ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 November 1916, Page 3

ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

ORDINARY MEETING The monthly meeting of Ihe Elthau County Council was held at Eltham on Saturday whin there were present: - M'.'-w.- A. (,'. I'ease (chairman). A. Campbell. A. Tuit, I). Black. ('. J. IMeher, .1. Granville, E. ,1. Clifford, (.. J.\ MiUniiincss, and McWilliam. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer (Mr. F Basham) reported that work during the month had been of general routine character and [here was very little that called for special mention. The old wooden bridge at the i'atea River had been removed and sufficient saved to pav for :ost of dismantling. The swing bridge on the Tahuri road had been repaired. The Eltham road, Knponga Town Board, from the western boundary to the Catholic Church had been tarred. From the Waingongoro bridge to Mangatoki along rlie 'lOltham road had been patched with tar and men were now patching the Lowe.Hunter road. The new tar boiler had been built in and is working most satisfactorily. He found it advisable not to shift the old boiler. It could be used as it was so long as it lasts. The lorry and ear had both- been 'thoroughly overhauled and found in excellent order, only one small renewal, a ball-race, having to be made to the lorry. The alterations to crusher and bins were practically completed. With the exception of a few slips on the Rawhitiroa road no damage was suffered by Ihe district on account of recent heavy floods. The engineer'!! report was received. Cr. McWilliam stated that a splendid job had been made of the swing bridge. The engineer stated that there were 2000 or 3009 feet of timber from the Patea bridge. It wa.:; resolved to sell tho timber by tender in lots. Failing acceptance, the matter will be left in the hands of the engineer. A QUESTION OF JURISDICTION. The Eltham Borough Council asked the Council to serve a notice on a Mangawhero road settler to clean out a water course, as should a culvert become blocked there was danger of scriou.x damage being done to the road. The clerk stated that under the Act the Borough Council hnd jurisdiction over ihe matter as the drain was within a mile of the boundary. It was resolved to.pqim, this out to the Borough . ■ REMISSxuw UK KATES/ Mr. R. J. Robinson asked the Council to remit rates on his property, section 2, block 15, Moeroa during bis absence at the front as he was going into camp in January, 1917. Cr. McWilliam stated he understood ihe property had been leased and if so the lessee should pay the rates. He wai not averse to making concessions of this nature, but he pointed out that this property was in the centre of the area subject tp rond slips, and paid lowet rateon account of the valuation being rt low, and the. concession would fall to < great extent on the higher valued country further back. Consideration was deferred until a future meeting. INSPECTOR. TO BE APPOINTED. The ranger wrote a lengthy letter \n regard to complaints that had been made at last meeting of tho Council. He stated that he. could not give satisfaction to every one. Cr. McWilliam stated that the horses running on the roads in the Onioua rid- ! ing were a source of danger. The chairman stated the matter was being gone into with the object of put ting the work of the ranger in a dif ferent position. Later the report of the committee set , up to discuss the matter recommended that the Council appoint a man to devote his whole time to the Council, as ranger, dog tax collector, and inspector ' under the by-laws. Cr. McWilliam considered it wa; j step in the right direction, though he had been told by some people that even with the fines imposed, it was cheap grazing to put the cattle on the roads, Cr. McGuinness thought that the fine for a second offence should be made very severe. In the course of discussion, it was stated that the ranger would report all cases to the. Council, who would decide whether prosecution was to follow. This was with tho object of preventing a man, whose animals accidently strayed on to the road, from being prosecuted. The report was adopted, and applications will be called for the position, SURFACEMAN'S COTTAGE. The Council resolved to Ouild a cottage for the surfaceman on tho reserve at the Patea River bridge leased by Mr Smith. The lessee will be given sufficient time to take the crop of hay off the reserve. A councillor remarked that the Council could ex'pect to receive further applications for the ereetio.i of cottages from other surfacemen. The chairman: We will deal with them on their merit;.- as they come in. BASIS OF REPRESENTATION. Cr. Campbell brought up the question of the representation of the various ridings in the Council. He considered that the south riding, which now had one representative, should have an additional one. The present, valuation with the number of representatives was as follows: South riding £333,395 (one representative). Kaponga, £32S,O!)S (two), Mangatoki £704,992 (three), Eltham £371,546 (two), Omona (£174,873 (one). He pointed out that Kaponga riding with a lower valuation had an additional member He was prepared to move that the South riding should have an additional icprcscntative, which would make the number of the Council 10, ar that if the numbci was kept at nine, that the representation of the other ridings be reduced. The chairman pointed out that ihe South riding was very compact, whereas the Knponga riding was seuttcred. Moreover if the valuation of the Kaponga town district. ,vas included ( £77,000). it would be seen. that Kaponga had the higher valuation. The clerk po.'nted out that any alteration in representation could only be made the March previous to a County election and had to be on the basis of valuation and number of ratepayers. On the motion of Crs. Painpbell and Belcher, it was resolved that a return be laid on the table at next meeting, showing the valuation of each riding, th< number of rateable properties and the number of ratepayers. OMONA MATTERS, Cr. McWillinm suggested that a loan should be applied for to b? utilised for metalling the read to the shell rock pit • at Sawhitiroa and for other cork in ,the Omona ridina. tk:. i- iu W ou].d.

10 take the place "f a loan which had y lapsed, and which had boon expended in anticipation.—Held over. I! j Cr. MeWillinm remarked that the " Omona riding did not get the use of the |" County roller or motor waggon owing IS to the state of its roads. * The engineer stated that it war, pro- " posed to sell one of the rollers-, and se- *• cure a lighter one, so that it would be l " available in tl at riding. VALEDICTORY, .. Tlie chairman took advantage of ihis" ' e being the last meeting prior to the eleer tion of chairman to thank members of ■ . the Council for the assistance tliey had !j given him in the past. He also thanked the clerk (Mr. Tristram) md the en- ,. gineor (Mr. llashain) for the valuable ■ , help given. Commenting on the state of ' the roads, he remarked that .-.11 were in good order, j, Cr. JMcWilliam: Except in t'ia Omona 1 riding. The chairman: Comparatively the Omona roads are in good order. Members generally paid a tribute to n (ha good work dona by the chairman, it 13 being remarked thai all had received d justice, d GENERAL, „ Tin S'-Mli'ord County Coune!! notified 3 thai ihe chairman, Cra. C'hristoffel and e Coleman had been appointed a commitg tee to meet the Eltham County Council [. in the matter of adjustment o? boundar- . isz and that the County ch-iirman had '. been appointed chs Council': reprcsentajj tive to act Councils in oppos- .. ing any bill fcr the abolition of ,toll(1 gates. I, The Ifawem County Council notified jj that f; resolution war passed agreeing t to the Anderson ro,-.d loan allocation as e proposed. Mr. Joseph Turner asked that some e pipes should be put down at his entrance on the Palmer road, Kaponga. Jn connection with a circular letter a that iiad hern received suggesting that j. local bodie:. should amalgamate and j carry their own accident insurance, the j c)erk submitted a return showing the I premiums paid durinig the past few ! years. He, was unable to state the amount of '.claims that had hern paid I ;, out. The circular letter t-iated that ', replies from ;if) local bodies showed a , . collective saving of .C2OOO liad the sys- : tern bcoa in voaue. —No action was ! J 1 taken. I :