EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 179, 16 December 1912, Page 7

EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of the Egmont County Council was held at Opunake on Friday, when there were present: Crs. Dudley (chairman], Maxwell, Campbell, Hirst, Farquluir, Burgess, Harvey and Willcox. FOREMEN'S REPORTS. Foreman Humphries (Rahotu South) reported that he had been engaged in general road work. Necessary repairs had been done to the Eltham road. Hie main road in the Rahotu riding, between Oaomii and Te Namu, had been repaired, and about twenty chains of side track formed opposite Hoskin's property. All loose stoue had been raked off the road in the Opunake riding. He recommended widening the TaungUsia hill about six feet, as there had been several accidents which might have been serious; £lO would effect a big improvement. | No money available for the Taungataia Hill. Foreman Newport (Rahotu Northern) had ploughed off the turf from the side* of the metal-way between Warea and Puniho, where the turf and sand had aecumulatcd to a higher level than the metal. During the latter part of the month they had completed the balance of last year's contract under O. W. Corbett, as W. A. Thomas was not in a position to go on with the work when tiie crushing plant was ready. Mr. Corbett had completed the contracts. Mr. 11. \ickery was also ready to start. He recommended a payment in full to Mr. Corbett on liis two contracts. Tie had arranged with Corbett to deliver blinding for both these contracts at 2s Od uer yard.

Tt was resolved, on the motion oi Crs. Willcox and Dudley, to ask the foreman by wlio.se authority lie let the contract for blinding- Cr. \Yillcox considered that foremen should approach the two merest riding members befoie authorising any \ynvl'. foreman Harris (Oeo Southern) reported that lie had been working on tlic Main South, l'atiki, • Skcet and Nopera roads, blinding, trimming and clearing waiter-tables. He recommended a lin.nl payment to,G, Kehely for contract li)l, J. Munro iuul almost completed his contract. He required about 1800 ft. decking for repairs to Oeo. and Puniho briuges, and also 30ft. of concrete pipes to'replace the old wooden culvert. , Iforeman H., Munro (Oeo Northern) 'had been occupied at maintenance and general surface woijk, repairs to bridges an (J culverts, and - preparing roads for contractors.- G. Kehely had maile a start witjh his contract, for delivery of gravel, and was putting .oil.goqd material. At present' their. sp,re;ulers . were working overtime. Some-eontraets.were not being proU'i,'de.fl with, and he suggested their 'daricellation.. . IjOLLECTIOX OF NATIVE RATES. , jJjhu dire'iihtr hitter from the Pa tea t'oilitty' Council concerning the vexed quejitfeiTi'iof Itltl' (mlltatibn of native jates. ami suggesting that as a remedy rates on /native'properties' should be made a charging order on'the property by the Government, as Was done in the case of survey changes, was' relciiived. ' ' TJie-ehairinnn'cohs'idured that this was a .step in the right Jlirection. The Council, pould, as'at present,'get a judgment against* the 'iiwner as Uppearing on the rati book. These judgments could be Villbjtved to aecHtifhlWte until they reached "a considerable 'aWo-tint, when the Govei'iiiiiciit might take them oVer and administer the propMyV-pacing'the rates, witli interest. •' ; ■ ! ' '" . ',pr. Wiilcox considered that the only .solution was for the Maori'to be placed undfsr the same position as the white majt. : This he did not tliitik would be ( ntil then the present proposal .waj;; the. best. Tlju;; eliainnan said that i)i the' case of Europeans a distress warrant could be issiuHl aiid, failing satisfaction. the property 'could, be' sold. ..\yitli natives,Histr'css iis 'Vlverytlviivg h'i's sister, or or.liis wife's eniisi.i),'oi' someone else,- and' , 'it ,, \Viik ift|iossibie.'of'course, to sell the property.- ■ ■ ' '• : 1 ' ■"§, "Burgess- thoifglJt'^lie 1 Government should be able to leii'sc', .at-ahy rate, a certain portion of the- property, sulTicieift to pay th"e /: ra<!ej; ■■ ' 1 >t 'On fhe motion of Crs; Wiilcox'and Burgess it "was unanimously -resolved to support. i;lio resolution.A little later the (jdslLioh in regard to the cojlection : i'ates was slrikingiv. exemplified by a' letter from Mr. Deputy Public Trustee, who. in, .response to a request- from the county cierk for payment of £IOO rates reeurrim: on'-native-property in the Public Trustee's 1 liaifiel fiVru'ahled a voucher 'for" .£l2' Ifis : 7d,- wbWi''Wilis-'the full amount of funds available at present. • .€OXTI;ACT()J.«: I-(ffiGETFRLXESS. :\I. A', Milk'" '(OaviUi?) "drew' attention to the fact that he had suffered considerable t'hicWv&rifoiee-'' ;6n'-'various occasions by cbultaetors curling metal from the Oauinii ; river -ruitning' through his propertr failing.'to 1 cfose' gates, thereby allowing his cattle to get-out and wander, bei'iclW ctitt.iiigi'up'- ths' paddocks in carting.' I'le-lUd^put l up 1 si wire gate at his own (>xpeiys('; and the'eohtractor did not even 'fiose it when tlie job >vas fin- • ished. He, though the fariiier should get some compensation fof thes'C' inconveniences. and as no iWiitiiiffiliiS'l3e(>n r made of royalty he drew the Council's attention to i.he! iiiiatti'i 1 -.-' i i ; " The clerk stated that the royalty had been parsed for paytneut, but, along with others, there. Wits W. money available. The amiovanee caused 'by contractors was out of the 'Council's province. TRACTION "TRAFFIC.

Messrs] 'Jolwistoli liros. wrote that they were w.illing to pay l-> Oil per trip, .■;s suggested. by the Council, provided they verb, allowed to use their own judgment' as' to the number of trailers ihey used./Soliieiimei .only a ton and a hall eolild 'lie' placed on tach trailer, and it would lie impossible to pay two tolls on such a load, ' lie also ] -owned o<u that thev would hot use the roads ill wet weather, as one su'cli trip did as much damauv as a dozen i'll line weather, lie also Mi-tgested that one of iheni should interview the .Council.. Councillors were of opinion that 12s (id for the engine and two trailers was quite reasonable, and after some discussion it was' resolved, (in the motion ot Cr. WillcO,x, tliyt r»s r per ,tvip be charged on each trailer over two'; this to be final. The question of traction tralbc was reopened when a paragraph in the report of the .Kaholu riding foreman (Mr. l r . Newport) was read, stating that many of the bridges in the Kaholu ruling were unsafe for heavy traction trallic, anil now that Mr. .Johnson was hauling the Oaonui and, Timgarelui cheese output] with his traction engine he asked the Council to autnorise the strengthening of the Waiweranni, Kopaiwajhia and Waitotoroa bridges. In all 257.i l'eet of timber would be required. Mr. Maxwell would not agree with this. Tie pointed out that the bridges were not designed for such heavy loads. Ti they strengthened them by understrutting, it would simply mean that it wonhl enable heavier loads to be cm lied over them, am! other bridges would suffer. So also would the roads. If the traction online owru'is "wanted tnc bridgi's strengthened, let them do it themselves. He then moved that the bridge, timber be not authorised, but that the engine-driver proprietors be informed that if thev consider it necessary they can .strengthen the bridges themselves. —SecomU'd by Cr. Willeox and carried.

APPOINTMENT OF OVERSEER. Cr. Hirst brought up the question of tlio appointment of an overseer, which bad been temporarily held over. He considered that the time had arrived when the county employees should have one head, and moved that an overseer be appointed. Cr. Burgess seconded. Councillors were unanimous that some improvement was necessary in the county management. The chairman remarked that the sooner a man was appointed the better. Cr. Willcox objected, on the ground that the county finances were too straitened at present to bear the extra £250 per annum. He recognised that such a/i appointment had to come later. €r. Hurst pointed out that there was over .£SOOO in rates outstanding. The motion was ultimately unanimously carried, and applications will close at the next meeting of the Council. THE CRUSHER. > Mr. Collins (crusher driver) reported ii;at the wheels required repairing. He suggested that wooden wheels should be procured, at a cost of £lB. Councillors were of opinion that wooden wheels were most suitable, but the present fine weather must be taken advantage of as much as possible, and it was therefore inadvisable to lay the crusher up for any time. It was'therefere decided to ask the driver to report whether with temporary repairs the ( I crusher could not be worked till the end of the season. I

GENERAL. The Commissioner of Crown Lands notified that £2 12s 4d in thirds had accrued to the Council's account, viz., is Weka street, and £2 lis 4d Watino road. It was decided to bripg the motor registration into force on February 1, 1013. ' ' A. E. Magon applied for progress payment on the Wirenui road (Government grant) contract.—Held over. The chairman's action in accepting Hie tender of 0. Vickerv for contracts in the Rahotu North riding not let at last meeting was confirmed. It was resolved to inform Mr. W. Greenaway (Puniho creamery) that the Council would allow them the use of the county crusher to metal opposite the creamery, on payment of 25s per day for the use of the crusher and ot'ier expenses, the Council staff not to be kept idle. The Rahotu foreman is to be informed that all contracts must be pushed It was resolved to inform the Auroa road contractor that unless his contiaet is gone on with the Council will complete it at his expense.