THE COUNTY COUNCIL'S YEAR

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 266, 3 November 1908, Page 4

THE COUNTY COUNCIL'S YEAR

REVIEWED BY THE CHAIRMAN, j At yesterday's meeting of the Tai-.i-naki Couuty Council, the following import was submitted by Mr. J. Brown, county chairman:--This being the limil meeting of the Council, 1 ihiiiK it is my duty to lay before you as concisely as possible a review of our labor during the past year. CONTRACT*. During the year there were 33 eontracts entered' into for tin- following services, iiameli : .Metal 2.1. reinforced bridges :i, removal of bridges 1, collection of dog-tax 1, making dog collars 1, earthwork and deviation 1, fencing road deviation 1.

ROADS. I have been over the whole of the ridings and the roads are in exceptionally good condition. Doubtless the mild winter is to a certain, extent responsible, but the increase in the amount of metal placed on the roads lias been tic chief factor in bringing them up i.o their present condition. There were deposited on the roads 12,132 yards of metal, as again 72U2 yards ior the pie-

ceding year. The amounts distributed in the various ridings were:—Moa .riding 4104 vards (31'2(i yards in 11107), Waitara riding32o3 yards (Hitill varus in 1907), Oimita riding -173U yards (2407 yards in 11)07). The average costs weie —Moa riding 7s Id per yard in BIOS, compared with lis (id per yard in 15)07; Waitara riding. 4s 8d per'yard in HKIS. j compared with 5s Id per yard in 1007: Ouiala riding lis 2it per yard in 10V8, compared with as (id per yard in 1007. The maximum price paid in the various ridings was—Moa riding 10s, 1008, compared with 10s 7il per yard in 1007; Waitara riding, 5s Cd, 1!)08, compared with 6s 3d per yard in 1007; Omata riding 8s id; 1008, compared with 7s '.ld per yard in 1007. The minimum-price paid in the. various ridings was—Moa riding 5s 3d per yard, 100S, and the same in 1007; Waitara riding 3s 3d pc yard in 1008, compared with 4s fid nov yard in 1007; Omata riding 3s Oil per 'yard in 100R, compared with 3s 2d per yard in 1007. Thus the maximum price, 10s per yard, was paid in the Moa rill-ing,-and the minimum price, 3s 3d per yard, paid in the Waitara riding, the average 1 cost over the whole of the county being (Is Id per yard. There was expended on roads the Mini of tOoSS Ms 2d. lint in this item there is some extraordinary expenditure for completing Tapuae formation, metalling Tapuac formation, lowering road through Oka to township, metalling Richmond road, earthwork, Oakura hill deviation. BRIDGES..

■Further reinforced couerete bridges liave lieeii constructed as follows: Maugamawhete, Mountain road, cost £903. 12s; Timaru, South road, cost £OOI 10s; Waiongona Junction roiul boundary bridge (course of erection), cost to date £t>4o-total £2243 2s. Our bridge loan of £14,740 is exhausted, or will be wlien the lleuui bridge on Junction road is constructed, the Council- having made provision for the erection of this structure in Hie sum of £ISOO out of midge loan. Out of the loan authorised by the ratepayers in 1001), the Council built fifteen bridges—two steel, one wood and concrete, one filling (Tapuaol, and twelve reimorccd concrete structures. FOREMEN'S (ASIAN I.AISOU.

The casual labor employed by each foreman in their various lengths is as follows: Moa Hiding.— Foreman Jones: U'ngth 'of road under supervision about 13 miles, total cost of casual labor employed £IBO !)s ltd. average cost extra ! labor per month t'lj IDs lid (included in this expenditure there is expenditure apart from the ordinary upkeep of t'i" roads, namely—Tariki road extraor.ii > ary repairs, and filling and mc;a!i' m Mangauui bridge). Foreman lie,:!"-; ; Length of road under supervision :' U | l.i miles, total cost of casual labor cmployed £l3O 7s Id, average cost of extra labor per month £lO 10s 7d. Foreman Walker: length of road under supervision about 14 miles, total cost of casual labor employed £1:1 2s (id. average cost of extra labor per mouth £3 lis 11(1. Waitara Hiding. Foreman Holmes: Length of road under supervision about IS miles, total cost of visual labor cm--1 ployed £Ol 7s, average cost of extra" labor per month , £5 7s .'ld. pmalii Hiding. - Foreman lluse: Length oi road under supervision about 12 miles, total cost id' casual labor employed under Kvetts £i:i Ills, total cost of labor enipbiveil under lluse £lO7 15s 3d. total £241 8s 3d. average cost of extra labor per month 12.'! !>s.' (A considerable poll ion of this expenditure was incurred in connection with the Tapuac.) Foreman lirnsnan: length of road under supervision about 13 miles, total cost of casual labor employed £332 lis 7d. average cost of extra labor per month 127 lls 2d. .(This apparently heavy expenditure is accounted for in Foreman lirosnan's undertaking the metalling and some formation work at Tapuac, also ,cgrading the road through Okato township.) However, all things considered. Foreman Walker again distinguishes himself by employing less casual lalxir than any other foreman in the county. FINANCE. The total receipts for the year were £11,723 10s lid; including transfers from bridge loan accounts and payments, £13.005 Ills, The overdraft, this day is £75!14 15s 3d. I

MISCKLLAXKoIS. The Council look steps to deal with the extraordinary traffic during, the year. A ease was set down and the Council was successful, as the outcome of which the Council made a by-law to control the trail." on roads, making a scale df charges for various traffic; and up to the present time it has been the means of supplementing the county fund to the extent of tIHJ 12s ;id. with-a sum of probably C 2."> outstanding. The Council during the year -divided the Omatii riding into two'ridings, tin-Frank-ley, Klliot, and Carringtou road districts to be. formed into a separate riding. Foreman Kvetts resigned his position as foreman during the past year, and foreman Huse was appointed in his stead. We have I le an attempt to cope with the bird nuisance, and are paying for e.ggs and heads. The results to date are:--.\l.>a riding. 7.r2 heads and eggs

purchased: U'aitara riding. '.)'■> heads and eggs purchased: (liuata riding. ,">72 heads and eggs purchased - total, 221 W. Continuing', the chairman remarked [ that, the bridge loan being just about exhausted, with several county bridges requiring to be renewed in the near future, the incoming Council would have to consider the mailer of linanciug the re-eri";t'on of bridge". There were three methods of approadiin: and dealing with the matter. Firstly, the Council might ask the ratepayer- lo authorise another bridge loan; secondly, the ralepayers might agree to a special rate

in be levied lor a year or two in onler to raise (lie money rei|uii'ed; or, thirdly, (lie Council could erect tile bridges u* required and put on a 101 l until they were paid for." Of tlie tliree nielhods 1 lio short-term special rate seemed to him Hie best. Willi most of the ratepavers tlio ii mount, ..f I lie rale would be'only C2 or CI. lie estimated that in a vear or two each ridinj; -should be able 'to undertake (he erceti, f bridjres out nf revenue, lint at anv rate, the Council would have to lake early steps to liuiincc the re-erection of many of the old bridges, some of tlioin bein« too rotten to allow of the Council's stone-crusher fri-tl.i«<j about, the county as reipiired. This year they had been able to net Ihe i-rushcr in I,lml hijrlewnort district which meant that, thev saved verv considerable in the

matter ol mad metal. It Was a mistake to (re and patch up l.hiw old bridges. It was cheaper to replace them. To Cr. Andrews: The special rales nii«h( be levied over the whole county or over the riding iuleiesicd. just as the Council illicit decide Cr. Mill said it appeared ( u him Mini i~\w Coiincirs bi L - overdraft was verv lately due lo the diei that mo,I of { Hie bridjies ~ost more than ihe amoiinl borrowed for (I and there was. a,- a I result, a drain on the jrcneral iiecounl. . The chairman -aid it liad been his aim lo jiot the bridges erected so as lo get the crusher rifjhl round Ihe count v. Jle reckoned Miat the money during Ihe

year had been well expended, and they left the roads in good order for the incoming Council, lie thanked councillors for the assistance they had given him during the year, • He would also like to thank the couuty clerk for the manner •in which he had discharged the duties ■of his ollice. it might be urged that' he was paid, but he knew a great many men who were paid for their work and who did not do it as thoroughly and as hcarlilv and courteously as Mr. Ellis did.

Cr. Tate, as one of the oldest members of the Couucil, congratulated the diairnian on his report, and sounded a note of warning that plunging into new works would speedily have the Council in difficulty, lie referred to a statement made outside that private, contractors crushed stone more cheaply than the county crusher, (is. Stevens and Hopson said the privately-crushed stone was not nearly as satisfactory. - The chairman said that he had intended to present a return of the cost of crushing, but owing to the clerk's indisposition he would not be able to give this at'this meeting. | VALEDICTORY. Cr. Hill moved thai the usual honorarium he voted to the chairman. He remarked' that Mr. Brown had been most assiduous in his duties. I'r. Allium seconded, lie said lie was not seeking re-election, but lie would be pleased to'know thai Mr. Drown, would continue as chairman of the new Council. Crs. Hopson and Stevens followed in a similar strain, the latter remarking | that things wouid be'all .right as long as the pres"iit "skipper'' had the ropes. Mr. Brown, in returning thanks, said that as chairman he had earned his' travelling expenses. The ollice was a busy one.