EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 July 1916, Page 6

EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

monthly meeting. The ordinary meeting of the Egniont County Council was held at Opuuuke on ■Tuesday, when there were present: Crs. M. Fleming (chairman), R. J. McNeill, b. Campbell, W. 15. Wright, S. Forsyth, -M. J. Macßeynolds, Jas. Youn°-, T Harvey and W. C. Dudley. FOREMEN'S REPORTS. Foremen's reports were received as follows: Oeo Riding (Northern Division).—During tiie past month the stall' in this division have been employed at general surface work carting out maintenance metal and breaking stones, ete. The roads treated were the Eltham, Oeo, Patiki, KM, AJ'atino, Opunake-Stratford and Auroa. I have also gathered about 30 ,vsnl<s of boulder stone for maintenance ©Ji tie Kiri road. Oeo Riding (Southern Division),—During the past month the hands have been engaged in stone-breaking and general maintenance work. Watino road: We have broken and carted out eighty yards of metal. About one mile and a-half •of this road requires to be renewed this coming season. 1 made a start to repair the bad portion of the Patiki road, but was unable to do much owing to the wet weather setting in. I had occasion to replace an eld wooden culvert with a line of twelve-inch pipes. Main South road: Water-tabling, stone-break-ing and carting out metal has been in progress. We are now engaged filling in fencing off lions . oad culvert. I have notified owners of boxthorn fences encroaching on the road to cut same to proper line. ■ The roads in this division are pretty free from'straying 3tock, with the exception of H. Munro's working bullocks, the latter having a contract in progress. llahotu (Southern) and Opunake Ridings.—During the past month the staff has been engaged principally in patching, water-tabling and minor bridge repairs on Main South and Eltham roads, also pipe-making. Contract No. 288 has been held up on account of broken weather and no roller being available. To make a satisfactory job and complete a new piece of road properly, I cannot do without a roller, hence the delay. I recommend that the contract be held over unt'l the roller is available. I have notified all ratepayers in this riding that have hedges projecting to cut back same, and some have made a start. I recommend that a box culvert be put in opposite Mr. Wilson's gateway, .Main South road, Mr. Wilson to find half cost of timber and labor. Rahotu Riding (Northern Division).During the past month the stall' have been employed at road work in general, crushing, carting and spreading crushed metal throughout this division from south of Rahotu to Puniho road in the north. We have crushed and used 726 yards of crushed metal on this length for maintenance work, joining up all weak sections, and a great portion oi wheel track work has been renewed Having finished with the crushing plan; 1 have reduced the staff to what 1 .c----quire for scarifying and redressing that portion of the Main South road between the Warea river and 'Puniho, and we are pushing this work along as quick' Iv as we possibly can, so that we can get at other work which requires attending to, such as filling in approaches to new bridge at Warea, water-tabling, and widening cuttings where required, and renewing several culverts that are nol large enough to carry flood waters. 1 may also mention that Mr. A. E. Magon's mail coach smashed into the 'Warea bridge, and damaged it -so badly that we were obliged to hold up all heavy traffic until necessary repairs could be carried out to allow them to cross. Bridge Foreman.—During the la :i month the Waiweranui bridge has lieen completed and opened for traffic. A start has been made with the construetion of the Kapoaiaia bridge. 1 bo;; K> ask if the Council can provide r.::- v-i'.'i a movable whare. The report was adopted. TE KIRI ROAD. Mr. W. C. Clements, sawmiller. wrote stating that he expected to have the T» Kiri road put in order shortly. He pointed out that nothing had so far been received from the Opunake Sawmilling Co., which had agreed to contribute towards the cost. This sawmill had not used the road for some time past. After some discussion, during wliiclt some councillors expressed the opinion that it might be better to terminate the agreement and levy instead a small royalty on timbei carted over the road, the matter was held over for a month. STRIKING THE RATE. The chairman said it would be necessary to cut down the foremen's requirements somewhat. The foremen were asking for 2f,:iTU yards, which would require more than one crushing plant. 11' their proposals were adopted, an expenditure (including cost of administration) would be needed as follows:—Oeo riding. £llslß Ss; Rahotu. £1471; making, with Opunake, a total of £11,237 He -pointed out that it took a farthing rate over the whole country ( JJ 1515(1) to pay hospital contributions, £117.> los, interest On hospital building loan £220 (is :Jd, bridge and machinery loan £4S3 ."is id; total. £lß7!i fis ."id. ' lie considered that llahotu could do with l'/ t d rate, of which Id would be available on Lhe roads, wherea-s Oeo would require a rate of 2%d to cover its requirements. It was his opinion that the present \va< not tile time to plunge. Prices certainly were high, 'but still they must keep the roads in good order. During the past few years their position in the Rahotu riding had improved, as the roads were in better order and the balance liad been reduced. Cr. Campbell considered that in Lhe Oeo riding the requirements on some of the by-roads could lie reduced, including £IOBS, the cost of renewing the Auroa road. _ Cr. Dudley wished to know whether the foremen or the Council were to assess the requirements. He favored'the former. The chairman said that at this particular meeting of the year tliey suffered from the lack of an engineer. Y\ ith four different foremen there was a tendency for each to try and get what they could for their riding, especially for the byroads. Cr. Macßeynolds considered riding members should accompany the foremen when making estimates of their annual requirements. Cr. Wright said the members' local knowledge would prov'e useful. Cr. Dudley thought it might lead to local influence being used. Finally it was decided to strike a rate of IVid in the Rahotu aad Opunake rid-

ings (which also carry a Parihaka Road Board rate), and l%d over the Oeo riding. Cr. Dudley suggested that %d separate rate should be struck for the hospital levy Mid interest charges, so that ratepayers would realise how much of their rates did not go oil the roads. it was pointed out that thi s was not advisable. It was suggested that the Oeo rate should be allocated as follows: Threefarthings to the main road and threelarthings to by-roads, but in view of the proposed Auroa Road Commission, it wa s decided to vote Id to the main roads and '/ : <\ to the by-roads. The foremen's requirements will be discussed at next meeting. AUROA ROAD. The Eltham Comity Council forwarded copy of a resolution passed to the ellect that it was prepared to assume control of the Auroa road and put the same in order, provided the Egmont County Council pay s one-half the cost, as well as one-half the annual unkeep, and failing the Egmont County Council agreeing to this proposal before July lio, the Eltham County Council would apply I'or a Commission to deal with the whole question. I'lie chairman stated that the Auroa road had been before the Council for a long time. The only solution was for the Egmont county ratepayers to go in for a loan to metal their half of the road. The Eltham county ratepayers had raised a loan of £llOO on w'hioh they were paying interest pending the Egmont ratepayers raising their proportion. The Egmont county was prepared to hand over all the rates collected on the road to the Eltham county, but were not prepared to guarantee to pay half cost of maintenance. It was pointed out that there were more ratepayers and a higher rateable value on the Eltham side than nn the Egmont side. 1' inally, the Council decided to reply that they were not prepared to accede to the request, and that the matter would be better decided by Commission. TENDERS. Cr. Mac-Reynolds and the county clerk, a committee appointed to open tenders, reported having accepted the tender of Svinona Bros. (Pungarelui), at 10s per yard, for the supply of beach shingle for Kapoara. Two others tenders were considered, but that of Cr. Corbett at a lower price, was not considered, having been misplaced. HOSPITAL EXPENDITURE. A resolution was passed strongly protesting against any increased expenditure in connection with the New Plymouth Hospital. The resolution stated that the Council was now paying about £'22o per month to the Board (including subsidy) and regretted to learn that, notwithstanding the very large amount of money expended lately on buildings that there was a demand for new and spacious accommodation for the nurses. It also pointed out that the number of paticnt s having reached 00 meant an annual loss of £5475, which the contributing bodic3 had to pay, besides foreshadowing a large increase in the nursing stall'. ! j GENERAL. I The Opunake Town Board notified hat its foreman had been instructed to report on the cost of fencing the cliff where the recent fatal accident occurred. The manager of the Bank of New Zealand wrote asking if, in view of the shortage of staff, the Council allow its cheques to be entered by number. —It was decided not to agree to this, owing to so many cheques having to be posted. Parau Tamiliana was granted a license for a billiard-room situated in Opunake. The recruiting officer's expenses were allocated as follows: Parihaka Rsad Board £lO Ills Bd, Opunake Town Board £l" lis 3d, Egmont County Council, £37 18s Id; total, £SO. Mr. O. W. Rogers, county clerk, was granted an increase in salary from £l7O to £2OO. The Agricultural Department notified that with a view to encouraging the planting of trees the forestry branch was prepared to supply trees to farmers. Tlios. Chiids, Waitara, patentee of a water motor roller, wrote submitting proposals for the right to manufacture and use his patent. —No action taken. The question of purchasing teams was discussed, and the clerk was authorised to ..-111311111 a return of the amount paid during the year for team hire. The matter of purchasing a road roller from the Wahnate County Council was deferred. Cr. Dudley gave notice to move that (.he Council appoint an engineer. Accounts amounting to £.325 lis li (general) and bridge loan ( £146 7s 9dj were passed for payment.