HOROWHENUA COUNTY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 250, 20 September 1929, Page 2

HOROWHENUA COUNTY.

NORTHERN RIDING MATTERS. At tho meeting of the Horowhenua County Council on Saturday several matters affecting the northern end of the county were dealt with. The Kairanga County Council wrote agreeing to pay half the cost of reerecting the boundary bridge and accepting the responsibility for maintenance after its erection. Notification was also received that, in view of the condition of the existing bridge, the Kairanga County Council would not . accept any responsibility for accidents that might occur there. In answer to a question by Cr. Jensen, the chairman (Cr. Monk) stated that tho Horowhenua Council was the body controlling the present structure. Cr. Jensen said that if the new bridge was gone on with immediately tho position would be all right, but otherwise there would be an accident. The chairman: Do you think it will collapse ? Cr. Jensen : It is very dangerous. Tho chairman; I don’t think so. The communications were received. A complaint- was received from Mr. T. Christensen, Makerua, that the drain by the Makerua station had been filled up completely by sand washing down from tho cutting along tho road. He asked for an inspection to be made, as he was a sufferer by it, — Referred to the engineer. NEW BRIDGE REQUIRED.

Mr S. H. Roberts, Tokomaru Valley Road, wrote with reference to the bridge on the road. Ho stated that about eighteen months ago he had written to Ihe council on this matter and they had sent out both their engineers, who reported the bridge unsafe and had a notice erected stating that anybody using it would do so at his own risk. The writer used this bridge—his only access—practically every day, at the risk of precipitating himself and family into the creek below. Last wool season he had to unload his wool and take it over the bridge one bale at a time, and this year he was doubtful if the wool lorries would risk the bridge at .all. The bridge must collapse one day, with a chance of causing someone’s death. Each year a sum of money had been put on the estimates for this road, but during the last seven or eight years not a penny Lad been spent. The chairman said that apparently the council had to build a new bridge. The engineer stated that it would be impossible to repair the bridge. It was thirty feet in length. It was decided to reply stating that the work would be done in the summer.

Mr R. M. Lange wrote stating that metal was needed on the top of Kaihinau Road. —Referred fo the engineer. • REQUESTS FOR CULVERTS.

Two settlers wrote asking for culverts. Cr. Colquhoun suggested that the large number of applications being made to the council for culverts was becoming a serious matter. The chairman said it was a precedent that the council supplied the culverts and the applicants installed them. Cr. Colquhoun. I don’t think they do it in other countries. People should supply their own access ofr the road. You might say that if we are required

to supply culverts we are required to metal into the gateways. Cr. Gimblett said that the council had to take a stand as to how many culverts it would give. The chairman; Yes, and I don’t think we should give more than one crossing. Cr. Catley: The policy of the council in this respect should be adhered to. It is our duty to see that water is kept away, and I don’t think that, in supplying a culvert free and stipulating that the applicants put it in to the satisfaction of the controlling authority, we are unreasonable. The chairman stated that at one time the council used to metal right up to the gates. This was no longer possible unless the rates were increased. The council did not give any settler more than one culvert to each property. The applicants were referred to the engineer with power to act.