MOA ROAD BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 27, 22 June 1914, Page 3

MOA ROAD BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETJSBJ. The ordinary meeting of the Moa Road Board was held at lngleivood on Saturday, when there were present: — I Messrs 11. iTrimWe (chairman), J. A. I Bridgeman, JSeauchamp, (..'co. Capper, M. Hopson, A. E. Laurence. W. <L SJioejnark, A. Smith and J. Williams. FOREMEN'S REPORTS.

Foremon R. .{Tones reported tlrajt he liud been cngago.4 on maintenance swrk oj) Surrey, Rugby, Norfolk West #nd Durham East roaS had all been broiken. Bowlders were alsjj broken on the Badfor4 joad. Foreman 'WilmsS«wSt reported thiuj the Egmont Road South contract was not progressing very fast. Contracts were completed on the JJursthousc, Tipland South and Dudley West roads. He had not sufficient maintenance metal for the whole winter on the last-named •road. He asked the Board to re-metal half a mile of it each year. Egmont Road South was worn out, too, and, exclusive of the Government grant, he had three yards to maintain four miles of it. Portions of the road were completely worn through. Foreman Knoffloek had been occupied in maintenance work on the Bristol, .Suffolk, Lincoln, York, Davis and Dudley Toads. Water-tabling and patching were required on the Richmond, Wortley and Kaimata roads. Foreman W. Bennett reported that he had been occupied with various work on the Mana, Ratapiko, Salisbury, Rosa, I Mangaotea, Kupara, Kohete and Kaimata roads. The Kaimata road required the metal now broken spread on

. it. Ratapiko road stone was verv nearly completed. The Ross road metal contractor was making very little progress with bis contract. -AlOXTlir.\;-STAT.E.M].\r. The monthly statement showed re-' . eeipts to have been .10243 lis Id (rates » .CMO lis Id) and expenditure £±H Us Mil (roads ,CU I Ms Hid, wages .11!,'} . l.'Js (id). The general account showed a ■credit of .UIoIM lis e,l. and the loan ae-' ; count ,ei!ll -js lod. ■ ! TliK ROAD'XC STAI'K Four applications were received for i the, position oi foreman at the Tariki end of the"'district, rendered vacant by the resignation of R. .Jones. b. Luderliiaim was iiprointed to the position. - The iiuestioa of re-arranging the four districts with a view to appointing one or two extra foremen, was discussed, as Was also that of appointing an overseer ; to take change of the Jloard's work. Ultimately it was resolved that the question he referred to a. committee, consisting of the chairman, .Messrs iSrid"eman and Capper to report at next meeting. | NGATORO BRIDGE. j Messrs Robinson and Christophers (eni gincers) reported that they bad visited , O, ". trPtt,n CVOSsin g °» tl'o Bedford road. ,n view of the possible erection of a traffic bridge on that site. I The stream at that point was eemparai W * WI i' a,UI • i " tlIUL ' s of " ood w »s liable to change its course. Lately it Had caused considerable erosion of the northern bank, and the north pier of a wA 1 ', I ' lß ' 0 wati s, - ri ™sly endanger- , ed. Whether a traffic bridge was built I or not it was necessary to at once take ■steps to stop the erosion, and tiicy suggested that the stream should be diverted by the expenditure of a few 2 pounds, which work could be undertaken by the Board's staff. They gave details " of the work required. They also suggested that if the bridge were .built it * would be advisable to deviate the road s and put the bridge three chains lower '■ down the stream. They estimated the * cost of the bridge there, together with I' the deviation of the road, as follows: i Concrete, £842; hardwood on concrete P piers, £1342. r It was pointed out that there were t only two settlers albove the ford at t present, but that there was a lot of o land that would perhaps be cut up if a * bridge were erected. o ft was resolved to place the question I a of building a bridge before the settlers fa interested. 11

RAILWAY CROSSINGS. The Minister of Railways forwarded 'copy of regulations in regard to control of motor traffic over level railway crossings, and also forwarded plans of the notices which it was suggested should be placed about 150 yards from railway , crossings. They ottered to provide these I at dangerous crossings in the Board's i district, provided the Board would undertake their future maintenances" ,ind upkeep. Some members raised the question of the expense, whilst Mr. A. Smith .stated that in the course of a little time the matter would be attended to D»v motor clubs. The chairman raised the question of the Board's liability in the event of any of these notices being allowed to get out of order, and an accident occurring. Would the Board be held guilty of contributory negligence? It was resolved to defer consideration until the question of liability Ims been referred back to the 'Department. CAMBEMM3E ROAD.

Mr. AI. Crean, Durliam road, wrote •asking permission to open:a part of the Cambridge road for a stock i track. He also ..objected to .a row of .pinus insignus planted close to Ms fence-being allowed to remain there, as lie would shortly be repairing his fence, .and asked that the Board take .steps to have them removed.

Permission to open i.he road was granted, provided that any bridges erected would be suitable for general traffic.

THE EVERETT .ROAD. The Advances Board notified that it had agreed to .entertain the Board's application for a loan of ,£looo to form and metal the BverettT road, at a rate of Ay., per cent, per .annum for 30% years. The half-yearly instalment on account of interest and sinking fund would ;be £2 16s M. A deputation of Everett road settlers waited on the Board in the afternoon and asked that steps should be-.'raken to raise the loan and proceed with the 'work as early as possible. Mr. 11. B. Curtis acted as spokesman. Considerable discussion .ensued over the property to be included in .the--rating arta, Mr. Curtis pointing out that the area would be small enough and the rate -severe enough without excluding any prqpertv.

GENERAL. The chairman stated -that he was unwihle to came to any arrangement svith Mr. Welham over the stone-breaking •S -;;ntc, and had therefore had the gfcine H, -asurcd by Mr. Robinsc/n, wliose measurement would Ibe adopted. irhc engineer (Air. C. E. Robinson) (pointed out tliafc lie had, in order to rerlyce freight charges, .ordered the KoJiete bridge timber with some other timber, ; and that it was wove coming t* hand.

Accer.ints amounting to £314 IDs were passeji /or payment.