CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 95, 7 September 1912, Page 6

CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. l Th ordinary meeting of the Clifton 1 County Council was 'held at Waifcara yesterday, when there were present: Crs. 1 C. O'Sullivan, R. T. Hicks, A. M. Bower, ' H. Sander, Wm, Jones and S. J.. Kennington. In the absence of the chairman (Mr. S. Elliott) Cr. O'Sullivan was voted to the [ chair, and formally welcomed Cr. Jones, who was taking his seat at the table for the first time, in succession to Cr. J. 0. Glceaon, rescued. ENGINEER'S REPORT. ■ The county engineer (.Mr. 0. F. Dowsett) reported that it would cost £45 to . put the Waiau bridge in fair order. The Mataro road had been completed, and had been resumed by the Council. The Okoke metal contractor had been officially informed to recommence work , some days ago, and ihad accordingly made arrangements to do so. The recent rains, however, would delay the start for the present. Levels had been taken, and plans were in course of preparation for the erection of a new bridge over the Putiki. Other requirements in the Tonga porutu district would also be attended to. The expenditure of 'accrued thirds lon the various roads was receiving at- ! tention. It would probably be found ne--1 cessary to use explosives to obtain access Ito the shell rock at the Wai-iti deviation, to enable the contractor to complete supplies. The fencing contract here was being proceeded with. The formation work on the Piko road ihad been commenced. It had been deemed expedi- | out to expend tile small grant on tho | Pita road by day labor, under the direct supervision of the foreman, as it covered a distance of about two miles. In order to obtain the actual cost of manufacturing ferro concrete piles, he had I had two 15ft. piles, 10 x 10, mantiI factured. These could be used at any I suitable site. —Aceeptsd. | MANUFACTURE OF CONCRETE PIPES. In the course of his report, Mr. C. F. Dowsett said that lengthy interviews with the management of tho Mastarton I'ipo Company might possibly result in the company starting operations in the Waitara district. This.-should be a welcome announcement to Ipcal bodies, as the company turn out an excellent pipe, whilst the immediate advantages would be supplies always on hand, and breakages and the rather larger -item of freight would be elim'nated. : FOREMEN'S REPORTS. Foreman A. Hutchins (Okoke) lia'd been engaged repairing the Kaka road' and the top end of the Okoke road. I[e had pui hand-rails 'on tho Blax?k.bridge and diverted the water frpm Mr. Blufidell's. Some pipes were required for tile Ivaka road. He also stated that if lie was given the assistance of a man f(4r one month he could, put Me roads into 1 fair order before metalling commenced. The pipes will be supplied, and the foreman will be informed that he had powfcr to obtain assistance.; i Fore.nan W. Kulutz (Mokau) reported that the roads in- the Mokau. ridiikg wer? in fair order. He had principally been engaged in ro.Hiding up the Uritoi roa 1. - ; ~ I Foreman D. Cf.-Rowe (Uruti) had bejm occupied clearing water-tables ami filling: ruts. Nine small'riU^W'ts. were l'equirkl and six urgently. , j i Foreman G. A.' Smith''(TAratsi) reported on the Ota,Qjir^a,- t i'J)a(L at the stejel bridge, near, .the'"tatfilet ,'.U' •liad been: a six-foot track,' /arflj. t'is'°fdnn it into la . dray road for ii distance flf half.a mile., would cost :U)(fiU J .[ , B , Avt>uiil : be ejxt : pensive to make 11 it'"(•i-'rtssing dyer the stream, and he suggested tha*t gincer should visit the .locality. He* r'e-: ported two settlPrs-for'.gfa'znig cattle on. the road. lie'also fift¥r'etl }i to fence aijid clear the- strip-'fef' -fmid 'reserve aloijig,' the Otaoaroa road for'the Tight to use it,'., as the gorse was groWnhA fovei" : it''ftnd would soon become a nuisance. The malt; ter of the OtaoarJa ovfe! 1 pending 'further > enquiry:'! The foreman was granted the 1 Mae) of the reserve, and the owners of the-.wrfnd'sring' ttittle are to be prosecuted.' OVERHANGING TREES.

■Sjvcral foremen replied - .ito the resolution passed at last nieethg. forwarding information re ov-vhanginjr trees. The clerk was instructed to Write the various property owners, requesting them to remove the trees in accordance with the Public Works Act. "Failing this, the Council will take action in the mattef. Tt was also resolved to write the Commissioner of Crown Lands re trees shading Okau road. ; STANDARD BRIDGE PLANS. j The clerk of the Wairoa Conntv-Coiin eil (Hiuvke's Bay) forwarded copy of a resolution passed as follows; ''that the Hon. the Minister for Public W6rk* lie written to requesting him to linye prepared, for use by all county jounc'l?,. a standard set if bridire plans, from sav 10ft. to 100 ft. span, which could he adapted to all classes of bridge woi'k undertaken by local bodies. He pointed out that often considerable delay occurred in getting bridge plans approved by the Public. Works Department, owiiig to the hitter's requirements varying with great frequency, and the resolution deiiml to overcome this. • On tire motion of Ors. Jones and Sander, the Council decided to endorse the proposal. ! COLLECTION OF NATIVE RATES. A circular letter was received from the Pat.>a County Council relative to the difficulty at present experienced in collecting native rates. The Council had ba'en much hampered thereby, and had lately urged upon the M.P. for the district t.lin necessity for t mor-.> satisfactory mode than at present exists for compelling payment- of these rates, preferably through the public trustee or the. Government. Under til? present law it was found impracticable to compel payment, without a rour.d-about course likely to end in failure. This brought forward a discussion br the councillors upon the collection of native rates in the. Clifton County. A 1-ist of defaulters had been handed to the solicitors, srp.is.-s. Wilson and Grcv, and after some discussion it was resolved ,to authorise tlicin to employ a native interpreter to make a personal canvass, witli a view to collecting the native rates. - »'*<> resolved to endorse the I a tea' County -.Council's resolution by writing to the members for the district, with a view to introducing legislation WAT-IT I DEVIATION, ■p. W. ,T. Freelli, secretary of the I ukearuhe Ratepayers' Association, forwarded the following resolution, passed unanimously at a meeting attended by eleven ratepaycras. "That a loan <be imsed to metal all that portion of the Miim North road, from the deviation metal to the present metal, also about liree ehains at the small hill by Mr l>uv,-man's gale and two chains by i'avis s. The distance to be metalled was about 1(10 chains, and the rat iris area "oi d be. from Pukearuhe to the Mimi stream. It was proposed to ask the Government. for a subsidy of £1 for £], Mess-r* W. J. Freeth, W. Old. J. Skinner E. Svorroason and H. Wells waited s'hSi 0 m 5n 1 >,,0,,t - Mr - Frcfith ■s .U< d that it was intended to metal , r, n,llps . a cost of about 'nil,' 1°, sottlprs Proposed to raise UOao, aml_ to ask the Government to subsidise this by another £IOOO. They 1 hiTciore asked the Council to wlwidiw hi by 11,a, t(I] (, ion of a 81il)4idv , V thl ' ;£ < or £33:! fe Bd. Considerable discussion followed, counSlorU i llS i ° Ufc i that the Pukc «rnhe eltlds had already received subsidies '"1 previous loans. Other districts would PJT .ba'.ly want subsidising in the same the chairman remarked tliat it

would be inadvisable to pledge themselvra for tliiit amount so far ahead. After the deputation had withdrawn, it' was resolved, oil the motion of Crs. Sander and KenningLon that the Council regrets its inability .at present to promise a definite mbsidy. In reply to Mr. Freeth, the Council promised to give all the 'assistance possible towards raising the loan. PI KO ROAD. W. S. Short, Assistant Under-Secre-tary for Public Works, in reply to an enquiry as to whether tile Government would consider the application for a £-for- £ subsidy on a loan of £ 1500 for metalling Piko road, stated that the resident road engineer's report was to the effect that before metalling the Piko road it was advisable to complete Okoke road to its junction with the Piko road, as until that was done the full benefit of the proposed metalling would not be obtained. He further pointed out that settlers along Pike road were engaged principally in pastoral pursuits, and the 'country was not suitable for dairying. The Minister therefore considered it advisable to devote the money available to the Okoke road, and to consider the application re Piko road at a later date. Councillors remarked that it was a dairying district. Messrs. 10. Whittaker and others on the Piko road forwarded a petition, asking tie Government to grant a sum for the purpose of continuing Piko road to the Junction road. Tho Council resolved to forward the petition to Mr. C. K. Wilson, M.P., requesting him to place the same before the Minister for Public Works and use his influence to get a sum placed on the estimates for the purpose. TENDERS.

Tenders were dealt with as follows: Tunnelling at Purangi, B. J. Field and Dowman, £151! W. F. Dowman, £11" lis (accepted). Burke's culvert: W. J. Clare, £lls (accepted). Lambert's bridge: W. J. Clare (concrete), £2BO 10s (accepted); hardwood, £2OB 18s. Tho tenders for formation on the MatauMangaoapa road were held over pending further information from the district road engineer. It was resolved to call for tenders for 600 yards of metal for the various road's in the Tikorangi riding, and for 200 yds. at Tarata. It was resolved to call for tenders for OOOyds. of metal for the various roads in the Tikorangi riding. Surfacemen are also to be asked- to rtbtify metal requirements for maintenance for the ensuing year. GENERAL. , The resignation of' G.' Da.y'; ('surfiic?-' man in Ureniii-Mokau riding) was . accepted, and applications will be called to; fill the vacancy. ; Messrs. W. Gordon-liilassford and Geo.,' 1. Elliott, Waitoitoi, are to be informed ,tha.t the bridge on the Mitngihiaeliio road, complained of, would receive' attention. i; .. i. ! j Mr. J. McGregor .'advised tliat' : at£ W meeting of Ok-aw--settlers it had bee-ii j decided to allow the thirds to stand ovijr | until more money .-\va* available; to do some sandstoning or something-of tlidt nature on the 12ft portion of the .road. —Agreed to. ; Mr. A. Gray-Stewart (Kiore) asked that something should be done to tile Manga-oapa tra?k,-which, was . now in such a_ dangerous state that' in some places it took him all his time „to .git a horse throi.igh.--~Resolved. tci' 'fonv.u'd the letter, ti> the diStfict- i'tod engineer. ' Mr. G. T. Murray; district road engiiiebr, notified that the-Okafr' was handed over to .the 'Council : ■in-'IYiOO id:.-good order," and o'nlv ;; Required \£heel guards] as did a-thef-Kaki 'stale miles: higher >uf>j GwifibW-ihb@t that hand-rails I were five. .rr.'i'iif,," j MriUT. .Corner'was. or •a- road ; reservi! ■ oit thi- Okau-'Toadyat . rental, of as, per-annum.:;: .' »i ! ~.M,essr,s. C. Whittaker «hd Weston'and - Sons applied, for 'bevelling o'f tte bush ,on the, Piko road: in -front* .of their-: sejc-,' tipjis. As. this,wag.a.,.Governmont'.road. l it .was resolved to iforwtknd itheilapplictition to Cam-missiouer of--; ■ Crown Lands, with a recqrtnnendatioti that the ; Eand Board pay for .the .felling. Cr. Sander brought up : the question of appointing a road, and bridge foreman for the whole county, and gave notice! to move to that effect at next'meeting, Cr. Kenningfon reported on charges made against a surfaceman in his diswhich he considered were unfound-ed.—-The report was. adopted. > • 1 the Council resolved to take steps f.o raise a bridge loan for the full amount available, .OJWO. This will. bring the Council up ( 0 (ho limit of £SOOO al-; lowed by the Department. Accounts amounting to £434 0s 7d were passed for payment. <