TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 February 1916, Page 3

TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

- THE PAST MONTH'S WORK. • A SHORTAGE OF LABOR. The Taranaki County Council met yesterday. Present: Messrs J. Brown (chairman), C. Andrews, J. S. Connett, A. Morton, D. McAlium, J. Andrews, W. Binnie, J. Simpson, and A. E. Laurence. The engineer (Mr. K. W. Fisher) reported:— Crushing plant.—During the month the crushing plant has been engaged as follows: Frankiey road pit, 4% days, 325 cubic yards; Koru depot, 6 days, 529 cubic yards,; Oakura. 5 days, 472 cubic yards; total for montli, 1326 cubic yards. The plant is now at Wairau. The large roller has been engaged with the plant. The small roller has been practically idle, as the roller-driver appointed failed to take, up the appointment, and it was necessaVy to select a driver from the remainder" of the applicants, and Mr. Cholwell, of Raetihi, accepted the position, arid arrived on the 31st ult. Considerable difficulty has been experienced in obtaining men to work with the plant and rollers, and it has been necessary to transfer temporarily foremen from other ridings to keep the contractors going.

Moa Riding.—The work of cutting down hills north of Norfolk road was commenced on January 4, and verv satisfactory progress has been made with the staff of men available, but it has been impossible to put on as large a gang as I could wish, owing to the slid'cage of labor. The main roads in ths riding are in good order. The Zig--ag has been Winded, and blinding has been now completed from Tarat'a to Kaimata, and casual labor on this length cut out. The Tariki road is cutting up slightly, and the foreman is taking this in hand to blind whore necessary.

Mangorei Riding.—The Junction road in this riding is in good order. The Albert road at the upper end has cut up rather badly and I have sanctioned a horse and dray to assist the foreman in patching. The Kent road was a bit rough, but the foreman has been engaged in blinding. The Lepper-Carringtcm road has also cut out in wheel ruts. The foreman has this in hand and will then proceed to. the Albert road towards Mr. Lilley's. The upper end ol Mangorei and Carrington roads needs attention, but Foreman Spencer lias been engaged with the plant on Frank-ley road and in the Okato riding. He is now giving these roads his attention. Waitara, Riding.—Main roads are in very good order, with the exception of the Mountain road, from Waiongona towards Lepperton, for a. couple of miles. The Richmond road is also receiving attention. Foreman Linklater applied for the position of water-cart driver, and as I had to make arrangement, and the dry weather rendered it imperative to have both water carts going, ] gave him the position. Mr. Guy Meredith, formerly foreman in the Okato' riding at Koru, will take over this length when he can procure a house. Omata Riding.—Roads in this riding are in good order, the Franklcy road being greatly improved with the new meta! lecntly laid. Foremen Seamark and Kva have been assisting with the crushing plant in the Okato riding, but they have found opportunities of giving attention to their own lengths when occasion has arisen.

Okaio Riding.—Main ro.ads are in verv fair order. The Koru m;,d lias benefited bw t'ne new metal, but it lias been impossible to give i( as much rolling a* i« desirable, owing to the roller-driver di-appointiiiL' me. This will, however, be attended to now. A light' formation ha-; been prepared to receive the metal supplied by tile settlers in the Aim Aim road. T have arranged with Messrs Meredith and firay to put the metal through the crusher and deliver on the road at Ss per cubic yard. The price is high, but the distance from the Wairau is long, and it requires a large number of teams to avoid having the crusher standing idle." I shall be very glad to have my action confirmed. The Tloani road formation lias been completed, and the metal contractors. Messrs Magee and Oliver, have their plant set up ready for crushing. The formation on the Lower_ Pnnilin. road has been completed. The I'pper Tuniho road has broken up badly, but patching Riid blinding are proceeding. Foreman Hayes will now be engaged spreading metal on the Hoani road, and T have arranged with Mr. ,T. Stevenson to put in a few hours daily patching. Mr. David Mr-Kldownev is constantly blocking up a culvert on'this road to provide a watering-place in his paddock. The foreman has repeatedly removed the obstruction, but Mr. MeF.ldowney ignores instructions. T shall be obliged if lie may be written to officially and st-ongly. Formation en Lower Timaru road is proceeding, and Mr. Win. Honeyfield has given great assistance with plough, drays and labor. It has been impossible up to the present to proceed with the formation on the Upper Carrington road -rant, as T cannot procure labor. Mr. Blunehett. the contractor for the metalling in this grant, complained to me that the formation had not been started, but lie was unable to assist me in finding nece'sarv labor, although 1 offered him the supervision of labor if he could procure men. I have heard nothing from him since. YrAIYVAKAIHO WEIR.

The* Assistant Under-Secretary of the Public Works Department wrote:—"Rcrcrrin;; to my letter nf January .). forwarding you copy of plans and specifications of tlie Wniwakuiho bridge weir, T have to advise you that the estimated cost of the work is £2IUj. Yon intimated that you would be prepared to deposit 25 per cent, of your Council's quota on receipt of plans and specification*. . . . When this has been done the Department will be in « position to invite tenders for carrvinit out the work.'' It was decided to remit the amount. CIEXKRAL. The appointment of }ir. Cholwell as engine-driver on the small roller was confirmed. The special order merging' portions of the Jioa road district was confirmed. It was decided to sue for all rates unpaid. Jt was decided to proceed with the work on tlie Upper Carrington road in connection with which there is a Government grant available. Tlie hon. secretary of the Settlers' Association on the Mangorei road wrote stating that the association recently passed a resolution urging the Council to finish metalling the Baker road.— It was decided to inform the association that if they were prepared to pay a separate rate for another year the work would be put in hand. The Tnranaki Hospital Board notified that the Valuer-General had determined the value of the Taranaki county, for the purpose of striking the hospital and charitable aid levy for the year 1916-17 at £2,214,485. Some settlers on the Upper Barrett L rpaii petitioned the Council asking it to.