TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8135, 15 June 1906, Page 2

TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

SPECIAL MEETING. j A special meeting of tlio Taranaki County Council was held ou Thursday. Present: Messrs Tait (chairman), Andrews, Stevens, Adlam, Brown, Hill and Julian.

Before the business of the meeting was gone on with the following resolution, proposed by the Chairman, wrs carried in silence, the members standing

" That this meeting of the Council of tho County of Taranaki, with feelings of sorrow, testifies its sense of the irreparable loss to the Kmpire and to tho people of the colony sustained by the sudden death of the late Eight Hon. Riohard John Seddon, Prime Minister of New Zealand, and offers its heartfelt condolonce to the widow and family in the hour of trial and affliction, and that this testimonial of our sympathy and sorrow bo forwarded to Mrs Soddon and family," REGULATING BOAD TBAI?fIC. In accordance with notice of motion at last meeting, tho question of prohibiting the use of bullock drays on tho County roads came up for discussion. The Chairman stated that under sec-

tions 150 and 151 of thePublio Works Act the County had power to stop or modify the traffic. The roads m some parts wero being badly cut up and something would have to be done. A deputation, consisting of Messrs A. E. Eade, T. C. Monteflorc, E. Bayley, T. Randal, and F. Itart, represent-

ing several contractors and others in.

terestcd in the bullock traffic in the Omata riding, waited on tho Council, and stated that it would be unfair if

the Oounjil adhered to the proposal to stop bullock traffic for five months of the year. If the Council could see its way to regulate the loads it would perhaps meet the case. If tho Council, on the other hand, prohibited for five months the use of bullock teams, then contractors could not afford to keep the

animals and the Council would • be without the seryicos of what was the only means of getting metal and doing other earthworks in the wet seasons. The Chairman stated it was not desired to interfere with the industry or livelihood of anyone, but the traffic would have to regulated.

The matte; - was discusssd at considerable length, and, on put. to the meeting, the motion 11 ra ike the special order was lost.

ORDINARY MEETING. Proposed by Cr Julian, se;:onled| by Cr Adlam, " That this Council limit the use of more than eight bullocks as animals of traction during the months from May to September of each year." —Carried. ELTHAM BOAT) BATES. Mr J. B. Soy wrote stating that at the S.M. Court, New Plymouth, on 7th iust. judgment had been eiyen in favor of the Council on all points in the Eltham road rating cases, also that after the half-yearly instalment due on July Ist has been collected, the Council can call upon the E jmont County to take oyer future collections of money.— Received.

TECHNICAL SCFIGOL GRINT. The Taranaki Education Board wrote asking the council to front assistance in the building of a Technical school at New Plymouth.—Resolved that a grant of £2O be allowed. GENERAL. Mr Ende, manager of the Koru saw mills, asked tor permission to stack timber on the side of the South road for a period of six wcoks.—Granted, provided that Mr Eado indemnifies the Council against any accident that may arise in connection therewith.

Resolved that Mr Pycroft be authorised and empowered to impound cattle on tho County roads. The Egmont Road Board's request .for assistance towards road maintenance was dealt with, and it was resolved that crushed metal to the value of £lO bo granted, £ls to be allotted to the Egmont road, £ls to the Henwood road, and £lO to the Smart road. Mr W. J. Honeyfield, Barrett road, requested tho Council to fill in approach to his property.—The Foreman to be asked to give an ostimate of c jst of same.

THE TAPI'AE TUNNEL. As requested by the Council at its meeting last week—when it was decided to get tlio opinion of independent engineers regarding]tlie Tapuae tunnel, Messrs Sladden & Palmer submitted the report of their inspection. The report stated that levels had been taken through the tunnel, and it was found that from the floor of the tunnel at the inlet to the surface of the water at the outlet there was a fall of about sevon feet. With regard to width it was found to vary from 9ft. to 12ft. on account of large boulders jetting out. Probably these large stones were not removed for fear of undermining the sides, and thus rendering them more likely to scour. The height varies from 14ft. at the inlet to about 17ft. 6in. at the outlet, the average height being between 16ft. and 17ft, The ground through which the tunnel has been driven is good, hard kind of conglomerate, and should stand well without timber or concrete work. All things considered it would be advisable to lower the floor of the tunnel 4ft, at the intake, running out to nothing at the present outfall, thus giving a total fall of threo feet or so, which should be ampin. If tlio floor of the tunne. is to be lowered, the minimum width should mt bo under 12ft. If the tunnel is to be widened and lowered the lin :s suggested would giv a waterway of 220 square feet, or rather more than is theoretically required to carry a stream draining an area equal to that drained by the Tapuae. To guard against possible damage to filling a dam or wall might be placed, say half-a-chaindown stream from the tunnel inlet. In making the filling for the roadway, the engineers entirely agree with Mr Skinner in thinking that as the earth is tipped it should be shovelled forward so that the bank would be raised evenly right across the stream. In conclusion, Messrs Sladden & Palmer stited that the various experiments already tried had been | invaluable in forming conclusions, and that it was easier for them to suggest alterations now than it would have been before the work was done.

Considerable discussion ensued, during which the engineer stated that as some members of the Council seemed to be dissatisfied, it would perhaps be well to get Mr Murray, District Road Engineer, to report on the tunnol. The Chairman thought the matter required mature consideration before the Council decided to do anything more with the tunnel. It would be necessary, too, for the Council to ascertain its position with regard to the contractor in the matter.

Cr. Stevens moved, " That in order to make certain that the tunnel at Tapuae shall carry all the water in timo of flood, Messrs Sladdcu aud Palmer's recommendations bo given effect to."—Seconded by Cr Julian, and carried.

THAT FOIIEM.VN. Cr. Andrews referred to the reinstating of Foreman Moore (Omata ttiding), at the last meeting and handed in resolutions passed at three meetings held at his end of the district rcgar ling the matter. He considered he hail been insulted by the action of the Council, aud the ratepayers at these meetings hold a similar view. If tlie Council still retained the services of Moore in face of what he had said and what those meetings had agreed upon, then ho would Lave to consider whether he should resign his seat. Members considered that Cr. Andrews had taken a wrong view of the matter. The Council, it was pointed out, had only trcatod Moore fairly. No action was taken and the Board rose.