TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 168, 3 December 1912, Page 7

TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETrNG. The Taranaki County Counc'l met yesterday. Members present were: The I Chairman (Cr. -J. Brown) and Councillors A. Morton, C. Stevens, D. McAllum, M. Hopson, C. Billing, J. R. Hill, J. Stevens, and J. Andrews. COLLECTION' OF NATIVE RATES. Further to his previous letter -on the same subject, Mr. E. C. Horner (Clerk to the Pa ten County Council) wrote that most of the local bodies on the coast were injich concerned at the difficulty and, indeed, impossibility of recovering native rates under the existing law, the cost of pressing for payment being prohibitive, and even when judgment was obtained, the almost impossibility of legally recovering them. He understood that during last session the matter was brought forward, and it was asserted 1 by the Native M.P.'s that the natives paid their rates, but the County Council's experience was decidedly the reverse. In very few instances did the natives realise their obligations, and were constantly putting obstacles in the way and making promises that were seldom fulfilled. In many cases, including their own, it had become questionable whether it was worth while going to the trouble, under existing circumstances, to strike native' rates at all as it only misled the Council by so doing, the apparent asset being practically valueless. Although their rates were comparatively of little value still there were local bodies whose rates ran into many hundreds of pounds with little hope of recovery. He suggested that the following course would relieve the position: 'That in cases where land was held by several /owners, or where the ownership was not ascertained, that the Councils might simply send a list of rates owing to the Government, and that these Tates should be registered a charge against the land in the same manner that survey charging orders were made, and that no further dealings with the land would be registered, until the claim for rates was satisfied. A clause mi aft t be inserted giving the Government power to sell or lease the land after a certain lapse of time and pay the rates for the proceeds. He asked: for the Council's assistance in the matter, and in a supplementary letter advised that he had forwarded a copy of his letter to the Native Minister—lt was decided to cooperate with the Council in the direction desired.

MUTTON TRACK.

A deputation of three settlers, introduced by Mr. A. Marsh, waited on the Council to *-ee if something could not be done to put the Mutton Track in order. —The Chairman explained that he recognised the necessitous nature of the work, but it was all a question of finance. Cr. Hill spoke in favour of the request, pointing out that the settlers would undertake to contribute £25 towards the work, supply the metal free of royalty, and provide a crusher site free for two years. The offer was accepted, and it w>as decided to proceed with the work at a cost of £75. TAR ATA ZIG-ZAG. In thanking the Council for what it had done in connection with the motor traffic on the zig-zag, Mrs. A. Standisli. of Tarata, commented: "You say that the Council has 110 pewer to prohibit traffic on one day a week, but I understand that under an Act of 190S it has full powers to make by-laws regulating tihe traffic in dangerous places, especially so with regard to motors. Ido hope the Council will reconsider its decision and comply with my suggestion of a. former letter."—The letter was received, Councillors pointing out that everything possible under the by-laws had already been done. A TOLLGATE TROUBLE. Mr. A. E. Sadler, tollgate keeper at Pnniho, applied to the Council for a ruling as" to whether clergymen and ministers were exempt from paying toll charges when tliev were going to attend i a funeral. He cited a case in which a gentleman of the cloth had refused to par. Father Menard (Opunake) communicated with the Council on the same subject. It -vas decided to instruct the gatekeeper to collect the toll, no exception being made in the ease of funerals. UPLAND ROAD, A petition was received from seventeen ratepayers in the Tarnrutangi district. asking the Council to have the .southern portion of the Upland Road made passable for vehicular traffic. —Referred to the Inspector for report. DEPUTATIONS. Mr. .T, Brown waited on the Council, and a , an outcome of his request it was decided that the Council could not consent to the transfer of £o4 from tha general account to the Mangorei Road interest account. A committee consisting of the chairman and Cr. McAlluin was appointed with power to act, to meet Mr. T. V. Simon* (who waited on the Council) and endeavour to arrive at an agreement relative to tlie carriage of timber over the Carrington Road. GENERAL. Intonation was received from the Un-der-Secretary of Internal Affairs that a Commission would be appointed at an early date to inquire into the proposed alterations of the boundaries of the Borough of Waitarn. Mr. W. Ogier, clerk to the Moa Road Board, wrote asking the Council's consent to the transfer of sections 182, 183, and part 181 to the Mangapotou stream on th n Everett Road from the control of the Waitara West Road Board to the control of his board.—lt was decided to raise no objection. Attention was drawn by the clerk to the Ingh wood Borough Council to the very uneven slate of the floor of the Kurapete Bridge on the Mountain Road. —To bo attended to.

Permission was granted to J. N. Neilson, contractor, to hand over his contract at Lnaland's depot to Swann and Ma gee who were prepared to do the work at the same price, viz., 4s lid per yard. The resignation was accepted of F. Seamark, as foreman at Omata.

In forwarding a schedule of "'thirds' accrued—£l!) 10s 3d—to September 28, 1012, Mr. C. E. Archibald (clerk to the Taranaki Land Board), requested the Council to submit proposals for expenditure of the amount available. —The Inspector was instructed to draw up a schedule of the proposed works. In a letter to the Council Mr. D. B. McKc". Lepperton, urged it to have the road opened up to its full width on the east side of the Lepperton Raitwav cross-1 jug.—deferred to the Inspector for rc-' port. It was decided to pay Mr. Rrydcn the sum of £3O per acre as compensation in full for land taken and all damage incurred in constructing the CarringtonFranklev cross road. Cr. McAllum's action in arranging with Messrs. Penwarden and Mace to pay them each £5 compensation for land required at the Omata Hill grading was endorsed. On the motion of Cr. McAllum, a vote of thanks was accorded to the settlers on the Waireka Road for their donation of £ls towards metalling. On the recommendation of the Inspector. it was decided that a crusher site be constructed on Mr. Tozier's place, in lieu of Lealand' J . •f!-. v of Mr. U. Travis, of ligl>

wood, was accepted for the supply «1 dog collars for the ensuing year. INSPECTOR'S REPORT. The road and bridge inspector (Mr. R. W. Bond) reported as follows: According to the various foremen's reports the roads in the county are in fair order, with the exception of the Maiu : South and Carrir.gton roads, which are being very much broken up with the, heavy traction traffic. In the Moa rid-' ing Foreman M. J. Jones has made a , start with the grading of Maketawa Hill and with the filling at the Maketawa bridge. The crusher had worked 14 days during the month, crushing 938 yds metal, which has been distributed on the Albert ro.id; 30€ yds Alfred road; 16 yds Junction road, from King road to. Albert road 622 yds. The road roller has been engaged on the Albert and Junction roads. The timbervvork of the old Mangaoraka bridge has been remov- , ed and can be sold. The Tarata Zigzag can be much improved by cutting the scrub down to the road level around sharp bends. The watercourse through Mr. P. Paterson's property is damming back water on account of willows, etc., being in the stream. A notice is required to be put up against stone being removed from the river below the Upper I Carrington road bridge. A new crusher'; [ site was required on top of the MangoI rei Hill in place of the one now called | [ Lealand's depot. The cost of this | would' less than the cost of making [ Lealand's workable. The decking of the i Manganaiea bridge, Junction road, was getting very bad, and he recommended that a concrete deck be put over when required at a cost of £7O. Waitara riding: The crushing plant and roller had been removed down the Egmont road to the Mutton Track depot, and a start made with the crushing. Mr. N. Hill's request to encroach on the road with a fence could not do any harm, and Would .be an improvement to the road.. : Omata riding: Foreman Seamark had made good progress with the grading of the Omata Hill. Owing to his road breaking up he had had to attend to same, and the inspector had taken on Mr. J. Caddy in his place to carry on this work. Hunvorth riding: The earth applied for by the Frankley road school committee could be granted. Okato riding: The concrete culvert at Oakura had lieen completed, with the exception of the earth filling, which could be done by the road foreman. Foreman J. Bonner had left the Council's service and his gang had been discharged. Mr. Bond recommended that a light waggon be procured to attach to the crushing plant to enable the loose gear to be removed with the crusher.

The report was adopted, and following on his recommendations it was decided that Foreman Bennett be authorised to cut scrub on the Zig-zag; that Mr. R. Patterson be requested to clear willow roots and refuse from his property; and that his suggestions regarding the Lepper-C'arrington cross road and the Wiiiwakaiho Bridge be carried out. NOTICE OF MOTION. t*r. McAllum gave notice to move at the next meeting of the Council: "That the sum of £lofi odd, being the balance of the old' Barret Road Board funds paid to the Council by the St. Aubyn Town Board and placed.to the credit of the Council's Administration Account, be transferred from that account to the credit of the Omata Riding Account." ACCOUNTS. Accounts as follow were passed for payment: —Administration £293 los lOd, Moa Riding £413 6s 7d, Waitara £69 Us lid, Omata £lO7 4s lid, Okato £IOO 6a Id, Hunvorth £93 17s 4d; total, £IO7B, ss.Bd.