EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 196, 17 February 1914, Page 7

EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

■MONTHLY MEETING. Tin 1 ordinary monthly meeting of the Egiuont Ceimty Council was hold at Opunake on Friday, when there were present: C-rs, W, C* Dudley (chairman), C. If. Hurst, R. K. Farqithar, E. Maxwell, .1. Burgess, F. J. Daw, T. Harvey and P. Willcox. ' , ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer (Mr. C. A'Court Opie) reported as follows: — Early in the month the hands of the Oeo Northern riding were employed cleaning out drains along the Eltham road and replacing culverts. But en Tate Bros, commencing their contract the men had been kept busy picking up the road, etc. Good progress had been made-with the contract, 500 yds having been put out to date. Oeo Southern riding—The hands had been kept busy on contract work, and it was anticipated that G. Vickerv would have this completed by about Weduesrav next, 1200 cubic yards having been pur out to date. Faulkner and Barlow were proceeding with the contract early the following week. The commencing of the contract was delayed owing to a Wnimate West contractor carting boulders along the length of roadway to he metalled.

•Tames Ilickey had completed his contract in the Rahotu Southern riding, putting out 1543 yards. A start had been' made with the crushing contract, and at the present rate of output it w»s anticipated that it would he completed by the end of the month, when the plant would be,movcd to the Pnniho tontraets. In the Rahotu Northern riding otdinary «urface work and side-draining, also opening 1 up of pits and preparation of crusher sites, had occupied the hands. The overseer of the Parihaka Road Board had asked if the Council would assist in opening up a large drain at Rahotu to the extent of one-third the. cost of the contract, which was let for 3s per chain, and as the opening up of this drain would materially assist tha draining of the Main road, he recommended that the request be, acceded to. Messrs Chambers and Sons had advised the office of the probable early deliver.}' of the roller plant at New Plymouth, and on being ready to hand over in the terms of their agreement it would be necessary for the clerk and engineer to be present, and he would thereforo ask for the necessary authority, He had ftiade arrangements for the \vorking of both plants in a thoroughly satisfactory and economical manner. Owing to the (iiffieulty in obtaining satisfactory extra labor during the contract season, the permanent hands had to work overtime to keep things going. The Resident Road Engineer had advised that plans and specifications for expenditure of grants for road formation, etc., required to I>B accompanied with level sections, all in 'duplicate. This would mean a full amount of extra work whenever they were asked for. The request of the Purrhaka Road Board was granted. The Engineer was given the necessary authority in connection with the roller. CARRINGTON ROAD LOAN. The New Zealand State Guaranteed Advances Department notified that it could not grant the £4OO applied for to metal the Carrington road from Puniho to Newell road, as the funds were very limited, and it was considered that the road was not situated in the backWoeks.

The Hon. Minister of Public Works wrote-, in reply to a letter from Mr. 0. W. Rogers (county clerk) on the subject, that he had interviewed the Secretary of the State Guaranteed Advances Department, who had promised to bring the mattnr again before the Minister of Finance.

Messrs J. and A. Ducker wrote in connection with the matter, regretting the diflicYilty in raising the money and stating that they had called a meeting of the settlers interested, who had agreed to guarantee the money pending the receipt of the loan, so as to enable the work to he proceeded with immediately. In his report, the engineer stated that lie had visited the locality and met the chief parties interested in the raising of the loan, and Mr. Ducker had informed him that in order that the Council might immediately proceed with the work they had arranged for a guarantee- at the.' hank, and this guarantee would be in the Council's hands on the following Tuesday at latest. As the plans for this work required to go hefore the Resident Road Engineer, and would entail nearly a week's work preparing, he intended, subject to the Council's approval, to make a start ■ ~, ~ '' " "iwinsr Monday. Willi them the iv«»

The engineer was authorised tn proceed with the plans immediately on receipt of a note that the money ha.t been guaranteed. CONTRACTS. The committee appointed to deal with tenders reported that the following contracts had been let:—Booyds gravel. Eltliani road. Oeo Northern riding, Tate llros., 3s 3d per vard; TOOvds pit metal, same riding, Tate Bros., 3s 3d; 400 yds boulder stone. Skeet road, Tate Bro=., 3s -2d: 1200 yds crushed pit metal, Rahntu Southern riding. Jas. Hickcy, 3s 3d; SOOvds, Main South road, Opua flat, Tate Bros., 3s lOd; 600 yds crushed boulder stone. Rahotu Northern riding, -las. Hickcy. Ss fid; SOOvds crushed pit metal, same riding. Tale Bros., 3s lOd; GOOyds crushed boulder stone, same riding, .las. Dickey. 5s Od; 1400 yds crushed pit metal! Tale Bros., 3s lOd.

The. following tenders were accepted for contracts closing at the meeting: 700 cubic vards gravel, Main South road (Oeo). E. 'Davidson. 3s Od; 250 yds boulder stone. Opunake-Strntford road. W. H. Couser, 2s lOd; 1000 yds crushed pit metal (Opunake town), <"!. Vickery, 3s 6d. OOVEUXMEXT GRANT.

The Resident Road Engineer »otified that a voucher for the payment of .CM on the YViremu road (Xgnriki to Newall), (lovevnnicnl grant, had been forwarded. It was decided that the expenditure nf this mnne.v he held over until after Mr. C. T. Mini-ay (Resident Road Engineer) has visited the site. Crs. Willcox anil Davy will accompany liim. LOAN MONEY.

T!u- Colonial Mutual Tiifo Assurance Co. notified tliiit they could not entertain tli<> Council's application for a loan of I'flliOO for bridges. The Government Tii-m-jiK-c! Department wrote to the same ~|lVct. Tlic J'ulilie Trust Ullicc forwarded I:'.W ]'-U (lil, lioiiij; flic net amount of lire road til:t(-IIiIICI'.V Kill of .11000. "I'ln- chairman remarked tlint it scenii«l extraordinary that the Council could nol fiet XliftfiO when other bodies could get .CfifyOOO. The crerß was instructed to write to tks Bopartmjijt agara re thj» »»nej.