PATEA

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 135, 9 June 1937, Page 3

PATEA

OBITUARY | .IRS W. G. HOTTER The death occurred on Monday evening at the Patea Hospital of Mrs W. G. Hotter at the age of 85 years. Deceased has been a resident of Patea for the past 58 years and was highly respected. Born in Hinckley, Leicestershire, England, she came to New Zealand 60 years ago with her husband. William Goodson Hotter, who predeceased her in 1922. This grand old lady will be greatly missed. She leaves a family consisting of Mrs Leitch (Manakau), Mrs Close (Patea), Messrs Wm. Hotter (Opaku), T. Hotter Hawera), E. C. Hotter Wellington), J. Hotter (Wanganui), and W. Hotter. Her daughter, Mrs White, and son, Fred Hotter, also predeceased her. There are 34 grandchildren and six great-grand children. The funeral takes place at 3.15 today. PATEA HOSPITAL BOARD Salaries came under revision at the i Patea Hospital Board’s meeting yes- i terday, and the, following increases were made: Matron, from £175 Io £200; senior sister and maternity sister, from £l2O to £130; staff nurses!, from £lOO to £110; probationers, from £36 to £5O for first year’s, £4B to £6O second year, £6O to £75 third year. The doctor’s salary was increased from £350 to £375, and the secretary’s from £l5O to £175. The Hawera Hospital Board advised that only two boards had declined to co-operate with regard to medical examination of probationers, who had the expense of uniforms and tiavelling only to find on examination on arrival that they were not strong enough to take up duties. Recently four out of six probationers who reported at Hawera were found to be unfit, to take up their duties. If all boards would co-’perate in having lhe examination made a healthier type of probationer would be employed. Miss A. Harris, matron, reported that the month of May had been very busy on account of the shortage of staff, but Staff Nurses Bishop and Ballard and Miss M. Vincent, V.A.D., had commenced duties on June 1 and Miss E. Loveridge, V.A.D., on May 1. COUNTY COUNCIL ANNUAL MEETING Cr. W. G. Belton was re-elected chairman of the Patea County Council at its meeting yesterday. Cr. Watkins' motion, seconded by Cr. Watt, that the chairman's honorarium be increased from £5O to £75 per year was carried. The resident engineer of the Public Works Department advised that control of the Moeawatea Valley Road would be handed back to the council from May 26, and it was suggested that the road be classified in order to prevent excessive usage. The matter of classifying highways by the erection of prescribed signs was referred to the engineer. The Public Works Department advised that the council’s request for restrictions over lhe Patea Bridge had been referred to the Main Hignways Board, and advice had been received that pending certain investigations regarding the present bridge, consideration of the request was being deferred.

I'he chairman was appointed delegate to the New Zealand Counties’ Association Conference in Wellington from August 25 to 27, and the following remit is to be forwarded: “That this conference emphatically protest to the Minister of Transport against the proposed amendment to the Motor Vehicles Act providing for the issue of motor drivers’ licences by deputy-registrars of motor vehicles and the payment of licence fees to the Consolidated Fund, thereby depriving the counties of the revenue from this source.

The council decided to ask the cooperation ot the Marine Department with regard to the Waitotara Rivererosion. A very serious view was taken oi the matter, the Waitotara County Council advising that notices had been served on property owners to remove the live and dead timber and other vegetable growth existing on, near, or m the bed oi the riverabutting on their property, to which one owner had replied tnat the obstructions came from property in the Patea County and asserting that the willows on his property were necessary to protect his land, and he intended to serve a counter notice. Other owners were natives and it would be an expensive matter to enforce them to clear the obstructions. It was suggested that it would be a cheaper proposition if the Patea County did the work at their own expense.

It was decided to hold meetings to consider the Government's county amalgamation scheme, in Alton, Whenuakura and Waverley in a fortnight's time, at dates arranged by the clerk, and a meeting of local bodies is to be arranged in Patea on June 17. The Makara County Council's resolution was supported; “The proposed legislation making provision for the amalgamation o£ local bodies be amended, so as to provide for a poll of the ratepayers before the legislation is proceeded with, and that members of Parliament representing the local bodies concerned be urged to support the amendment.” Applications for Public Works subsidies for metalling work were decided on as follows: Otoia West, £780; Otoia East, £660; Moumahaki, £SOO, Waverley, £530. Engineer's Report. Mr J. N. Anderson, county engineer, reported: “Kapara Riding. The tractor shovel is continuing to do good work in the Waitotara Valley. A number of long-standing slips and silt deposits have been moved, and where slips are continually on the move the road has been kept open for traffic. There has been a few new slips and some of the places that were fairly settled during the summer are again causing trouble. “Moumahaki Riding.—The following sections of metal have been completed: Aikens Road, 3 chains; Lower Okotuku, 18 chains, Block 4 Road, 6 chains; Waitangi Road, 5 chains. The offset grader has been working on the metalled roads in Ngutuwera and Mangawhio and general maintenance i as been attended to throughout the area. “Waverley Riding.—Metalling has

been completed on the following roads: Rangikuia Station Road, 4 chains; Blake's Road, S chains; Stewarts Road, 4 chains, and Karahaki Road, 9 chains. A light surfacing of shingle was laid on several sections of the Upper Okotuku Road and on Hammond's Hiil, Kohi highway. General maintenance has been attended to. “Otoia East Riding.—The culvert that collapsed on Matuku Road has been renewed and general maintenance has been attended to on all roads in the riding. “Otoia West Riding.—A short section of road in the Kakaramea township has been metalled with Pariroa shingle and several roads have been resurfaced at Kakaramea and Hurleyville. Most of the work in the riding has been confined to general maintenace. “Main Road.-The Waitotara Hill section is practically complete and necesary maintenance has been carried out. “Waitotara Pit.—The output from this pit was 819 cubic yards and practically the whole supply has been used for new metalling.''