WANGANUI COUNTY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 242, 13 October 1936, Page 5

WANGANUI COUNTY

MONTHLY MEETING QUESTION OF RENTS The monthly meeting of the Wanganui County Council was held last Friday morning, Mr. Duncan Mackintosh presiding. Those present were: Crs. D. McGregor, J. J. Lissette, W. Craig, T. Mitchell, J. Marumaru, A. Rice and J. Todd. A letter was received from Cr. J. Kennedy, who is at present undergoing treatment at Rotorua, expressing his apperciation of the council’s letter of sympathy with him in his indisposition. Advice was received from the resident engineer of the Public Works Department that as from September 1 the department was taking over the control of the Wanganui River Road for the 13 miles from the junction ot the Parapara R.oad to Atene. It was stated that the cost to the council would be £25 a mile. The chairman: In the past this highway has been costing us something like £4O a mile so we have clone very good. An application was received from the Wanganui Education Board for the erection of a footpath between the present footpath at Taylorville and Putiki. The clerk, Mr. G. Darbyshire, reported that at the request of the council he had made an investigation into the question of rentals charged for council cottages. He had perused a copy ci the Fair Rents Bill and as a result he did not think that the council would be able to make any

move. The whole matter rested on the question of definition. The chairman said that the council was receiving a ridiculously low rental for many of its cottages. Some of i the roadmen were able to run a few ‘ sheep or cows on their sections and I it was obvious that the rental paid j by them could not be termed reason- * able. Other roadmen did not have i any land with their cottages and no | action was required as far as they | were concerned. The whole question I was whether the rental paid by some I of the men could be described a.i ' reasonable from the council’s point of I view. Cr. T. Mitchell thought that now I the men were working five days «’i 1 week they could keep their sections i free of gorse. Some of the men, farmed their sections and expected the councfi to keep it free of noxious weeds. Cr. D. McGregor: In some cases the amount received in rent is fully absorbed in'keeping the land free of noxious weeds. The matter was left in the hands of the chairman. ENGINEER’S REPORT WORK FOR THE MONTH The engineer, Mr. R. R. Dawson, reported as follows on the month’s Mangawhero Riding: Extra labour has been necessary for maintenance at the top end of the 48 Highway, where numerous slips have occurred. Light metal surface repairs are necessary and this work will be put in hand at an early date. Essential surface repairs have been made on the Parihouhou Road for which gravel was obtained from the Makirikiri pit. Field’s Track has been reopened for traffic and the removal of slips should be finalised next week. The deviation of the Matatara Road at its junction with the 48 Highway is about completed. The Kaiwaiki Road has been surfaced with gravel and pumice and is now in fair order. Mangamahu Riding.—The under slip on the Wangaehu Valley Road i near Mangamahu has been repaired | and a further rather serious under- ! slip near the 32-mile peg has ocI curred recently and is receiving im- | mediate attention. Otherwise this road iis in fair condition. The Upper Wangaehu Valley is open for traffic but there is yet a considerable amount of flood damage repair work to be done. The new tunnel and filling on the Mangamahu Creek Road has been completed. Metal repairs will be commenced next week on all roads in the vicinity of Mangamahu. The con-

struction o; a :urge culvert and filling lor the replacement of the Kokomiko Bridge will be commenced at an early date. i'urua Riding: Metal repairs have been ejected on the Mangamahu Road from Kauangaroa to the riding boundary and also on the 50 Highway bacK to Fordell. An under-sup on this highway near the top of Reid s Hill will be repaired immediately. Light metal repairs have been made on the Matarawa Valley and Deniair Roads. The engineering survey in connection with the reconstruction of one mile ot the rso. 50 Highway i? now being made. Kaitoke Hiding. Essential bituminous surface repairs have been carried out on the No. 1 Highway as required and repairs to shouders have also been made. A new outlet is being made for the Kaitoke Lake, which work will be completed this week, to prevent flooding over the Kaitoke Road. Kaukatea Riding: Metal repairs are being made on the Waikupa and No. 3 Line roads, for which gravel is being obtained from the new pit on the Waikupa road. Metal repairs will be made at an early date on the Long Acre and Gordon Park Roads. Morikau Riding: General maintenance is being carried out on the Morikau and Otaranoho Roads in readiness for seasonal traffic.