EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 October 1915, Page 3

EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary meeting of the Eguiont | County C!ouncil was held in the new County Office, Oounake, on Friday, when there were present' Crs. M. Fleming (chairman). W. C Dudley, T. Harvey, Jas. Young M J. McKcynolds, H. J. Rawclifi'e, S. Campbell, and R. J. McNeill.

An apology was received from Or. W. R. Wright. When the minutes of a special meeting at which next year's estimates were discussed were up for confirmation, Cr. Dudley entered an emphatic "no" as a protest that the Council would be in a financial mess before the end of the year. Cr. Mcßeynolds said that settlers on the Patiki Road had complained that their road had been badly treated, and that the money fmd been expended neither wisely nor well. He had since gone into the position, and found that during the year £228 had been expended on the road, and £4OO more had been authorised. The rates en the road for the year amounted to £IOB lis lOd, and when the money authorised was expended the [road would be £sso,in debt. He considered the road had been more than fairly treated. It had also been stated that money was wasted on the road, but if this was so it was on account of the contractor not putting out the metal quickly enough to keep the spreader fully supplied.

Reference was also made to the fact that instead of the traction engine, bullocks were used to draw the grader.

FOREMEN'S EEPOETS. ■ Rahotu Riding (southern division) and Opunake Riding—During the month the staff had been engaged on patching and water-tabling on Main South and Eltham Boads, also drain cleaning, banking up, and bridge repairing. He had also put in a new culvert on Eltham Road. They are now raking loose metal on Main South Eoad During the month an engine and crushing plant, owned by Mr. Andrews, went through a culvert over the Otaki stream on Main South Road. This old wooden structure had two good stone abutments and he recommended a ferro-conerete arch, built from these abutments at au estimated cost of £22. He also recommended closing Maungahune Bridge Eltham Eoad, from traffic for half a day. so that 17 new joists could be put in from the top. Rahotu Riding (northern division). — The staff had been employed at road work in general. Maintenance work had been carried out from the northern end to the southern end of this riding. R!?pairs to various bridges had had their share of attention also. He had taken delivery of 21 36-inch pipes from the Parihaka Road Board, and had them all ready to place in the Tangihapu stream as soon as the weather was suitable. He ajso put in four days repairing wheel on that portion of the Carrington Road between the Puniho and Newall Roads, and wished to thank, through the Council. Mr. Grci-nhatch, the manager of the Newall Road Sawmill, for the free labor given wit)) their team and man. Mr. Greenliatch's offer oi the same again this month had been accepted. He recommended the Council to accept Mr. C. W. Corbett's offer to supply 70 yards of boulder stone for maintenance at Puniho, at 3s 6d per yard. He also asked permission to obtain pipes from the Parihaka Road Board, to replace culverts near Rahotu and Oaonui.

Oeo Riding (northern division). —The 9taff had been engaged in general maintenance work. The crusher had been employed at thi; Punehu depot, and had crashed 656 yard*. Owing to being short of a driver overtime had to be worked with the roller. Pipes had been placed at the Patcki and Eltham Road junction. The Punehu bridge had been strengthened, and warning notices had been placed on the Oeo bridge. Oeo Riding (southern division).-—Vari-ous maintenance work had received attention on the Pafiki, Nopera, and Oeo Roads. He recommended rolling Oeo and Nopera Roads as soon as the roller had finished on the Slthara Road. Bridge decking was required for repairs to Oeo, Ouri, Punehu biio'pes. The bridge foreman reported that he had completed the Oeo Bridge, Oeo Road, which was now open for traffic. As he ,had not receive-! instructions to proceed with the budge work he had to dismiss the bridge hand? and would be pleased to know if the Coracil required his services any longer, as he had there a quantity [of reinforcements and also bridge gear. There were two bridges in this vicinity in a very unsafe condition, which would have to Be renewed very soon.

THE MACHINERY LOAN. 1 The Public Trustee notified that the unexpended balance of £ls 153 3d could be repaid to the Public Trustee, and would be credited to the Sinking Fund Account of the above loan. In connection with this loan, the Department of Internal .Affairs notified that the Controller and Auditor-General had stated that, as the lengthening of the period would nrt impose upon ratepayers a greafrr responsibility than that 'already authorised by them, he would l.aecept the matter as it stood.

ACCESS WANTED. The Oaonui Dairy Company asked that a roadway should be formed from the main road up to a roadway now in course of construction ;>iving access to section 23, block V. 0.5/1). It was pointed out that the Road Board was forming a short bye-road and the Council resolved to vote £4 to bj expended by the Council's overseer in metalling at (lie main road. FCJTh'ATH. Mr. A. O'Brien, clerk of the. Ojuui.il.e Town Board, notified that the Council's request for a f.iotpath in front of ihe new office had been considered, and it was then decided that it the Council could arrange w'.'.h (he adjoining owner, Mr. A. O'Brien, for half cost of the tar and sanding, the Hoard would be prepared to d') the wurk, which would include forming, Kerning, tarring, and | sanding.

During Ins remarks on the opening of itlie ollice the chairman stated that he thought tint it wav a pity the Town Board had not risen to the occasion, and given ijlie Council a better entrance from the Mam Street 10 its ollice.

Cr. ikKcynold? considered that if was an ungrateful net on the part of the Town Board Considering (lie extraordinary amount expended by the Council in the Main Street of the town, yet when they were asked to spend a very few pounds in return they objected. He pointed out that if the Council received a share of the money received by the Board for allowing cattle to graze (sorac|tiring like £IOO, they could make a , footpath without asking the Town Board to do so.

Cr. Dudicj, who is also chairman of the Town Board, poirted out that tha T'oard could not accede to the Council's

[ request without treating every other ratepayer likewise. The Town Board was not at all antagonistic to the Council. All they asked was that the Council should pay half the cost of tarring and sanding. The Town Board would do the kerbing, and would also provide the Council with a good footpath, though it would not be tv.rred and sanded. The matter was not proceeded "with.

TENDERS. The Council went into committee to deal with tenders. The tender of E. Cave at £505 17a was accepted for the erection of the Waiweranui bridge on the Main South Road. For the Oeo bridge, Skeet Road, no tender was accepted, and it was decided to erect the bridge by day labor under Bridge Foreman White; 1100 yards crushed boulder stone, Main South Road, Rahotu Riding (southern), between Oaonui and Otakl Rivers, J. Munro. 7s tid per yard; 1000 yards crushed boulder stone. Patißi RoaU (Oeo southern), J. Munro, 10s Od, reduced to 800 yards:' 300 yards boulder stone, Oeo Road (Oeo Riding northern'), between Eltham and Opunake-Slratford Roads, J. Munro, 10s; 150 yards boulder stone on Opunake-Stratfo'rd Road, J. Munro, 9s; 600 yards crushed boulder stone, Watino Road (Oeo southern), H. Lockley, 3s 4d, 1000 cubic yards of crushed boulder stone, Skeet Road (Oeo southern), H. Loctiev, 3s 7d.

PIPE MAKING. Cr. Mcßeynolds referred to the cost of carting pipes from Opunake to various parts of the County. He suggested that pipes should be made at Pihima for Oeo Riding, ar.d that pipes north of Oaonui shruld be procured from the Parihaka Road. Board at Rahotu. He could not see what advantage was to be" gained by three local bodies having separate pipe-makiug plants at Opunake. Members agreed with this, but final decision on the matter was deferred till next weetir.g. In the meanwhile it wtft be ascertained whther there is a suitable shed on the Council's proprty at Piharaa.

GENERAL. The secretary if the Awatuna Hall Committee (Mr. IS. G. Corey) asked the Council to favorably consider the removal of a stump and the installation of a culvert st tli« hall. The stump, he said, was very dangerous, and an accident had been narrowly averted. Tht foreman will repo.t on the matter. At a special meeting, held prior to the ordinary meeting, the special order authorising the raising of the Oeo Road special loan of £1475 was adopted. The State Advances Department notified payment to Council's account of £IOOO on account of the No. 2 Bridge Loan of £SOOO.

Mr. K. Greig, manager of the Opunake Sawmill Compary, sgreed to pay a subsidy of £2? to the upkeep of the road, as arranged b* the Council, the road to be kept in <.\od order by Mr. Clements. He drew attention to the state of the road, and nsKed tha* the Council should see that it was kept in good order.

It was resolvci! tint the Council do all in its power to assist as a local body the scheme for assisting returned soldiers.

The Council resolved to write off rates irrecoverable fro:n the year 190S-1909, as follows:—European £*7 19s sd, Native £842 19s lid. Of the European rates about £lB have been remitted to a widow in receipt of charitable aid. Power was giwii to the chairman and clerk to complete all documents in connection wHh the new hospital special loan.

In accordance with notice of motion, the resolution parsed at a previous meeting of the Council agreeing to allow Tate Bros, an ertra £SO over and above the contract price of £BOO was rescinded, with a view to allowing a settlement on the bas ; s arranged at last meeting. The question of fencing the section was left in the hands of the chairman and cierk.