ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 November 1915, Page 7

ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING.' The ordinary meeting of the Eltham County Council was held at Eltham on Saturday. Present: Crs. A. 0. Pease (chairman), C. E. MtGuiness, E. J. Gilford, J. Granville, D. Black, A. Tait, A. L. Campbell, and A. MeWilliams. An apology for absence was received from Cr. A. Belcher. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer (Mr. F. Basham) notified that the Karewa Road contract liad been completed to the satisfaction of the Public. Works Department, and the road was taken over. He had the consent of the resident engineer to the payment of the ,CSO grant for the damage by floods to the contractor in part payment of the cost of making good the damage. The plans for the Patea bridge had been approved, and a start had been made on the easting of piles, which would be completed early next week. Timber for the erection of the Omoana cottage had been carted, and work would be commenced next week. Work generally had been delayed by wot weather. In the Kaponga riding the Eltham Road had been patched with restar where required. The drains and filling on the Melvile road have been completed. Men were now cutting up old bridge timber for posts with a view of fencing all fillings, bridge and culvert approaches. The work of removing slips and reinstating roc's in the Omoana riding was progressing as well as could be expected on account of wet weather and shortage of men. In the Eltham' Tiding two" bad points on the Mangamingi ridge had been widened and men were now working in shellroVk pits. The crusher was still working in the yard and metal was being delivered along various roads. He had indented through Mr. Wilkinson one complete set of tyres for lorry. The buyers were instructed to obtain the best procurable, irrespective of price. The total cost landed at Eltham was £79. The last set procured locally cost £l4O. As an experiment he procured a five ton lot of refined tar from Sydney. The price was slightly in favor of that procurable in Wanganui.

TE ROTI BRIDGE. Mr E. H. Hiley, General Manager of Railways, notified that the Public Works Department were at present dealing with the matter of an overhead bridge at the Skeet Road crossing, Te Roti. Further notification was received iro.m the Railway Department to the effect that the proposed bridge would be 12ft wide, with approaches 12ft wide on a grade not steeper than one in 15. Councillors expressed the opinion that while the 12ft bridge would be very satisfactory, the proposed approaches would be too narrow, and should be ISft wide.—lt was resolved to write to the Public -Works Department to that effect, and also to suggest that the approaches to the Hastings Road overhead bridge should also be made 18ft wide. In the discussion the bridge over the railway line at Lepperton was instanced, a3 showing the danger of having narrow bridges MATAPU CROSSING.

Mr. G. T. Murray, Resident Engineer, notified that the conditions of the above crossing on Hastings Road was receiving attention.

The chairman expressed the opinion that the matter had not yet received attention. The road, which carried a tremendous amount of traffic, to a creamery, was in a dangerous solved, on his motion, that the Public Works Department should be asked to make the road passable without delay. PATEA BRIDGE. Mr. F. M. Grayling attended and stated that he had been offered supervision of the freezing works at New Plymouth, and, although he was entirely in the Council's hands, asked for its decision as to whether two days' supervision of the bridge would be sufficient. In his opinion it would be without loss or detriment to the work. The amended terms of remuneration would be £5 lor two days per week and plant, and, if the work was totally stopped the remuneration to be £5 per week for plant only until returned.

Councillors were favorable to granting the request, providing a competent man was left in charge by Mr. Grayling, and that the Council retained the first call on Mr. Grayling's services if necessary. The matter was left in the hands of the chairman, Cr. McWilliaras and the engineer, with power to act. Cr. McWilliams stated that there had been talk among some ratepayers over the expenditure on this bridge, and he wished to emphasise the fact that the Council were safeguarding the ratepayers in every way.

The chairman pointed out tliat the ratepayers of the whole county had to pay for thp re-erection of the bridge, and that the ratepayers nearby on the lowvalued land were paying far less than those on the high valuation land, say, at Mangatoki, who .seldom, if ever, used the bridge. CF.XERAL. A letter from the Ohristchurch City Council re affixing identification numbers to the front as well as the rear oF motorcycles was received, members considering that a.? this would be useless at night, it was better to leave matters as they were. The Crown Lands Hoard notified that thirds to the amount of £->S:i 15s 7d were available for expenditure.—Left in the hands of the Omoana riding member and engineer to allocate. The Public YVorlcs Department notified that new grants would not be available for expenditure until such time as satisfactory arrangements had been made for raising the Public Works' Loan. The Public Works Department forwarded authority for expenditure of £OSO ( C for £)' for Patea River bridge (Rawhitiron Read), and £10(1 (•£ for £). on repairs to Karewa and Waitiri Roads. The matter of fixing Rooten's I rack was left in the hands of the engineer. With power to expend up lo ClO. Messrs. A. Cower and McWilliams granted permission lo erect a motor shed on the Rawhitiroa Road. Omoana.—Subject to approval of the riding member. It was resolved to ask the Waimate West County Council to forward £IOO, subsidy due. It was resolved (o give settlers on the Tawhiti track (Te Roli lo Mountain Road) notice to place their fences on the proper line. Messrs. Sladden and Palmer notified that they would at once put in hind the work of preparing the county map. Mr. D. Black, of Kaponga, notified acceptance of appointment as a member of the local Committee of Agriculture. Mr, Skillen, foreman of Omoana riding, wrote resigning his position, The resignation was accepted, and the question of appointing a successor was left in tha hands of the engineer-

The ranger reported four settlers for allowing cattle to wander en 1/he roads, —Prosecution will follow. VALEDICTORY. 'Prior to the conclusion Of business, the chairman thanked Councillors for the assistance they had given him during the year just concluded. The roads were in good order and had been maintained wel. The worst trouble was in the Omoana riding, where the settlers had been put to considerable inconvenience. Tile Council had done all in its power to help by at once taking in hand the matter of repairing damage caused by the heavy rains in July, but owing to the scarcity of labor and other matters there had been considerable difficulty. He thanked Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., for the able way in which he had backed their application for a grant. The Government had given them a subsidy of £y")0 to repair the damage. Cr. Granville acknowledged his appreciation of the services of the chairman, who had given all matters the greatest attention and had always treated Councillors with courtesy and respect. Cr. MeWilliams supported these sentiments, and added that there wa.s not one Councillor that did not endorse them. The chairmnn was unanimously voted an honorarium of £SO.