TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 July 1916, Page 3

TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

I MONTHLY MEETING. The usual meeting of Hie Tarauaki Couiity Council was held yesterday. J-'xes-eul: (,'rs J. lirown (chairman), A. K Laurence, J. Simpson, C. Andrews:, .1. Andrews, A. Morton, J. Connett, D. MeAllum, ami \V. Binnie. The chairman reported that the police had failed to trace the culprit who stole timber from the Mukctawa bridge. The small roller had been lent for rolling the road to the Fanners' Co-operative sale yards. Owing to the omission to advertise the formal intention of the Council to strike a rate it would be necessary to hold a special meeting of the Council on Tuesday next—The chairman's action was confirmed. It was decided to grant the Council's engineer (Mr. R. W. Fisher) a fortnights holiday on full pay. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The county engineer, Mr. R. W. Fisher, reported:— Crushing plant.—The plant at Tapuae has been engaged as follows: —fl'/o days Oakura crushing 41)0 yards: fi days A\airau crushing 4S!) yards; total for month. 1)70 yards. The plant after finishing at Tapuae required overhauling before coin - lneneing on the Waitara side of New Plymouth. Large roller. —This roller has been engaged with the plant. Small roller.—This roller has been engaged partly with foremen Hayes and Meredith and on its course to foremen Bennett and Mallon for Clarke's pit contract. 1 arranged with the engineers to overhaul the valves. Unfortunately, in lifting the cover of the steam chest an accident happened causing necessary repairs, which delayed the arrival of the roller in the Moa riding. The repairs have been completed and appear to be satisfactory, and the roller is under orders to proceed to luglewood on .Monday, 2()tli inst, and the contractors and foremen have been advised by me that it will arrive and be ready for work on Wednesday next, weather permitting. > Moa riding.—Roads in very fair order with the exception of portions of the Junction road, which await the arrival of the roller to enable the contractors to deliver the metal under the. Clarke's pit contract. The culvert on 1 lie Knipi road has been renewed with 4 ft diameter pipes, as after taking into con- J sideration the cost of rem-wing with i concrete "in situ" I dot-id v. the pipes ! were the cheaper. This work was com- i pleted on tbe 22nd inst., but at some | future date I would recommend thai j concrete wing-walls should be erected in i the up-stream side of the culvert to j avoid scour. . I Mangorei riding.—Main road in good I order. I have, on account of my hurried departure, not been able to inspect I the side-roads as I would have wished I to have done, but on the information of the foremen concerned I have been givei, to understand they are in fair order. Waitara riding.—Roads in fair order. The flat beyc d the top of Hill hill towards Earp's on the Egmont road will require attention early as it is worn through badly in places and will require provision for extra metal when considering 1916-17 metal requirements. I had hoped and had arranged for the work of renewing the Egmont road culvert (Mangaone stream) to have been taken in hand but the heavy rain thipast week has prevented this work being put in hand. The alignment of the proposed new culvert has been laid oil and verbal instructions given to the foreman as regards my idea if executing the work when weather conditions are favorable and labor is available. Foreman Jordan is again indisposed, and has had to be absent from his longth. and 1 understand from him his resignation will be before the next meeting of your Council, when it will be necessary to consider the appo :, itiuent of a successor. Omata riding.—Roads in fair order. The contractors for metealling of Barrett road are proceeding slowlv, and a start lias been made with carting on to the road, but wa- interrupted by the heavy rain. Foreman Seamark has a fairly large quantity of hand-napped metal which is badly needed on the road. It was my intention after finishing the Tapuae contract to have left the roller for this purpose for a week to ten days. This could be arranged while crushing plant is being overhauled Okato riding.A-Main roads in good order. I have selected sites for crushing metal for th .- Puniho road, and Foreman Hayes with an assistant is obtaining metal, which is being carted to the site. This was Mecessar? to give them working room ii the pit. An improvement has been completed on the Stony River side of the hotel by filling in what was a low lying wet spot for a few chains. I have also bad to provide a set of 12in p-pes at this point, as the existing culvert proved inadequate to cope with the recent heavy rain. The up-stream end of the culvert near Okato school collapsed. I have bad it rewired ill concrete with wings to prc\c..i a recurrence, 1 am finishing my duties to-day, and in bidding farewell to members as a body I regret I was not able to see all members personally owing to their absence from the district, and I also express my thanks to the Council for holding the position open for me. Cr. Connett, on behalf of the Agricultural society, applied for the use of the crusher on ihe site of the Society's new yards for two or three days. On the motion of Cr. Morton the request was granted on the usual terns. It was decided that the foreman's report relative to pipes on the entrance to the Kohiki road at the junction of the Tariki road lie given effect to. Foreman Ileal was granted a month's assistance owing to the large amount of work on the Upland road, one of the '■oads recently taken over by the Council. Tile matter caused considerable dis. Mission -dative to the necessity of "going slow" not only in this new area but throughout the county. It was decided that Mr. Savage be called upon to complete the drain through his property. Three yards of shingle were authorised for the ciilvert. near Mangauiawhete. also that Mr. C. Therklesen be empowered to procure 25vds of metal from the Manganui pit, Tariki road, at Is per yard royalty. The' question of procuring as much metal as-' possible from the Waiwakaiho depot for the Devon road, in lien r.f Mahoetahi pit, was left in the hands of the chairman. It was decided that Perena Proud's application for metal for Hursthouse and Upland roads be left with the chairman to deal with. Foreman Holmes was granted the pipes required for Dorset road. Authority was "iven to the foreman to hire a horse and dray for work on the Maude i 'sai i

j On (he motion of C'r. MrAiluni it was j lecidcd to cull for toiiflor.s for IJQOvds | loulders from Paritutu beach. I The question of attending to the culiici't on "the old Omata load was'referred o C'r. McAllum to report upon, after nnsulting with the foreman. Foreman Hayes was granted five Sin pipes for Komene road. Foreman Meredith's request for eleven 'in pipes tor the lower l'etone road and :lie services of a man for ten days on the Upper Petone road, was left to the 1 .'hairman and riding members. The chairman was empowered to interview Mr. W. Grant, of Puniho, with a view to arranging terms for acquiring a piece of land for a quarry. INSPECTOR'S REPORT. The county inspector, Mr. C. .). (irant, reported 011 the duties carried out during the month. Some discussion took place, in which a desire was expressed for more detailed information as to licences and breach of by-laivs. The chairman stated that the in'pert or was showing considerable activity. C'r. Morton urged that drivers of mot ir 'buses should provide themselves with observation mirrors in the interest of public safety. It was decided to request Mr Jsekr.on to use an observation glass 011 his motor 'lnia. GENERAL It was deiided to notify Mr. Hale, of Junction Road, to cut down trees within twenty feet of the road and lop overhanging branches on that road and m the Manaorei Road. The Council considered the application l for the position cf roller-driver, and ap pointed Mr. Win. Fitzgerald, of Ashbi>r ton, failing his acceptance, the appoini u'cnt to be conferred on Air. Alber Thompson, of Aorangi, Feilding. It was decided that the Council's eident insurances should be given to i'i South British oflice. K Jordan's resignation of the foimr ship of the Waitara Riding was a; eepted. and applications are to be called to till the vic-aney, the same to be dealt with by Cim. Drown, Counett, and MeAllum. CORRESPONDENCE. A letter was received from the solicitor a.'Hng for Mr. T. V. Simons am! Miss [Tilda Simons claiming for the former iifl Ms :•»! for motor ear repairs, and for the latter Cf>ol as damages.—lt was resolved to admit 110 liability The matter of obtaining a quarry site from native owners was deferred until the partition of the land had been carried out. The Patea County Council wrote asking for support to a resolution condemning tin' inclusion ill reinforcements of i> on of enemy parentage.—No action taken. The Under Secretary of Lands wrote pointing out that assistance was being given to farmers by the Forestry Department in uipplyiny trees for shelter and other purposes.—Received. das. Kibby wrote asking the Council's "onsoirt- to lowering drain at Smart Road by two feet, and stating that the Hallway Department, had agreed to the work for a consideration which he was willing to pay. —The matter was referred to C'rs. lirown and C'onnett for their report. Th<' District Railway Engineer wrote asking the Council to arrange with Mr. Addenbrooke to clear the willows from that part of the Mangorei Hi-pam running through bis property.—-Left to Crs, .irowu and Connett to report upon. T. and R, Parkin wrote relative to the subdivision ot their property on the Olenavon estate foi building purposes, and asking the requirements of the Council with regard to roading. and asking if the Council would give reasonable access to the property.—Referred to Crs. I'.rown and Connett. for their report. The question of the disposal of the 'tone from the Council's property near t 1 e Freezing Works was referred to the Chairman. On the motion of the Chairman the special order passed at the previous meeting defining the boundaries o! the' Moa and Maegorei Ridings was continued, ?tOTOR TOLLS. The chairiran brought up the question of toll charges for motors, the amount being deemed excessive. lie did not think there would be any danger in lessening the fees. C'r. Binnie advocated giving a return ticket so that the cars should only pay aae wax. 1

The cbairr an pointed out that by reducing the charge from 5s lo .'ts the Council would lose ,C 1 a day The chief point was to provide a good ror.fl and that could not be done without money. Cr. Andrews considered the Council was now in a position to lower the charges. Cr Morton advocated an adjustment of the toll charges so as to secure equality. Cr. Connett urged that the charges should be fair. After furl her discussion ihe following committee was appointed lo consider the question and report wdiat they deemed to be fair and equitable charges: Crs. Brown, Conm-it, C Andrews and Binnie. BA; ANCK SHEETS. The Council considered the auditor's lags on tin- County's (Viiir balance sheets covering the period from April 1, 1014 to September :!(), 1015, and decided on the replies thereto, the queries being of the usual technical nature. ACCOUNTS Account were passed as follows: Genral .C2SU Os (id, Vina :tii4 Is Bd, Mangorei A'.'lS Ids. Waitara .(JIOS Bs, Omata .€SO Is 2d, Okato £sßll 4s Gd; total. Jt'lll3 5s lid.