ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 April 1916, Page 3

ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

THE MONTHLY .MEETING The Eltliam County Council mot on Saturday. Present.- 'Crs. A. C. I'eas(chairman), E. C. McGuinness, E. .1. Clifford, J. Granville, C. J. Belcher. A. MeWilliam, D. Black, A. Tait, and A. Campbell. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer (Mr F. Batham) reported:— Patea River Bridge.—As was anticipated, it was found necessary to abandon the idea of piling for the foundation of the proposed pier. The only alternative was to adopt pneumatic cylinders, with the suggestion to use old Cornish boilers as cylinders, instead of the expensive cast iron cylinders generally used. Acting upon the authority of the committee set up to deal with'the case the chairman and myself went to Wellington and submitted the proposal to the Acting Engineer-in-Chief, and obtained his approval. We received every assistance in the way of information, hiring of plant, etc. We considered it as well not to interview the Minister for any extra subsidy for various reasons. In the first place it was not certain as yet whether the original estimate will be exceeded by any amount such as would justify the application. In the second place we would have had U> have asked for an unknown amount, which it is certain would not have been granted, Under these circumstances we thought it advisable to wait until the whole job is completed, and then be guided by the result. All the plant is on the ground with the exception of the cylinders. -Under ordinary circumstances a fortnight should see both piers above water level, after which all work is of a simple nature. South Riding.—On the Mountain road the re-facing with tar macadam has been completed to the borough boundary. Metalling on the Boylan road has been commenced. Eltham Riding.—l had a chain or two of creek cleared out to find whether there was sufficient depth to take threefeet pipe« to renew the old wooden culvert by Mr Allen's house. The result shown that there is only four feet available, and this will not afford sufficient protection to the pipes. I would recommend that the piles made for the Patea bridge be used for this culvert. Three could be driven on each side for foundations, and connected at the tops with a concrete cap. The rest of the piles could be used for decking. This would make a cheap and lasting job. With regard to the Mangamingi creek, I have not as yet been able to make any levelling survey of same, nor do I see what is to he gained by so doing. It is clearly evident that if the watercress, weeds, raupo, and logs are removed there will be ample waterway to carry off all the water that is likely to cause any damage to the road. I' have been approached by some of the settlers on the road, and they state that they are willing to do this if the council will send two men to (heir two. In this case from three to four weeks should do the work. If this is done it should be on the clear understanding that the ratepayers are to keep* the creek clear in future. Mangatoki Riding.—Necessary watertabling, clay blinding, etc., and other general work has ben done. Kaponga Riding.—The culvert on the Mangawliero road has been completed, and the filling is in progress. The Eltham road between the Auroa road and Riverlea has been tarred and sanded. The tarred surface between the Kaponga Town Board and Riverlea will be patched where necessary. Omoana Riding.—The filling at the washout near Mr Ban's is now about completed. There are two other small washouts to be attended to, and when this is done the flood damage may be said to have been made good. Hedges.—All the ratepayers on whom the notices were served to lower hedges at corners of roads have either completed same or are doing so. Many of the hedges so trimmed are now grown up again so as to obstruct the view round corners. | The report was adopted.

THE PATEA BRIDGE, Referring to the Patca Bridge scheme. Cr. Belcher said that the work had cost some £S,I!) up to April 1, and lie asked for an assurance that this money would not be wasted. While the new scheme appeared a satisfactory one, he thought it should have been introduced in the first place. The engineer said it was a hard matter to say what the work is going to cost from now on. The new scheme was quite a novel departure, and the first scheme looked as if it must go through, and it was only dropped owing to unavoidable circumstances. The engineer saw no reason why the bridge should not now be completed at very little above the original estimate. The present expenditure on the bridge was £OOO. and from now £7OO should be sufficient to finish the bridge. This gave a total expenditure of -CI3OO, which the Government was subsidising .£ for £. At tlie most the Council would lie about £2OO out of pocket through the failure to carry out the original scheme. After some further discussion the engineer was instructed to report to the Council the details of the expenditure on the bridge up to the present time.

SERBIAN RELIEF FUXD. The committee of the Mayor of Auckland's Serbian War Relief Fund forwarded a circular letter, renewing the appeal for help for the Serbians. Jn the course of a brief discussion, it was pointed out that althoughthe Council had not voted money to other patriotic funds somo local bodies bad done so under the power given them by the Amended Act. Several Councillors expressed the opinion that the case of the Serbians was a very deserving one, and it was generally agreed tliat a contribution should be made. The chairman moved that £IOO should bp voted to the fund, and Cr. Belcher seconded. Cr. Oiranville said that Councillors in voting the ratepayers' money to this fund should show that they themselves were prepared to give financial assistance, and he would give £5. Each councillar thereupon agreed to give £">, thus producing £45 from the nine councillors. The resolution to vote £IOO was carried, making in all a contribution of £145. THE AUROA ROAD. At the previous meeting of the Council a letter was received from a nlpayer, complaining of the bad state ■ the Auroa road, and the Council ajjiwi with the complaints, and forwardedJi, letter to the Egmont County Coui"" The clerk «f the Effluent County t« «

cil wrote that Ins council had authorised certain work to lie done on tin . road, Hut unfortunately the roiui roner would not He available for sonn time. The matter was left over pending ae Hon .by the Egmont County Council al its next meeting. SEXERAt*. The resignation of Mr. Voullaire, tin ill-gate keeper a t Riverlea, was accept 1. 11. Craig, who was discharged fron Trentliam camp as medically unfit, wa< appointed to the position. In a dis.i!K Bion it was pointed out that it was in tended a returned soldier .should fill I.V position, but none were nv<i;Hil>K j:i< it was considered that a man who ha< been rejected from camp had done hi' "hit" just as much as the man ivln went to Die front. The conference of civil engineers o New Zealand will be held at Christ church next month, and an invitatkn was forwarded to the Council's enginci r -It i.s customary for the engineer tc attend the conference, but it was con sidered that in view of the necessity 101 economy lie should not attend the con ference this year. Mr. Basham intimatei that in any case he would not be able tc spare the time. It was decided to again serve notici on settlers on the Mangamingi Creel; I. clean the creek as required by tin engineer. The suggestion that theC'eim (•il should do the work was not ap proved. It was resolved to notify settlers thai hedges bordering roads must be trimmci and always kept down.