EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 329, 16 June 1911, Page 3

EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY JIEETINC. The ordinary monthly meeting of the Egmont County Council was -held a.t Opunake lust week. Present: Crs. Dudley (chairman), Hurst, Farquhar, Young, Harvey, Willcox, Maxwell, Campbell and Maeßeynohls. FOREMEN'S REPORTS.

Foreman F. Newport (Rahotu northern) reported that he had been generally repairing the Main South road between Pungarehu and Puniho. The kcrbing and filling of the footpath through the township of Rahotu, from lvahui road to the public hall, had been completed, as the settlers had given free labor for the amount: required, wth ;C3, the amount promised. He wished the Council to thank Messrs P. Willcox, A. Phillips and W. Hudson for free labor given with their teams. Two culverts, one on the north and one on the south side ot Rahotu township required removing and replacing with larger pipes to carry away the flood water. During the last heavy rain the culvert north of Rahotu overflowed and swamped the whole township, making a terrible scour of the road, tie made suggestions that would cope with the difficulty.—lt was resolved that the pipes cannot be replaced this time of the vcar.

Foremen Munro (Oeo "• riding) ami T. Humphries (Opunake riding) also submitted reports of work done, and required to be done. GOVERNMENT GRANTS. The Department of Roads and Bridges forwarded schedule to i>e lilled in by the Council of works requiring Government grants, and it was decided to ask the Government for a grant of €7OOO. to be allocated thus: £301)0 for formation, bridges and metalling on the, Wiremu road from Puniho to Jhaia, and £3OOO from lliaia to Te Kiri for similar work on same road; and £lOllO for the Strat-ford-Opunake road. Tn speaking of the urgent works on :his road, Cr. Maxwell said that Hie block from Kaweora road to lhaia road was the most isolated block on the Wiremu road, as there was no access given to the settlers.

It was also resolved to a>k the Government to grant a subsidy to the settlers who have petitioned for a loan to connect the metalled portions between the Puniho and Newall roads.

Mr. Kennedy, overseer, notified that the contractors bad finished the Okahu to XewaJl road contract, and recommended a payment of 75 per cent, lie also recommended that the balance of unspent, loan (£S Iss lid) bo spent. on casing the grades from Ngariki road to Okahu ford. The District Koad Engineer had been notified of the suggestion. RIDIN'G BOUNDARIES. Cr. Mac-Reynolds moved in accordance with his notice of motion —"That tiie boundaries of the Ralmlu and Opunake ridings bo altered; tlie Rahotu riding to comprise the district between the l'uniho road and Oaoimi river, and the Opunake riding from the Oaonui river to the Taungatara river." In speaking to his motion lie said the Rahotu northern boundary commenced at Pmiiho road and extended to To Xamu, a distance ot some '25 miles. By the proposed alteration it would give i:i miles of main road to the Rahotu riding and 13 miles of main road to the Opnnake riding (by taking in the. three miles or so) of the Elthani road. Cr. Maxwell seconded the motion, which was carried.

It was also resolved that a committee consisting of Crs. .Maxwell, Campbell and the chairman be appointed to consider -the financial adjustment between the Opunake and Rahotu ridings and report to the Council. GENERAL. The, Council decided to co-operate with the resolution forwarded by the Eltliam Council in connection with merged loans, viz.. that the Treasury be again approached and asked to facilitate the necessary transfers and apportionments. It was also resolved that the llawora. Patea, Egmont, Waimate and Stratford Councils be asked to once more c»-oper-ate in the matter.

I The chairman and clerk were appointf ed to interview the bank manager and ascertain if the bank interest would be I reduced. The attention of all foremen will be drawn to the bumpy state of the approaches to the bridges. The Minister of Agriculture replied noting the Council's resolution asking that the Assistant Inspector of Noxious Weeds' services bo retained.

It was decided that during the winter months all foremen reduce their stall' to one man. The members believed that the only economical work that can lie done during the winter is patching and keeping the water off the roads. The chairman was appointed the Council's delegate to attend a conference to be held at ITawera to frame uniform bylaws regulating heavy trallic on the Taranaki roads.

It was also decided to support the Stratford County Council's application to the Railway Department for a reduction in the freight of hardwood timber.

Cr. Maxwell brought up the question of the constant repairing to bridges and culverts, ami suggested that the Council get a report from their consulting engineer of reinforced concrete declw-the minimum thickness required by a maximum weight, ami the bridges to be gradually replaced by concrete, as the pverlasting repairing and amount of money spent on timber was a bis amount. —Abridged from Opunake Times,