berry advocated stumping and clearing farm lands by establishing more single men camps in the district. • Mr. F. Bettjeman asked that relief I workers be put on to the roads in the backblocks, especially in the Mangupurua district. Tho position of tho natives was brought before Mr. Jessop, and the county clerk, Mr. Mabbott, read the , 1 particulars he had given to the Native I Land Commission. L Mr. Langstone spoke at length. He

objected to married men being sent into camp. There was plenty of work to be done about the district. He complained that some local bodies had credit balances at the end of their year and had spent unemployment money on works. Mr. Jessop said ho was satisfied there was much reproductive work to be done in Waimarino and ho did not think there was need to send men out of the place. The chief thing for tho district was to bring the land into cultivation for tho growing of winter feed. With regard to the allocation, the board dis tributed the money where the neces sity wasj greatest. Every district was considered in relation to its circumstances. Tho various matters would receive the attention of the board With regard to local bodies with surpluses the board would be delighted to get their hand on some of the funds. Tho Mayor and county chairman hastened to assure Air. Jessop that the Waimarino local bodies did not have surplus funds. Afessrs. Tom Shout, R. G. Chamley and Heise, representing the relief workers, waited on Mr. Jessop. Air. Jessop, with representatives from the County Council, visited the Makatoku camp, which is under the control of tho Public Works Department. At Ohakune and Rangataua. Deputations waited upon Air. Jessop at. Ohakune and Rangataua, when a number of requests were made to him. Mr. J. Calpin asked for full sustenance without work. Air. C. Mclntyre asked for the abolition of the stand-down week at Ohakurie. lie asked what was tho future policy of the board. Air. Jessop replied that it was impossible to try and give the future policy of the board. Mr. Alclntyre asked about married men’s camps, and Air. Jessop replied that as far as he could see there would not be any need for local men to go away to camps. There was plenty of reproductive work available in the dis trict. In the cities and in some other places productive wo»k was not available. Air. Jessop replied to the various speakers and assured them that the matters brought before him would re ceivo the attention of the board. (Continued on Page 10).