TARANAKI COUNTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 November 1915, Page 7

TARANAKI COUNTY.

PAST YEAR'S OPERATIONS. A REVIEW BY THE CHAIRMAN. THE WAR AND' LABOR. "An interesting review of the past year's operations in the Taranaki county was given by the chairman (Mr. J. Brown) at yesterday's meeting of the Council.

Mr. Brown said thai in spite of Hie ever-increasing demands put upon the roads they were equally as good, if not better than, they wen- 'at this time last year. The advent of the motor had completely changed the aspect of the roads problem. It offered a means of opening up the back country and giving country settlers conveniences that they inuch desire, but at the same time he thought it was a most effective instrument for the destruction of the present class of roads, and means should be devised to meet the altered conditions. The ideal road he did not think hod as yet been found. There were many preparations for sealing road surfaces, but the crux of the whole question was cost. Tile metal deposited in the various ridings was as follows:—Moa riding, 3CQti yds; Mangorci riding, 2075 yds; Waitara riding, 5070 yds; Omata riding, 1089 yds; Okato riding, 2875 yds. The highest priee was paid in the Moa riding; at lis per yard, and the lowest in the Waitara riding at 4s per yard. The extraordinary increase of road maintenance in the Waitara riding was unaccountable. The statement of accounts shows that the expenditure on roads in the riding had increased from £1348 Ss. for the period ending March 31, 1!>12, to .£2223 5s fid for thi' period ending March 31, 11)15. And for the six months ending September 30 of the present year the expenditure had reached £1842 5s fid.

The average cost of crushing, rolling, scarifying and watering newly-metalled roads for the past year was as follows: Wages (crusher, roller and water plant), £92S 5s Ad: coal, £2«O 10s 9d: oil, waste, etc., .£25 5s Id; repairs .plant, £lB9 15s 4d; depreciation, 71 perlcent., on plant, valued £1025, £144 7s fid; total cost, £1354 13s sd; which works out at Is lid per cubic yard.

THE LABOR PROBLEM. Mr. Bro'wn continued:—"lt is doubly certain that we are going to be short of labor throughout the county thus season. Many of our most worthy young men from the land have joined the forces for the front, and in consequence have left a large burden for those left behind. And from my own personal knowledge the mothers and girls are doing a great deal to relieve their sons and brothers to enable them to enlist. These, gentlemen, are facts that are not brought to light at any of our patriotic gatherings, but there is at present, and will be in the future, a great deal of selfdenial in the country, and we must do something to assist the farming community in the busiest time. The Covernment has intimated that the public works expenditure would be curtailed during the harvest season to relieve the pressure on tlie fanning community. Our road works could be stopped during the harvesting, and alt our employees, including tlie permanent staff, allowed to assist with the crops. It is quite certain something will have to be done, otherwise the farmer- will be unable to meet the situation. Gentlemen. I desire to thank you all for your hearty assistance in all matters pertaining to the welfare of the county and assisting with the administrative work of the Council."

There was no discussion on the report, which was adopted, and a vote of thanks was passed to Mr. Brown for his interesting review.