CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 270, 7 November 1908, Page 6

CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Clifton County Council was held at Wai- j ■lara yesterday. There wore present: . i Councillor.- J. W. Foreman (chairman), - T. McKenzie, C. O'Sullivau, H; X. Joll, G. E. BUhell, and C. 11. Gaustad. A TIKORANGI TROUBLE.

Mr. Fred Sarteu, of Tikorangi, wrote complaiuiug that the culvert put in by | the Council on the Ohanga road near | Mr. J. Honeytieid's had dammed ba:k ; the water on to his property, making .he creek boggy and dangerous for •toA. lie asked that the creek be retoied to its former state, aud claimed

£5 ior the loss of two cows that were | bogjed. He also gave notice of his inlenaon to claim for any further losses of stock from this cause. Cr. McKenzie said that the culvert when lowered recently to prevent th ; s backing up of the water it could have been lowered by eighteen inches or so, but there was no great harm being-don'!, although the boggy crossing was doubtless inconvenient. The engineer said that undoubtedly the water was backed up, but in cis opinion it was a very minor item, and] he would not recommend taking up the ! culvert. | The matter was referred to the chairI man with the idea of arriving at a settlement. . SURFACEMEN'S REPORTS.

H. H. Martin, Mokau riding, reported having repaired portions of the Mangahaia road. Further work was. needed at McKellar's Flat. Uruti road from the store to the Uruti bridge was in good order; there was a lot of work required at the other end of the road. Small slips had been removed from the Mimi road. The main road from the end of the metal to the foot of Mt. Messenger was in a bad state of repair. He would attend to the worst places in the following week. The six-foot track to Tangitu needed considerable attention. J. Teller (Urenui riding) reported roads were in fair order, and stated his gravel requirements for the season. J. McN. Adams (Ngatimaru riding) reported that during the month he had been at work at Toro, Maui, and Otaraoa roads. Further repairs on these roads were needed, inclusive of two pipe culverts on the Otaraoa road. He had cut a drain at the Toro road pit, but found unsatisfactory stuff. He had found another face of metal close by,

and intended prospecting it. A. Rolfe (Xgatiinaru) reported the) necessity for taking off a corner m the Jlatau road south. Approaches of, a bridge over the Jlatau required two fillings. I A. R. Davis forwarded Hie request of the settlers on the main road to have a > dangerous .point taken off a hill south ■of the new cheese factory at Pukearuhe. A filling had slipped away, leaving the road in a dangerous state. Three accidents had occurred there recently, two carts going completely over the bank.— The engineer recommended the work, and instructions- to the surfaceman W'U be issued accordingly. A QUESTION OF PRINCIPLE. Mr. C'olman, contractor 'for carting metal in the JVaihi riding, interviewed the Council, complaining of the measurement of his carts. He stated that wh'-'ti he started the contract the surfaceman measured and informed Ihiui that the drays contained the full two yards, but on the last day of the contract Air. the county -engineer, came out and measured the drays, and found that he was carrying short measure. This meant a shortage of 111 yards on the contract. He asked thai the Council shiiuld "split the difference," as both drays had been previously approved !.y the Council. Cr. Gaustad said that in measuring drays three independent engineers would arrive at three different results. The chairman said that ho didn't think Column was "trying to work a" point on the Council," but if the surfaceman (Savers) had made a mistake, the contractor was equally to blame in not knowing the capacity of his drays. Crs. Joll, Mackenzie, and O'Sullivm were of opinion that the contractor w:ts entitled to know before the last d>v if he was loading light. Several councillors considered 'iim. the surfaceman having passed the work, the Council was liable to pay. The engineer (Air. Dowsett) prodii •■•:! the printed specification for the con tract, which stated that in the abseiic' oi the engineer the spreader should i"' in charge, but the engineer had power to reverse any decision of the spread;'!'. He did not know whether the clause was legal, but it was there. The Council authorised n payment of 13s BVi>d above the amount certified by the engineer. COVEEXJIEXT GRANTS. Mr. G. T. -Murray, District Roads Eu- , | ginccr. wrote stating that the authori- | ties for the expenditure of the foliowI lag amounts had been or were beiuu issued to tile Council:— I -huiction road (I'urangi to Jlatau). ; «(!d: Kuka. Col); Mataro, x>o: Mi'i'i !to Jfokau, tKHHt: Okau i-andim.". ■Cl.ill; Okoke. t43 2s ;id ; otaraoa. ' CtiUU; Piko, £207 lis (id; il'utik: WO; Uruti, £2OO. In a further communication Air. Alurray stated that tlie correct balance on Alimi to Jlokau was £IOOO, and the U3IKJ for Junction road (I'urangi to Jlatau) included USO balance from lan year. The locations and precise works proposed were to be submitted by the Council, but he would «ngge»l for consideration the following: Jlinii-Jlokau, . metalling (continuous) to red day cutting at north end of his suggested deviation and sanding 30 chains at foot of Mount Messenger, and 10 chains at 3(i-mile peg; Piko, extension of widening; Otaraoa, completing formation on the deviation (this, being a large sum, required immediate letting); Putiki. sanding worst places; Okau, sanding JlcJlauon's flat, and raising' (from side ditches) the Hat at Jlangatoro junction, also sanding same; Okoke, niotalj ling where most required: UriitN metalling from township towards Jloki road-: Junction, metalling to .Manga raka junction.

The Council discussed the suggestions. C'r. Joll recommended that the expenditure of the Mimi-Mokau grant should lie in raising and sandstoning. Sandstoning was cheaper—three limis cheaper—ami he had found the sandstone carried the traflic. There would lie no heavy trallie there, for the stores for the district beyond went by water. Sandstoning, he pointed out. woahl cover three times as much road as the metal, lie would like this brought under the notice of Sir. -Murray. The engineer favored getting tiie road metalled. C'r. .loll: And in the meantime the road is impassable. His Majesty's ma'ls are blocked every winter. The engineer said that iie believed in getting permanent work, even if the progress were slower. ; C'r. (iaustad moved that the District Road Engineer be asked to vary the authority for the Junction road so that sandstone be used instead of metal. He pointed out that the money available would provide only from 18 to 20 chains of metal, but for that amount a mile and a-ipiarter to a mile and a-lialf could be sand-toned, thus placing the road ! .n excellent order right through to Matau and conferring the greatc-f benefit to the largest number of settlers, lie pointed out that the road was not likely to carry heavy traflic. C'r. Bishall seconded the motion, which was carried. Later iu the day the Council discussed the Mokau riding" votes further. t'poa C'r. O'Sullivan's suggestion it was decided that the engineer should consult the District Road Engineer with reference to the use of shell-rock instead of pit gravel, and that the engineer should then call tenders for the works outlined iu Mr. Murray's letter. ENGINEER'S REPORT.

The engineer, Mr. C. J°. Dowsett, reported for lite mouth as follows: Waihi Riding.—Colmaii had completed carting nielal from the AVaipapa, the total quantity amounting to about 210 yards. The road from the borough boundary, in the 11-mile peg was very thin iu places. He recommended strongly that tenders be called for a further l'llUO yards of boulders to be stacked as before and machine-crushed. At Onacro, .Marsh had already hauled and deposited about 330 yards" of iKmlders at the crusher site, and upon completion 11 fresh contract for a .similar amount j

slioiiKl lio entered into, lie iveommejili'il tarring' ami painting the Waiuu bridge, Tikorangi Hiding. -- On the Otaraoa road, T. West was .pushing on with his second contract, the first requiring only a few days to ouiii]>li'U'. He proposed calling for tenders in two contracts to absorb the balance of money granted,' although he hardly anticipated that the amount would be sullicient to complete the connection.

Ngatimaru Riding. The contractors ] for the Oapui metalling contract hid been informed of the Council's desire that they should proceed with their preliminary work as soon as possible. With reference to the metalling contract at Purangi, he suggested that the contractor be. .notified that, failing to proceed forthwith, his contract he determined, and that fresh tenders be calbd absorbing the total sum available, the I new contract to commence at end of present metal.

Urenui Riding.—All timber was now on the ground for the Urenui and Nelson road bridges. On the Kaka road work had again been resumed in widening the formation. Waite had commenced his contract on .the Piko road, and work would be laid off for additional widening in view of the additional money.

Mokau Riding.—The Papatiki bridge on the Clifton road had been completed, and also the raising and reconstruction of the Waikiramarama bridge at Pukearuhe. Referring to the settlers' proposed application for loan and subsidy for metalling the hills on the Clifton road from Wai-iti to the new factory, he estimated the distance at about 05 chains. He gave an estimate for the cost of this work, inclusive of further earthwork at the Papatiki bridge. Should the raising of the loan fail through, he would recommend the Council to extend the fillings at Papatiki and metal, say, three chains, to make a serviceable job. Clare Hind finished repairs to the chute at Uruti, and the metalling contract could now be proceeded with. All timber was now to hand for strengthening the Mimi Valley bridges, and this work, together with the painting of the Uruti road bridges and erecting concrete culvert, would be taken in hand in rotation.

Mr. Dowsett added, verbally, that Mr. C'artwright was going out next day to make preliminary arrangements for starting the Oapui road metalling. The report was approved. URUTI ROAD DEVIATION.

Air. G. T. Murray, District Road Engineer, wrote: "A petition has been sent to the Hon. Jlinister of Roads, asking if it was the intention of the Government to adopt and open up for traffic a deviation of the Uruti road through sections 4 and 7, block 0, Upper Waitara survey district. . . The proposal is to tunnel through the main ridge on boundary of sections 4 and 7, and thus shorten the road by l'/» miles, and lessen the climb by 320 ft. It is, however, njt proposed to close the old road at present. Under date Cth instant I am instructed to enquire from you if, in the event of this deviation being adopted, you will contribute .C for £ up £1000." The chairman said the deviation would appear to be very desirable, but it was out of the question for the Council to find £IOOO. Cr. O'Sullivan said .that the settlers would probably raise a loan, for the advantages were great. . The chairman thought it was hard for the settlers to be mortgaged to make a road. If it were a deviation of an existing road the position would Ve different, but it was unfair that backblocks settlers should be rated lo make their road and then, later on. to rate themselves again for metalling. It was the duty of the Government, surely, to make this road. He moved that Jlv. Murray be informed that whilst the Council appreciates the advantages 'j> lie gained by tihe -settlers in hrin:..i'i'< them closer to the railway, the C'-'iu.-:' regrets that it cannot provide the -"' , ' asked for. Cr. O'Sullivan seconded, and the motion was carried. MISCELLANEOUS.

Messrs. 1). JleKellar, Arch. JlcJlasler. !'. JI. Oxeuham, S. Jlarsh, It. A. Keliy, I ;.iid G. A. Jupp, settlers on the Jla- ( ligahia road, petitioned the Council to erect a small bridge in place of the culvert near Air. JlcKcllar's, which was now rotten anil unfit to bear a loaded dray, and would thus -prevent them carting out their wool.—The engineer was instructed to prepare plans and specifications for a concrete culvert, and to obtain teudrrs for next meeting. It was decided to endeavor to obtain the gazetting of an Order-in-Council enabling the Council to proceed with the work of making cuts to straighten the Mimi stream, with a view of expediting the escape, of Hood waters and tiros protecting the main road. W. J. Kreeth, Ureiiiii. wrote with regard to bis prospectine. for gravel at I'ukcarulie. lie had found good gravel in sufficient quantify on Jlr. E. Skinner's pi'opertv, and the place was easily accessible. Aecounls amounting to Eiliil lis id were passed for payment.