MOA ROAD BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 185, 23 December 1912, Page 7

MOA ROAD BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The Moa Road Board met on Saturday, the chairman (Mr. H. Trimble) presiding. Other members present were: Messrs. Bridgeiuan, Williams, Chard, Corkill, M. Hopson, A. E. Lawrence J. Collingwood, Bishop. PETITIONS TO CUT THE PAINTER. A petition was received from 40 ratepayers asking the Board to consent to merging into the Taranaki County Council of that part of the Moa Road District from the Waiwakaiho river from Junction Road to the Radius line on the, west, and from the Junction Road from the Waiwakaiho to the Waiongona river on the north. From the Waiongona river to section 21, block.Vll., then along the back boundary line on the east, and the Radius line on the' south.—-The petition was deferred for enquiry. Thirty-one ratepayers petitioned the Board to consent to the merging into the Taranaki County Council of that portion of the Moa Road District bounded on the north by the southern boundary of the .Waitara* West Riding; on the south by the Junction Road; on the east by the Waiongona river; and on the west by the Waiwakaiho river.—Deferred for future consideration. DANGEROUS—THE BEDFORD ROAD BRIDGE, Foreman G. Ward reported that he had put a stay, 9 x 5, in at .the end of the concrete on the Bedford Road swing bridge, where it had been undermined. This would suffice for the time being. The bridge required further attention, or the next.flood would carry away whole bridge!

The Chairman also, emphasised the dangerous state of the bridge, and intimated that ho had inspected the structure, in company with Mr. R, W. Bond, Inspector to the Taranaki County; Council. That gentleman, had. informed,him that,the bridge was capable of being repaired. The damage was caused "by the last big flood. ' ...Members were, divided on the point whether the. : bridge. .should bf repaired by means I 'of a concrete pier 'or. a gTOi" of stones encased"' ultimately the matter was left in the hands of the chairman and Mr. Bridgeman. FOREMEN APPOINTED;-

Eight applications were considered for the appointment' of foremen in the various divisions. The following were appointed:—Division L. Walter Laurence: 11., T.-B. Knoinock; '11L,..R. Jones; IV., W..; Bennett. '•' : ""'"" FOREMEN'S REPORTS;

.Foremen Bennett a-eportedvthat the following work required Motukawa:. water'tables ,and formation' work; Kaimata, Road; .blinding,,as .the hills- were getting very rough with loose, stone; -Ratapiko.: : Loose stone to he taken up .ami blinding. :done. ; ....• ... , Foremen R. Jones reported that .Mi". Favier v contractor for 100 yards of boulders on tj»e... Surrey . River had finished caTting out, and the stone was , now,be : . ing broken. He had water : tabled parts .. of the Surrov Road, and attended, to the for on the Bedford Road Creek (the Surrey ,end).;„ ; Be,, -had , water : taMed Rugby Road, and;: .parts of the Norfolk I Road, and had broken the boulders on the Bedford . Road . pit—Norfolk Road rWest. Th«; Norfolk Road East had also; •been raked and blinded,, , ; : .

Foreman.,!. that in addition to maintenance Work lie had put down abou.t;,s chains of new metal on the Suffolk. Road and had done the formation; - Mr.,; Julian; had, started his. Worthy Road.contract,'having delivered 24 yards of metal. He had.also started his Suffolk Road contract, and had carted out about 60 or 70 yards of boulders on this road. "Work.'requiring to be done next month, comprised raking up. loose -*tone, clearing water-tables, and blinding metal on the Lincoln and; York. Roads.

.Foreman J. Williamson reportetlthat he had " been . engaged on the' Upland Egmont, Windsor, Hursthouse and .other roads, in general work,,ahd putting down new metal.. He had finished taking and blinding, on. thVUpland, Rpad J; .had.. put new metal on Windsor Road, 'and had had part of the water-tabling ploughed on the Egrnont Road, north and AQ'jth. The Bedford Road swing bridge was -becoming dangerous, and.if. the ; structure was.to be saved,'it-would have to be attended to, as soon, as. possible.

...... GENERAL, The Taranaki County Council intimated that' in- future it ..would,-be advisable to provide in specifications,-a clause preventing, the removal of stone within 10 chains of the Lep.per-Cay,rmgt.orj, Cross Road Bridge across- the Waiwakaiho river.

The clerk to .'the same body also advised that his Council would alter the boundaries of the-Moa Road District by including the above portion of the Waitara West Road District*' provided the Board agreed to pay all costs incurred. { -Jt was decided to fall in with the wishes of the County. •■ The Taranaki County Council wrote informing the Board that its. Inspector had submitted the following recommendation:—"That 60 feet of the 9-inch concrete pipes- be carried across the Moun- | tain Road with a mantle of concrete over them to withstand the heavy traffic." The cost of the same, wquld be; £7.—-The Board decided to carry out the I work on its own account. As the limit of £SOOO had been exceeded, the Superintendent of the State Guaranteed 1 Advances Office,, wrote informing the Board that its application for a loan of £SOO for, the Ratapiko Road could not bp entertained. ~ In acknowledging the Board's application, for authority; to expend the, grant of £SO voted for the Egmont Road(south of. Junction Road) the- Aeeistant- Under-Secretary for .Internal " Affairs, notified that the vote for this road was provided for the purpose of assisting the Egmont National Park Board, and the authority was therefore being issued to that body to expend the money. —lt was decided to make further enquiries on the subject, doubt being expressed as to whether the Park Board was the controlling authority in the matter. Accounts amounting to £155 19s 4d were passed for payment.