TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 3 December 1907, Page 3

TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary monthly meeting of th f. County Council was liekl yesterday l'resent: Councillors J. Brown (chair .. man), R. Stevens, M. Ilopson, A. George (J. Andrewn, G. A. Adlain, G. V. Tate and J. R. Hill. OVERSEERS' REPORTS. The engine-driver reported that during the month the crusher worked 14J/ a days, crushing 950 yards, including 112 yards for Waitara Borough Council. Curtwright's crushing contract of 1402 ; yards at Malioetahi had lieeu complot- [ ed. The crusher had ljeeu shifted to Waitara for the Borough Council on the 20th, and to Mr. I'rcoliny's pit at i Tiknrangi on the 27th ull. The engine : and boiler had been inspected on Novpinlier 2Srd. .Mr. .T. Jones, Tariki district rcj orted having obtained timber for X; itoro and Mangamawliiti bridges. Hi had completed the earthwork filling at the Manganui bridge, and had put in a concrete anchor and additional bars, according to the District Road Engineer's plaus. After completing llk> apj proaches to the Manganui bridge (IV I riki road) lie would have about 10 yards of metal left, and this should be put on j the road at once. I Kri Bennett, Junction road (east) j l foi-eninii. renorto,! tlml. mo 4 nf hi* time '

had been taken up with blinding and banking up metal on steep hills, jletal was required for maintenance as fol-lows:—Zig-zag, 100 yards; from Tariki road to Manganui bridge, 100 yards; from Manganui to Slippery Hill, 200 I yards; to Horroek's Hill, 100 yards; Collinson's Hill, 30 yards; from Manganui to Durham road, 200 yards; from Durham road to Xgatoro bridge, 100 yards; from Xgatoro bridge to Dudley j road 300 yards; total, 1130 yards. He recommended that the Government | grant of £2OO bo expended in getting 400 yards of metal fjom the Tarata and Durham road nits to as far as Slippery Hill.

Tenders will be invited for 130 yards of stone. W. Evctts, Omata Hiding foreman, reported that timber waggons were doing considerable damage oil some of the hills by cutting away the edges of the lull, particularly on A 1 e.i's hill. He suggested that the contrai l for metal at Uniata should be let early, .wing to the del.iys caused by working . ith the tides in seturing the boulders. The old metal from the old road al Tapuae was being moved on to the filling. A complaint was made that the bullock teams and drivers at Tapuae were arriving on the scene at nine o'clock in the morning instead of eight. It was decided to invite tenders for supply of stone from Beach road, Omata. J. Holmes, Waitara Riding foreman, said there had been 030 yards of metal parted out and on to the road from the crusher for re-metalling. Stone for repairs had been placed on the roadside. The 20 chains of metalling on Richmond road had absorbed 31!) yards of stone. The metalling of the Waiongona (Mountain road) bridge approaches had been commenced. The Maoris were very dissatisfied with the manner in which they were treated about the royalty on the metal carted out of their pit. It was explained that the matter of royalty was beyond the control of the Council, the Reserves Agent being responsible.

W. Brosnan, foreman in Omata Riding south, reported having raised the grade of the road at each side of the Werokino concrete bridge. Lowering of the road in the Okato township was being proceeded with. FOREMEN'S WAGES.

It was decided to adopt the usual course of paying the foremen and workmen their wages on the Saturday before Christmas. Councillor Adlam asked permission to rescind the formerTesolution which allowed the foremen a week's holiday each year on half-pay. The former resolution could be rescinded by unanimous consent of this meeting.—-Councillor George alone objected. Foreman Evett (Omata) asked fur an increase of wages on account of the increased cost of living. Councillor Tate said he had teen similarly approached by Foreman Holmes (Waitara riding), and his son. He favoured granting the increase, for the county had now a good set of foremen, the best men it was possible to get. Mr. John Holmes had been on the county jroads for thirty years. TTe (Councillor Tate) did not think Che Council would lose anything by granting the request, especially as it had been '"blown around" that the Council made an exception in regard to one foreman. He moved that the wages of the foremen be increased by a shilling a day.—\o

seconder. Mr. George said that as the formation of the Fitzroy Town Board and the Waitara borough had relieved the Messrs. Holmes of some miles of road the Council dispense with the services of one of them.—No seconder. TIIE DOG-TAX. Councillor lulu moved mat applications be culled for the po.-ition ox dogtax collectors in each ruling at a lixeil rate, lie said the Council nad nut got the best meu in the past because they had always taken the cheapest. Councillor llopson moved an amendment to invite tenders for tile right to collect the tax. . i Councillor Stevens seconded. This was withdrawn after some discussion, and the following amendment was submit/ted: "That alternate tenders be invited for collecting the dogtax in the various ridings at per collar, and make oilers for lump sum lor each riding submitting sureties to be approved by the Council." Councillor Stevens believed in "farming " the tax. When the collector had paid in a lump sum to tile Council for the right to collect, lie could go right ahead and, after making the amount of his payment, every dog registered would he profit. He considered this would he better than payment per collar.

The amendment- was carried. It was decided to call tenders for making new dog-collars and relabelling old ones. STONY RIVER BRIDGE. in reference to tlie I'ail.iaineiitaiy vote of XjU for briuge protection ai Stony lliver, the County lingiuccr sud_ it «as proposed to turn tlie stream into its old bed, taking the stone from tile oldfced to utilise for crushing purposes. The District lioad Engineer suggested that tlie Council should pa_j the cost—u shilling a yard—ot moving the stone. It was decided to go forward with the scheme, and to subsidise the Government vote. Councillor Andrews said that Mr. Doyle, who had lost a good deal of land as the result of the erosion, would probably assist, j TAIMKI IiUAD. 'j'lie clerk to the Jlo.i lioad Hoard iMr. A. K. Aikinsoii; ttiolr in iciereu.e lu tile approach ol tile kaimata n,a<l to Hie Jariki road. The Hoard willing to contribute halt the co s l of [putting in tlie pipes, and would he glad if the Council would proceed with | the work at once, as it required doing.— 1 The foreman will he instructed to do | this, using nine-inch pipes. | ENGINEER'S KEI'ORT.

rf|".iU'a UiiU uic cujiirw 1 -u.i ,iir>uge ; lienUroad, mui (.••-ii.incLi'd tiifir coniraci, and me i.ruig<' w-.if, now Used Ku iralhe. lit* ii.nl signed the voueiiei? iOi lull pa\.nein ; W.IUI extras XI. The work \va* ol' exI celient quality and a credit to the contractors, Messrs. Uoon Jiros lie loiwarded plan*, etc-, lor a bridge over tiie Tiniuru river, fcouth iluad. The plan was lor ail arch bridge ul J- feet tpan, 'J.J. leet wide uver ail. Ji would be built under and around the old bridge, which would be removed on com pletion oi' the new bridge. J. he load c>uld be made higher to advantage, but at an increased cu»t oi' lu.d formation. The eontraci will include removal of tile old bridge, tilling and metalling. The Kngineer'fi plan ot the Timaru bridge wars adopted, with the proviso that tile deck and roadway should be raise two feet higher than the present

bridge level. Tenders will be called and application made to the Treasury J'or .C7OO out of the bridge loan. THE TAPITAE AGAIN. In answer to Councillors ot the (• mala riding, the Engineer said thai men had been engaged ill widening the Tapuar tilling. It was useful work. On the motion <>i Councillors George and Hop-on it was derided tlrt all un7M'CfsSary l:ib"iir at lln* Tapuae be di~P<'iiscd with. Councillor Andrew-; mowd that the Tapuar filling should be fenced at once. An accid.-nt had occurred then- lh<> other nighfc, • Cnuneillor Adlani moved fbil (]),. ( 1.-rk submit 1o the < ouneil a return of the cost of the enrlliwork and tun.jielling in excess of the conlraet. i It \Ms decided to call tenders t'oi 1 fentftiff lalong Mr. Morris's boundary tni to instruct Uw fotww to fssc<

along the top of the filling. TENDERS. 3 The tender of G. Turner at Ob 3d per . yard for 300 yards of metal on the . Junction road was accepted. The only other tender was that of 11. Wilson at 63 fld. ' NEW BRIDGE. The Chairman said the foreman had verbally reported to him that tho Mahgamawhiti bridge was rotten—too rotten to hold the nails necessary tor repairing it.—The Engineer will be instructed to prepare plans for the erection of a ferro-eoneretc bridge there. lIENUI BRIDGE. The New Plymouth Borough Council wrote that they considered there was no necessity for (lie, proposed new biidge over the Heimi, on the Junction road, but the Works Comhiittee was | witling to meet a committee of the ji-Vranty Council in conference on the subject, the proceedings of the conference to be without prejudice. Tho County Solicitor (Mr. ,T. B. Roy) [wrote: "Relative to the contention that the borough of New Plymouth is not liable. I would point out that in the erection of the Tlutt, bridge the Corporation of the city of Wellington, some seven or eight miles awav, was ordered to contribute towards the cost. The liability of the Council is clear."

GENERAL. Mr. .1. (.'. Monteiiorc waited 011 the .Council and requested pavmeut of royally on stone taken from his depot at "dn\akfliho.—lo bo paid. -I lie new lieavy-trallie by-law was continued. The Valuer-General wrote that he would credit the Council with £5 as for its revision of the native land rolls. The Audit Ollice forwarded an account for £4 10s for auditing the accounts of the county for the half-year ended-Sep-tember 30(1).

Mr. G. T. Murray, District Road Ell- - gineer, wrote that the following authorities had been issued to the Council:— Junction road (fnglewood to Tarata), £200; Stony River bridge protection, £SO ( £1 for £1). The Treasury notified that the loan of £250 was now available on the Waiwakaiho bridge construction account. Mr. K. J. Ellj s (county clerk) wrote thanking the Council for its allowance of ten shillings per week toward his cadet's salary.

The Coromandel County Clerk (Mr. R. Siminonds) applied tor information as to the Council'* opinion of the advisability of erecting bridges of concrete or otherwise, and also a comparison as to co.,t.—lnformation available to be supplied. Mrs. A. A. Pikett and family thanked the Council for its resolution of sympathy in their recent bereavement. Mr. G. A. Marehant will be asked to inspect and report upon the condition of the county reserves.

The matter of a settlement in the Tariki road special rate eases was referred to the Chairman and the County Solicitor with power lo act. ACCOUNTS. Accounts were passed for payment:— Administration, £143 14s !)d; Moa riding, £OO 15s 2d; Omata riding, £304 15s 3d; Waitara riding, £llOs 0s; total, £1768 lis 2d.