TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 233, 7 February 1911, Page 3

TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. , Tlifi Taranaki County Council mot yesterday, vvlien tin' following members were present: Messrs. J. Brown (chuirnuiii), D. MeAllum, M. Ilopson, E. ■Stevens, C. Andrews, J. H. Hill and G. V. Tate. An apology for the absence of Cr. Carter was tendered. ENGINE-DRIVER'S REPORT. The engine-driver reported that he had finished repairs to the crusher. He •would require a new set of elevator buckets and belt, and recommended that inquiries be made to ascertain if they could be made locally. The matter of procuring new buckets, etc., was referred' to the chairman to arrange. FOREMEN'S REPORTS. , Foreman .lones reported that the i Mountain and Tariki roads were in fair order. He had repaired the decking of tne Mangatea bridge. Mr. A. Douch had iinished contract No. 18;!, 100 yds boulders, Mountain road, between Tariki and Waipuku, and had asked for a progress payment on same. He had been raking up loose stones, backing up metal, and cleaning out water-tables on Tariki and Mountain roads during the month. Foreman Bennett reported that most of his time had been taken up on the Tariki road. He had put in the crossing over the drain that had been made to strengthen the water-course on Mr. Harding's property. Mr. L. Bishop had started to atrip the pit for the contract on the Zig-zag. J. Rowan and Co. would soon have all the stone out ready for the crusher.

Foreman (Sellings reported that the road in his riding was in good order. Through the month lie had been engaged in spreading and blinding new metal. Ikhad put 3aoyds of new metal on the road, 23(iyds from Lealand's depot, and i Mang'orci, and 114 yds from Parkin's, Avenue road. He had made a crusher site on the .Mountain road, and had done repairs to the Henui and Mangorei bridges. Foreman .1. Holmes reported that he had received during the mouth 248 yds of metal from R. Parkin on contract Xo. 102. Devon Line, tor remetalling and dumping for repairs during the winter. The re-i of his time he had spent in making up side roads and Winding metal. One of the joists in the Waiongona bridge, Devon Line, broke througn (luring the month and required urgent repairs. He had engaged Mr. (ieorge to assist. It required the deck planks taken up and the ends squared and replaced, and three new joists were badly wanted. Mr. Fred. Holmes reported that for the past month he had put in fourteen 12-inch pipes on the Kgmont road by Mr. Stanley's, where the old ones had broken through. Mr. Stanley lent his horse and dray 2 l / 2 days to make up the side of road over the pipes free of charge. With the help of settlers he had graded the hill on the Henwood road. This hill would require 100 yds of gravel. He had received '22oyds of metal' from Mr. Parkin—Paraite road, 30yds; Henwood road, 78yds; Egmont road, ;i2yds; Smart road, 00yds. It would require 200 yds of gravel for Upland road near Mr." Martin's. He had seen Mr. Martin, and he 'would do all the formation. It was decided to call for tenders for metal supplies as asked for.

yft was decided to subsidise metalling on the new road leading to the Bell Block station up to £2O. Foreman Huse reported that the roads are in good order. Foreman Seamark reported that the roads under his supervision were in fair order, His time had been taken up cleaning water-tables, blinding loose metal, forming and making side tracks on all the roads under his control. The Hurford road bridge was very shaky, and he suggested that a bridge carpenter or an engineer be asked to report on same. They had made a start to form part of Barrett and Western roads, the settlers turning out and doing good work. He suggested that tenders he called for gravel from Henricksen's and Gregory's pits to be quarried and tipped on road to metal the said part of Barrett and Western roads. Cr. M'Allum reported that the settlers had done good work on the road and had completed the formation. He moved that tenders be called for the metal. This was seconded by Cr. Ilopson and carried.

It was decided to fix notices on the Hurford road bridge stating that it was dangerous. Foreman Eva reported that the roads under his charge were in fair order. He suggested calling tendprs for the breaking of contract No. 204, as the metal was wanted as soon as possible—Tenders will be called for the work. Foreman Xorris reported that for the mouth he had been engaged blinding, raking off loose stones, cleaning out water-iiabl6s, banking up metal, repairing side roads, etc. Owing to the dry spell the roads were a bit rough in places. Foreman Xorris was authorised to do work near Mr. Thomson's and also on Wallath road.

The council dec-lined to pay Norri.s Is per day extra during the time- he had been employed on a drain. Foreman Brosnan reported tn.it 'his time had been taken up for the month in cleaning out water-courses, making side tracks, and raking up loose stones. In the matter of the puriri bridge beam that had been taken from Tapuae, he referred the council to F. Roebuck, carrier, for information, as he had seen two men measuring the beam, and they had asked him his charge to deliver it in town. He would not disclose their names. The question of timber was referred to the chairman. ■Foreman Brosnan was empowered to procure wire to repair groin at Stony River. Jt was decided to inform Mr. Gray that the removal of weeds from the water-course was not done satisfactorily, and that unless it was completed by February 20 the foreman would be authorised to go on with the work.

AN OBSTRUCTION. Mr. A. J. Reed, Franklt>i«rh l'ark, wrote willi reference to the fencing off of portion of (lovett Avenue and Hie keeping of horses in that portion, to the inconvenience of the writer and other inhabitants. School children were not allowed to pass through, and were obliged to make a detour in order to get to school. Air. (!. H. Garner wrote in connection with this matter that his authority for erecting the bars on the top of the cutting were the two riding members of the Road Hoard and permission from the county foreman, Mr. Eva. The height of ■tilt: bank protected by the bar varied from 12 to 21ft, and the width from ISft. to IVait. Anyone could wallup and down as the bars are, but if taken down the bank would still prevent anyone riding either way. The whole trouble had been caused by children being ordered away who had used bad language. It was resolved that Mr. darner be informed that the fence must he removed. TE HENUI BRIDGE. The report of the conference between the council and the New Plymouth Borough Council was submitted, and the agreement (slightly amended) wai vonfinned. HOLDSWORTHY ROAD. A petition signed by eleven ratepayers i in Hunvorth riding was presented re-

questing the council to take steps at once to have the Holdsworthy road, from the junction of ofoortlan! street to the Victoria road, formed and metalled. In support of the request it was pointed out that at present there, was no | metalled access to the homes of the petii tioners, ami that in wet weather this road was practically impassable, so that tradespeople refused to risk their' delivery carts along it. Petitioners felt that in making the request they were asking only what was reasonable in view of the rateable value and rates paid on the properties. A deputation waited on the council in support of the petition, pointing out that the road had not seen the county surfaceman lately; at any rate, it had not been touched for some time. There was no formed road, and it was a matter of digging one's way through. The road was three feet below the footpath now and five feet in winter. There were quite a number of houses recently built on the road and more buildings were to be erected, and it was hoped the council would do something, even if it was only a gravel road. An expressman had said he would not go over the road tliis winter. The chairman said the riding was overdrawn £lO7, and the work would cost anything from £SO to £IOO. Jt was resolved to get a report of the cost from the foreman for next meeting. TIMARU BKIDCE. Mr. W. Itoneyfield waited on the council with reference to obtaining unancial assistance towards re-building the Timaru bridge—lt was stated that there was no road on the line of the bridge, and it was resolved that Mr, Hon'eyfield be informed that the council cannot contribute to a work that is not 'on a legally-constituted road. TENDERS. It was decided to call for fresh tenders for the re-erection of Mangaoraka bridge, the only one received being very much in excess of the engineer's estimate. ACCOUNTS. ■■ Accounts were passed for, payment as follows: Administration, £SBO 19a 7d; Moa riding, £lßl Is lOd; Waifcira riding, £IBB 16s !)d; Omata riding, £OB 10s; Okato riding, £25 7s 4d; llurworth riding, £57 IDs; total, £llOB Ms'Gd. UNPAID RATES. -,,. All rates unpaid after 28th February will be sued for without further notice. GENERAL. In the matter of drainage of Tariki road, Mr. J. W. Harding wrote agreeing to place it in the hands of the chairman, trusting that the charges would be fairly apportioned.—The council will proceed to remove the weeds from the watercourse. Ten ratepayers interested requested the council to apply for provisional eonsent and take steps to raise a loan for £IOOO for constructing a road from the Carrington road to the Frankley road. —Agreed to.

Messrs. Orbell and Mackay waited on the council and asked that, as the firm had dissolved partnership, the supervision of all engineering work authorised to be done by the firm be transferred to Mr. ( Orbell.—Agreed to. The sum of £1402 10s, being amount remitted by the State Guaranteed Advances Office on account of loan for Moa riding bridges, has been lodge"d to the credit of the council. The question of having noxious weeds cleared o(F the council's reserves was left to the chairman to deal with. Four Wcstown settlers drew attention to the bad state of a small portion of Wallath mid, which was likely to become impassable in the winter.—Dealt with in the foreman's report. Dr. Valintine, chief health officer, circularised the council in regard to the council continuing to deal with infectious disease until the necessary machinery placing the responsibility upon the Hospital Board was provided.