WHANGAMOMONA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 84, 30 July 1914, Page 2

WHANGAMOMONA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the \Vhangamomonu County Council was hold on Tuesday, when there were present: • Crs. A. Meredith (chairman), A. Coyne, Joseph McClnggage, W. A. McCutchan, W. Bacon, T. R. Mounsey, E. B. Rohcrton, and N. R. Clelaud. ENG INEER’S REPORT. The Engineer (Mr E. C. Robinson) reported as follows Contract ’ No. oo (Coleman Bros, and Morrow), for formation of 60 chains of Mangarewa Road is progressing satisfactorily a r u should be completed in about a mocili’s time. Contract No. 56 (Wilson and McKinty), for formation of C 6 chain 1 " 1 Mangarewa Road, will be compjet' <f in about a week’s time. Contract No. 57 (E. Wilson) will bo put in ha.d as soon as No. 56 is completed. Contract No. 58: Drawings and specifications in connection with this contract were not returned from Public Works Department in time to close tenders for this meeting, but I have advertised them to close on August Sth. Whangamomona township bridge No. 1: The greater part of the timber for this bridge is now on the site of works and the work of construction and erection has been put in hand. Wham gamomona township bridge No. 2: It would be advisable, now that the Central Riding bridge loan has been carried, to put the renewal of this bridge in hand without delay. Putikituna Road bridge: The necessary timber for renewal of Poarangi Creek bridge on this road is now to hand and will he carted in as soon as possible next season. 'Makahn Road bridge widening: The timber for this work has arrived at To Wera and will be carted on to the site forthwith. Ohura Road, Central Riding: Metalling operations on this road have been discontinued durign the winter, but I have instructed the contractor to have the metal already laid properly raked in and napped down to guage. The deviations of this road between Whangamomona and Kohuratahi, on account of railway construction, are neither from a temporary nor a permanent point of view to the benefit of the road, and it would be only reasonable on the part of the Council to expect from the Public Works Department a roadway at least equal in every way to that which existed prior to railway construction being undertaken. General: During the last few years some of the roads in the County (I refer more particularly to the unmetalled ones) have been steadily going hack, the reason being that under present conditions there is not enough revenue to employ the requisite labor for general maintenance and repair work. Such labor is always difficult to obtain in an outlying district such as Whangamomona County, and, further, during the summer months, the only time of year when road improvement work can he carried out satisfactorily, is often employed on extraordinary work such as loan work. In the winter months the best we can hope for is to keep our roads passable, but the summer and early autumn is the time to concentrate on putting them back into shape. Having these matters in mind, I would suggest for the serious consideiation of the Council the purchase of a road grader. Such a machine could be worked to advantage on many of our roads, and in a few weeks during, tho summer coqld be used to dross up most of the unmetalled roads m the County, which, formed to proper s hape and consolidated by the autumn traffic, would have a much better chance of remaining serviceable during the winter. The Engineer, in reply to Cr. McCutchan, said a road grader would cost about £BS. It would need six horses to work it. It would not be advisable to buy a team. The grader could be used for about three and a half months each year and for that time horses could be hired. It would, if carefully handled, work on hilly roads and on the level roads it did very good work.—Cr. McCutchan gave potice to move at next meeting that the matter of purchasing a grader be considered. The Engineer was authorised to proceed with the renewal of the No. 2 township bridge. The Chairman said he 'had heard that the deviations of the road to Kohuratahi were a menace to life and limb. —Cr. McClnggage said the dairying season was about to open and suppliers would find it difficult to get to the factory.—Cr. Bacon thought a resolution should be passed asking, that when a railway followed a road the Public Works Department should see tha a good road is provided. On tho work towards Kohuratahi the Department had been engaged for three years d v so. and they carried out deviations without the slightest consideration for settlers. —Cr, McClnggage thought the Minister should be waited on.—Cr. Coyne asked if representations could he made to the officers on the work.— It was decided that the chairman and Engineer proceed to Wellington to interview the Minister for Public Works on the question, with special reference to he cleviaion near Vera Road.—-On Cr. Coyne’s suggestion it was decided that the deputation also go into the matter of subsidies.—Cr. Bacon said the deputation should urge on the Minister that in future when such deviations are made the Public Works officers should consult with,the County Council before any work is done.—A ‘further instruction to the deputation Nvas to urge that the overhead bridge near the factory be done away with. RATES. Allocation of rates was agreed to as follows :—Strathmore Riding, same as last year; Pohokura Riding, same as lust year; Central Riding, id from byroads running into Whangamomona Road to bo paid to Whangaifmmona Road; Tahora Riding, no allocation. When the questin of striking rates came up Cr, Bacon moved that tho tote

for the Central Riding be fid.—Cr. McCutchan protested against the rate being increased.—Cr. Bacon said the Riding had recently taken over a good length of new by-roads and this would mean greatly increased expenditure. Jn addition some of the roads were heavily in debt and unless the •.ate was increased the roads Would go still further back.—Cr. McCntchan sail there was a bridg - rate over the Riling, one special ate over the whole Riding and am: ‘i.v special rate over a portion. By ' ’creasing the general rate a credit ' ’iaace would be accrued which would m. be used. The proposed rate wa ;>•: increase of fifty per cent on tb xvvions year. If a road was in dr m was sure settlers would agree t' irate rates.—Cr. Bacon said h. :fc deny Cr. McCutehan’s claim that ti.e Biding was in a good financial position at present, but what he objected to was the bad state pf the roads.—Finally,, it was decided on Cr McCntchan’s motion to strike a rate of 2.]d. —The Strathmore Riding Tate mis fixed at 2d without discussion. oho Pohoknra Riding at lid and the Tahora Riding at lid. RIDING BUSINESS. It was decided that timber lying near fclie Strathmore bridge should be offered for sale. W. Pope was granted a lease of a piece of land adjoining Mrs Dean’s on Oluira Road. M. Cronin is to be informed that, the piece of land which he applied to lease was private land. The Public Works Department is to be asked to remove a disused building at Kohuratahi which encroaches on tie road. Roadman Eovan, Whangamomona Road, was granted the use of a pieye of road reserve on which Lis house stands on condition that he fells and grasses the section. Cr. McCutchan reported that, Putikituua Road settlers had decided to apply for a loan of £1250. The chairman was asked to apply when in Wellington for a pound impound subsidy on a proposed loan for widening and metalling Okara Road. V GENERAL. It was decided to ask J. Scarry to take charge of the Kohuratahi pound. Cr. McCutchan reported on the deputation to the Hospital Board regarding the cottage hospital for Whangamornona.

The action of Cr. McCutchan in engaging a man to clear the mud off the township bridge on the day the railway was opened was confirmed. The Public Works Department notified that as their heavy traffic had ceased over the road they would not in future do any maintenance work on the road from the eastern foot of the Whangamomona saddle to Whangamomona township. Dr. Hitchcock waited on the Council and asked for the erection of a lamp near his surgery, the road being very dark at the point. The lamp would also be a convenience to residents generally.—lt was decided to erect the lamp, Dr. Hitchcock to be responsible for keeping it alight. A letter was received from the Mayor of New Plymouth forwarding the resolution passed by a public meeting protesting against the proposal in the new Education Bill to cut out the Taranaki Education Board.—On the motion of Cr. McCluggage, seconded by Cr. Mounsey, it was decided to endorse the resolution of the New Plymouth meeting. Cr. Bacon moved to rescind the motion passed granting Mr McQuiu his thirds for the construction of a bridge giving acess to his property on Whangamomona Road.—The matter was fully discussed and it was finally decided to bold the matter over for a month in order that inquiries might be made as to whether the bridge would be on a road reserve on both sides of the stream. . J. D. Oliphant wrote claiming compensation for damage done to bis fence on Kohi Road by contractors. —Cr. Mounsey said about thirty chains of fence had been damaged.—lt was decided to ask Mr Oliphant for a definite statement of damage.—Cr. McCutchan thought that in paying compensation the Council should consider the fact that no claim had been made during the time the contractors were at work. Messrs Geever and Bradley waited on the Council and stated that the settlers on Whangamomona Road had held a meeting and desired to raise a loan of £IOOO for metalling the road, desiring also to have a Government subsidy of pound for pound on the amount.—-After a discussion of the terms the Council decided to take steps to raise the loan.