CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 142, 2 November 1912, Page 6

CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Clifton County Council was held at Waitnra yesterday, whwi there were present: Crs. S. Elliot (chairman), C. O'Sullivan, A. M. Bower, R. T. Hicks, W. Jones, H. Sander and S. J. Kennington. FOREMEN'S REPORTS. Foreman Kuhtz (Mokau riding) reported that the little fine weather they had experienced had dried up the road's a good deal, but the unmetalled roads required a lot of work to put them in order, and he could not get men to do the work. He also pointed out that he had been finding horses for the casual men to go to work ever since he had been working for the Council, and during the last six weeks Ivad found 'two horses. This he had now stopped doing,-aiid the men had left, as they would not buy horses for themselves. The tent purchased had been for himself and a man when working at the Pukearuhe tunnel.

Foreman Rowe (Okau) had been principally employed clearing slips at the top end of the Okau road and had employed three men for nearly a week. He also required gelignite and* fuse. Eoreman A. Rolfe (Matau) notified that he required 109 9in pipes and four ISin. pipes for Matau north, Matau south and Junction roads.

, Foreman Telfar (Urenui) reported that P. Taylor had delivered 360 yds of metal on the Main road and- asked if the Council would grant him the use of the traction engine to roll the same at a cost of £3 per day the distance rolled would be about ,one raiie per day. He also reported a Urenui resident for allowing cattle to stray.—lt was resolved to arrange for rolling the road. ACCESS TO SECTION.

Mr. J. McCoard, of Mangaweka, wrote to the County Council to the effect that he had taken up section 1 block 10 on j the understanding that his outlet was down the Waitara river to Purangi. He had made several applications to Mr. Murray (District Roads Engineer) and after four years was told that it would cost £'2ooo to give him a sheep track, but that he would give him an outlet at the mouth of the Tangitu stream and would spend £SO if lie (McCoard) would put a bridge across the stream at his own expense. The writer' had done so. Since then* several chains of track had slipped into the river, and he found it impossible to get anything done. He therefore asked the Council to assist him by arranging with Mr. Murray to hold his thirds and fourths for a. lasting bridge and generally improving his outlet. He j also stated that he had ""at his own expense put a cable and cage across the Waitara river, in which he had to take I wool and practically everything over.— The request -was agreed to.

I PUKEARUHE ROAD. ' Mr. R. Peppereli, secretary to the hitecliffs Co-op. jJnivy Co., urged on > the Council the urgent need for sending I the road grader to the -Piikearuhe road 1 now that the roads were drying up. It . had been in a deplorable state all the | winter, and something should be done to 1 niake it passable in the summer. The necessity for metalling the hills north of Fishei s and Sorrenson's and of attending to Fisher's lagoon was also touched on. These places, he continued, had been almost impassable .during-, the. winter, and as that was when ,their autumn make of cheese was carted they hoped something would be - done to keep the road open next winter. Mr. Wm. Bowman (Lepperton Junetion) also wrote in the same strain. Tile matter was left in-the bands of , Cr. Sullivan, with power tp *et., ENGINEER'S REPORT, j The engineer (Mr. C. Dijwsett) reported that the time liad now arrived • when the Wai-iti metalling, Okoke metalling, and Piko road contracts -should be vigorously pushed Oil. , The contractors on the two former'Ktid frequently been notified by him to'that effect. Satisfactory progress was ' being *mide with Burr's culvert, which would have been completed if the reinforcing material had arrived. A "wtontt see it finished. Lambert's bridge would bs I commenced in a few days, when most of the material would _ha v(i''arrived on the site. All the material ha'd been ordered for the sandstone bridge, etc., on the Okau road, and arrangements made for its immediate transport:, "The MimiMokau metal would be proceeded witk as soon as the filling \va's sufficiently dry. His recent bridge .esbimlates : were based on hardwood and steel; if ferro-eoncrete were used the .initial £ cos£,'",wofild be J largely increased, and the-loan would be inadequate. Erection of- the Wai-iti fencing should commence-.next week, as the material was •on thq .ground. Work on the Pita road was, proce.edjng slowly, casual labor being somewhat scarce in that locality. The engineer's report was adopted, except as regards the Purangi tunnel. Wai, iti and Okoke will be given notice to proceed. ~ TUNNEL OR CULVERT. The question of whether a tunnel or a concrete culvert, was"the Better to replace a bridge on the Junction road neau Purangi occupied the "Clifton County Council for some corisidifoible time yesterday, and at times the ''disfcussion was rather heated. The disfetissiori arose from a paragraph iti the ■ engineer's report, which stated 'that he hid again visited Purangi, and-Md'fcdiifirmed his original opinion that tlie tun'riel' 1 recommended by Cr. a' complete failure. On his first visit''he; Mil stated to Cr. Sander and the' county : foreman the following objection (1) That the proposed tunnel outlet "being' too close to the formation, serious would result to the road if the funnel was proceeded with; (2) that, if made, it would require timbering, arid therefore cost more than a eoncrete culvert; (3) that there was no papa rock showing under the road, and that he therefore opposed the sclieme in favor of a across the road. Hia second visit indicated, as he had predicted, that the road would be endangered, and he immediately suspended the contract and instructed the foreman to repair the road and fill up the excavations. He recommended the Council to cancel the contract and call tenders for culvert' as suggested. In the course of discussion he stated that he had tried in five places but could not find suitable papa. Cr. Sander, who at last meeting was a strong advocate for the tunnel as a most economic method of dealing with the trouble, again argued that there was good papa in the vicinity, and suggested that two councillors from other ridings _should visit the locality

j and report. The councillors mentioned did not relish the job, as they did not pose as engineering experts. The result of much desultory discussion was that Cr. Sander was authorised to expend up to £2in prospecting for a suitable place in which to drive the tunnel, which he is conlident he can find, though Mr. Dowsett is extremely doubtful on the subject. A motion, that the tunnel be abandoned and a bridge adopted, lapsed. TENDERS. The tender of Smith Bros., £l4l 10s, for work on the Matau-Mangaoapa road, was accepted, as funds were now available for the work. Tenders for Junction road metal wore considered too high, and it was resohed to call fresh tenders, returnable at next meeting.

Tenders will also be. invited at next meeting for 950 yds. of metal (Urenui riding), ISoOyds. (Waihi riding), and 1350 yds. (Mokau riding). GENERAL. J. Coleman asked for an extension of time on his metalling contract at Waiiti, which had been delayed by bad weather. 'E. Whittaker asked the Council to I make a fresh application for a grant on the Piko road, as he noticed there was no money on the Estimates. It was very important that something should be done to the road. In accordance with a /eport from Cr. O'Sullivan, who had visited the locality, the engineer wa9 instructed to survey the Mangamaeho road and give an estimate of the cost of forming a flft track to Mr. Petersen's section. The matter of reducing the corner on the Moerangi road was left in the hands of Cr. Jones. Mr. C. Topless complained of a nuisance at the toll-gate, in the shape of boxes, bicycle, a dog, etc., which were likely to prove a sonrce of danger to horse drivers passing through the gate. He also wanted to know who would be responsible in the event of an accident. Did customers to the store at the tollgate pay toll, even if they did not use the gate? was another query. The chairman stated th.,t he had ■ already attended to the nuisance complained of. Mr. W. J. Freeth wrote, drawing attention to a bad hill in front of his gate, Wai-iti road, which he offered to remove if granted the sum of £6. Agreed to, the work to 'he done to the satisfaction of Cr. O'Sullivan.

The Council decided to call applications for a qualified man to drive the grader, and also for a team of six horses to work the same.

The North Taranaki Dairy Company was granted permission, to take 50yds. of gravel from the iWaitoitoi pit. Mr. .J. W:' Poyhtori, superintendent''of the Advances to Local Authorities branch, notified approval of the l-16d rate to cover the proposed bridge loan of £3995. It would also" be necessary to give the name and amount allocated for each separate bridge. The Public Works Department notified that the sum of £3B was authorised for the Matau township to Mangaoapa road. Cr. Bowers asked and was granted permission to hold over his notice of motion re the appointment of a permanent, engineer until next meeting. Mr. C. K. Wilson, M.P., wrote that he would urge the Minister of Public Works to push on with the works required by the Council, viz., extension of the Waitara railway branch northward, and grant for the Uruti road. Twenty-one settlers of the Moki road petitioned for a telephone service from Uruti, a distance of about six miles. —The, Council will forward the petition to the Department, with a favorable recommendation.

Settlers of Pukearuhe petitioned the Council to raise a loan of £ 1500 for metalling the Pukearuhe road The Council will forward it on to the Department. The Wanganui County Council for-, warded a copy of the following resolution, which they asked the Council to support, viz., "That in view of the necessity of continued heavy expenditure on roads in this district passing through lands held on the small grazing run tenure, the Government be urged to grant the right of conversion to freehold to the lessees of the said lands, thereby making the collection of an adequate rate fair to the lessees, who are now suffering injustice by the present mode of rating, and that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Prime Minister.

The Council resolved to support the resolution.

The Minister of Public Works acknowledged receipt of .the. Council's resolution, urging that favorable consideration should be given to the application, which had been made for & subsidy grant for metalling Uruti road, and in reply stated that the Council's support of the application was duly noted and .would receive careful consideration.

It was decided to apply for a grant of £2OO for the extension of the Piko road. It was also resolved that the engineer call tenders to the amount of the available thirds for burnt papa and sandstone on the Oknu road. The Minister of Public Works notified receipt of the Council's resolution urging the extension of the Waitara railway northwards, and in reply stated that the representations on the matter would received due consideration.

Foreman Kuhtz, Mokau riding, forwarded his resignation, and at the same time thanked the Council for its consideration during his two years' service. After some discussion the resignation was accepted, and applications will be called to fill the vacancy. Accounts to the amount of £357 18s lOd were passed for payment.