WHANGAMOMONA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 178, 26 January 1912, Page 8

WHANGAMOMONA COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. ; The monthly meeting was held on Monday. Present: Crs. A. Meredith (chairman), McCutchan, Bacon, Roberton. Cleland, Jury, Coyne and Diggin». ; ENGINEER'S REPORT. ; Mr. E. C. Robinson (county engineer) > reported as follows: — I ■/ 1 Upper Mangaehu Road—Nearly a mile " has been laid off for dray r6ad formation, ' and a further mile for felling and clearing. Drawings, specifications, etc., have 1 been submitted to the Public Works Des partment. i Murcott Road—The suspension bridge " has partially collapsed, owing to one of 1 the cables having gradually perished over 7 ground at the anchorage. The roadway was being raised and temporarily sup--1 ported, and the portions of cable underr ground replaced with steel rods. " * Tapanui Road. —Some months ago I I reported that a filling had been washed 111 out, but no action was taken. Mr. Foley, II who had a section beyond the wash-out, is .anxious that a bridle track should be ■> made round it. The survey to take the '» land for road at Tapuni bridge hasi been '» put in hand. 11 Thirds.—Remaining thirds are to be for e i Marco road extension. 'An alteration is S necessary. ,

Vera Road. —I- do not think that fencing along the lower side of this road, as applied for by E. MctJluggage, will prejudice the road, provided the fence is kept a reasonable distance from .the road. Also on condition that the Council could require its removal at any time. Ohura Road (Central Riding).—As the Public Works Department is now'using the whole of the portion under county * control for snigging timber, I recommend tha't they be asked to take it over until local railway work is finished. The chairman said that the bridge repairs would cost about £IOO. The cost of re-erecting the bridge is to be taken from the Strathmore riding special fund. A side track at the Tapuni road washout is to be made at a cost of £5. The .Public Works Department is to be asked : to take over the portion of the Ohura | road (Central Riding),,as recommended • by. the engineer. 1 Repoft adopted. | FOREMEN'S REPORTS. ■ Foremen's reports were dealt with as under:—" 1 Foreman Atkins (Strathmore) reported [ that repairs had been done on the ' Brewer, Mangaehu, Murcott,i Makahu, ' Akama, Kiri, and East roads. The t Akama, Brewer and Mangaehu (Upper) roads required further repairs. Several yards of metal were required to repair/ | Brewer road cutting. Timber for ijepair- , ing damage to. tunnel near .Mounsey's ' ford was to hand. The Brewer-Kirai ' tunnel needed attention. Fifteen .'yards |. of shell rock for the Kirai road would ; cost 12s per yard. A large culvert at I the junction of the East and Favier roads j would require renewing. The metalled , portion of the Ohura road needed repair- . ing, and a large slip had been cleared on 1 the Mohakau road, and the earth used I in improving the approach to bridge and 3 banking metal near Te Wera. 1 Foreman H. Jamieson (Whangamot. fiiona) had completed work on the Pros- - pect road, and f also replaced three old - culverts with concrete pipes. Two more j Blips came down on the Whitanga road f just as work was completed. They were - now removed. Given fine weather, work 3 on the Putikituna road would be comi pleted within a week. The worst parts » J of the Whangamomona road were being I attended to. A lot of work was> required - on the clay portion of the Kohuratahi s road. Two new flood openings would be I required before Winter. He also wishefi 1, the Council to procure additional pipes 6 for culvbrts. I ' It was mentioned that foremen should ■ send in their reports to the engineer be--0 fore the Council meeting, and their sug--1 gestions could then be, embodied in his r reuort.

* report. , 8 TENDERS. , Tenders were dealt with as follows: * V'tiewal of Makahu t stream bridge, ' y ! ; Itn road. —Mr. P. M. Grayling was t 1 !- ( illy tenderer. To be accepted pror yl' \ it is reasonable. ' Formation 20 chains Marco" road. Langdon and Jertsen: Formation 20' chains Poarangi road. — One tended Yeceived. Left in the hands of . the ; - engineer* ' BREWER ROAD, i The Public Works Department wrote 3 re work on Brewer road (Stiathmore to Murcott). Qn the, current year's esti--1 mates there was a Vote of £4oo' (£ for £) on account of £I4OO. An authority! of £4<OQ was issued in March last, and as it was not expended it had to be reprovided. Inhere was further £IOOO, , and if proposals were issued through the resident engineer, authority would be duly issued. * The engineer will submit plans to the Department for the expenditure of £I4OO, r to consist "of a mile of metalling on ; Brewer road, north-east of the factory, ' and the filling in of the gap between , Makahu stream bridge and the tunnel. ' If approved, tenders will be called next r meeting. | Cr. Coyne gave notice to move that , the Brewer bridge be declared a ma,in l'oad from the Main road at Stratford J to the Pahautuhia Block line. ; EXPENDITURE OF GRANTS. ( Mr. G. T. Murray, resident engineer, wrote urging the Council to push on with , the expenditure of Government grants, and to forward claims for all such money expended not later than February 28. The grants referred to were: Mangaehu Upper £ for £, Mohakau, Matirangi i road bridge, Mangaouata, Mareo and Mangarp. ALTERATION OF BOUNDARIES. _ The clerk of the Ohura County Council wrote re adjustment of boundaries between the Whangamomona and Ohura counties. At present several ratepayers are contributing to both counties for the one property, and they had applied to have the whole of their properties included within the Ohura County.—Resolved to ascertain from the Ohura County Council the piece of county referred to with a view to discussing the matter. STAFF REORGANISATION. . Cr. Bacon moved that the Council take into consideration the position of clerk 4 and engineer, to see if by combining the two offiqes the work could be carried, on more efficiently. He stated that under the present arrangement no ratepayer could come to the office except on. -the ■V

meeting day. He admitted that it'was better to have the positions separate, but their* rates would only allow them to pay salary to one good man. He moved that applications, be called for a man to hold the combined position of clerk and engineer. ,-v ■ The chairman seconded pro foripa. He would like to hear the" opinions of councillors. A discussion followed. The motion was lost, only the proposer voting in its favor. . DRAINAGE. The Council cannot see its way to comply with the request of Mr. Alex. Klee re drainage, as it would affect a natural watercourse. : ' ' k PUKITITUNA ROAD.* ' Mr. G. T. Murray, district road .engineer, wrote that £25 was on November 9 issued to the Council for clearing slips on the Putikituna road, from its junction with Kohuratahi ro#d to the saddle, a distance of 40 chains. Messrs. E. R. Wilson, E. W. Wilson, W. G. Wilson and D. A. Dickson, by petition, stated , the Putekituna road was in a very bad state. They asked . tkat the grant should be spent without x delay. * GENERAL. , Victor Klee's resignation as surfaceman was accepted. The balance - sheet was formally I adopted. I In view of the heavy indebtedness of the Kohuratahi road a meeting of ratepayers to discuss methods of finance was

• suggested'. Accounts to the amount of £4OO 7s 9d Were passed for payment.