TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 87, 8 September 1914, Page 3

TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

.MONTHLY MEETING!. Tin; usual monthly meeting cf tha Taranaki County Council was held yestenia;,, Present: Councillors J. llrown (chairman), Steven.;. Mopson, Billing, C. Andrews, McAllam. .Vlorton. .J. Andrews and J. llil!. WORKS COMMITTEES REPORT.

The chairman vci'liaily reported on the various matters attended to by the Works Committee since lite last meeting of the Council. It was decided that the matter of stone from tile Franklcy [lit taken by Messrs Jloon Jtros. he left to the chairman to deal with.

The committee's report was then adopted and their action confirmed. Cr. McAllum reported having inspected the Manari road, which had not be.'ii used for the last «4 years. 'Mr. McGregor wished the Council to take the ' "w«*»ry steps to enable him to purchase the road. lie also called on .Mr. ,1 Burke relative to the unused portion of tile Taptsae road, abutting on the llarrett road, and arranged with him to f'-nee in and cultivate it, keeping it free from all noxious weeds, .and paving the Council 'ls a year rent.—Action confirmed. r

• rOfiIiME.VS REPORTS. •Moa Riding.—Foreman Jones reported that the roller did exceptionallv irood \v„rk rolling ol chains of new metal in three dats, scarified and rolled down ij chains en .Mountain road. Foremen l'en11,it and Maiien also reported on work dene.

- Mangorei Riding.—Foreman Ratten reported that liie roads had brok'ju up badly during the bad weather, but the fine weather had helped them materially. The Korito and other roads were getting very thin, and would require special consideration when the question of metal supplies was before the Council. Foreman Hancock reported that the roads in his section were in good order.

Waitara Riding.—Foreman Holmes, rejjorttU having had a man for live days breaking stone, anil a horse and cart to !iil in at end oi' culvert near .Mr. ( onneLt's. Foreman Holmes, jimr., reported that the road.* had broken up badly. Ho had obtained lSUvds of the '2<)Uyds ordered to be supplied, in 15 days, ami would get it oil the road as soon as possible. Foreman F. llolme.s reported on the work done by him on

Smart rend and Mutton track. J Omata Hiding.—Foreman Seamark reported that all the roads were in good order. Foreman Eva detailed the work | done by. him and a.iked for the use oi | the small roller oil the llnrworth road. ] ; (Jkato Hiding.—The foreman reported | , that he had 'been childly employed in ' carting out repair metal and making a new .-ill- for tiie crusher at Katikara. Foreman T. Sel'ton reported that Sole and (.(liver had delivered 13~)IVyds of metal, which bad all been spread oil the road. The roads were ill fair order. Foreman Meredith reported that he had i roke.i 20yds of metal on Tapuae Hill. Plymouth mid, and repaired the load and metalling two chains of Wairau road. Sole and (diver had delivered '0 yards of metal on Wairau road as arranged by the chairman. Knginc-driver Mackie reported that during the month lie bad worked on Fianklee road. lie v.a- occupied two ( oav> i L ' M - hing Illyds; Oakura depot. . i days, crushing 7!>!yds; Wairau road, six ibi'vs. crushing oKtiyds. makin;: a total of ' -!for the month. At present he was sit u]) at Weld road ready to crush. Fngiiic-driver Ury reported that the r\farshall roller worked on '2i days, rolling and scarifying. He hud to stop one day to tighten the axle box. which bad worked loose. The chairman reported that owing to the foreman not having time to do tin; • work on the .Maude road, a contract had been let for lirfjier ciiiiiu.—The chairman's action was "confirmed. ll was decided to cancel Magec's contract on the ( arringion road. The foreman is to be instructed to alt; ml to certain work on the Alfred and I.epp> r-Carriugtou roads. Cr. Hill reported on the matter of the application of Messrs Standish and Standish, on behalf of Mr. I>. Keenan, relative to the opening of Tahana road. —ll was decided to intorm Messrs Standish and Standish that tile ( omicil would take lio action in the matter. It v.as decided that the Works Committee visit the Friiukley pit relative to til- construction of the crusher site. Foreman Eva is to be notified not to put on any blinding until the roller arrive.'. It was decided thai the Tlgmont Can-v----ine; Co. be requested to place in a culvert cvos.-ing t-> the qr'i'oacil tu ta.e! parage at Okiito. li was decided tie. 1. "2-jOyds of extra ■le t/.I lie graiiiwl to Foreman liro-nan. Authority was given to crush about jWlv.ls oi metal for the Okato l\oad Hoard at Is .(id ]ier yard. Tenders are tu be invited for the deliver, of 4>:(!y.ls of boulders at the Tapuae depot. Mr. H. iU-or»c is to be asked for a rope,n on the Tim am bridge, particularly 1 as to bis opinion on its utiles.- !or fraflle. Drivers employed by the Council are to i,... called upon ti Mipply diary shoe's covering the work of themselves and the drivers.

i'AV.\]i:vr of < ootcilloks. !'r. Mi'Al'nm brought up the question t.f j.uvir.en« i.O i-diMi'.-illors when (hi \u;iimittec work. Ho pointed out j i!i;it couasillors were taking tlio plaei; I u! tli,' voail inspector, whose salary was I savul, and In' moved that the r<>- | inunerntii'ii oi iih",h!»ts when engaged | i>:i work shouM -lie the «u»u as J win r. attending tin- Council meetings, f ir. Morton pointed oat that sue!) a ! 1 :i-i- of payment would not be ei|tlitI ii'lir. some eoniK'ilioi's r<reived a .?<>(>:] I nl nii.re than others for attending

ami Ju* tliat lII* it (lay would be 11 fair sum. for tlieni to | wlicn rnpig.'cl on iii'jxvticn 1 work. ( r. Mi A!'iin: tti-.v;irnn n'td'ed In-' mot*.,« to Is* a tlu>. ami it wiu tarried. C!( HtIiKSi'CIMJKXC!-:. lY.remaTt Ilrosnan wrote relative io 111,, .'am:':-* at' Mv. I.aeey's in r«»si»t>et wsii-li h,' claimed c."i. Ill' s'atcd that li,. jjjul a-ked Mr. I.accy's permission to ■jii ;:irois*r!i his <>;u pa'Mwk. awl «'*ti" i'.;a;r,l the a'.noili'.t payable to Mr. Laecy lis, I'll." rovaliy and !!•■- l"»i' --It was decided to oner ,\l)'. L'.ucy .<-1 in i lt!e;nci<S of lii-i claim. Tlie Wuilara Went H«;aii Dear.! wrrle t Irv.; it- to contriV.iie bail cost of pnU'in;,' in a culvert at tin- junction of Kiclm-ond ami l-ppd'tim Cem<" tcrv roiuls.-- It was divided to accept tin- cO'it ami proceed with the work. I'm', man .lows reported bavin;; to !,:ir\- a dead ln-il-t, to Horace riiillir". of Stratford, at a co*t. of .CI 1~. Tlie obainrjan reported that a claim li.nl oe<n made for .C2 Tin- Hospital Hoard wrote for till' Council's clH'i|Ue for the balance arn<;ii:it promised on Di'.'crnbe;- 4. 1 In' chairman reported tnat the balance pa - .- alile l.v tlie <. oimcil was .'.Oiil ."is oil. and lie moved that the. amount be paid.— Tlie million was carried. The ilinister of Public Worts wrote

stating that the application for a grant for the Momona bridge on the Oarrington road would be considered when the Estimates were being prepared.

WAR FIW'D. A letter from tlie Wanganui County Council was read pointing out that the Government had validated grants to the War Fund. In the discussion which ensued the chairman advocated conserving the county's funds so as (o give as much employment as possible.

It was decided to take no action.

A circular letter was read from the Defence .Minister relative to a grant to the war and relief funds.—Received. SPIDER WORT.

The Department of Agriculture wrote notifying that spidenvort hail been addtd to the third schedule of the Noxious Weeds Act. It. was pointed out th.it the weed was spreading in some districts, and was likely to prove very troublesome.

Cr. Morton said the weed was sometimes called "Cape elder. - ' and grew 10ft high.

C'AERIXfiTOX ROAD (iISAXT.

The Resident District Engineer of the Public Works 'Department wrote as to the grant of £250 for Carrir.gton road, and asking why specifications for metallint- had been submitted. Cr. Rilling said the ilinistvr had promised that the money, should be spent in metalling. The clerk explained that it was a straight-out- grant. The matter K to be explained to the District Engineer. EXTRAORDINARY TRAFFIC.

Mr. T. V. Simons wrote complaining of the injustice as to the way the extraordinary damage was put for last mouth, and stating that had the metal been put 011 the road it would be in good order. It was decided to debit 'Mr. Simons with £lO for extraordinary damage.

A MERGER. A petition was received from SO ratepayers out of 42 of tlie Tataraimaka road district requesting tin: Council to make a special order abolishing the district and dissolving tlie Hoard. It was' resolved that tin* road district l)o merged into the county.

GENERAL. The special order making the hrifljjo rate payable by the whole county was continued.

It was decided that the foremen submit to the next meeting a list of metal required for the ensuing year. The chairman brought up the question of the county employees having a halfholiday on Saturday. It was considered that the request was reasonable, anil it was acceded to. on condition that the men started work at 7.30 in the morning, so as to make up the time. Accounts amounting to £'2J:)2 8s 7d were passed for payment.