WANGANUI COUNTY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 63, 14 March 1936, Page 7

WANGANUI COUNTY

I MONTHLY MEETING HELD GENERAL BUSINESS AND REPORT. The Wanganui County Council met ye>terday. Mr. Duncan Mackintosh presiding. 'I here were also present Crs. <D. McGregor. .1. J. Lissette. J. Todd, A. Ri.e, T. Mitchell, A. Collins, J. Kennedy and J. Marumaru. An apology for unavoidable absence was received from Cr. W. Craig. The Waganui Health t’amp trustees wrote thanking the council for assistance in establishing the site on Gonville junction. The chairman reported that, under his instructions, the county had lent a lorry for a day to complete formation of the road. J he Aotea Native Land Board wrote covering a letter from the manager of the Morik.au farm, which advised that because of the fact that the bridge at I Jerusalem had been down the farm had I been put to expense in the matter of I getting stock out io the Kaetihi pwc fair. The letter detailed the expense gone to to form tracks. Subje. t to investigation by otir engineer L think the county should pay this expense,’’ said the chairman. <_■-. Marumaru stated that perhaps the farm should bear the cost*of rhe accomI modation paddock. j The n atter was left tn the engineer ■and clerk with power to act. It was decided not io accede to the I request of the Department of Agriculture to declare variegated thistle a j noxious weed. 1 Mr. C. O.'Leary complained nf the I smell arising from pig farm refuse in the Matarawa \ alley. It was decided to write to the Okoia Co-operative Dairv Company in the matter. It was decided tn confer with the Member for Kangitikoi with reference to the opening of the Wanganui Kiver Koad as far as Atone. Engineer's Report, The engineer (Mr. R. R- Dawson.' reported as follows: Mangawhcro Riding.—The No. 4S highway has been closed io traffic periodically, due to further floods and the restoration work has been hampered owing to almost, daily rains during the past month. This road is at present open for traffic and a considerable amount of extra labour is being entployed ut ropair the damage. '•Thn re onstruction work from the city boundary to the Kaiwhaiki Road junction is completed with the excopCo'i of approximately Jifteen chains near I pokongaro, which will be iinalised by the middle of this month. It was intended to invite tenders for sealing the completed portion of this road but owing to unfavourable weather conditions. it is now considered advisable to delay this work until about November, when the linal bituminous surface could also be applied. “Field’s Track, Raupiu, Parihouhou and Te Komai Roads are open for traffic. However, a great deal of work is required to repair the flood damage. 1 he Hanganui River Road is open for traffic to Pilangi and two large culI verts ha'e been replaced with concrete I pipes. A considerable amount of dami age was done on the top end of the ■ Makirikiri \ alley Road due to a local : storm which damaged the gravel surface. It will be necessary to supplv gravel at an early date to repair the damage. The Mangahowhi Road s completely blocked for traffic and repair work is being commenced intmedia:ely. J ‘‘Mangamahu Riding.—Further con I sidcrab'c flood damage has occurred on I the No. oJ highway fluring the past I month, pai’ti' uiariy between Mangamt'bu and Mn U nt View. Th : s road is I npen for vehicular traffic •.» Aranui i'.uff, wiiere there is a serious blockage due to the foundation of the road I •‘dipping out and also a wasn-<>ut at I Harper’s bluff. However, under favourable weather conditions, the road will be opened to Mount View within j a few davs. The most urgent flood I damage repair work between Kauanga- | roa and Mangamahu is being carried out at McCairn’s bluff. Directly the I slips are cleared sufficient metal repars will be effected throughout the I entire length. Extra labour has been I employed to repair damage on lhe I Wangaehu Vai'ey Road from PungaI taua homestead in the county boundary I and also on Field’s Track. Metal surface repairs will also be made on these roads as soon as possible. The Mangamahu Creek Road is open for traffic but a considerable amount of work is yet necessary to restore the roa] to its normal condition. “ Purua Rid : ng.—The rocottsanction work on the No. 50 Hig’hway is <o:.tpleted. but it is not advisable to apply rhe seal coat under th p pre-ent unfavourable weather conditions and it is recommende'i that this work i»e held O'er until about. November. Metal re-

pairs are be : ng carried nut on this highway, for which gravel is being obtained from the council’s pit at Reid's Hill. ‘‘Ka toke Riding.—Light metal repairs have been made on the Warrengate Road and similar repairs are neees. sary on several of the side roads which work will be put in hand at an early date. An inspection has been macle of the outlet to the Kaitoke Lake with a view to preventing the lake from backing up during floods. It is recommended that an outlet be deviated by excavating a new drain for a distance of twentv chains at a co-.-t of approximately £"f». “ Kaukatea Riding.—S'lips have o«- < urred recemiy on the No. 3 Line an<f Long Acre Roads, which blocked traffic for a short period. The No. 3 Line to Oko a and the Gordon Paik Roads have been sacrificed and rolled. The Long Acre and Waikpupa Roads havF been re-shaped bv road grader. “Aforikau Riding.—The principal work in this riding has been opening tracks on the River Road unt'l such time a* the flood damage repairs can be effected. The Otarano’no and Morikau Roads are operf for traffic to give access lo the river.”