WAITOTARA COUNTY COUNCIL

Wanganui Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 160723, 9 August 1920, Page 11

WAITOTARA COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Waitotara County Council was held to-day. The members present were; Crs. W. Morrison (chairman), C. G. Russell, Jones, D. Ross, G. Russell, K. 3. Cave, Handley, and J. A. Burnet. AN APPEAL.—A letter was read from the Wanganui Agricultural Association in regard to collecting funds for the new show grounds.—Decided to do all the Council could to assist the Association. JSEUM SUBSIDY.—The Mueseum Trustees wrote asking whether the Council would continue to grant its subsidy of .£2s.—Decided to grant the subsidy. A letter was received from the Hon. W. H. Berries stating that the question of removal of duty on children’s footwear would receive careful consideration when the tariff schedules are under review.—’ Received. In reply to the Council’s request that the fee-simple of Section 3, Block 2, Waipakura Survey District be vested in the Council, the Commissioner of Crown Lauds wrote asking for what purpose the Council required the land, and what price it was prepared to pay for the land.—lnformation to be supplied. MISSION LINE.—Mr T. H. Allen waited on the meeting and asked for improvements to the Mission Line—Engineer to attend to matter. The Minister of Public Works, in reply to the Council’s letter for a special grant of £IOOO for extraordinary damage to the Main Road, caused by the railway “cut” last year, stated that he would have inquiries made and communicate with the Council later. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The Engineer, Mr Thomas Dix, reported as follows; Acting on instructions, a visit was paid to the Belmont Quarries to ascertain if it were possible to make arrangements for obtaining a better supply of road metal. Unfortunately the visit was fruitless, and the Council will have to be content with the present spasmodic supply. In an interview with the railway officials re tariff on road metal, it was anticipated that the new rate will be in the nature of the present ordinary rate. It was stated that all railway freights would advance another 20 per cent. If this surmise is correct, it will preclude the Council obtaining metal from Belmont, and, in fact, from any station on the railway further distant than 30 miles from Wanganui. The new rate for that distance will be approximately 5s per ton. The Eangitikei County Council intended developing a metal pit at Ohingaite', which is about 60 miles distant from Wanganui. Even at this distance, he was afraid the freight would he too high. It is apparent that no suitable metal can be obtained at a reasonable rate outside the County boundaries. Out only source of supply will be shell-rock from within the County.

The supply of good shell-rock is limited, and the longest haul on the Main Road, if shell-rock were nsed, would be seven miles. Under those circumstances, it would be necessary to procure other motor lorries, as the single lorry could not possibly cope with the work. He suggested that the question of raising a machinery loan be considered. The hard shell-rock in the Paharaka pit had peter ed out. This pit was considered to have an unlimited supply of good shell-rock. The visible metal is of a sandy nature, and the face is scared with sand seams. It would be possible to utilise the metal in the pit if the sand were screened out of it. About 380 cubic yards of metal are required to complete the metalling of the Main Road through the Pakaraka Gorge, and as that quantity of good metal is not obtainable in the Council's pit, arrangements have been made to procured the metal from the adjoining property. An inspection was made of the Lower Waitotara Road, with a view of arriving at an estimate of the cost of metalling certain portions of the same. The Engineer to the Patea Council was also present. The joint report is held over until we have ascertained the landed cost of Belmont metal under the new railway freights. Belmont metal was to have been used at the Waitotara end, and shell-rock, which was to have been obtained in the Patea County, at the upper end of the road. Additional slips occurred during the rains of about three weeks ago, but were not of a serious nature. The crusher at Mowhanau has been overhauled, and the screen placed in position in readiness to start work.

The motor track is again in commission after a spell of nearly ten weeks. I* has been utilised in patching the Westmere and Brunswick Roads. The track has proved very efficient for hauling the when trimming the metalled roads.

A survey was made of the Western Line adjoining the proposed racecourse. As the road is only'about 40ft wide, it has been suggested" to the Jockey Club that in case the road he widened at some future date, no hedge he planted nearer than 26ft of the Club’s road boundary. Attention was directed to the plan of land adjoining Springvale Road, submit ted to the Council at a recent meeting. ’The plan embraces land that is to be brought under the provisions of the Land Transfer Act, hut part of the land being dealt with is a portion of the legalised’road. The solicitiors for the applicant have , had their attention drawn to this, hut they claim that it is part of their clients’ land. There appears to he little hope of making efficient repairs on the Main Eoad with the money that will he available from rates. It was suggested that the Council consider raising a loan for metalling and general improvements on the Main Eoad. Tokomaru Riding.—Good progress has been made in. clearing the Ahu Ahu Eoad of slips. A further slip has occurred on Eangitatau East Eoad, about two miles from Paparangi. This has delayed the opening of the road for vehicular traffic. The new formation of the River Road at Eaoukia has slipped considerably. It is proposed to leave the clearing of the slips until the spring. Waitotara Riding.—The Lower Waitotara Road is now open for vehicular traffic. There are several slips to clear before the road is in a good state of repair. The improvements to the Main Road through the Pakaraka Gorge has practically been completed. Westmere Riding.—The Rapanui Eoad opposite the Westmere Lake was recently covered for several days with flood water. It was proposed to make arrangements to divert the water. A survey has been made for reducing the grade of the hills on Rapanui Eoad. A survey has been made to widen the Rapanui Road at Donald’s Farm. Fox Road has been patched. Brunswick Riding.—Metal repairs have been carried out on the Grange, Blueskin, Brunswick, Western Tokomaru, Past and West, and Riverhank Roads. As no chips are procurable from Belmont, J would like directions ordering other metal for the work on the Main RoadMaintenance work has been carried out on all the riding roads. I