WAITOTARA COUNTY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 111, 12 May 1936, Page 9

WAITOTARA COUNTY

MONTHLY MEETING HELD REPORT AND GENERAL BUSINESS’ The monthly meeting of the Waitotara County Council was held at Wanganui yesterday, Mr. Win. Morrison presiding. Also in attendance were Messrs. A. R. Richardson, R. Laird, A. Winwood, L. T. Jones, R. Farley, F. Handley, T. Alexander and J. Cameron. Correspondence and General. The notification issued two months ago asking settlers to clear gorse from the front of their properties came up for discussion. It was pointed, out that | the two months expired in a ■week’s time. Some settlers had put in good work, but others had neglected to dear i the gorse from their road frontages as instructed. The matter will be brought f up at next meeting and prosecutions instituted in cases where the instruction has not been carried out. An application for 10 yards of soil for top-dressing purposes was received from the St. John’s Tennis Club. The application was granted. A letter from the Public Works [Department (Wanganui), concerning the condition of the Watershed Road, stated that the Minister of Public Works had asked the department to report on the matter. The Department, accordingly, was desirous of ascertaining what the council proposed doing in the matter of repairing flood damage. “It has been suggested that in such an isolated locality where supervision is naturally difficult, the work of clearing slips and otherwise restoring the road should be let on private contract rather than have it carried out on day wages," the letter added. “The settlers hope the road will be cleared back to its full width and not left as a narrow and dangerous road for vehicles. They claim that after the previous storm the road was not cleared back to the batters and was unsafe for vehicles." The county engineer was instructed to have the road cleared to 12ft., or any other width which he may deem i advisable. The council decided to purchase Anzac stamps to the value of £2. Engineer’s Report. The following report was submitted by the county engineer (Mr. T. Dix): ““Auckland - Wellington Highway The continued wet weather has delayed the completion of the formation work connected with the reconstruction conract in miles 5 and 6. There is comparatively a small amount of work to be done, the metalling of the roadway is progressing slowly. The renewal of the painted lines on curves has been completed. The cleaning of slips that occurred last February has been completed. The shoulders of the asphalt have been patched and graded. “Brunswick - Westmere Riding. The Rapanui, Springvale - Francis, Heads-Mosstown and Blueskin Highways were metalled, patched and graded, the Seafield, Western Line and Westmere Station Roads were graded, slips along the Tokomaru East and West, Brunswick and Riverbank Roads were cleared, watertables were cleaned along Mission, Western Line, Symes, Brunswick and Kaikokopu Roads and Roberts Avenue. The contract for cleaning drains along Waireka Road is in progress, the contractor has been requested to carry out the work according to the specifications. “Waitotara Riding.—The Rangita-tau-Watershed Highway was metal patched and graded, the roadway was widened at an underslip near Bushy Park. Slips were cleared along the Junction and Rangitatau West Roads. The lower end of the Waitotara Valley was metal patched and graded. The cleaning of slips along the highway has been completed, the roadway adjacent to the Parokama Junction is being straightened under the No. 5 scheme of employment. “Mosston Riding.—The contract for clearing drains at Springvale is about completed. Parsons Street and FitzHerbert Avenue were metal patched, Peake and Fox Roads, Parsons Street and Fitzherbert were o raded. “Tokomaru Riding.—The Kauarapao and Bruce Roads and Rangita-tau-Watershed highway were graded, two gangs were engaged in widening the Rangitatau-Watershed highway at underslips, slips were cleared along all riding rc-ads. Maintenance metal for the Kauara-paoa Roads and Rangitatau highway is being quarried by Public Works contractors and carted by the council’s trucks. The report was adopted.