WANGANUI COUNTY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 194, 15 August 1936, Page 7

WANGANUI COUNTY

MONTHLY MEETING HELD i general business dealt with I WANGAEHU VALLEY ROAD The Wanganui County Council met yesterday, Mr. Duncan Mackintosh presiding. There were also present Crs. D. McGregor, W. Craig, J. J. Lissette. J. Todd, J. Marumaru, A. Rice, T. Mitchell and A. Collins. e Labourers’ Award The General Labourers’ Union of ' workers cited the county as parties to an award. It was decided to ob- ' ’ ject to citation and the Counties’ Association is to be asked to act accordingly in the county's interests. 1 It was formally agreed to comply c with the 40-hour week as from September 1. a Cattle Stops on Roads The question of cattle stops on e, roads xvas referred to Mr. Ormand j, Wilson, M.P., advising that the county had poxx'er, under certain circume stances, to establish them. The chairman stated that he had r. raised the matter with Mr. Wilson e for the reason that because there e would be no access to Karioi via the s Wangaehu Valley R.oad. Field's Track would be extensively used. “It is absolutely necessary that the gates on that track be removed,” Mr. Mackins tosh proceeded. “The best thing for _ this county to do is to send the ene gineer to see these people. I did not v know that we had full power to erect cattle stops, but apparently we can get permission from the Minister and p should get on with the work as soon ( f as possible.” ■ I The engineer (Mr. R. R. Dawson): h I take it that the cost of erecting , r cattle stops will be borne by the ratepayers? The chairman: Yes, by those getting the benefit. Wanganui River Road a Declaration of the Wanganui River Road as a highway was notified to the e county and also revocation of the length of highway from Kauagaroa to Mangamahu in lieu thereof. The question as to whether the Highways Board desired to centrol the two highways—Wanganui River j Road and Wanganui to Kauangaroa, _ was raised, the chairman stating that v he had mentioned that aspect to Mr. Ormond Wilson, M.P. for Rangitikei, G xx ho had expressed an opinion that the g board did not wish that control, ex- _ cept while work on the River Road _ was going on. He had asked what s the county’s attitude would be to a ;1 Government road, and the chairman 1 had replied that he thought the county xvould be favourable to that { so far as the Wanganui River Road p was concerned. r The chairman reported that he had . suggested to the Highways Board that u the taking over of the River Road be delayed until the end of the financial year when ridings would be abolv ished. This had been refused. An agreement to find £l6OO as the county's share of the expenditure on 2 the Wanganui River Highway was v signed. The Highxvays Board loaned v the £l6OO at 3-i per cent interest and '? the capital, plus interest, is to be repaid to the board in four equal instalments of £435 12s per annum. a Wangaehu Valley Road A deputation consisting of Messrs. T. Hine and son and Mr. White xvaited . on the county deploring the condition of the Wangaehu Valley Road above Mount View. The road, Mr. Hine stated, had been closed for six months e and people were lost without it. Huns dreds of thousands had been spent on c the Parapara Road and yet settlers in _ the Wangaehu Valley were absolutely left xvithout access. The deputation wanted to know what the county intended doing. Mr. Hine was of opin(l ion that steps should be taken Io e survey the road and put the work in ?, hand. The Public Works Minister had said that he was done with wheel- > barrows and he was quite right, too, to a certain extent. Couldn't a steam ( shovel be used and the road dealt with in a quicker manner than with a few barrows? The deputation was not 11 there in a carping spirit, but to help the county. ii Mr. White deputising for his brother, I’- manager of Mount View, said that he s was not closely acquainted with the - district, but opening the road xvould e be a big benefit. li Mr. Hine, junior, supported the deputation. Losing highway status n for the road was a severe "knock back” to the settlers, he said. n ’ Replying, Mr. Mackintosh said that the county realised the serious t position as it affected the ratepayers n in that area, and the council vx’as con- , cerned with what, it would cost to open the road. The engineer and the Public Works engineer had inspected 1 the road and had come to the conclusion that it would be a waste of ’• money to open the route. He con- ’ sidered that the only thing to do was p to bridge the river and cross to the ' other side. The question at the mo--jment xvas not what it would cost the ratepayers now, but in the future? ' It might involve a concrete xvall and that would be a very costly matter. Mr. Dawson, engineer, said* that the I situation was most difficult. In one t place there was 300 ft. of sheer bluff. - The erosion xvould have to be stopped by some form of boulder groin or e concrete wall. The alternative was to t go steeper into the papa and that would mean that future maintenance would be a costly matter. He realised ’ the importance of the road and I thought the matter should not be ' rushed into too quickly. A deviation II just above Mount View might meet ’ the position. Supposing that the cost ■ of the deviation was say, 110,000. it would be xvorthwhile because the county would not be faced with such u a huge expenditure in the future on maintenance. * Cr. A. Collins quite agreed with the a engineer. Money to open the road on i the present route would be wasted, 7 he said. The road could be opened i but that was not the important matter; it was future maintenance t and the county xvas entitled to some ■ Government assistance for that road • as the Mangamahu Valley had been I badly treated as regards road access. » The settlers had rated themselves on the xvhole of the Wangaehu Valley . Road and were still paying special rates. “We should have no compunction in going to the Government for assistance.” said Cr. Collins.” “It was not the county that asked the Government to open that road. We should ;

keep the matter in front of \js and go into the question of going over the river.” Cr. T. Mitchell realised the serious position, but as the highway had been taken away he could not see how the work could be done out of riding bounds. Mr. T. tline: Seeing that the Government has seen fit io take away highway status from the road, it should be asked to open the road up. Why should we be penalised? Mr. Mackintosh said that it xvould be an easy matter to approach the Government, but there was not one chance in a thousand of getting anything. “As far as I can see, and speaking for myself, I don’t, think you can get anything for that road this year,” added Mr. Mackintosh. “But things will be different next year when ridings will be done away with and it will be a county ma.ter.” Mr. Collins: That would satisfy us. Mr. Hine: Yes, that would be satis- ; factory. We came along here because ' people speak of “gingering up.” If ' the councillors will do xvhat they can, it will be satisfactory. We thought that if we could get a road by “ginger- j ing you people up” xve would do it. i (laughter). Complaint re Culvert A letter xxas received from Mr. R. A. Montgomerie complaining in very strongs terms of the putting in of a culvert. The letter was merely received, no action being taken. Pigs on No. 2. Line Complaints regarding pigs on the No. 2 Line were referred to the clerk and ranger for action.

Access to Fordell Hall Complaint of the road access to the Fordell Hall was made by the committee. Cr. McGregor and the engineer were deputed to deal with the matter with full power to act. Okoia Flood Water Cr. Rice urged that something be done about the flood water in Okoia. He suggested that the chairman and engineer view the locality and ascertain what was best to be done. Mr. Mackintosh was not quite clear as to the council’s power under the uct. 7he engineer suggeccJ that the locality be inspected. It was opening up a big question, he said. Mr. Macintosh: It was real’y ore for a drainage board Cr. Rice v as of opinion that ii the creek between the school and the rrilxvay was opened out and the railway i kept its portion clear the trouble i might be overcome. 1 It xvas decided to inspect the locality and interview the property owner concerned. Morikau Farm Road Cr. Marumaru asked that the engineer inspect the Morikau Farm Road with a viexv to furthering the proposed deviation. The farm, he said, was prepared to contribute something.