CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 154, 5 December 1914, Page 7

CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary meeting of the Clifton County Council was held at Waitara yesterday, when there were present: Cra. A. M. Bower (chairman) R, H, Piggott, S. J. Kennington, R. T. Hicks, H. M. Purdie, and .Win. Qld. Cr Sander was granted leave of absence. GILBERT ROAD. C. Sclby, Uruti, wrote, drawing attention to the bad state of the Gilbert road. He had to go to the factory everv day, and had to carry his cream on his back through lack of a decent road. •Atotmng had been done, though lie had several times applied to have a road put into hia property. He was entitled to hare a, 6ft. track, if nothing else, and asked that the Council should give him a month's work on the road at 9s per day, under Mr. Dowsett's supervision.'— -w' e £ n SSneer' neer statejl that he had given Jlr. bclby permission to expend the thirds, which amounted to under £2 per annum. It was decided that the engineer should report on the road at next meeting. Councillors expressed their sympathy with the settler/and will probably help as far as the rates will allow. CARTI2® BOULDERS. Mr. Chaß. Handley, of Urenui, notified the Council that he had. locked his gate against bullock traffic on the track that the Council were using for carting stone off the beach at Urenui.—The engineer stated that nearly all the metal hod been carted from the beach.—lt was resolved to acknowledge Mr. Handley's letter, and to inform him that when 'requiring any further stone the Council would approach him for permission to cart it. , THE TOLL-GATE. Mr. A. J. Smith, proprietor of the motor 'bus plying betweon Urenui and New Plymouth, wrote, asking the Council to consider the question of granting •him a rebate in toll charges. At present, he. pointed out, these were costing 5s per day. lie suggested that his 'bus might bo classified under the heading of "public conveyance carrying passengers," on which tile toll charges were lower. In discussing the matter, it was pointed out that the charge for "conveyances carrying passengers" applied to horsedrawn traffic. The engineer said that if a reduction was made to one applicant, they would ftave probably fifty applications. Money ( was wanted for the roads. *'' The Chairman: Of course, we don't want to make an unjust ! Cr Purdie said 5s was an unjust and prohibitive charge, % it meant Cd. per mile. Cr. Piggott moved that a concession be made to Mr. Smith. Seconded by Cr. Purdie. Upon the chairman remarking that it would be bettor to revise the toll charges, Cr. Hicks said that the com- r mittee appointed to revise the tolls some time ago went to a lot of trouble. The charges were on the whole less than in other counties. The chairman considered that ,tlic motor 'bus was a good service, which should be encouraged, as low-speed cars did little damage. Finally it was resolved that a committal, consisting of Crs. Purdie, Old, Piggott, and Kennington should be appointed to revise the toll charges, and report at next meeting. ENGINEER'S REPORT. Mr. C. F. Dowsett (engineer) reported .that in the Waiiii Riding the boulder j contracts had been proceeding slowly, as opportunity offered. , Tikorangi Riding.—lt was,a matter for | regret that no grant had been made for the Otaraoa road. A portion. of_ the Matau-Kiore grant could have'been spent to much greater advantage here, but it was annually turned down. In the Ngatimaru Riding, the metalling on the. Junction road, Tarata, had been completed. No tenders were received for cartage of cottage timber to Tarata. Re bridging the Makara stream: This site was inspected, and the final decision depended upon obtaining stringers in the immediate locality. Webb's Culvert. The manufacture of the nionier pipes was somewhat delayed, and they would not arrive at maturity until the end of the present month. In the Urenui Riding crushing was commenced during the month at Urenui, and was proceeding as satisfactorily as the weather permitttsd. Arrangements were in hand for completing the Okoke metalling, and this would proceed as circumstances allowed. On the I'iko road the contractor was proceeding steadily with his formation work. The Waitekauri road had been inspected, and diagrams and approximate estimates were prepared of same.. About four miles of metalled roads in the Hiding would require at least sufficient metal for repairs, and authority was sought to obtain this during the summer, otherwise next winter would provide innumerable difficulties. He hoped in the near future to obtain suitable labor for the Mataro and Kaipikari roads. Instructions had been given to proceed with the metal beyond the Okoke school. The clearing of the Pound paddock had been completed. In the Mokau Riding, one of tile boulder contracts was ready, and the other was progressing. 'The filling beyond the 3-1-mile peg, Mokau road, was proceeding, much to the dissatisfaction of travellers, but improvements generally 'entailed preliminary inconveniences, and the weather, and not the individual, should be blamed therefor. King's bridge was now receiving the plaster, and would shortly be completed. Flood Opening: This work was also practically finished, and would soon be available for public use. The flood opening between the 33 and 34-mile pegs had received urgent repairs, but required immediate rebuilding, and authority was sought for this. The whole of the flood openings wore the same age, and in the same condition, and required re-building throughout. The, material for the Putild bridge was being wholly worked up and deposited at Uruti, and would go overland to its destination. On the Wai-iti road the settlers had informed him that they were unable at present to provide labor and teams. It was, however, expected to proceed later with this work. The fencing required on the Pukearuhe road was now in hand. The Council decided to hold over the oration of the surfaceman's cottage at Tarata until the question of site ljas been reported upon by the Riding members. The matter of obtaining stirngers for the Maliara bridge was left in the hands of the engineer. . It was decided to write to tho Minister of Public Works with regard to the Otaraoa road grant. The patching of the metalled roads in the Urenui Riding was left to the engineer, as was also the matter of the W&itckiluri road.. Th'e engineer's report was adopted, j ■ i' ■ BRIDGE jRftEAIRS,,-, .-j, ~ ~"w i'iii mill i wiiillimiiliiiilMSii

I given authority to proceed with the erection in concrete of flood opening at Uruti. | On the recommendation of the engineer, it was decided to appoint a competent man to take charge of bridge work, at ]'2a Gd per day, and also to procure the necessary bridge plant, as it was required. GENERAL. The resignation of Charlco Tlamliey, the ranger, was accepted, and applications will be called for a ranger for the | whole county. The Public Works Department notified that '.-COCO had been placed to the credit of the Council at the Bank of New Zealand, Waitara, on account of grant for metalling Minti-Mokau road. It was resolved to request 'Mr. W. Smith to remove at once the gate that he had erected on the Tooi road without the authority of the Council.

1 Cr. W. Old brought up the question of using the grader to his district, It was pointed out that it was too costly to work the big grader, and that the small grader would not be available til) well ill the new year. Councillors were of opinion that the Council could find work for three or four small graders throughout the County, and it was decided to obtain at once another small gradeT. The tender of S. Anstis at Ts 3d per yard was accepted for the carting of metal at Uruti. The engineer was authorised to call tenders for the supply of 200 yards of metal on the Inland North road. Accounts amounting to £&45 2a lCd were passed for payment.