EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 June 1916, Page 3

EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary meeting of the Egniont County Council was held at Opunake on Tuesday. Present: Crs. Jl. Fleming (e'hairman), R. \V. J. McXeill, 8. Campbell, W. R. Wright, S. Forsyth, M. J. Meßeynolds, J. X.oung, and T. Harvey. FOREMEN'S MONTHLY REPORTS. Oeo Riding (Northern Division) —The siaff have been employed at general surface work, carting out maintenance metal, cleaning water-tables, and widening. cutting, etc. The roads treated were the Eltham, Auroa, Watino, Opunake, Stratford, and Oeo. I would recommend the Council to take charge of Kiri Road, as it is getting in a bad state for the want of maintenance and the ditches and water-tables are also in a bad state. As the winter days are >o short I would ask the Council's permission to let the staff work S'/J. hours per dav and have half a day on Saturdays.

Oeo Riding (Southern Division). —The hands have been engaged it general maintenance work, and on Main Sontli Boad clearing and widening water-tables, carting oift, metal, spreading and blinding same. I put in a line of 12in. pipes on the Patiki Road, ploughed and cleaved water-tables at the lower end, and will proceed to repair the upper portion as scon as possible. Watino Road: Not being able to obtain labor for breaking stones, which are of a particularly hard nature, we are now engaged napping stones. Oeo Road: Mr, Hikaka has not been able to do much* with this contract (No. 287) owing to the wet condition of the new formation. I recommend the Council to cancel it for three months. Rahotu (Southern and Opunake Ridings.—The staff has been engaged at patching, water-tabling and pipe-making on Main South' and Eltham Roads. Taungatara cutting 'has been widened and completed. Repairs to small bridges have been effected on the Main South and Eltliam Roads.

Rahotu Riding (Northern Division).— During the early portion) of the month the staff was engaged )/h clearing contract 284, at the Oaonui liver, in connection \\-ith road-making. After completing this contract I moved the crushing plant to Ngariki Road and put in two days moving and crushing for the Parihaka Road Board, and during the remainder of the month I have been employed crushing maintenance metal throughout my division. JI. Cofl'ev has completed his contract, having crushed and delivered G64 cubic yards of metal.

The bridge foreman reported: The erection of the Waiweranui bridge is proceeding very satisfactorily and will be completed in a week or so. Kapoaiaia Bridge: As instructed I have estimated the cost of erecting a ferroconcrete bridge and temporary structure to carry traffic while the new bridge is under construction.

COLLECTION" OF NATIVE RATES. Mr. G. W. Rogers, county clerk, re ported that, acting under the instructions of the chairman, he had visited Wellington and interviewed the officer in charge of the Public Trust Department. in connection with the collection of native rates from West Coast Settlement Reserves. Since his return rates amounting to .£l7O 17s had been remitted to the Council, and the Department had promised to go into the question of the 1912-13-14-15 rates, and forward cheques as soon as possible. He (the clerk) was also advised that the bulk of the land was now out of the hands of the iPublic Trustee, and the Council would be advised as soon as the land was granted to the individual natives, who would be in the same position as the Europeans. About £I4OO >to £I6OO arrears of rates were outstanding. WAR BONUS ' Cr. Wright considered that in view of the rise in the price of provisions Uie men were entitled to a war bonus. They had to keep horses and gigs to get to their work,»and that meant expense. Farmers were receiving from 15 to 70 per cent, war bonus.

O. Harvey said the Council's employees had nothing to complain of. The Council was the first body to raise its men's wages from !)s to 10s per day. Cr. McNeill thought the time had come when the men should be paid a war bonus. He had been connected with labor for 21 years. The Council had a good staff in the southern end, and the work that was done was a credit: Their roads were never better, despite the increased! traffic. He had read that it tool; 29s 7(f now to equal the purchasing power of 20s before the war. Personally lie thought it took 32s Gd. The war bonus should be given to the whole of their surfacemen.

The chairman, while agreeing that the price of all provisions and material had increased, considered that their men had been well treated and were now better paid than in the northern part of Taranaki. He did not object to a war bonus of 5 per cent, eing paid to the permanent stall', "but to increase the pay to the casual hands all round would hardly be doing justice to the ratepayers. On the motion of Cr. McNeill it was resolved to give the permanent hands a war bonus of Gd per day. THE AUROA ROAD. The Eltham County Council forwarded a cheque for £9l *3s 4d, being rates accruing on jiuroa boundary road, less 10 per cent, for collection. Cr. McNeill referred to the" report of the meeting of the Eltham County Council, which showed that that Council was willing to undertake the maintenance of the road, provided the Egmont I County Council would pay half the cost.

Tile chairman said the Council could not do this without a special rate—The matter was held over. RECRUITING. The recruiting officer (Corporal Davy), in submitting his final report, thanked all tor the assistance given, and particularly Constable McNeill, of Rahotu. The chairman suggested that the county clerk should be voted a bonus for the extra work in connection with recruiting, but the clerk declined to accept this. He was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. ADDITIONAL PLANT. The need for additional plant was briefly discussed. When Cr. Wright considered that it would be a good policy to obtain a new crusher, as the present crusher was laid up for repairs too often. The chairman considered that an additional roller was required. It should not be too heavy, as some of the bridges would not stand the strain. The chairman said that there were too many small pieces of metalling done, and this Necessitated much time in shifting.

Cr. Wright, referring to file laying down of small patches, said that the days of hand patching had passed, because the first motor that came by swept the metal away. The question was again discussed later, when members expressed the opinion that it was necessary that additional plant should be ootained for (he country, and ultimately it was resolved to hire a roller in the meantime from the Waimntc County Council. The chairman considered that the time had now come when the Pouhaka Road Board should merge, and then additional plant could be obtained, and a plant kept in each end of the county. Either that or the Road Board should secure machinery.

Cr. Meßeynolds considered that the by-roads under the Board's control compared more than favorably with those under the county.

Cr. Young pointed out that with the ixeeption of the Jhaia Road all the Hoard's roads were in good order. A motor ear could be driven up any one of them at 23 miles an hour. . The most revenue on any by-road was £137, and this would not keep a plant working long. Cr. Wright pointed out that if the toll was abolished it would be necessary for the main road from Opunake to Jiew Plymouth to be undter one control.

GENERAL. A letter was received .from Mr. ,E. .Marshall asking payment, on behalf of Mr. k 13. of £)2O 7s, being motor hire certiliei] to by the Council's late cup-moor. The Council declined to acknowledge any liability. It was resolved to call tenders for grave! necessary for new bridge over the Kapoaiaia stream at Pungarehu, The foremen were authorised to notify owners of trees and hedges overhanging the roads' to have them cut. The Advances Department notified payment of £IOOO 011 account of the £SOOO bridge loan. The Waimate County Council forwarded a statement of expenditure of loan money 011 the Oeo Road. It showed that £181!) Is Id had beer expended. A statement of expenditure 011 the road during the past 2% years, other than loan money, would be sent forward shortly. It was decided to allow foremen to work B',', hours per day and take a half-holiday 011 Saturdays. It was decided to instruct the road foreman to take the names of owners of straying cattle, with a view to instituting prosecutions. Accounts amounting to £63(1 14s lid general, and £lls 12s id bridge loan, were passed for payment.