CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 318, 3 June 1911, Page 3

CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Clifton County Council was held at Waitara yesterday, when there were present; Messrs. J. W. Foreman (chairman), E. Julian, T. Mackenzie, C. O'Sullivan, C. Musker, S. Kemiington, and H. Sander. ENGINEER'S REPORT. Mr. C. F. Dowsett, engineer, reported: During the month I visited Ngatoto road and laid off work at the bridge site and also adjacent to Lowe's house, and submitted plan and estimate to the Resident Road Engineer. Work in excess ol the Government grant would have to be paid out of thirds, of which there wao ! a sufficiency. On the South Matau road levels were run for improving grade on Chapman's Hill, and plan and estimate are herewith submitted. This also would require to be supplemented by thirds. W. F. Dowman is pushing on with his timber for the Mangaowata bridge, and already has some of the larger stringers ready. The survey of the deviation at Pukearuhe is completed, and plan is now in course of preparation. Tenders close to-day for the erection of the Piko road bridges in onecontract. As a protection to the Bull creek bridge, this creek should be deviated, and I request instructions to that effect.

INSUFFICIENT ROYALTY. Mr. Alleman, of Tikorangi, waited on the Council with respect to the amount of royalty paid him in connection with the stone taken by the Cquncil from the pit on his property. The contractors' teams traversed fully half a mile of his property, passing through three paddocks. He considered threepence a yard altogether too small to pay him for the damage caused. The chairman pointed out that Mr. Alleman was occupying about six acres of unopened road. ]f Mr. Alleman demanded extra royalty, it was only fair that he should pay rent for this land. j The chairman mid Cr. .Mackenzie were! appointed to meet Mr. Alleman and report at next meeting. i

•SOUTH MATAU ROAD. Mr. T. A. Chapman, of Matau, wrote in reference to the Matau road south, stating that the water-tables had not been cleaned out for about three years, and the water was running down the centre of the road. It was pointed out that there was a good deal of heavy traffic, and if the water-tables were notseen to the road would be a mud-hole from end to end, They were entitled, he thought, to some expenditure, as the land was rated and there were also thirds accruing. Some three years ago the Council voted £4O for repairs at thti "Fishtail bend," but as it was winter at the time the settlers were asked to wait till the spring. Nothing was done. About three months ago the £4O wa» voted again for the same work. Was this vote to lapse in the same way? Or. Kennington said that while the road was pretty had, the case was considerably over-stated. Tlie expenditure of the £4O was hung up because of the difficulty of obtaining metal. Cr. Sander said there was no doubt the road had been neglected. It was decided to instruct the foreman to attend to the water-tables. A QUESTION 1 OF LEASING. Surfaceman Schmidt wrote in reference to the application of Mr. Astwood to lease the Mangatoro road reserve, running along this frontage to the Mangatoro stream. He considered it would "be advantageous to lease the land in this way, as the lessee would fell the bush and let the sjin in to dray the road. There were about 25 acres in all, and he thought it was worth fid an acre—Deferred for enquiry from the Crown Lands Office. A ROAD EXCHANGE.

Messrs. Roy and Nicholson wrote re the proposed exchange of roads at Pukcariihe, pointing out that the old Clifton road was erased many years ago and was now Crown land. Under the Land Act the Council could close and exchange an existing road for a newj road, but it cannot exchange a strip ofl Crown land for a new road. They could not therefore, consent to the plan sub-i nutted, but if the Council would approach the Land Board in the matter the Board might agree to transfer the old line to Mr. Pansons.-Application will be made to the Land Board to make the exchange.

TENDERS. t°*™ n ?r te,,d , cr ' t,lllfc of W - J - Clare at £22S 1.5s fid, was received for the erection o two bridges ori the Piko road, and this was accepted. A CLAIM FOR ROYALTY Messrs. Majonc, Anderson and Johnstone wrote m reference to the claim for compensation by Mr. A. Corkill, on to whose property the Council had gone for stone. The letter reiterated the statement that the Council's men had been working „■ Mr. Corkill's land since January and ih.uiyh not continuously, they had virtually taken charge of the section. ]'or sonic time Mr. Corkill «>ijlil not get accrs, to the section, owing o the Council's men having taken away Ins lock and substituted one of their own. They had recently made a practice of hanging a key to'the chain so that any passer-by. if so min(l(K , con d unlock the gate and use the paddock. 'Hie firm contended from the tone ol the Council', letter to them that fhe Council was not in possession of all the facts, but had been misled by its surfacemen and the hope was expressed that the conference of the parlies would clear up all outstanding m-iev-ances. Crs. Julian and Mackenzie reported that they had visited the metal pit as authorised by the Council, and had discussed matters with Mr. Corkill but could not come to nnv definite settlement with him on the ground, as he considered the matter was in the hands of his solicitors. Mr. Corkill's chief grievance was the breaking of his lock on the gate, and the surfateman putting on a new one and taking the key away On two occasions when he. had' taken stock to. his farm and had intended to enter by this gate, he had found it locked and had had to go some distance further to gain an entrance. This they considered was not fair to the owner of the property. Mr. Corkill also stated that eontractors and surfacemen entered his

property and left it open to the public for mouths at a time when they had only'small jobs, and if while so engaged tint day proved partly wet their horses wove turned into his paddock and sometimes left there until next morning. Mr. Corkill lived eight or nine miles away from this property, and they agreed with him that it would only he fair and reasonable that he be notified when a contractor or surfaceman was entering his property so that ne could keep an eye on his stock and property. They strongly recommended that Mr. Corkiil should lock his gate and keep the key, and that when a contract was let or the surfaceman required metal, that they go to him for the key and return it when finished; also that all jobs be finished in as short a time as posible, so that his property should not he open to the public for months at a time. They _ further recommended that the "Vwncil pay the legal charges incurred I \ Mr. Corkill, same not to exceed £3 3s\ They admitted that Mr. Corkill had [ not \en treated fairly. I In a-general discussion, it was urged ! by tome members that there was nothing to warrant the payment of the three guineas charges—"except for peace and quietness," which was Cr. Kcnnington'a way of putting it. The chairman was very definite in his statement that all the trouble arose from the unreasonable attitude adopted by Mr. Corkill himself. He declined to admit that Mr. Corkill had been unfairly treated. A motion was proposed by Cr. Sander, seconded by Cr. Kenhington, that the references to the payment of three guineas and the admission of unfair treatment be deleted from the report. Cr. Julian said that he had heard both sides of the case, and he was satisfied that his report was fair. The matter had cost the Council £3O or not, and unless the Council was prepared to adopt the report there would be litigation and the Council might have another £3O to pay. He and Cr. Mackenzie were quite satisfied that the Council had been in the wrong in some things, particularly in breaking the lock and putting on another lock without giving Mr. Corkill a duplicate key. The chairman said the Council was within its legal rights in making a forcible entry when they were refused a key, and how else were they to reach the gravel pit but through the gate? Cr. Sander was emphatic in his denial that Mr. Corkill had been unfairly treated, and the discussion became animated and irregular, the members "chipping in" as they pleased. Cr. Sullivan said they had no guarantee,

The motion to amend the report was declared carried. Cr. Mackenzie called for a division, and only the councillors who drafted the report voted in favor of its retention in toto. A copy of the amended report will he forwarded to Mr. C'orkill, asking if it, meets with his approval. GENERAL. n _ C. Jones was appointed surfaceman in the Tikorangi riding. F. Barker reported that the Mangamaeho road was in fair order, but it should be closed against heavy traffic, for this kind of traffic did so much, damage in the winter months that it) took .about half the succeeding summer to make the road passable in the shady places.—Consideration deferred. Mr. IV. Birdliug wrote drawing the Council's attention to the nnnoyance caused by the contractor for beach gravel at Urcnui leaving the fence down and allowing his and the Maoris' stoel? to go to and fro. He had had to send a man out to attend to the fence—Referred to the chairman. Mr. F. M. Standish, of Tarata, asked the Council to do sufficient work on Ngatirnaru Terrace to give access to the native reserve, leased by him. The work would not he very expensive, and would open up a face of metal probably god enough for use on the main road.— Referred to Cr. Sander to investigate. Messrs. W. 11. and A. J. Stockley, and J. Wallace, writing from Matau, asked that about six chains of Oft. road be made to the front gate of the house on section 3G, block 0, Ngatirnaru.—Referred to Cr. Kennington, with power to expend up to £G. Mr. W. P. Barclay complained of the state of the Tikorangi road at Whitehead's corner.—To be attended to when opportunity offers. Mr. C. Topless nsked for repairs to the Allen road, which was almost impassable. Two culverts were required,', and if the Council would supply the Pipes he would assist in putting them in. 'l'he Council had done little or nothing on this road within his memory.— Cr. Mackenzie said he was prepared to ' give any timber required, and the matter was referred to him with power to act. ■

Mr. T. Northcott asked permission to cart in about 5000 ft. of timber over the roads fpr the Piko school, undertaking to make the loads light so as to cause the least damage to the road. He understood the settlers were very anxious to have the building erected with as little delay as possible.—Agreed to, subject to the' eountv by-laws.

Mr. G. A. JuppV offer for' some old timber on the roadside at the Uruti stream bridge was accepted. Surfaceman Kutze applied for and was granted permission to keep two men on for a month to clear slips, etc., in the l Mokau riding. The surfaceman reported that one of the residents allowed his cows to wander about the Okau road, and they were doing a «rcat deal of damage, so much so that his work in trying to keep th» road clear was only a waste of time and of_ public money.—The Council will write to the settler, informing him that if he offends again in this way, the Council will take proceedings against him under the provisions of the Public Works Act. Surfaceman Kutze will visit the Hutiwai road to effect repairs asked for. The chairman reported that V. Bcllshaw had signed the contract for burning and delivering about fioO yards of papa on the Mimi-Mokau road near Mt. Messenger, at 10s 3d a yard. The matter of replacing a 3-fcet wooden culvert on the Pikau road with a tunnel was left in the hands of Cr. Sander, with power to act. Surfaceman Tel far recommended that a surplus of thirds on the Kaipikari road should be spent in widening, and the settlers concurred in this opinion.— The work was authorised, under the supervision of Cr. Julian.