CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 66, 7 March 1908, Page 6

CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Clifton County Council was held yesterday el Waitara. Present:—Councillors .1. \V. Foreman (chairman), T. Mclvonzic. W. Wright, C. (.(Sullivan. 11. T. .lull. C. 11. Oaiistad. and C. K. Hishell. XdXlOl'S WICF.DS. The clerk reported that lie had written to the Inspector of X'ovions Weeds eonccrniug lite spread ol noxious weeds ill the countv, but had received no re-

Cr. O'Sullivan said if was most iinpoitlant that something should be done to prevent the spread of weeds. Heltieis were complaining of the maimer in which the weeds were being allowed to llourish Hi,..,-,., As fas as he was persunally concerned lie had never seeii Ihe inspector who had recent I v hoi n appointed.

'The clerk was instructed to give the Inspector a reminder. .Mr. .1. \Y. Deem. Inspector under the Agricultural Department, notilied thai ox-eye daisy had been added to the second schedule „f the Noxious W Is Act which had been adopted by the Council, and this was now declared a noxious weed in (lie county. TIKOiiAXIII DAIIiY FACTORY.

-Mr. .1. Hine, jimr.. secretary of the Tikoranki Dairy Co., wrote asking ii the Council would supply the pipes required in connection with making an approach to the new factory to be erected on the Inland North road, Tikorangi.

The chairman said he. had informed the directors that he thought tliere would he no objection to the Council doing the work. Cr. O'Sullivan opposed the application, on the ground that it would establish and awkward' precedent.

Cr. .101 l concurred with this view, ami | tlie Council resolved it could not grant the application. TEXDFJiIS. 'renders were received and dealt witj» as follows: I'ikau road formation. No. 151.---T. Falconer t'JT His II) (accepted) : T. 0. Wiiitu .UUO lUs. No. 132: T. Falconer isri 4s lu/od (accepted); T. (.). Wuite if 03. Otiuaba road formation.—T. A. West IM4B 13s 4s (accepted); T. 0. Wai'.e .-CI7II 17s Sd; Crozier C2IIS. A HARDSHIP. .Mr. U. Cole, a ratepayer ou the Puke ho road, Tarata, again brought under the Council's notice the matter of the inclusion of his section in the liability for the payment of interest on the •Junction road loan, although the two •ections between his place and the road were excluded.

Last year the Council had promised to look into the matter. The l'ukeho road settlers believed they had taken steps to exempt their sections from the liability, for they had pledged their thirds for the purpose of metalling their own road. His neighbors, who were liable for the rate, were willing to relieve him by paying a little extra themselves, they recognising the injustice under which he was laboring.

The chairman said there was apparently an injustice, but the Council were powerless to remove it, for it had to conduct its business within the four corners of the law. The Ooverninont auditor would never pass such a transaction as suggested by .Mr. (Jole. .Mr. .101 l said the Council ought to tie

able to deal with this matter if the ratepayers petitioned the Council to relieve .Mr. Cole and put the liability on their own shoulders. Cr. Wright said he had once been in a position similar to Mr. Cole's, and .Mr Malone, then clerk to the Stratford County Council, informed him that his only hope of relief was to secure unanimous consent of the other special rale payers to let him out. Hut the game had not been "worth the candle." -Mr. Cole said the Council had made a mistake and injustice to him the matter should be righted. The chairman said lie was in sympathy with Mr. Cole, but could see no legal method of giving relief. .Mr. Cole wanted to know if the Treasury could tell the Council whether his section had been included in the adver-

tised area. The chairman said (lie minuted schedule included .Mr. Cole's land. He also stated that he did not think there ha I been.a clerical error. It was decided to communicate with the Treasury with a view of ascertain ing whether or not the land should be included in the rating area. I'KKXU TOW.XSIIiP.

Crs. Wright and O'Sullivau movel that the Council call tenders for placing metal on ten chains of Xgakote street in I'renui, from the hotel to the church. •

The chiiirinan opposed the resolution, holding that this was in the nature of a luxury, whilst on several other roads settlers had not even a decent access to their homes, lie moved an amendment that only live chains be metalled. The amendment was carried. KXCIXKEU'S KKPOIIT.

The engineer, .Mr C. F. Dowsett, submitted his monthly report. Wailii riding—Langman huti arranged to obtiiiii 100 yds of Onaero gravel for the Jvaipikari road at a cost of Is ild per yard for quarrying, and 5s (id for loading and haulage, the work to commenee next week. .Marsh Bros, had recommended carting boulders from the beach, and it was hoped that the work of hiving broken metal on the Main Xoilh roiul would be continued without intermission. Tikoraugi ruling.—lnstructions were given to widen the deviation on the \Vaihi road near Cunningham's. Ngatinmru riding.—Ncilson had completed his metalling contract on the •function road. Lowe had hauled a considerable portion of the metal required for his contract from the banks of the Waitara river at l'lirangi. Thins were being prepared for a new steel girder bridge on the North Matau road, The work of sandstoning on the Ala tan saddle was expected to be renewed this month. I'renui riding—Coleman had delivered -105 yds ol gravel, covering a distance of a mile and eight chains. The Urenui bridge had been re-decked. Messrs Wright mid llridgeman were making satisfactory progress with their metalling contract on the Okoke road, and additional teams were to be put on next week. On the I'iko road till chains of widening and formation had been laid oil', il'ilcs had been ordered for the Morangi bridge. Mukau riding.—Plans for re-building u small composite bridge on the L'ruti road witli steel girders was submitted for approval. Kopinga had completed 11 chains of metalling. He had terminated the contract on account of the failure of the gravel pit. Work on the Pnkeanihe deviation was going on satisfactorily. Timber had gone forward for repairs on the Ptitffci and Oliau roads, and lie expected sliort.lv to proceed with the erection of a bridge on the Maiiganiiga road. I'r. (iaiislad advocated the introduction of concrete bridges, mid thought the could be deferred till next meeting, the engineer to make enquiries as to cost in the meantime. The engineer remarked that concrete bridges were very expensive.

Cr. Caustad said that might lie so but they were also peranineiit,

Cr. -loll: The first cost of them is lie last.

It was decided that, the engineer prepare a plan anil estimate as suggested. ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £045 lis Od were passed for payment. (lENEKAL The matter of accepting Hr. J. Coleman's offer to re-metal the north side of Jlimi Hill at 10s a yard was referred to the .engineer to deal with. Mr, W, ,T. Freeth, Urenui, asked that the Council's grader be employed in repairing tlic Wai-ili road.—'The engineer said these side roads would receive attention wlien the grader went to that district. C C Davis' application for permis- | siou to plan- W. ]!. Davis in temporary (barge of the grader was left in the hand> of the chairman. The Treasury notified having paid to Hie Council's credit on account of grants C2fi7 for (he Mimi-liokau road, and Coll for the Pallid road. The Council went into commiltce to. di-cuss Ihe term* of f)i«> proposed altered arraimoinonl with the engineer.