EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 September 1916, Page 6

EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary meeting of the Egnionfc County Council was held at Opunake on Tuesday,,when there were present: Crs. M. Fleming (cliairman), S. Campbell, W. R. Wright, M. J. Mcßeynolds, J. Young, T. Harvey and W. C. Dudley. FOREMEN'S REPORTS. Foremen's reports were submitted as follows: Oeo Riding (northern division).—The staff had been employed at general suiface work cai'ting out maintenance metal, cleaning water-tables and gathering stone for maintenance. The roads treated were the Eltham, Oeo, OpunakeStratford, Watino, Patiki, Kiri, and Wiremu. The Funehu bridge on the Eltham Road was unsafe for fast and heavy traffic but the motor lorries were taking no notice of it, and were travelling over this bridge at a terrific speed with extra heavy loads. Oeo Riding (southern division).—The hands had been engaged at general maintenance work throughout the riding. It was necessary to replace an old wooden culvert with a line of foot pipes on the Skeet Road near the junction of the Nopera Road. Rahotu (Southern) and Opunake Ridings.—The staff had been engaged on Contract No. 288, which had been completed, taking 1082 yards, crushed and 209 yards screenings, used as blinding, and top-dressing. He recommended a final payment on same. The crusher and roller were now in County yard, and had been taken down for repairs for forthcoming season. Patching and pipemaking were in progress. He had ex amined Taungatara river, and found that it had altered her course during .late floods and was threatening the foundations of the north end of the Taungatara bridge, Main South Road. He recommended sand-bagging and throwing the course into the centre at a cost of £a. The late heavy freshes had also carried away two piers out of Taungatara bridge, Eltham Road, and lie recommended tomming: same. He also recommended that the Parihaka Road Board be asked to find half cost of pipe culvert on the corner of Arawhata Road and Main South Road which required renewing in 12-inch pipes. Rahotu Riding (northern division).— Through the weather having been so unsettled, he had been obliged to keep the staff continually employed on maintenance work. With so much rain the road surface began to show signs, of breaking up badly under the increased traffic at this time of the year, and therefore required a great deal of attention to keep the metal way on repair. Therefore they had not had much of a chance to attend to several approaches to various bridges. He had removed the old metal and replaced the same with boiling tar ami topped dressed the approaches with sand, which appeared to be just what was required at the head of most of these wooden bridges to keep the metal way within siv°or eight feet from the bridge head thoroughly dry. He had cleaned and stripped a. pit north of Pungarehu, and got a fair amount of metal ready for making and metnhlng roadwav over the new ferro-eoncrete bridge at Pungareliu when it was completed. Bridge Foreman.—The constructor of the Kapoiaia bridge was progressing very satisfactory. The arch ring had been constructed and preparations were being made with the spandril walls. The reports were adopted. The bridge foreman was instructed to report on the state of all bridges in the county, and given power to act in the case of the Taungatara bridge, WIREMU ROAD. Mr. W.'W. Sharp, Government engmeer, notified that the Wiremu Road was a county road and under the Council's jurisdiction in regard to repairs, etc. He had had an Inspection made', and his overseer reported that the only blockage on the track between the Kahui a.-d Ngariki Roads was caused by a tree which had fallen on to the end of a small bridge during the recent snowstorm. Traffic was completely blocked at this place. AH streams ha'd been bridged except two, and at these places there were good fords. If £ls or £2O were expended in draining some of the small wet flats and three or four culverts were irepaired and the scrub cut, the track would be a good one for driving stock on. The road had not had a reasonable amount of attention, and stock should not be allowed to graze along it, Mr. Sharp pointed out that the grants made would only have been for new formation and not maintenance. He regretted that it would therefore be useless for them, to apply for funds for maintenance on the road, In reply to Cr. W. R. Wright, the clerk stated that that particular portion of the Wiremu Road had not been gazetted a county road. The only portion of that road gazetted a county road was the piece of the Carrington Road on which the settlers had raised a loan, The chairman considered the Council should spend the small amount necessary to remove the blockage and open the road for traffic. Cr. W. C. Dudley considered that by doing so the Council would admit liability. The clerk stated that the Government usually cleared, ditched and bridged roads, but did not metal them before gazetting them county roads. It was resolved to expend up to £2O in clearing away the fallen tree and opening the road between Kahui and Ngariki Roads. Cr. Harvey asked whether there was any possibility of securing any portion of the money that had been granted to the road, out had lapsed on account or not having been expended. If they applied for this it might be the means of getting the Minister of Public Works to visit the district. It was decided to ask the Minister of Public Works for a grant for necessary work on this road between the Te Kiri and Ihaia Roads. Mr. Jas. K. Law drew attention to the state of the crossing over the Oaomii River. Owing to the winter floods, the crossing by the present deviation was impassable, and could not be rendered passable except at considerable expense. Mr. Holmes was willing to allow a deviation through his property. There were also some almost impassable boggy holes between the Arawhata Road and Oaonui River. On the motion of Crs. Young and Campbell, it was resolved to instruct Foreman Newport to inspect the site and report to next meeting. Foreman Newport is also to interview Mr. Holmes re the deviation* THE ROAE-MAKINC PLANT, On the ohairman'3 recommendltitiorn, T. H, Bowman was appointed to thg

! charge of tlie Council's road-makin<>' plant at His per day. Crs. Dudley, Young and Mcßeynolds were appointed a eom°niittee to draw up conditions of appointment. in connection with the necessity for a Hew roller, the chairman said that the roller offered by the Waiumte West County had bee,, sola. •He did not think the tune opportune for 'buying rollers, as the cost was too heavy. They would have to pay £I2OO for a roller that in eighteen months might bo procurable for £7OO. He thought that, if possible,the Council should do without until then. Cr. Wright agreed. Cr. Dudley stated the new plant overseer recommended that the Council should sell its traction engine and crusher and call for tenders for crushed metal. Cr. Mcßeyonlds considered this would be more economical. The chairman stated that owing to the 'high cost they would probably .have bo reduce the quantity of metal. In this case an extra roller would be more of a necessity to scarify and roll more ii they were, only putting down a little metal than would be the ease if ther were laying down a heavy coat of metal. The clerk will make inquiries from various firms as to the cost of rollers., ' THE BRIDGE LOAN. The position of tihe bridge loan was briefly discussed. It was stated that of the money lifted there was only £OB9 available, and a further £IOOO to draw. This left £IOB9 yet to be expended. Cr. Campbell stated that the Funehu bridge on the Eltlmm Road was in a dangerous state ■ and required renewal. A small bridge on the Oeo Eoad was also dangerous. Cr. W. R. Wright thought a special loan should be raised to build this bridge, which was a large one. The chairman said'it was impossible to build this bridge out of the present loan, and thought that steps should be taken to get an engineer's estimate of the cost. Their bridge foreman was an excellent man, but there were quite a number of smail bridges that would occupy his attention after the Kapoiaia bridge was completed in about a month. Two bridges at Opua and the one on the Oeo road required immediate attention, and as they had sufficient expanded metal for the reinforcement of these small bridges, lie considered tenders should be called at once'ior the necessary shingle. Cr. Campbell thought the Funehu bridge could be strengthened by erecting concrete piers where the stringers joined, and it would then last for several years. On; the motion of Crs. Wright and Dudley it was resolved that the bridge foreman report on' the Funehu bridge before next meeting. A DAMAGED BRIDGE, fji The Clerk stated that he had forwarded an account for £0 Is 8d to Mr. A. E. Magon, being the cost of repairs to Warea bridge, damaged 'by a motor of him. So far he had not received any acknowledgement. A councillor said he understood it was -Mr. Magon's intention to contest the claim, on the ground that the accident iras caused by the bad approach to tihe bridge damaging the steering gear. Cr. Wright stated he was on the scene of the accident a couple of hours after it had occurred, and from first-hand information he considered that the Council should enforce the claim, He moved to that effect. Cr. Young thought the matter should be left in the hands of the chairman to make inquiries, with power to act. Cr. Dudley thought this was placing too much responsibility on the chairman. After further' discussion, it was resolved -t«yobtain the opinion of the Council's solicitor, and, if favorable, to institute legal action. LIEN FOR NATIVE RATES. _ The clerk reported that the Council's lien on two sections of native land at iPihama foil the non-payment of rates due and accrued to the amount of £271 l'Ss Id, had been approved and registered against the title of the land, in pursuance of section 14. of the Rating Amendment Act, 1313. Notices of swell lien had to be sent to the native owners, and also published in the "KJahiti," native newspapers. The clerk stated that there was a desire on the part of the natives to get their titles in these blocks individualised. The sections could not be dealt with until the whole amount of the lien was settled, so that it appeared quite certain that the outstanding rates would be paid, | GENERAL. Evan H. Jones, Waitara, wrote agreeing to pay his share of the costof pipes necessary for culvert in front of the store at Oaonui, provided!, the Council did the work. Cr. Young stated that the Oaonui Hall Committee was also prepared to pay for the pipes necessary for the culvert in front of the balk The Public Trustee reported that the Council's employees had ■ diverted a stream, which crossed Weka Street, T4 Kin", and ran into a property of which he was trustee. As,this diversion would be the cause of depriving the tenant of •water during the ensuing summer, he wished to know whether this would be permanent, and,' if so, what provision would be made to replace the water supply.—Referred to the foreman. The Council discussed at length the metal requirements for next season, and tenders will be .called for these, which were somewhat reduced from the foreman's estimates owing to money not being vailable. A '-.il rate of -f-19d on the Eltham Road .» was struck. Cr. Dudley and the chairman were appointed to sign the rate-book. It .was resolved to re-coat with tar the main road through the Opunake township, the cost not to exceed £l5O.