CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 October 1916, Page 3

CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

'MONTHLY MEETING. The usual monthly meeting was lipid lit Waitara yesterday, Present: Crs. \. JL Bower (chairman), A. Sander, K. 11. Piggott, S. J. Kennington, B. T. Hick*, XI. M, I'urdie and W. Old. ENGINEER'S REPORT. Wailii Riding.—Further stone ilias be»n recovered from the foreshore at Onaero, but progress on the other contracts could be improved upon. Negotiations for the employment of the grader team have again proved unsuccessful, although this class of work could be done with advantage. The motor is expected to arrive in New Zealand about the middle of the month, and I should like to give the scarifier an early trial on the main road. Tikorangi Riding.—Metalling has been proceeding on the Xgatimaru road, and I recommend that tenders be called for 500 yards of spauled stone, to be distributed when crushed, on the Xgatimaru, Tikorangi and ■ Inland North Roads. Xgatimaru Riding.—l shall be arranging next week as to the locality to draw this season's ilietal supplies for the Riding, and inspecting the Autawa Road tunnel, which the foreman re; „s lias been abandoned in the meanti.. .. 1 shall report on this more fully at the next meeting. On the Matau-luore road all slips are removed, and seven points widened out, and the balance of the money will be expended in additional widening, improvement and protective fencing. At the gorge bridge site all the timber is on the ground, and construction lias commenced. Tlie settlers convey an invitation to the Council to be present at the opening, which is timed to take place on November 4. The Council's acceptance will enable them to inspect these works, and also the Mangaoapa Road, and determine as to tlie "precise allocation of the expenditure of £SOO, which is available and for which proposals are required. Urenui Riding. —The bridge party started work during the month at Onaero, and stripping lias further exposed the decayed nature of some of the truss members. In another year it will probably be found necessary to make extensive renewals, or preferably to rebuild in permanent materials, and save perennial repairs and expense. A portion of the recent bridge loan is available for "i'<iis purpose. The bridge party will next repair the Moernngi bridge, thence attend to Topless' recent application if timber is available, and proceed thereafter to Uruti. Hutehins notifies me he is unable to arrive here at present and cannot make a definite statement. Plans and specifications for the extension of tlie Upper Piko Road are ready, and the work can be. proceeded with when a suitable tender is obtained. Quarrying is proceeding in the Okoke pit, and some chains of broken stone have heen put down during the month. These supplies are jiroving more satisfactory than the beatfli metal, and closer attention will be given to tjiis depot. Mokau Riding.—Work is progressing satisfactorily in the shell rock quarry, and culverts and improvements will be effected to the access road. Certain work has been completed on the Gilbert Road, and it is proposed to alloiw a further small expenditure thereon. Upon the bridge .party's arrival in this district they will give first attention to Addcnbrooke's bridge; thereafter to tlie Uruti bridge approaches, and then proceed to the upper flood opening. Arrangements have been made to cart gravel from the Okoke pit to the Mimi hill for repairs, and the Waikaranuirama bridge is receiving attention. The metalling contract at Wai-iti is proceeding slowly, the reasons set forth being the absence of stone on the foreshore. It would be advisable to discuss the itinerary of the crusher when in commission, as tlie demands are numerous, but in equity to contractors, unfinished contracts should have precedence.—Adopted. CORRESPONDENCE. Thomas Child, toll-keeper, Waihi. requested the Council to increase his ■ salary by 10s a week. He was the lowest paid collector in the district, his salary being only a fraction over i%H per ; hour.—A motion that the application be , not granted was proposed, and eventu- ■ ally an amendment granting 5s per 'week was carried. Messrs ,J. Erni, J. Hayes, T. Henry, L. J. Hamilton, C. S. and H. Larsen, C. and , A. Larsen, A. J, Miller, R. J. Nieholls, ■ E, Putt, and W.„Jones, wrote consenting to the Tangitu loan of £2OOO being i raised.—Resolved that the Council take ■ tlie necessary steps to raise the loan, money to he lifted from the State Ad- ■ vances to Settlers. Tlie Lands and Survey Department forwarded particulars concerning tlie 1 Manga macho Road. On January (I, 1-901, 1 tho County was advised re the 'proposed | deviation of the road on the southern ; side of the Mangamaeho stream, and the Reserves Agent recommended that the j proposal he agreed to, provided the l county paid all survey and other diarges. The incompleteness of tlie legal title to , the deviated road line was due to the \ neglect of tile Council, which, under the circumstances, should close the old road, . and when this was agreed to, tlie Council ■ could then order the laying oil' of the new road. This method would be much t easier than getting the consent of the , natives to the exchange.—Resolved that the Council take the necessary steps" to close the old portion of tlie Mangamaeho Road. J. IT. Fowler, Audit Department, for- . warded toll ticket of Waihi toll-gate, ) showing that the system is useless as a check on the collector, and is very un- ■ satisfactory from an audit point of view. He recommended the Council to adopt the system used by the Taranaki County ; Council at the Pnnilio gate.—Received. 1 C. R. Stead wrote stating that after some difficulty he had been successful in > collecting rates owing on Mohakatino . lands, ioo 10s Od. ' A PROTEST. ' Colonel Collins, Auditor-General, for■warded the following note: "Before certi- '" tying to your Council's balance-sheet I ' wish tc draw your attention to the fact that the bridge loan moneys have been ' withdrawn from separate account at the ' 'bank, and the credit in the loan account, amounting to £1703 10s, has apparently been used for other than loan purposes. The cost of the Taramouku bridge, i £713 1.5s 3d, for which no provision was . made in the schedule, has been charged • against tlie loan, while the charges for ; Putiki, King's ind Hawera bridges eon- . siderably exceed the provisions made for i them. In view of these facts I shall i bo pleased to hear what steps the Cp.un- ; eil proposes to take to adjust matters. I Also, I have to mil upon councillors to . show cause why I should not proceed against theig under section. 53 of the

Local Bodies Loans Act;-1913. for consenting to the illegal deviation of loan moneys." ' Cr. Kennington stated that the Council required money for bridges, but omitted to fill in a schedule. The ratepayers were satisfied that there was mo ''funny business" about the matter. There was a distinction between things dishonest and illegal. Cr. IPiggott: Money mas borrowed for one purpose and used for another. Cr. Kennington explained that when they borrowed the money they had not quite decided what to do, but the lending department required them to fill in a schedule. The clerk was instructed to reply that the position arose through urgency. The bridges were essential to keeping the roads in order, and as the Council did not have the money in the general account they had to expend 'it, out of loan*. Regarding the Taramouku bridge, as it -was not included in the schedule the Council was prepared to refund the amount. DEPUTATION. Messrs A. R. Davis, Herbert and Philip Wells, and C. N. Rowe. farmers at Pukearuhe, waited on the Council concerning the delay in metalling the Pukeariihe road. The contract was let many months hack, and, hid the work been pushed on. would have heen completed ere this. They requested the Council either to cancel the contract or instruct the contractor to push, on his work.—lt was resolved to notify the contractor that progress must he, made in one month, otherwise the Council will he compelled to enforce the conditions of the contract. GENERAL. The, Treasury forwarded Council's subsidv on rates, 1015-lli, amounting to €(180 4s (id. Accounts totalling £llOs Is were passed for payment.