EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 151, 13 November 1912, Page 7

EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

'MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of ihe Egmont County Council was held at Opunake on Friday. Present: Crs. W. Dudley (chairman), Maxwell, Campbell, Hurst, Farquhar, Harvey, Davey and Willcox. CORRESPONDENCE. From Mr. J. P. Kennedy, re contract No. 209, Wiremu road, Government grant (Sievewright and Vickery) stating that he had sent the contractors written notice to start the work, as the road and conditions were favorable. From the Bank of New Zealand, notifying' the Council that, as the Council's indebtedness had mow been liquidated, the document of guarantee given by individual councillors were cancelled. From the New Zealand Counties' Association, asking for further information on the question of the Council's power to deduct moneys for road repair irom their contractor in regard to damage done to the Cape road (the'Pariha'ka Road Board's boundary). The clerk had replied giving the information asked for. —On the motion of Cr. Willcox, seconded by Cr. Harvey, it was decided to pay the / amount claimed, £3 10s, to the Parihaka Eoad Board, the Council's claim against the contractor to remain in abeyance pending further opinion. TENDERS. The following tenders were accepted:— Contract No. 213, Te Kiri road, 100 yds metal between Coupe's gate and the southern terminus of Parkes and Brookers' tramline, Mr. J. Keheley, at 3s per yard. Contract No. 214, stumping, clearing and culverting portion of Upper Oeo road, 15 chains, Mr. J. T. Searle, £3 18s 6d. SPECIAL LOANS ADJUSTMENT. I Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., wrote inj forming the Council that the Local ' Bodies' Loans Amendment Act, giving necessary power to make adjustments of special loans, had now become law, and if the Council had anv adjustments to imake it should move In the matter at once. . Under the Act the Council's liability had been made retrospective for. four years. This would allow the Council an opportunity of collecting unpaid rates for a period of two years, but it iwould have to .take its chance in regard ■to the balance of the period if the Com- • mission to be set up decided that; the ''Council was responsible for payment of) 'interest, in connection with a further jperiod up to four years.—On the motion of the chairman, it was decided to take all necessary steps at once to secure the adjustment required. | RIDING ACCOUNTS. [' The clerk announced that the position I of the various riding accounts at the end of September 30 was as .Oeo, dr. £-130; Rahotu. Northern, dr. ; £1861; Eahotu, Southern, dr. £1409; ; Opunake, cr., £ll6. PvAHOTU MATTERS. ' "Y s The Rahotu foreman forwarded amend-, ed estimates for his riding, cutting the . total down to 4000 yards, and the ■ esti:, : mated cost to £1749 2s 6d. He had also seen Mr. C. Johnston, owner of the mo;tor traction engine, and the result of the conversation was a suggestion to asjc •Johnston to pay an annual charge, the as the Taranaki County Council ; did. Li their case it amounted to about 30s per trip for engine and trailers. : . i , ESTIMATES DISCUSSED. Considerable, and at time acrimonious, 1 ; discussion, which started with the Oeo j Northern estimates, was indulged in' 1 iwhen the estimates for the ensuing year I were under review. The foreman's estimate for necessary works in the Oeo: riding during the coming year was £lO4l, and the net revenue accruing to the I riding, after allowing for hospital rates ; and such like, was £ 1095. The chairman' ! pointed out that these estimates did ndtinclude a great many necessary items. That was just where they went all wrong in their finances last year. ■■<• ; Cr. Farquhar said that when the loan' proposals were before the ratepayers last' iyear it was distinctly understood, at a 'meeting held at Pihama, that in "corif> sequence of the diversion of traffic on. it.6 the Eltham road; tlie southern division would allow the northern division todraw a certain amount from their revenue this year. It was impossible to keep up the Eltham road as they were igoing on. but if the southern division would assist them to the extent of £2OO, j say, it would greatly help matters. Cr. Campbell disagreed. Personally, he certainly was not agreeable to it. The j southern division had bye roads, which 'badly required attention, and if any money were available it should be spent ; on those bye roads. j Cr. Farquhar said it was not fair that Rahotu should have been allowed to overdraw £4OOO and Oeo not allowed to overdraw another £SOO.

The chairman rejoined that it was ■clear that the riding would require at ,least £350 in addition to the foreman's figures, and if this riding started off ; this way they would have Rahotu and others following with a request for a hundred or two more than they were entitled to.

Cr. Farquhar: Why should Oeo be restricted to £4OO odd whilst Rahotu was allowed £4000?

Cr. Maxwell: We have one-halfpenny deducted from us to repay our overdraft against your farthing. Furthermore, the amount Rahotu was overdrawn was £3270, not £4OOO. It is perfectly clear that we cannot maintain our roads out of ordinary revenue. There is nothing for it hut a big loan. We must have wider and better roads. We are nowtrying to maintain roads that are too narrow and too thin.

Cr. Hurst remarked that if the Council had but one overseer all their differences would be got over, because he (the overseer) would see that the county revenue was spent on the roads most requiring it. After a sharp passagc-at-arms between Cr. Farquhar and the chairman, Cr. Farquhar moved, and Cr. Hurst seconded, that £IOOO be allowed for the Oeo Northern riding. Cr. Davey moved, as an amendment, that the amount be reduced to £BOO, to include everything, contracts, maintenance, wages, etc. The amendment was carried by 5 to 2.

Eahotu Southern.—Net revenue, £874; foreman's esHmnte of work required, £B9O. Amount reduced to £OOO, leaving £274 for wages and incidentals. Opunake Eiding.—Net revenue, £339; estimated expenditure, £250 for 1000 yds -boulder stone—Passed. . Rahotu Northern—Net revenue, £1749; foreman's estimate of work required, £1305, leaving £384 for wages and incidentals.

Cr. Maxwell moved to make the vote £I4OO for all contracts ami incidentals, thereby leaving £349 for wages and incidentals. Cr. Davey moved an amendment to reduce tins to ;C)3so.—The amendment was carried by 4 to :), and on the motion of the chairman it was decided to instruct the foremen to prepare their amended estimates as soon as possible and to call for tenders, to be in for the annual meeting of the Council to be held on November 21, at noon.—Abridged from Hawera Star.