MANAWATU COUNTY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 300, 18 December 1937, Page 5

MANAWATU COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL BUSINESS OF THE MONTH (From Our Own Correspondent) SANDON, Dec. 15. The chairman, Mr. W. E. Barber, presided over the monthly meeting of the Manawatu County Council which was held yesterday. There were also present, Crs. R. A. Wilson, J. H. Ferrett, W. E. Pearce, A. N. Morcom, D. W. Reid and Jas. Boyce. Correspondence The following correspondence was dealt with by the council: — From the Public Works Department drawing special attention to the need for the proper conditioning of highways for the holiday period and requesting that construction work be left in such a state as to cause the minimum of inconvenience.—Referred to the county engineer. From the general manager of the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition, forwarding copy of the company prospectus.—lt was agreed to take up £5O worth of shares. From the Tangimoana School Committee, requesting a load of metal suitable for concrete path making.— It was agreed to supply. From Mrs. E. M. Bradley, Aorangi, offering to sell to the council a residential property at Sanson. —The council decided to consider purchasing the dwelling. From Mr. J. E. Doyle, Himatangi, requesting information as to whether he was liable for the clearing of noxious weeds from the tram line fronting his property. -The council agreed to accept responsibility for keeping the tram line formation and the area between the tram line and the centre of the highway clear of noxious weeds. From the New Zealand Counties Industrial Union of Employers, advising that the union would watch the interests of all county councils in all industrial disputes affecting their interests. —Received. From the N.Z. Counties Union of Employers, recommending membership of local bodies and suggesting proposals to obviate membership of individual councils with the New Zealand Employers’ Federation. - Agreed to. From the New Zealand Counties Association, forwarding legal opinion on the subject of the liability of local bodies for the reconstruction and maintenance of footpaths on Slate highways and setting out that local bodies would not be so liable.—Received. From the Department of Internal Affairs instructing that all contributions to the Far East Relief Fund by local bodies would be validated.--Received. The Health Inspector reported that the health conditions of the county could be considered satisfactory and the sanitary conditions were similar. He reported that there had been five cases of infectious diseases reported during the quarter ended September, 1 1937.

Treasurer’s Report The county treasurer, Mr. A. K. Drew, reported on the county finances as follows:—County Fund account, debit, £7012 Ss 7d; loan account, cr. £3347 18s. Receipts since the last meeting totalled £3441 8s lOd. In regard to the rates, the collections to dale totalled £9312 10s Bd, there remaining outstanding a total of £13.211 8s sd. Tramway Manager’s Report The Tramway Manager, Mr. A. K. Drew, submitted the following report: The items of traffic for the month were as follows: Metal, 560 c.yds., minerals, 17 tons; merchandise, 4A tons; manure, 31 tons; firewood and posts, 2 trucks; steel, etc., 106 tons; tar, 154 i tons; general items, i ton. The earnings for the month were £lB7 14s 8d and the running expenses £149 7s sd, showing a credit balance of £3B 7s 3d. Engineer’s Report The county engineer, Mr. 11. V. Bond reported as follows on the works undertaken during the past month I “County Roads and Bridges.—Culverts, watertables, and drains have been cleaned on the Mt. StewartHalcombe and Rakehou Roads and Lees Line. One new concrete pipe culvert has been laid on Lees Line. Culverts and drains have been cleaned on McDonells, Richardsons and Gusts Lincs. Footpaths have been cleaned in the Sanson township. Cla> has been spread on Ocean Beacn Roau and a site has been cleared for a turning place. The grass shoulders on Puki Puki Road have been cut back with the Diesel grader. Drains have been cleaned and maintenance metal spread on Rosina Line. Maintenance metal has been spread on Pykes and Puki Puki Roads. The sand portion of Bainesse Road has been attended to and sand drifts on iKellows Line have been fascincd. A j culvert on Kopane Road has been lowered. Maintenance metal has been ’ spread on MoLuiti Road and No. 2 Line. The power graders have been 1 working full time on all metal surfaced roads. Considerable difficulty [has been experienced on most roads [but more especially the narrow ones with the long grass growing on the shoulders. This, however, is dealt with in a further report.

“Main Tighways.—Clay filler has ibeen spread on Tangimoana HighIway in places where there was an I excess of loose metal. A further 30 | chains of drain has been cut on the IRongotea - Longburn Highway the 'spoil from which has been used lor the building of shoulders. Surface metal has been spread on the Ron-gotea-Rangiotu Highway. The bitumen surface of the Himatangi-Rangi-otu Highway has been patched where necessary. The work undertaken on the Foxton Shannon Highway for the realigning and regrading of the portion of the road at Marotiri was continued yntil the latter part of November. The alloted time for the men working under No. 13 Scheme and engaged on this work has been completed and a very good work has bcju the result. A commencement has been made on maintenance work! on the Foxton Beach Highway to put

the surface in a reasonable state foi the holiday period. All metal suifaced highways have been maintained with the power graders. “General.—The Pukenui crushing plant has worked satisfactorily for the month of November. A total ol SOI c.yds. of metal was relivcrcd.”