TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 97, 2 August 1910, Page 7

TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. The Taranaki County Council held its monthly meeting yesterday. Present: Councillors. J. Brown (chairman), J. R. Hill, C. Andrews, E. Allanson, C. Carter, M. Hopson and R. Stevens. FOREMEN' REPORTS. The engine-driver, T. Urry, reported that during the month the crusher worked for eight days and a-half, crushing 736 yards.—Report referred back for explanation as to quantities. Foreman Jones (Moa riding, south) reported on general repairs to Tariki and Mountain roads.

The Council authorised 100 yards of metal for the Mountain road, and the foreman was granted the use of a man ■for a week to obtain metal for Tariki road.

Foreman Bennett (Junction road, east) reported that owing to wet weather his time had been taken up in patching, and a great deal of metal had been used up. The Zig-zag had "started to move about again," and at the Tarata end the road was breaking up. The chairman' explained that the "moving about" referred to was the constant slipping away of the sill-side on to the road, and the slipping away of the roadside.

Foreman Cheffings (Moa riding, north) reported that A. Douch had finished his contract for 250' yards of metal at the Chain 'bridge, and J. Neilson had finished his contract for 300 yards at the same depot, whilst iSwan and Magee had got out 23S yards of extra metal there. Messrs Newton King and Mai one had not started yet to cut gorse along the Avenue road. Coldrick's timber waggon, with 3-inch tyres, carrying "about IOOOtt of timber, was doing a lot of damage to the roads.

Foreman F. Holmes (Egmont outlying district) reported that Smart and Egmont roads were worn out. The metal in some places was completely gone, and the road was cutting up badly. The metal at Waiwaikaiho was all used up, and 600 yards would he required to make the lower end of Egmont road passable. The Glenavon road had been badly neglected, apparently nothing having been done to it since it was metalled. He had repaired the worst places. The Council discussed the metal requirements at some length, Cr. Tate remarking that to cart 600 yards of metal at this season of the year would ruin the main road. Neither could the Council hope to overtake the repairs in this disi trict in one season.

It was decided to ask Mr. Parkin at what price foe will deliver 200 yards of metal between Waiwakaiho and Bell Block and on the Smart, Henwood and Egmont roads. Foreman J. Holmes (Waitara riding) reported that most of his metal had been used up in repairs, for the road had been breaking up badly. Mr. Parkin would deliver metal for repairs if it were rerequired before the crusher would return to the district. He had spread 60 yards of metal on the Waiwakaiho bridge, which had been almost covered with mud and slush. The road to the tannery would need forming and metalling. Timber had arrived 1 for the bridges at hentry Hill and Lepperton. Foreman 'Huse (Omata riding) reported that roads un'.cr his supervision were in fair order. Tie had used 203 yards cf metal in St. Avbyn township, which had taken most of his time during the month, for the road had been in a very bad state. A culvert bad been in on the Spotswood road. He'would require 23 yards of metal to repair the lower Barret road from South road to Breakwater road. - ■ . |

Foreman Brosnan reported that most of his time had heen taken up in carting | out metal for repairs, for the roads had gone to pieces during the recent wet weather. It was an exceptionally bad winter for the roads, and the quantity of metal allotted to his riding would be far short of requirements. He asked authority to employ a man for two weeks at putting in .pipes and general work at Tataraimaka. A pipe culvert, or 45 nine-inch pipes, was needed at the junction of Leith and Main South roads, for it was in a very bad state. Motor waggons and motor cars had been very few on the roads for the past month, with the exception of one, which was, constantly running with heavy firewood loads. Carting and timber traffic had eased a little owing to repeated warnings. Foreman Eva (Hurworth east) reported that the roads were breaking up 'badly. The Carrington road had only a thin crust of metal. He wanted 100 yards of metal for maintenance of roads in Vogeltown, for there was none left. Foreman Norris (Hurworth west) reported that the roads in his district were in fair order for this season of the year. He suggested that the chairman and riding member should inspect Hawke's pit as soon as possible so that •he could explain what work was necessary before any more stone was taken out of it.

MAIN SOUTH ROAD. The Public Works Department wrote (as already published) declining to allow Mr. Murray to report on the Main South road, and refusing a grant of £IOOO for the road.—The chairman thought the Government was not treating the road fairly. Cr. Carter considered that the Department had evaded the real issue, viz., thai the Government by its non-rateable Spotswood lands and native lands, was robbing the road of funds for its maintenance. They should at least make good that loss. It was decided to make further application to the Department, and to communicate with Mr, H. Okey, M.P., upon the matter.

A CONTRACTOR'S CHARACTER. Mr. J. C. Montefiore, contractor ior supplying from Sentry Hill a large quantity of stone for the Hawera County Council, interviewed the Council with repard to the complaint made at the July meeting of the Council. Cr. Hill had then reported that his traffic was causing extensive damage to the county road. °He had carted very little stoiie over this road, and the only trace of the traffic found was a little clay that had dropped from the dray wheels, in spite of their care in scraping the wheels. Now, the New Plymouth papers circulated very considerably in South Taranaki, and the report was most unfair to him. He had interviewed Foreman I Holmes, and learned from him that his verbal statement to Cr. Hill was that I the dray wheels were bringing; mud on to the road, and if this continued the wheels would lift the metal. He understood that the matter had been reported to the Hawera County Council, and doubtless they would be asking him for an explanation. Cr Hill denied having used the word "extensive," and said he was not responsible for the newspapers' construction of his remarks. Holmes had told him that there was damage being done, and urged him particularly to have it stopped at once Holmes reported "considerable damage," and "considerable" was the word used in addressing the Council. Mr Montefiore stated that Holmes Wl that he had' not told Cr. Hill that 'extensive damage was being done.

Cr. Hill: Then, do you infer that I told a, deliberate lie?

Mr. Montefiore: I don't say that. I am going by what Holmes says he told you. You must remember that my name is as good as yours. The chairman asked the deputation not to address individual members of the Council.

Cr. Tate thought there was more smoke than fire in this matter. Holmes was ii man who took 'very keen interest in his roads, and would doubtless ibe much concerned at the time about a bit of mud dropped on his metalled road. He (Cr. Tate) had thought, when the complaint was made, that very little damage had been done to this newly metalled piece of road. Or. Stevens asked what step 3 Mr. Montefiore suggested the Council should take to reinstate his damaged character. (Laughter.) Mr. Montefiore remarked that there was no need for laughter. He had come before the Board on a serious matter. He had a character—only a contractor's character, of course—to maintain, and he objected to having it dragged down into the mire unnecessarily. Cr, Hill objected to the term "dragged down." He had merely brought forward a matter that he had been urgently requested to report. It was decided to refer the matter to the chairman for elucidation.

[Our report of the July meeting contains the following:—"Cr. Hill reported that Foreman Holmes had reported to him verbally that Mr. J. C. Montefiore, contractor for supply of stone to the •Hawera County Counc.il, was carting on the county road, and was doing considerable damage.—Ed. T.D.N.] HEAVY TRAFFIC.

Foreman Huse reported that C. Oliver was carting heavy loads on the county road. When asked, to allow the foreman to inspect the'load, he had reinsert, and insulting language had been used. The chairman said proceedings were 'being taken in this case. MISCELLANEOUS.

Mr. C. F. Dowsett, Clifton County engineer, wrote that the cost of repairs to the Tiikorang.i suspension bridge was £lO4 ITs 7d. The Taranaki councils had to pay two-fifths of the cost.—The matter of disposal of old timber at the bridge was left with the Clifton Council.

Mr. G. Blanchard and Mrs. Christensen, storekeepers in St. Aubyn township, asked for a few loads of metal in front of their places of .business. Cr. Andrews said the Council had refused similar applications at Okato and Omata, and the storekeepers there had to metal their own approaches. —Referred to the Special South Road Committee. Messrs. Pitt Bros., J. J. Bates, E. T. Marsh and A. J. Ingley, settlers at Taruruttmgi, asked for some repairs to the King road,' and offered to assist.—Referred to the foreman for report.

The chairman was authorised to act upon the report of Foreman Cheffings that a contractor* had failed to provide teams for the crusher on the 25th prox. The chairman reported that J. J. Hills had not cleared the obstruction from the watercourse on the Veale road. —The work will be dome by the Council, and charged against the land. It was decided to dispense with the services of the assistant on the stone crusher.

No .tender was accepted for traction engine movalble hut, and fresh tenders will be asked for' a three-wheeled one.

Accounts were passed for payment as follows: Administration account, £763 8s Ud; Moa riding, £221 10s 6d; Waitara riding, £327 8s 8d; Omata riding, £255 Os oil; Okato riding, £B6 0s 7d; Bin-worth- riding, £55 18s 4di; total, £1709 7s sd.