ROADS AND BRIDGES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 88, 14 April 1938, Page 12

ROADS AND BRIDGES

WAITOTARA COUNTY

MONTHLY MEETING HELD

The monthly meeting of the Waitotara County Council was held yesterday, Mr. W. Morrison presiding, those present were Crs. R. Farley, F. G. Handley, H. Titter, A. R. Richardson and T. Alexander. A donation of £2 to be used in the beautification of the Brunswick Cemetery, was received from Miss K. Currie.—lt was decided to send Miss Currie a letter of appreciation, the chairman commenting that it was a very fine gesture.

“Skirting the Paparangi Road are delightful patches of native bush, but much to the dismay of we residents abutting the road periodically a raid is made upon it by city persons,” stated a letter from Mr. A. Elliot, of Kai Iwi. “Sometimes it is a splendid cabbage tree which is taken off or some of the beautiful pungas which grace the highway. Now these organised squads of destructors have had a very free hand and surely it is time the council made a severe example of the vandals. On Saturday morning last, for example, two men in a yellow van ran riot among the pungas. Not content with taking one lovely tree, they waded in until their van was well laden. All that now remains of what were graceful examples of Nature’s work are the stumps and the beautiful fronds that were ruthlessly hacked off and left on the roadside. Emestly I appeal to your council to do something that will publicly warn such vandals.” Mr. Elliot said that nothing less than a prosecution would be sufficient. — The council decided to prosecute the offenders if they can be located.

A request was received on behalf of the settlers above Raorikia for the metalling, with the aid of a Government subsidy, of three or four bad places on the road before the bad weather sets in.—The council decided to make a grant of £25 for the work provided that the Government subsidy of £3 for £1 is available. Mr. R. Farley reported on the recent conference in Wanganui of local bodies to discuss the question of controlling noxious weeds. It was apparent that the Farmers’ Union was very keen on having the county council’s administer the Noxious Weeds Act. A number of motions had been placed before the conference and lost and, finally, a resolution moved by himself, had been carried. This he had done to protect those ratepayers who did not have any noxious weeds on their property. He had pointed out that these weeds were thriving on Crown lands and scenic areas and it would be unfair to place the burden of these areas on the county councils.. Crs. H. Titter and R. Farley were re-appointed to represent the council at the next conference to discuss the problem. Advice was received from the Department of Agriculture that the sub- > sidy on sodium chlorate from March 1, 1938. to February 28, 1939. The Inspector of Health, Mr. W. S. [ Steele, reported that during the year; ended March 31, 1938,. 36 applications I had been received for building permits ;

and permits for buildings to the value of £12,066 5s had been issued. Twelve new dwellings had been erected or | were in the course of erection and j considerable alterations had been made to another 12. The incidence of: Infectious diseases had been moder- i ately low, 12 cases having been reported in the year. One case was at- I tended with fatal results. It was decided that travelling stores operating in the county should be in- 1 formed that they are required to pay’ the council’s licence fee for itinerant traders. The attention of the council was drawn to the rough condition of the sides of the road in front of the Westmere Hall, making the parking of cars very difficult and 'reouently very dangerous to the travelling public. The engineer was instructed to discuss the matter with Public Works Department. councillors expressing the opinion that the provision of a parking area was essential. ENGINEER’S REPORT The engineer, Mr T. Dix, reported as follows: Brunswick-Westmere Riding.—The section of the Wanganui River highway extending three-quarters of a mile from the city boundary, was reshaped, widened and banked to the new r highway standard. Approximately 500 yards of gravel are required to strengthen the existing metal. Th** Blueskin highway and the Tokomaru West Road were graded. The Spring-vale-Francis highway, the Western Line, Riverbank, Tokomaru East and West roads were metal patched. A r i engineering survey of the Rapanu’ highway has been started. The highway is being metalled, patched and graded. The metalling of roads in the Brunswick district is progressing slowly. The metalling proposals for the Campbel) and Tokomaru Roads are completed and the metalling ot the Otokina Hill, Brunswick Road, has been started. The staff is unablw to keep continuously at the work as routine maintenance on other necessitate their attention. The capacity of the No. 7 (Saunderson) tractor has been overtaxed in driving ano crushing plant, a second-hand truck engine has been adopted and is driving the plant satisfactorily. Waitotara Riding—Surfacemen are widening a highway near Waitohinga, a section of the highway at Panarangi was metal patched and graded. The Waitotara Valley highway was metal patched. Slips were also cleared and watertables cleaned. The recently-spread metal along the Parao and Handley Roads was consolidated by rolling. Fern and scrub were cut

along the Rangitatau West Road, the roadway was also metal patched. Mosstcn Riding. Fitzherbert Avenue. Fox Road, and the HeadsMosstown highway were graded. Tokomaru Riding.—Sections of the Rangitatau East-Watershed highway and the Kauarapaoa Road were graded, and fern and scrub were cut along both roads. A corner of the Kauarapaoa watertables were cleared along Bruce and Watershed Roads. A portion of the Ahu Ahu Road was graded and the roadway prepared for metalling. Good progress has been made with the metalling contract. practically all the quarried metal dumped in the Kauarapaoa Pit has been carted on to the road. I understand the rights to the mill bush at the headwaters of the Ahu Ahu Stream have been disposed of and the erection of a mill is about to be started. The metal available from the Kauarapaoa Pit is only suitable for light traffic and will be useless for the extraordinary timber carters. Per- , mission to utilise metal is being sought from the P.W.D., the metai from against 9 to 12 miles from the Kauarapaoa Pit.