TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 264, 14 December 1909, Page 4

TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

The Taraaaki County Council held its monthly meeting yesterday. (Jr. .i. Brown presided, and all the members were present. OFFICERS' Kli POItTS.

Engine-driver I,'rrv resulted that the crusher hud worked 13 days 2 hour.-, crushing hi yards ui stone. Foreman Jones reported that with permission from Cr. Stevens he had h id casual lauor employed on the Mounuia and Tariki roads. He had put two bl 1 irgum stays under the Makelawa bridge lor the purpose of carrying the eng./ie and crusher. There was a very rotun culvert near Tariki close to the Win pukuiti which required to be renewed. He requested a 3ft bv 3ft liin concrete culvert with a 2ft 6in arch.—lt was -tedded to grant Foreman Jones 75(1 yar.ls of metal for repairs south of the Mai;"tawa bridge. Foreman Jiennett reported tliat sinee last report he had filled in nils on the Razor-back and done must of tlie water tabling. It required a few days' w<ri; to put that part of the road in or 1. r before winter. .Mr. J. XeiUon had completed contract To. 153 ami had delivered 270 yards on contract X". 152. He had put two planks in the .Maii'.'io; e bridge. All the rest of (lie bridge* in 'us Ungth were in good order. He required eleven 12in pipes at the four-mile pig and ten Oin pipes at the six-mile peg to rtplace two wooden culverts that ;i.ii broken through with the metal carts.— On the motion of Crs. Stevens and Hopson the pipes asked for were granted. Foreman Cheflings reported that fur the month he had been engaged clearing water-tables, raking loose stones oil the road, iepairing iside-tracks and doing general work. He had put 150 yards of new metal on the road by the bacon factory and dumped 30 yards for repairs. He had done repairs to the Margorei bridge. He would advise th.-.t about four chains of wire fence be put up opposite the Jlangorei crushing eit-;, as this was a dangerous place when the crusher was working. Two timber waggons had been carting logs over tCe county road through the month, from Lepper road to Urown'6 mill.—The matter was left with the chairman.

Foreman Holmes reported that he had carted out during the past month ill yards of metal, 331 yards from the crusher and 93 yards on the Mountain and Richmipd roads. This completed all the contracts.

Foreman Iluse reported that he had been engaged during the month metalling the road and had put some waste oil on the Breakwater road, finding it binds the metal well. The roads are iu good order except a few hills which were breaking up with the dry weather. He suggested the use of a horse and dray for three oi four daj-6 to put on waste oil on the hills that were breaking up.—Cr. Allanson said the effect oi putting oil on the roads had a beneficial effect, and the suggestion of the foreman was given effect to.

Foreman Brosnan reported that through the month lie had been employed in raking up loose stones and making side-tracks. 1-Ie spent a portion of nis time blinding roads. He also metailod and completed a serviceable drinking place near Scfton's. Mr. Woofdridge's motor waggon had been at work on the roads for the past month, taking fairly heavy loads. The waggon was veryeasy on the roads. No damage whatever was caused.

Foreman Eva reported that the roads under his supervision were in good order. Time for the month was occupied in. repairing footpaths, metalling ins terminus, blinding metal on Brookland load, anil general work. He required boulders for next winter as follow.-:: - 50 yards at Pepperill's, 50 yards Cavrington road school, 180' yards at Spence's, 50 yards at Chong's road. 20 yards opposite store at Vogeltown. 5!) yards Frankleigh Park. A big stretch of road had to be covered, so this ni?'::il could be broken as cheaply by hand as bv crusher. Boulders could lie got out almost where metal was required. THE ABATTOIR DISTRICT. Mr. F. S. Pope, Secretary of the !>■ • partment of Agriculture, wrote tli.u the New Plymouth Borough Council ha : asked the Minister of Agriculture to ercise the powers conferred on him Vy section 10 of the Slaughtering and •H----spection Act, and to extend the boundaries of the abattoir district to include the country within a railjus i.f three miles of the borough boundar: .s. Any objections from the County/Council should be forwarded to the Minister for his consideration, 'fn a letter dared Ist DeeemDer Mr. Pope gave authori i .- for the proposed extension under section 15 of the Act. He suggested that the Council should coine to an agreement with the liorough Council. The terms of the agreement must be submitted to the Minister for approval. If the councils failed to come to an agreement, l e pointed out that section 16 conferred power on the Minister of Agriculture to declare an abattoir to be availabla for a contiguous district.

Cr. Andrews said that he had spoken to several residents in the specified area, and not one was in favor of the extension. It seemed to him that there must be 6omebody s perhaps the New Plymouth butchers, behind the Boroutrh Council in this business. He wounl have been prepared to support the extension of the abattoir district as proposed, had the movement emanated from the residents of the area affect3:l, but must oppose it as it stood. A resolution was carried again <>b jceting to the proposal, on the gro'in 1 that the request for the change should come from the public interested. THE TRAFFIC BY-LAWS.

j Mr. J. B. Roy, county solicitor, reportcd on the action brought against Mr. James Tarry for breach of traffic uyj laws. The Magistrate had upheld the I contention raised by the defence ami dismissed the information on the ground , that the information had been wrongly sworn before and the summons signed I by Mr. J. R. Hill, J.p., he being also a . member of the Council. The point, M \ Roy wrote, was a novel one, but valid, and ag he was responsible for the iss.-o of the summons he would see that tee I Council was put to no costs on the prjceedings taken. With regard to the ylaw itself, the Magistrate had expressed | himself although it did not become necessary for him to give an opinion that the by-law was unreasonable. On this point he quoted Mr. W. S. Short on "Roads and Bridges," stating, inter alia, that "in a few cases only have the local authorities succeeded in oh- ;• ng convictions, and there is at the present time a movement on the part of the greater number of county councils in the colony to obtain furtli-r legislative powers'to deal with this matter, and the justification for this is tli.it the Courts frequently lean agSinst the local bodies and have sometimes declared their by-laws to be invalid on grounds that the local bodies are apt to eonsid-v weak and insufficient. Whether or not, Parliament will grant further powers remains to be seen." The by-law in question was adapted by Mr. Roy. he wrote, exactly from the by-law in force in one of the large road districts near Auckland, and he had. on his own icsponsibilily. referred the question of unreasonableness to Mr. T. F. Martin, of Wellington. Mr. Martin's opinion was read, traversing (lie whole of the by-law. In it he said thai the by-law was not unreasonable, and lie recommended lhat. it be tested in the courts, which course lie thought might lie adopted with a reasonablo'c-cpectation of it "being upheld. The chairman: f expect there will be some pretty strong remarks on this bvlaw business. Do you think the Couneii ought lo go into committee? The Council went into committee accordingly. Upon resiniiii-,'. (here was no report. THE WAIPUKC UK IDC! E. Sir. C. Penn. clerk to the Stratford County Council, forwarded a copy of a. resolution passed by the Stratford County Council agreeing to join with the Taranaki County Council in build ing a new .superstructure in reinforevd concrete as recommended in Ihc engineer's report. - The chairman explained that the Stratford Council would have nothing to do with the repairing of the present bridge, and would only agree to a new structure 3s recoifinieiided by the respective engineers of the councils. He had ascertained from Air. Orbell that the bridge could not last for more, than two and it-half years. Even then heavy

traffic across the bridge would have to be stopped. It was decided to inform the Stratford County Council that the Council recognised the necessity for reconstructing the bridge and that .immediately tile question of finance could be arrang-j.l the work would be put in hand. LTI'KJ: caiuu\<;TOX KOAD. Messrs Billing and Uhuichett, of i.he l*ppcr Carriugtun road, -wailed on !hiCoutn'l with a request for metalling. They pointed out that they had been paying rale- 10 ihc Council for some years, but nothing was 'being spent i'U the roads adjoining their pi't»perlie>. For six months ot the year the road was impassable for vehicular traffic. Mr. Billing lhat ihc Couneii hid a good claim for a subsidy from the So vernnienl. :its the road had noi been n a state fit for trallic when handed ov A r recently by the (invornnicnt. The question was referred to Cr. Carter ami the riding foremap to inspect am! report to nc\t meet Fuji. TI.NIII'RS. The tender of Jlcssrs Cook and List t was accepted for the supnlv of dog collar* at 4'/ s d each.. Mr. F, ((. Side's lender at 3s ilil was accepted for 201) yards of metal at Mat thews' depot. Junction road. OJi.\MCGAL. -

Messrs Urbcil and .Uackay, engineer* to tlie Waiiara Borough Council, wroLe asking pcriuw-ion wa,n a sLeei watermain along portions ol ihc main n>i-I between Uaiougouu station and old iliu si,i..on; also portion of We main into Waitara Irom near the top of Big Jim's ilill.—(jrantcd. Mr. C. I''. Dowsett, Clifton county engineer, fonvardeu the following items of expenditure iu connection with the repairs to the Tarata bridge, half of the cofit of which had to be borne by the Taranaki county:— Substructure, 'labor and material, £!) IDs; blue gum decking, .£7B 3s id; freight (steamer), £li; cartage to Tarata, £l3 18s -Id; Clare's contract, £52 Is (id: a total of £IOB it sd.

foreman Bennett wrote that he conM iilld use for the whole of the l imit >r from the Tarata bridge.—Agreed to . Mr. L. 0. I', Spencer applied for the engineering work of the Council.—it was decided to notify Mr, Spencer thai the Council was not at present appointing a permanent engineer. Mr. \V. A. Thomas, I'unilio, apjillej for the use of the Council's "plow" fir road work.—liranted, at the rate of Is (id per day. Mr. W. W. Stephenson drew attention to the state of the outlet of the culvers at the corner near Ross road, Tariki, which, being .blocked, was causing contiiderablc damage to his section. The chairman reported that the en-gine-driver had stated bis intention oi declining to take the engine and cru.Mi.-r again ovc r the. Makctawa bridge, and Tie suggested that the Council should get its winter supplies of stone mushed now whilst the crusher was in the district,.—Agreed to.

In reference to the application of .Ur. W. n. Claris' for a refund of the l£ltliam road special rale, on the ground that he wiv the only ratepayer who hail paid it, the clerk reported tli.i' Others had paid as well as Mr. Claris, and that to refund his rates would volye total refunds of £5!) odd.- It was .decided not to accede to the request. It .was decided to offer the countv r>serves at Waiwakaiho for lease in sm ill (ots for a term ot five years, at upsets nxed; the sale to take place on the 24th mst.

Mr. J. K. 'Rowlands, Kent road, wrote complaining of the manner in which boulders were placed on the side trvk of the Junction road near the crusher site. Left in the chairman's bands. It was decided, upon tin 1 motion '>!*, Crs. Carter and lirown. that tlicv ca-i----ii"t consent to (ranker of tramway license from \Y. Is. Davies to Boon Bros, and Simon unless arrears of rnvalty dan to tile Carringtoii lloail Board arc' paid. Trie cliairmau was empowered I" par workmen's wages before Chri-tinas. ft was decided to hold the next me. iing oil .Tannarv 10th. The ten per cent, surcharge will ho made oil all rale* unpaid on December 2801. The don-lax was fixed at .Is for soni"ins dogs and 2s (id for workini' due-. Foremen will lie asked to submit -chcdnlc for metal requirements ;t| llieel ing. l'pon tin. uioi „f (•,.. c-irler. it v. idcciiled (hat the question of ..reel ill.; ~| toll-gate on the .luuctioii it -i.] i,. i amongst the first, busmen n( next m vrill!;. ACCOrXTS. S'ecoiints were passed for payment as follows:- Administration, £1,3(1 His ,sd; Moa riding. Clliti lfis Sd: Wnitara riding. IM!M 4s 4d; Hurworlh ridiii'-, Cl'.f 2s Id.