Taranaki County Council.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 7811, 2 May 1905, Page 2

Taranaki County Council.

MONTHLY MJSISTINU. The Taranaki County Council met on Monday. Present : Mr 11. Okey (Chairman), and Crs. Uill, Gray, Andrews, McDonald, llopson, and Brown. —Stone Crushing.—

The engine driver, T. I'rry, reported that up to April 28 he had crushed for UJ days, breaking 1026 yards of stone. The crushing for Mr Monleiiore's contract had finished on the i!7Ui, the crusliings totalling KiO.'i yards. In eight hours a quantity of 130 yards had been crusliwl, being the best ucliievemeut with the machine to date. The Chttirman mentioned thut during the last live weeks, allowing Si 1•> for wuges, £lC> for fuel, antl £lO for contingencies, the stone, crushing plant had at Is Cd per yard made u ) rolit of £BO. —Junction Hoad.—

A letter was received from Mr Murray, district road engineer, of the Houd Surveyor's Oflice, with reference to Junction Hoad, from Ingle wood to Taratu. Mr Murray coiujilainod that, the work so far haul not so far been done in accordance with the specifications agreed v'l )on by the Department, us tlie material was not being broken to the proper size.

Foreman Orr, to whom tlie latter was referred, said it was a fact that some of the stone delivered was

larger than the six inches specilied, and on occasions he had to reject as much as .six to ten yards. The statement that spawls were placed in the bottom, and other materia.- , broken on top of it, was not correct. To refute the statement as to the quality of the work, the foreman suggested that some of the members of the Council inspect the road, and invite Mr Murray to he present. There had been between (50 and TO yards of boulders ploughed up with the old metal which he had had broken up for repairs, ami there would be sufficient to keep the road in repair as far as Sentry Hill; beyond that it would take another 100 yards to patcli the road as far as Tariki Hoad. It was decided lo forward a copy of the foreman's report to Mr Murray, with the intimation that the Chairman would be pleased to inspect the road with him at any stated time. —lnglewood.

Foreman .J. W. Orr reported that during the month all his time had been spent on Junction I toad. The unfavourable weather since the l.'th had delayed the completion of Mf Tapp's contract. To date the latter hail delivered 931 yards, and with three or four line days the work would •!ic completed. The foreman had spent two days in repairing as far as Marshall's cutting. At the twenty mile peg n length of 24ft of 18 inch pi]WS was required. With reference to "his son working on the road, the foreman mentioned that the former was 21 years of age.

The report was received. The piping mentioned was authorised.

—Moa Riding.— Foreman Walter reported on the work on Junction Road. The Maketuwa bridge would require re-deck-ing, The cords at each end were quite rotten. It would be advisable in shorten the cords nt the south end by 14ft, and at the north end by 4 ft. If the ends were removed the remainder of the tords would be sound. It would take about !i(> vaids of earth for the necessary filling. Some of the undor bracing stays were unsound, and a carpenters services were required. The foreman ulso gave details of the' contracts and stone broken for the month. • It was decided to authorise the bridge work suggested, and also to have tho bridge thoroughly screwed up.

—Waitara.— Foreman Ilolmeu reported that somo of the deck flanks on the Waiongona Bridge at Sentry Hill, mid also on the Lepperton bridge, broke through during the month, and had been repaired. Puring April 436 yards of mcUil had been carted for re-metal'ling .some of the worst places ou the ro-ad. Mr Cartwright had carted out 2H2 yards of metal for re-metalling on the Mountain Hoad, and Mr Kwickey 204 yds for re-metalling on the main road. Regarding Richmond Road the worst piece was from the railway line to the big lii/ 1, about 20 chains in all. Tho cost would be übout £4 5s per chain. —New Bridge.—

The Surveyor (Mr T. Skinner) reported that the steel br.idge for Waiongona, near Sentry Hill, for so lon.j delayed, had now arrived, and was at the site ready for erection. There were a few pieces but fortunately these were easily replaced. The Contractors, Messrs Okey and Hollo, had applied for a progress payment of £l5O. As material and plant to the value of over £SOO was now on the ground tho advunce would be justified.

The Bridge over the Wcrekino stream was finished, hut the casing had not been removed yet. He could not examine all the work till this was removed, but all parts visible showed good work, the concrete being wedl set and strong. Tho work had been carried out without in any way interfering with traflic. Tho two bridges, thoygh occupying the same site, were disconnected. The contractor. was entitled to a pay'ment of £IOO. There was no reason why tho lilling in and the removal of the old bridge should not be gone on with. The report was adopted, and tho progress payments authorised. —Omatn Riding.—

Foreman Evetts reported that with the exception, of a portion near the town the roads were in fair order. A few loads of material would b,e required near Leith Koad factory and a few through Okato township. During the month the decking on Die Kihi and Tapuac bridges had been repaired. The latter bridge had bven strapped and patched from, timo to timo, ami could not last much longer. He suggested that the Council's engineer be asked to inspect the site with a view to getting a ntrw bridge or tunnel driven. No work had been done during April on tho bouLdcr contract (or material between the toll site and Alton's Hill. From Allen's llili to Koru Road about 30 yards had been carted.

Regarding the Tapuae 'bridge it. was decidod to make inquiries as to whether the bridge 'loan money could l>e made available for diverting the stream and running thu water through a culvert. Mr Alorris had offered the land providocl the Council fenced tho stream off. —A Contractor's Claim.—

Mr Montiliore waited on tho Council, and asked to bo recompensed to the extent of £8 lis, the cost it. which ire -was 'put in imikiiVg? « suitalflle site for the stone crusher to work" in crushing stone for his contract. It appeared that no arrangement had been made as to the site.-—After some discussion it was agi-eod to pay Mr Monliliore the sum of £-1.

—Bridges.— Mr IWling interviewed the Council to point out tho necessity for a bridge over the ICiri stream, about the centre of the Carrirfgton Road district. There were a numl>cr of settlers in the locality, which was portion of the most recently settled Crown lands of the district.

In answer to questions Mr BJlUng said this was< realty in the Road Board difctrivit, but the County Council being the principal local bod\-, should, he considered, take up the matter. The Government engineer had stated that a Sfi't. span bridge would be necessary, at a cost of about £3OO,

The Chuii'inan and members pointed out that the Council had 110 authority In the matter. In order to strengthen the hands of the Road Hoards in any representations for l.lie benefit or settlers, the following resolution was carried : " That the altaitioD of the Government be draw n (o the necessity of constructing bridges over the K.iri stream and other streams on tlu- Carrim?(toii Koad for the Convenience of settlers who have recently taken tip Laud m that dlstript." Stone From the Foreshore.— "• Solicitor to' til* Council, advised that tlie Council leotild exercise its statnlorv powers o removal „f .stone from' tli t . \',. w Plymouth Harbour reserves, subject always j. 0 the existing bv-lnws ' of . ""'J*!"' Ilo.nrd, under section JO.j of Hie ' Hiai'boui's Act, TS7B " , v oXo, ' ( ' isi ' nß: its Powers under thp vnvs SCCtj °" tl ° Council should .ijwnjs proceed by win- „( resolution, ' " m .

J, Ct . U '!' " HS , a,s " received from s f cT ( ntosh, Distrtet Engineer, to the effect that tha Kailway Depart- '^' nl v Cou! . d »°t ajfi't-e to the Council riwoviog stuasi inisi tho

shore near tha Moturoa (rocking works, Tho chairman pointed out that it was a question of wh.-Uier tha Council should enioic? ihj pone.* it pos.*cssed or not. Uhe llur..,our lioird, he understood, was quito willing to allow the Council to take stone /roiu the foreshore. 11' the Council dill not maintain Its right, and huvu the matter tested once and lor all, it would prove a very costly matter, as stone would huve to be curled all the wuy from Wuiwukailiu to the llrcakwater Houd. It was decided by resolution to »ric notice on the Harbour Hoard, and obtain stone for the foreshore, tenders to be called for the work on the road.

Fqremun live Its, in his report </i the landslip which blocked vehicular tralllc on tile I'reakwater ltoud oil Thursday last, sta ixi that tie j railway ollicials obji-cted to the [carting of the fallen material over the Department's portion of t; e jroud to the b.ach. They hid uls ) threatened to fence the road oil' so that tlie Council coulj not iie- ' posit the spoil on the beach at th, t end in future. \ The Council decided to take n > steps in the matter. —Old Crusher.— Mr K. llayly was granted the us; of the Council's ojd crushing plant I to deal with 500 yds of material in connection with the Frankley Turk contract. —Slaughterhouse Licenses.— Henewals of slaughterhouse licenses were granted to Hobert llurroxvs, o£ Egmont Village, the Taranaki Co-operatiye Bacon Company, and Henry dough, of Inglewood. —A Culvert Matter.— '1 ho Omata Hoad Hoard wrote in reference to the culvert n't Waircka Hoad, denying any liability Jor tho work.—Heceived. . Hefund of Kates.— Mr M. J. Jones was granted a refund of rates paid by him since March, 1903, on block 5-, l'aritutu, charged in error. —Noxious Weeds.— A notice from the, Department of Agriculture, drawing attention to the noxious weeds (blackberry) on tho Council's gravel reserve, Alfred Hoad, Inglewood, was referred to the foreman for attention. Cr. Mill submitted a report on an application by Mr W. T. llishop to fell some bush on a county reserve rented by him on the Upland Road, . in the Moa Hiding. There were a- . bout 8 acres of- rnther scrubby bush, and lie recommended that permission be granted to cut it down, as it , was likely to become a harbour of I "this noxious weed." . The repor.t iTO.i adopted., i —Tenders.—

Tenders for the supply of 150 yards of stone for Itichmoml Hond, i.ei>perton, were received. That of W. Cartwright nt f's .'ld per yard wad accepted. Other tenderers were :—C. Tapp 'is 6d, Magce 4s .jd, J. 11. Colesby Us fid, J. Knuckey 3a Od, and Bayley and Co. 3s 6d. -Health.— The Health Department's inspector (Mr J. A. Brownlie) reported for the quarter ending March 31. —Accounts.— Accounts amounting to £775 16s lOd were passed for payment. —Eltham Itoad.— 'i'he Chairman and Cr. Gray were appointed to wait on the Egipont County Council to arrange a settlement in connection with the payment of arrears of ratis for the Eltham Itoad rating area.