TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 150, 4 October 1910, Page 3

TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary monthly meeting of the Taranaki County Council, was held yesterday. Present: Crs. J. Brown (chairman), J. R. Hill, G. V. Tate, E. Allanson, C. Andrews, 11. Hopson, R. Stevens. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. The chairman reported that he had coHferred with Cr. Carter and approved of the plan and called tenders for the erection of county chambers. With t'he engine-driver he had considered the application for steersman, and the enginedriver preferred A. Mallon. The police had b< en informed of destruction of the Council's property at Omata. The police had nothing to report in connection with the •hand-cart or the damage at the tollgate.—Action confirmed. i AN OBJECTION. The chairman further reported that Mr. H. W. iSaxton, on t'he Carrington road, objected to allow the contractor to remove stone from his property, on the ground that lie needed the stone for the purpose of building a stone house. The chairman had been credibly informed that there was enough stone to build 'half-a-dozen houses and Satisfy the Council's needs as well. He repudiated the suggestion that Mr. Saxton had' arranged the matter with him.—lt was decided to give 24 hours' notice of intention to enter. HURWORTH RIDING- RATES. After reporting upon the collapse of a culvert near Frankleigh Park, and the steps he had taken to have it replaced with a concrete culvert, the chairman said that the Hurworth riding rate would need to 'be bigger next year. Cr. Hopson said he had known at the time that 'the Council made a mistake in striking a halfpenny rate instead of three-farthings. Councillors commented on the fact that the riding account was already overdrawn by £33, but 'the clerk allayed the anxiety .by pointing out that the riding had a £75 Government grant and £1(00 from a loan. One councillor stated that many of the ratepayers in the riding had complained to him that the rate struck was ; altogether too small for the needs of the district. | Cr. Carter, who attended during the i afternoon, referred to this matter, and said it was unfair that the cost of this culvert should be spread over the whole riding, for it was a work in which only portion of 'the district was concerned or could benefit in any way. Further, this tunnel was known iby the then local authority to toe unsafe, and it was a work which should have been done by them before merging into the county, He understood that the Road Board's engineer had advised them of its liability to collapse at any time. At the proper time he would move definitely in the matter of meeting the indebtedness by a special rate. THE TARIKI ROAD. 1 Cr. Stevens reported having inspected t'he Tariki road, with the foreman, as far as Rat&plko, He had found, the road > n order, except tfeat portion from ? „flgaotea stream to Ratapiko, which allegedly metalled by the Moa Road Board before the County Council had control of it. There was ft large number I of unbroken stores which should never i have gone on the road, and if these were broken no further maintenance metal should >be needed. Maintenance metal was required on the road between the iManganui and the 'Mountain road. A culvert >vas needed near Ross road. Two dangerous Opfiil drains near ' whais .used to be Mr. Kelsey's entrance needed attention. Two culverts between Rugby road and Mangamawhete, about Which it had'been decided to consult the railway engineer, were still in the siame condition, and one was silting up very quiokly. FOREMEN'S REPORTS. The Council received and considered the various surfacemen's reports. Engine-driver Urry reported as follows:—The crusher worked 11 days 2 hours, crushing 746 yards, as follows: Mesrs T. and R. Parkins, 446 yards, 7 .days' 2 hours' crushing, Waiwakaiho depot; Mr. A. Cowling, 30C) yards, 4 days' duelling, Timaru, depot. Shifted crusher to Timaru depot on the 20th ult.; started crushing on 22nd. ■Foreman Jones (Moa 'South) reported that the roads weie in very fair order.. Mr. J. Tarry had finished the 100 yards of crushed stone and delivered it on the Mountain road, which was arranged by the chairman at 6s per yard. The white pine itimjbei used for casing when building concrete culvert on the Mountain road, rear Tariki, was stacked at the side of the road, but was being removed by stealth. IJe was willing to give £1 for it if approved and removed it at once. Ho concluded by asking for a fortnight's holiday at Christmas, Foreman Jones a 1 >o asked if ho were to receive birds' eggs and heads as last year, and lao what rates. I Foreman Bennett (Moa, Junction Road East) reported that ho had been waterteibling, banking up fillings, patching, cutting fern, cleaning out drains, gathering up metal, and attending to other ters. .Foreman Cheffings (Moa) reported that j the roads in his riding were in fair order. lor the month ho had been engaged in patching 'the road, digging grass off the sides of the road, and attending to the new metal. Stone-breakers had got about 100 yards broken at Lealaiid's depot. .foreman I''. Holmes (Waitara) reported that; lies liad received 230 yards of metal foi thm iiioiiUh for repairs, 210 yards on the road ami yards on uSii'iirl: road', He hud engaged two men to usuist picking up tile run it ami blinding mietal, one n'/j days and the otlher two days. liisti'iirled "by Or. Hill, he leoeived lIH owr (lie "JOD yards on tile Elamoiil. road. Tin-re was it lot, of this road pant, piil.eliing. Tliero worn pliirtw Where there whh «i-iiri<«ly ii ny nieliil n.|, all; when l.ho «ii,uino mid iTunlier will, up and came down il. on I, l.lie road up a lot ill places. |('l,l'llni out water-(allies ami lllling up l,lm hlilo of rood kept liini employed for the rent of his time. 'Foreman 1 lolrrn-H (Wnitara, out-dis-trict)' reported tlml, ho had received 25(1 yards of metal for the past month, 210 vants from (lie erus-hier and 40 yards on nankin's contract, Mountain road. He -vrted out 52 yards more on Parkin* contract to complete the Maugaooo iiiili nad metal tin- viproaoh to tho tannery at Waiwnknilio. Tills m bad, l*rg« pooli of w;i ter standing on th* road aft*r awry rain. IJo engaged two eitrn nuou live <l;i_ys picking up the road, and one horse and cart one and a-half days blinding metal. With the help of Mr. George he had repaired the MaI njmnia bridge, near the mill. It was | fury rotten. He had also re* iw/ired <J'o Waiongonii 'bridge at LepperI h:\ of itlhia bridge was very j i Jifeaj being s«a»pl®taly Mpwted! tSuvt : hi ii-iaag r,p k>OM nig \xi .fcy-srootis oad ! -tables. All tfh« me>ii'good He had *> r > ■

put in pipes on Lower Barrett road to stop the flow of water from going over the Breakwater road. On Upper Hurford road about 40 chains wanted forming, to cost about £lB. £l4, or with a plough and scoop about £9. He suggested that if the county called tenders now for maintenance metal for next year tliev would get it done much cheaper, as it would give them plenty of time. .He could get iboulders dumped on the roadside for 3s per yard, and get it napped for 3s. By letting it in small conI tracts he could save Is per yard, as -some of the settlers had only one team, ' and they would be able to cart small lots out. I Foreman Brosnan (Okato) reported having put in a pipe culvert at Green- ! ways' corner 72ft long. He had completed the earth work and approaches jat the junction of Leith and county 1 roads. The Transport Company had put | in a culvert in the entrance to the garage ! depot, but it was too small to take the flow of water. The machine was crushing very good stone at Timaru, almost equal to hand-broken. He urged the necessity for a double output of stone this season, while the crusher was at hand, as the road was very thin in places, and the metal cheap this year. Next year it might be different. A steam roller would be a good thing for the roads, as the new metal was all /kicked about by horse waggons before it set in. Some person had been trying his strength by pulling up a post on the fence at the Oakura deviation. Foreman Eva (H-urworth East) reported that his roads were in fair order. Foreman Norris (Hurworth West) said that his time during the month for the most part had been occupied fixing side road's and water-tabling, etc. He got a man on with-him for five days and seven hours. The length of roads in his charge was in very good order. There were five chains of unmetalled road at the end o£ Wallet road, Westown, and it got in a very bad state in the winter. He suggested that it be formed and gravelled this summer. It would cost about £lB for the lot. He thought it would be a good idea to call for tenders for the cleaning of the pit and formation gravelling at same, the cost of whidhi, he thought, would not be over £l2. Foreman- Jones was granted two weeks 1 holiday. It was decided to grant Foreman Jones assistance on the Tariki road, and to supply him with 5.0 yards of maintenance metal for the road, together with pipes to be used near the Ross road.—The foreman was authorised to stack pipes on a piece of closed road near Tariki. Mir. J. W. Harding was authorised' to cut a drain at Tariki, and fence and maintain same to the satisfaction of the Council. Tenders will be invited for the supply of 455 yards of boulders tipped on the side of the roads in the Omata riding. It was decided io write to Mr. C. i Heurickwn asking him to state what h® is prepared to do in connection with metalling on Pheney road. It was decided to charge the Okato Road Board with half the cost of pipes at Leith road crossing. The engine-driver will be instructed to roll the new metal on the Pitone hill. The chairman's action in authorising, construction of a concrete culvert at Frankleigh Park, at a cost of £BB, was confirmed. The Council decided not to take further steps re Mr. W. Gray's drain until finer weather prevailed. .Messrs Swan and Magee's offer of £y 16s for the old traction wirare was a®* cepted. A. Mallon was. appointed steersman on the crusher. It was decided that the Council purchase birds' eggs at 4d a dozen and head's at (kt a dozen. (THE TOLL-GATE, j Cr. Aifiirews was given permission to withdraw .his notice of motion, "That the Council farm the toll-gate at Puniho after 31'sfc Mardh next. STRAY CATTLE. Mr. W. Loughlin, ranger in the Hurworth riding, as'feed authority to extend his operations into the Moa riding, mentioning that the other day there were two bulls roaming at large on the Junction road just beyond his reach.—The ranger's district was extended as requested.

MOA BRIDGE LOAN,

A special rate of one-ninth of a penny in tlhe £ was authorised to 'be raised on all the property in the Moa riding to ! secure the bridge loan of £6440. SANITARY INSPECTION. Dr. Valintine, Inspector-General of Hospitals, asked if the Council were willing to delegate its powers with reference to sanitation and inspection of infectious diseases to the Hospital Board. ( The chairman advisud the Council to "go slow" in the matter, and it was decidied to attend a conference of local bodies relative to the matter. GENERAL. It was decided to supply sufficient material to build an additional whare for the toll-collector at Puniho. The matter was left in the hands of Cr. Andrews to arrange. A special order was confirmed levying one-fortieth of a penny special rate to secure a further £'loo loan on the Elliot road. Mr. Ivey's letter re necessary repairs to the Hurford road was held over for a more suitaible season. The Council decided to make application to Mr. T. V. 'Simons for payment of timber traffic levy on the 'Carrinpton road. Cr. Garter reported that he had noticed that the embankment on the Oakura deviation was breaking away, and he ®e('(iniiiiended that it be planted with willows or pampas grass, or both.—On the motion of Cr. Andrews, this work was authorised. ! FINANCES. The chairman laid on the table the following statement of the ridin» finances, inclusive of accounts for payment 'at this meeting:—Moa ridiing, balance available, £202 2s 3d; Waitara, balance available, £356 lis 2d; Omata ridiw overdrawn, £277 2s; Okato riding, over-! drawn, £1:44 8s !)d; Hurworth ridin» overdrawn, £33 lil;s :l'0d; Bank overdraft, at September 30, was £6325 15 s 4d, and inclusive of accounts payable .£7136 las 4d, ' Account.-; were passed for payment as follows: Administration, £.217 Qg Moa riding, £143 15s 7d; Waitara riding 1 £175 14?. I'M; Omata riding, £43 Ca 5dOkato riding, £lO4 Ife 3,1; Hurwortih ndtt& £l'l'7 5s Id; total, £BO2 Ifig &t