TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 291, 5 June 1912, Page 7

TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. The Taranaki County Council met yesterday. The members present were the chairman (Mr. J. Brown), and Crs. J. R. Hill, D. McAllum, C. Andrews, C. Billing, M. Hopson, and R. Stevens.

A HURWORTH DEPUTATION. A deputation of one (Mr. Okey, M.P.) waited on the Council on behalf of the Frankley, Carrington and Elliot settles, in support of a request that the Hurworth riding should continue to be a riding, and to try and get a portion of the present Okato riding in the Upper Carrington road district merged into the Hurworth riding. The proposal would, he urged, result in a community of interest, which would be impossible under the wiheme of revised boundaries. The Hurworth riding 'had no community of interest at all with the Okato riding. Cr. Billing strongly supported the deputation's side of the case, but lie was in the minority, the Council deciding that it could sec no reason for altering its previous decision, whereby Carrington will be attached to the now Mangorei riding, and the late Elliot and Frankley districts with the Omata riding. The valuation of the Hurworth riding, as it now stands, was not sufficient, it was pointed out, to warrant the setting up of a riding. Later on. however, if the valuation of Hurworth was found to have very largely increased, the question could be re-opened.

PETITIONING RATEPAYERS. . Five ratepayers of the Upland road, Taruvutangi, petitioned the Council, asking that about nine or ten chains of metal should be placed on that thoroughfare, as it was almost impassable. The settlers were willing to form the road, provided the Council supplied the metal. The petitioners pointed out that the rates for that part of the district were a little over £SO.

It was decided to grant IGO yards of metal for the road, providing the settlers formed the road and spread the metal to the satisfaction of 'the foreman.

LOANS TO LOCAL BODIES. The clerk of the Stratford County Council forwarded a copy of a resolution passed by that hody, which read as follows:—''That this Council learns with regret that county councils which have already received a total sum of £SOOO, by way of loan from the Government under the State Guaranteed Advances Act, will not be advanced any more at present- for the construction of roads, and thinks it a wrong policy for any government to check councils from developing their districts by refusing to advance on loan a reasonable sum per annum for building bridges, road formation and metalling. Councillors decided to endorse the resolution.

GENERAL. On the motion of Cr. Hill, it was decided that Mr. J. Spence be paid up to £2 7s 6d in full satisfaction of his claim for royalty and damages to fences.

Mr. AV. ,T. Neilson, of Omata, is to be informed, it .was decided, that the Council could not spend money on a private road. • ~ .

Cr. Billing movedj and it was Teaolred, that the approaches to the Ilenui bridge on the Mangorci-Carrington cross road be done by the under the supervision cf the engine^.,-.i A special order was confirmed dissolving . the Bopd -Board and the area merging ithe.Tqad, district into the county. .r . i

The chairman was empowered to sell the steel left over the- erection of bridges. Mr. IT. Jajrtos was appointed county surfaceman in the late Waiwakaiho road district. , ,

On Hip motion, of ,Cr. Hill, .it was resolved to levy a over the King road disirfot,. :to secure the special loan of i £3OO. ~.,,, , , The chairman and Qrs. ,Jd>Allum and Billing were appointed' a' committee to adjust iiooounts with tJhe'New Plymouth Borough Council. ( •' In acknowledging ,'tfie;. douncil's complaint of an overfloW'tff: water on' to the Main road, Mr. R. Pe'pper'ell, secretary of the Okato and Piitiiho Co-operative Dairy Factory Company, sta't'e'd' that, according to the manager, this had only occurred once during' tl(e 'seven years he had been there. This was owing to i a heavy flood following dry weather. As flood conditions were not expected the flood-gate had Wen inadvertently left open. The directors had now given instructions that the gates should he

kept shut in future, and they trusted that there would be no further cause for complaint. The Inspector of Rabbits and Noxious Weeds notified that nearly all the blackberries and gorse on Mr. R. Todd'|i farm frontage had been cut. Mr. James Wallace again complained to the Council regarding the damage being done to his property on Frankley road by storm water, which could easily be diverted if a culvert was put in.—The matter was referred .to the foreman for report. Permission was given to the New Plymouth Gold Club to make an entrance to its property near Sampson's, lately acquired from the Bayly trustees, at Bell Block.

The Lands and Survey Department wrote asking the Council if it had any objection to the sale to Mr. E. Marfeil of the closed road in part Grey district.—On the motion of Cr. McAllum, it was decided to protest against the application.

Notification was received that the Government had finally approved of the £2OO loan to the Mangorei Road Board. Mr. Haskell's tender of 7s per yard was accepted for the delivery of broken metal at the Henui bridge, and that of the Westport Coal Company for the supply of screened Newcastle coal.

T. V. Simons approached the Council regarding the road levy on timber waggons, stating that as a portion of the Carrington road had been taken over by the Borough Council he had to pav a levy to both councils.—The Council decided that it could not see its way clear to reduce the traffic levy and that he must make his own arrangements with the Borough Council. The annual subscription of £3 3s to the Municipal Association was passed for payment. In order to secure the special loan of £BS for the Mangorei riding, it was decided to levy a special rate of y s d in thai district. ENGINEER'S REPORT.

Engineer S. Orbell reported for the month of May as follows:—The approaches to the Hrniri bridge are now nearly completed, with the exception of metalling, so that I expect to open the bridge to traffic in about a fortnight. I have writen to Mr. p. 11. Williams, asking him to remove the balance of the falsework. The work of erecting tlie new bridge over the Maketawa has beeiiicomploted. The concrete mixer and the whole of the plant have been moved from the Maketawa bridge to the Waitepuke bridge, and the, foundations of the arch of this bridge are laid and abutments built up to the springing of the arch. Mr. Bond has obtained the shingle for building the Mangaotoa bridge (Tariki road), and has everything ready to start on this work. " °

BRIDGE FOREMAN'S REPORT. (Bridge Foreman R. W. Bond reported: As requested, I have made an inspection of the culvert at Oakura. The old stone culvert has given way in the centre, and is cracked in several places. The top is of timber, which is in bad OTder; repairs would be only temporary. I would recommend a nmv concrete culvert, x sft. x 4ft. ■fiin. I estimate the cost at £OB. I have also inspected the Tarurutangi bridge, and fnul it is in a bad state; the beams .at either end being 'badly"dfcay'ed. The decking and side rails are also bad, The span is 18ft. Gin. between.'the stone piers, which are in .good order; the wing walls are cracked on three : angles. I would recommend a reinforced concrete decking, parapet, walls arid wing walls carried on. Also tlmt four reinforced concrete beams be put in and the wing walls carried down behind'the present stone ones. The cost of' thife w6rk would be £125; the old ford'ean be used while this work is being carrikt' out.

It.'wa's decided to proceed with the construction of the culvert at Oakura when convenient. It ivas decided to proceed with the erection. of a new Tarurutangi bridge as recojnmcnded.

THE CRUSHER. .Foreman T. Urry recommended that repairs be done to crusher before shifting from Waiwakaiho depot, as some of the small, parts wanted metalling, and a new ( deck "was required; also new concaves ,and spme small jobs to the engine. . It! would take a fortnight or more • the.repairs required. , Thijs,. agreed to. <' .FOREMEN'S REPORTS.

'/.PoYdniail' M. J. Jones reported that the Mountain and Tariki roads were in fair order. With instructions from the chairman he had let IBV2 chains of drain clearing to Mr. Elliott at 5s per chain, near Tariki road creamery. Messrs. Rowan and Thomson had delivered 100 yards of metal, from May 16 to May 29, on the Tariki road contract. During his absence Mr, Whittle repaired some very rotten decking at Mangatoa bridge at a cost of Is Gd.

Foreman 'E. Bennett reported that his time had l)een taken up with patching, gathering up loose metal and water-tab-ling. He' h!id also put in a culvert on the Razorback. The roads were in good order 1 for the time of the vear.

Foreman E. Harvey reported that during the month he had been patching, raking and wheeling up loose metal and cleaning water-tables. The timber for repairing decking of Chain bridge, ordered by Cheffings, had been delivered. Mr. J. Neilson had not started his contract at Lealand's.

Foreman J. Holmes reported that he had received 666 yards of metal from the crusher during the month on Contract No. 237, and had re-coated some of the worst places, 22 chains at Bell Block, seven chains near Egmont road, and nine chains on the Waiwakaiho Flat. This left a long stretch on the flat that was nearly worn out. Foreman J. Holmes, jun., reported that owing to so much wet during the early part of the present month, he had had to engage assistance to repair the Mountain road from the Waiongona bridge to the Inglewood borough. This was breaking up very badly. Foreman F. Holmes reported that during the month he had received 448 yards of metal, 136 yards for Hirsthouse road, 122 yards Upland road, 126 yards for Colson's road, '56 yards Egmont road. 14 yards Parite road. Foreman S. Seamark reported that all the roads under his control were in fair order. His time during the month had been taken up mostly on the 'Main road, putting down new metal, digging off hard grass and widening the road. He was also putting down new metal on the Breakwater road, and spreading and breaking metal on Waireka road. With authority from Cr. MeAllum lie had put down two chains and a half of extra metal on "Waireka road, Mr. E. Bayly giving £2 towards the cost of same. Foreman Brosnon reported that through the past month his time was put in at clearing out water-tables, wheeling out metah and patching the road at the Puniho end. Mr. T. Sefton had also taken up his duties on the roads, watching, clearing out water-tables and putting up protection fences at Tapuae and Oakura. The Main road was in a very good state of repair now. As directed, he went over all the by-roads in the Oakura road district, and they were in a very bad state, especially the clay roads on the 'Upper and Lower Plymouth roads. The Kirihau road was also in a bad state, as it had been newly formed. The shingle on the metalled portion of the Kora, road had been raked in, as there had been ruts over a foot deep.

I He recommended the Council Lu place ;; permanent man on the by-roads at i Oakura, as the water-tables on almost every road were in the centre. To put these clay roads in proper order would cost roughly £l5O, considering that the settlers would help. Foreman W. Eva reported that roads were in fair order. His time for the month was spent in spreading metal and general work. Arising out of the foremen's reports, which dealt with routine matters, various works were authorised, as follows: That the matter of widening the approaches to the Kaimata road be left to Cr. Hopson, with power to act; that Mr. E. Bayly be thanked for his donation towards metalling on the Waireka road; that a man be placed on the Oakura Toad district roads to attend to them in the meantime; that Mr. H. Julian's price for picking up metal off the old Oakura Hill, at 2s per yard, be accepted; that Foreman Eva be authorised to get his immediate metal requirements from Hawke's pit; that Foreman Jones be authorised to place in the necessary pipes opposite the Tariki Hotel, in order to carry away storm water. The bridge foreman's report was adopted, and it was decided to proceed with the construction of a culvert at the Oakura dairy factory when con- . venient, and also that the Tarurutangi bridge be erected in concrete.

ACCOUNTS. The following accounts were passed for payment: —Administration, £lB3 12s 10d; Moa riding, £175 10s !)d; Waitara riding, £379 lGs 2d; Omata riding, £155 4s 7(1; Okato riding. £B7 (is Gd; Hurworth riding, £O9 17s lOd; Moa riding, special loan account, £393 9s lOd; total, £1474 14s Gd.