Colyton

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 40, 17 February 1937, Page 3

Colyton

(From Our Own Correspondent) Institute Picnic. j Fortunately Tuesday proved to be s glorious summer day and amidst pleasant surroundings the Colyton Women’s Insti- | tute held their annual picnic, which hai been postponed from January on accoun j of the weather conditions. A large numbei j of members and friends assembled on Mi I J. Shorthall’s river property at “Wes End’’ in time for lunch, and afternoox tea was partaken of in picnic fashion, th< attendance having grown considerably Ice-creams and sweets were, providei Numbers went bathing, while otITSV: strolled through the bush and enjoyed £ sunbath on the sands of the river. Aftei afternoon tea a short meeting was held Mrs Beatson presiding. Correspondenct was received in connection with migratior from England. The next Awatea grouj meeting is to be held at Pohangina on th< ,24th instant, and members desiring conveyance may ring Mrs Petty, secretary 1 Makino Institute, who will be chartering a bus which will arrive at Colyton crossroads at approximately 12 noon. The far* will be 3/- return. The entries from the branch in the recent Feilding Show wen of a very high standard, some gaining the highest possible points. The wl\oh exhibit was awarded second prize. Nominations were taken for the new committee, to be elected next month. Member. 4 wishing to nominate candidates are askec to forward same to the secretary withir the next week. Three new members were welcomed—Mrs W. W. Shortall, Mrs F Evered and Miss M. Smith. The competition for three spikes of gladioli was wor by Mrs W. Bussell, Mrs Weston gaining second and third places. Mr Masters anc Mr Morgan kindly acted as judges for the • competition. The next meeting is to be held at Mrs T. M. Shortall’s bush, if fine, ■ otherwise as usual in the hall. The competition is to be the best three pots ol jam. Moutoa Drainage Board. Mr J. Chrystall (chairman) presided at the monthly meeting of the Moutoa Drainage Board. Also present were Messrs D. Purcell, W. E. Barber, F. Woods, and ! the clerk and treasurer (Mr G. V. Fraser.) I A deputation consisting of Messrs W. E. Barber (chairman), A. K. Drew (clerk) and 11. V. Bond (engineer), representing the Manawatu County Council, waited upon the Board and explained the steps being taken by the Council in respect ol the Local Bodies Amalgamation Act. A discussion ensued on the matter and ii was subsequently resolved that Trustees Chrystall and Woods be appointed delegates to the conference of local bodies which is to be convened by the Manawatu County Council at an early date. The treasurer submitted his monthly statement, which disclosed that the Board’s account at the Bank of New Zealand was that day at credit to the extent of £176 4s lOd. The balances of the mair ledger accounts were as follow: —Genera, account, in credit. £126 18s lid; interesi accounts, in credit, £49 6s lid. In reporting on the position with regard tc the Board’s rates, the treasurer statec that since notification had been given 01 the addition of the 10 per cent penalty payment of outstanding rates had beer satisfactory and to date only £46 19s 9c of current rates remained unpaid. Ol this figure, £36 10s lid represented general rates and £lO 8s lOd special rates, The statement also set out a list of accounts, amounting to £223 2s 3d, which required to be passed for payment. The Board’s foreman (Mr T. A. Robinson) stated that he had been engaged ir cleaning a further 10 chains of Mair drain at the outlet end, and was then held up owing to the flooded state of this drain for nearly six weeks. During this time he finished blasting the stumps from ilie Mile drain and this job was a threefold one. Firstly the cleaning of swangrass occupied five days’ labour, and secondly blasting and removing all timber from the drain required ten days. Lastly six days had been spent in shovelling mud out of the drain over the whole distance of 23 chains. He had been successful in getting a number of people tc remove the timber from the road, so that it would not be a menace In the event ol a flood. Ho had also been engaged for four days in cleaning the Kari Kar north drain outlet, a distance pf 14 \ chains and for 11 days he had been employed cleaning the Kari Kari south drain, After a further day’s work had. been carried out In this drain, the distance of 3( chains would be completed. The foreman stated his intention of starting in at the head of the Main drain to deal with the swangrass. He had had to spend a good deal of time at the main drain outlet as there was a tremendous bank ol silt forming right across the outlet from the south side towards the north and he had only been able to keep a 25ft. open*ing. He attributed this to the continued high winds coupled with a number of small floods and there was quite a big beach forming on the sonth side of the flood-gates along the river and also on the north side.. The netting which had been placed in the drain and on the river side of the diagonal floodgates was proving very successful in arresting flood debris. A lengthy opinion from Mr F. E Baldwin was read in reference to traffic over the Diagonal drain floodgates. Following a discussion it was decided to defer action until a later date, Mr Purcell agreeing to make a further inspection of the gates in the interim. The report of Mr H. V. Bond (county engineer) in connection with the above matter was also read and discussed. On the motion of the chairman and Air Baarber it was resolved that the Board donate three pairs of 4ft. Iron hinges, previously used on the Alain drain floodgates, to the Public Works Department for uso in connection with the erection of new floodgates at Whlrolrino. A letter was received from the District Engineer (Mr H. W. Watklnson) In reply, advisiug that the Alain Highways Board had considered the Drainage Board’s representations in connection with the Whirokino deviation, and had now decided that the additional 40ft. span to provide an open outlet for the efficient discharge of floodwaters through the new road, would be provided as requested. A motion of sympathy in his illness was passed to Mr .T. K. Hornblow, together with the wish for a speedy recovery-