TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 211, 5 March 1912, Page 2

TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEE..XG. The monthly meeting of the Taranaki County Council was held yesterday. The chairman (Mr. J. Brown) presided, and other members present were: Councillors R. Stevens, W.'Hopson, C. Billing, C. Andrews, J. R. Hill, D. McAllum and G. V. Tate.

ENGINEER'S REPORT. In his monthly report the engineer (Mr. Orbell) mentioned that the work of building the Henui bridge would be completed within a fortnight. The con" tractor had been delayed through being unable to procure cement. The majority of the earthwork on the New Plymouth side of the bridge had been done, and a good start made on the Inglewood side. Owing to Mr. Bond being engaged on the Waiwakaiho bridge, nothing had been done on the other bridges since last meeting, but he understood the work at the Waiwakaiho would be completed within a few days now, when the other bridges would be proceeded with.

PROTECTING WAIWAKAIHO BRIDGE Bridge Foreman Bond reported that since last report he had been engaged on the protection work at the Waiwakaiho bridge. The centre pier had been completed. It had been underpinned at each end, and the centre I portion encased to a depth of 10ft. be- | low the level of the riverj also a dolphin 7ft. high had been built to same, and the wing wall on the east side of the bridge had been made good. He had experienced considerable trouble with this work, owing to the. amount of I water to contend with. There had been | three floods during the work, one rising 6ft. Oin. above the ordinary level, which spoiled some concrete that was ready for placing in position, and carried away some tools and timber. The water came too suddenly to allow anything to be made secure. He was now removing temporary work and forwarding plant (to Inglewood (Ngatoro bridge), where he hoped to re-start on Monday. FOREMEN'S REPORTS. Foreman Jones (Tariki) reported that the Mountain and Tariki roads were in fair order. His time had been .taken up during the month blinding, raking up, water-tabling and attending to thu bridges. The question Jf other heavy traffic on the' road was referred 'to the chairman. Foreman Bennett (Junction road east) reported that his time had been taken tup in cutting noxious weeds and clearing lubbish from bridges, in blinding and gathering up stones, and banking up and spreading metal on Ziz-Zag. Mr. J. Neilson had delivered 150 yds. of metal, and had completed his contract. He had also got an additional 20yds. of metal broken and put on the Zig-Zag.; The roads were in good order. Foreman F. Cheffings (Junction road west) reported that the road in his riding, was in good order. Through the month his time had been taken up in Talcing up loose stones, blinding the hills, and clearing water-tables. He had finished the • Waiongona bridge, on the Hursthouse road, and opened it for traffic.

Foreman John Holmes (Waitara) reJ ported that during the month he had j been engaged in general road work, | raking up loose stones, ..clearing out j water-tables, making up .the side of the j roads, filling in the deep water tables, and making them out. wider. Some of the fillings on the Devon road required to be widened out to make the road \ safer now there were so many motor- | cars on the road. Big Jina's Hill also I required widening to make it safe. Foreman F. Holmes (Waitara West) reported that during the month he had been engaged informing the worst parts of Dorset road. Mr. A. Hale came out with plough and horses and ploughed the road free of . charge. He had also formed the.hills on Manutahi road, and the rest of his time had been occupied :clearing out water tables and blinding the hills on the Egmont road. Foreman' Seamark (Omata) reported that'through the past month Ms time had been taken up in spreading new, metal on road from crusher and blinding the same with screenings. With the I water-cart and the steam road roller the {new road that is being laid down was ;up to date. The crusher had almost completed at Kaihih'i Depot, and would then move on to Timaru Depot. Tom Collins had commenced his duties on the road as surfaceman. His time had been taken up in cleaning out water-tables, etc. Traffic was very heavy on the road during the month. In addition to the ordinary carriers there had been three or four expresses with very narrow i tyres carting cheese and butter. The protection groin at Stony river required j attention before the winter floods set I in. He suggested a new crusher site at! Tapuae. The Council's crushing plant had 1800 yards more to crush, and when' that was on the road it would be in failorder between Okato and Crompton's. The Puniho end would be the worst, but he could manage to keep it in repair for the winter. Foreman Eva (Carrington road) reported that the roads were in fair order. His time for the month had been occupied in blinding metal at Frankleigh Park, Brooklands road, cleaning water-tables and general work. Foreman Norris (Frankley road) reported that the roads were'in good order. His time for the month had been occupied blinding, gathering up loose stones, cleaning water-tables and general road work. Forty chains of formation was required on the Barrett road, as well as some grading work and one 9n. culvert. It would cost at the lowest estimate £1 10s per chain, total £6O. Engine-driver Toms reported that from February 1 to 28 he had been scarifying and rolling in the Okato Riding. Engine-driver Urry reported that for the month of February the crusher worked 19 days, crushing 1232 yds, as follow: County, 832 yds metal and 98vds screenings; Wcrekino Road Board, 370 yds. metal. Private crushing: Rowson and Thomason, 50yds metal and 24yds "screenings.

Arising out of the foremen's reports .it was resolved: (1) That the matter of maintaining metal on Hursthouse road bridge be left in the hands of the chairman; (2) that tenders'be called for carting 500 yds of metal, more or less, on the Main South road, Omata riding; (3) that Or. Andrews be authorised to try and arrange with Mr Morris with regard to the new crushing site at Tapuae; (4) that the traffic levy of 3d . I)cr yar ,i for W erckino Road Board be not enforced; (5) that the matter of forming and grading Barrett road be deferred; (0) that C. Simons be called upon to pay 3d per cord for all firewood (estimated at 1000 cords) carted from Tariki road sawmill to the different dairy factories, on account of the heavy traffic it entailed on the roads; (fi) that Foreman Holmes report as to what price he can get earth for Mangati and Devon roads. WAITARA BRIDGE. A deputation of two, Messrs W F Jenkins (Mayor) and T. Buchanan (town clerk), representing the Waitara Borough Council, waited on the Council m connection with matters arising out of the new bridge to be erected over the Waitara river. The deputation explained details as to the cost of the

I building, etc, and asked the Council to I agree to a contribution of £l2 per year i for 36'/ 2 years, the term of the loan, j After the deputation had withdrawn the Council briefly discussed the position, j Generally speaking, councillors were of j opinion that the New Plymouth Borough Council should also be asked to contribute something towards the cost, as they held that the bridge was of more importance to the borough of New Plymouth than it was to a small section of the county ratepayers in the Waitara riding. Finally the Council resolved that it could see no reason to depart from the resolution passed at last meeting re contribution to the bridge. GENERAL. Mr. Robert Todd waited on the Council in connection with an accident that had befallen him and his wife on the Frankley road, owing to a fall of earth there.—The Council declined to recognise any liability. Mr. A. A. Yates was appointed dogtax collector in the Moa riding. On account of his leaving the district permanently for Waikato, Foreman Chefrmgs tendered his resignation. Mr. Otto Huse also wrote resigning hia position as surfaceman in the Omata riding. —Mr. H. Kendall was appointed to fill', the latter vacancy. j Through his solicitors, Mr. D. F. Greenway claimed royalty at 3d per I yard ,on 300 yards of metal taken from his property at Okato by Messrs. Rowan and Thomason. The matter was left in the hands of the chairman to deal with. A sub-committee consisting of the chairman and Cr. McAUum, was deputed to go into the matter of the readjustment of the office staff, with the object of providing the clerk with more assistance, his work having, it was pointed out, increased threefold since he took office. Mr. H. Okey, M.P., intimated that the Minister of Public Works would favorably consider the Council's application for a further subsidy of £SO towards the cost of metalling Carrington road. The Teport of the conference with the New Plymouth Borough Council regarding the adjustments of accounts in connection with the absorption of Fitzroy by the borough and the repairs to the Waiwakaiho bridge was read and approved.