EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 November 1916, Page 7

EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

j " SIONTIILY MEETING. i Tile ordinary meeting of the Egmont Comity Council was held at Opunake on .luesday, when there were present: Crs. M. Fleming (chairman) T. Harvey, James Young, M. J. Macßeynolds, S. Forsyth, W. R. Wright, S. Campbell, and R. J W. McNeill. FOREMEN'S REPORTS. The various foremen .eDorted a: follows Oeo Riding (Northern Division).—The staff have been employed at general surface work, carting out maintenance inetal, and widening cuttings, etc., on the. Eltliam, Oeo, Opunake-Stratford, Kiri, Patiki, and Auroa roads. The crusher plant is on the site ready to start crushing on the Eltliam Road contract, and we .are only waiting for the new elevators to come to hand to make ft start. The contractor has been ready to start for some time. I would like to remind the Council that my estimate to renew this piece of road was 1100 yards, which was reduced to 700 yards. This would mean leaving a portion uncompleted adjacent to the factory, where all the traffic is. As this eontract was let at Is per yard below my estimate, I would respectfully ask the Council to increase the amount to my original estimate. Tho whole of the milk traffic from four side roads, as well as the Eltliam Road, traverses this piece of road to reach the factory. I would recommend calling tenders for 500 yards of crushed inetal to reface a portion of the Oeo road south of the Elt'ham Road.

Lincl and Newell, of the Atfatuna Post Office, have made an application to have a line of pipes placed in front of their premises at the junction of the and Auroa Roads, they offerin,* to pay the cost of the pipes. Mr. S. Cameron, Eltham Road, has also made 'an application for 13 1-foot pipes for a culvert on the Eltham Road, and will pay the cost of the pipes. Oeo Riding (Southern Division).— The 'hands have been engaged principally on the Main South and Oeo Roads. Hikaka has completed his contract. having delivered 024 yards of gravel. I have had that portion of the Main South Road between Mr. Allan's and the racecourse pates scarified, large stones broken, and blinded with pit travel, and rolled. I have also grubbed gorse on the gravel reserve, and one day's grading for the Opunake Racing Club has been provided. I recommend calling tenders for the various works. Rahotu Riding (Southern) and Opnnake Riding.—The staff have been engaged at patching water-tabling and blinding on Main South and Eltham Roads. Six tons have been placed under the Taungatara bridge, Main South Road, and two tons under the Tauiigatara gridge, Eltham Road. Fifty barrels ot tar have arrived from Eltham, and the boiling of same is in progress. Mr. Million has given to the County one portable boiler, and I have placed same in position and find it an ideal boiler for tar-cooking, its holding capacity being 120 gallons of tar for cooking safely. As soon as the weather permits I will start top-dressing. Nine hundred and sixty-eiglit gallons of tar have been cooked, and out of that I have collected 176 gallons of water. Rahotu Riding (Northern Division).— The staff have been employed at cleaning and dressing up water-tables between Ncwall Road and Pungarehu township, until the bridge foreman was leady for the staff to commence filling over the new ferro-concrete bridge over the Kopiaiaoa River at Pungarehu. The fitaff have been employed on the filling in of this work off and on for the last u'eek or two, and I hope to have all necessary work around this bridge completed this week. Two days of the staff's time, with the assistance of the 'oridge foreman and his men, were taken up attending to a small bridge about two miles north of Rahotu. One of the stone piers having collapsed and i alien into the stream, we were obliged to put in a framework of toms to carry the bridge, and replace the stone pier with timber, making ii safe for traffic for the time being, trusting there will be a permanent bridge built later on. Mr. M. Coffey ha& made X start delivering boulder stone on Ilia contract.

| BRIDGE WORK, The bridge foreman reported: The Kapoaiaia bridge is completed, but owing to the-wet' weather it has taken longer than anticipated. The repairs to the iPunehu and Taungatara bridges..will lie carried out as soon as the timber iiomes to hand. The Chairman stated the bridge foreman had made a Teally good job of the Kapoaiaia bridge, which had received a ■rery good test in withstanding a flood before the scaffolding waj removed. Cr. Wright considered more men ithould be employed on th« bride-build-ing gang, so that the work could be proceeded with expeditiously. There ivas a lot of bridge work which required attention. '• TENDERS. Tender; for the supply of metai on the Main South Road, Rahotu Northern (Riding, were dealt with as follow: 330 yards near Pungarere River, H Munro 10s, W. 11. Julian Ss, M Coffey ',is 8d (accepted); SSO yards, r.car Waihoroa. Stream, TI. Sumo 10s, H. Coffey 7s fid, W. 11. Julian 7s 4d (accepted); 1380 yards, near Wa,rea River, H, Munro 10s (id, W. 11. Julian 7s Cd, M. Coffey lis lid (accepted); 1970 yards near Waiwcranui River, H. Munro Bs, M. Coffey 7s 3d, W. H. Julian : fis 3d (accepted). PRISON iiABOR.j

The Rotoruo Chamber of Commerce forwarded ■ copy of resolutions, asking that representations be made to the Government, asking that prison labor be utilised in, making and maintaining the main arterial roads of the Dominion.

The Chairman considered this opened mp a big question. For his own part, lie would sooner pay a higher rate than employ prison labor. He did not, howover ,think it would be feasible to employ prisoners on maintaining metalled i.'oads. It might possibly be different m new country, where a prison camp ■ lould be established. Cr. \V. R. Wright thought that, as the prisoners had 'to be supported, they might be utilised on usef.il work. Cr. Mcßeynolds: In making Opunake Harbor. Cr. T. Harvey considered the labor might be utilised on Wirernu Road. After little further discussion the •etter was received. WIREMU ROAD. | j The Cnairman reported that, with Cr. Young and the County Clerk, he had ■ waited on the Minister of Public '.Works in comection with the money

available for expenditure on the Wiremu Road. They had been fairly successful, and £BOO would be available. Die Minister could not .say whether the Department or the Council would have the expenditure of the money. Later, Mr. W. W. Sharp, rcsidAt roads engineer, advised that the work 011 the Wiremu Road (Kiri Road to Xgariki Iload) would be undertaken by the Public Works Department, and that he proposed going into the matter on the ground at an early date, and would advise later what portion the money would be spent on. Cr. Young stated 'lie had interviewed Mr. Coombe, who was agreeable to give the necessary land for the deviation of the Oaonui ford on the Wiremu Road, provided the Council securely fenced the deviation.

. ■ , DAMAGED BRIDGES. :* .ifessrs. Roy and Nicholson, County solicitors, advised that, after carefully perusing notes of evidence, they considered that there was a reasonable prospect of the County recovering from a motor proprietoi the expenses incurred in connection with the repairs to the Warea bridge that was damaged some time ago, when the motor capsized.

It was the general feeling of tile Council that, in view of the expenses of litigation, and the fact that the amount of damage (£6) was very small, it was not advisable to proceed, and" a resolution to ' this effect was carried.

Cr. Wright dissented. He considered the Council should proceed with the case as a matter of principle. He pointed out that since that accident a motor waggon, heavily loaded, 'had gone through a bridge near Gilhooley's, though the Iriver had been warned that the bridge jvould not carry the load. If the heavy loads now ;arted were allowed, ail the bridges would soon be knocked to piece's.

During the discussion it was stated that loads of 12 and 13 tons were carted over bridges that were unsafe for loads over five'tons.

The foreman was instructed to report on the bridge mentioned. EXEMPTION 01 PLAY-GROUND. In reply to a communication from the County Clerk, the Valuer-General notified that lie could not see his way to exempt the Convent School playground from the payment of rates, but had left the matter to be determined by the Council and ratepayers. The Clerk stated the Convent was exempt, and the iPresbytery paid rates. The play-ground, hi thought, would pay rates unless it were dedicated as a playground, and solely used as such.. Members expressed the opinion that the playground should be exempt. The matter was left in the hands of Ci'fl, Macßeynolds and Young to report, at next meeting.

GRAVEL ROYALTY. Some correspondence with the Publio Trust Office at Hawera in connection with gravel royalty was read. The Public Trustee stated that since April, 1914, royalty at 3d per yard must be paid. Prior to that the amount of l'/od must stand, though he had no record of any agreement to that effect. The Clerk submitted a statement, which showed that "2738 yard 9 were taken prior to April, 1914-, and G034 yards since. In the discussion the Clerk pointed out that the Council had previously de-c-lined to pay 3d royalty to the Public Trustee, "in November, 19-15, the Reserves Agent interviewed the Council, and it was then igreed that the royalty should be 4d, to be equally divided between "the Public Trustee and the lessee. He had 'replied to the Public Trustee to this effect. Held over pending receipt of reply.

GENERAL. i'he Chairman reported that the tender for the supply of gravel for bridges had been let to C. Corbett, at fls 6d per yard. The Crown Lands Board notified that thirds, amounting to 10a, accrued on section, Wcka Street, Te Kiri, wero available for expenditure. The Eltham County Council offered to sell an Aveling and IPorter roadroller at £775. The offer was declined, as there was no scarifier attached. The question of procuring a roller was held over till next meeting, the chairman and Cr. Wright meanwhile to make inquiries. Mr. A. M. Ryan, Clerk to the Upper Wangaehu Road Board, asked information as. to premiums, etc., paid by the Council .for accident insurance. This was in connection with a suggestion that local bodies could effect a considerable saving by forming ai association to carry their own accident insurance. Mr. E. Barns, District Manager of the Public Trust Office, wrote on behalf of T. Moloney's estate, Te Kiri, stating that a natural watercourse had been diverted, and, as it was important that the tenant should have water for his stock, he asked the Council to re-open the culvert', which had silted up, and also to allow the tenant to deepen a ditch.—Referred to the foreman.

The Telegraph Department notified that instructions had been given for the removal of the telegraph post near Rahotu complained of. The Inspector of Quarries, Eltham, asked to be advised when the Council were working with a rock face of 20 feet or over. He notified that lie would inspect the quarries in the district shortly.

Mr. T. P. Ilnghson offered to lease the gravel reserve at Oaonui for £2 per annum, provided the Council fenced the reserve. —Left in the hands of Crs, Young and Macßcvnolds. The matter of selling bridge timber was left in the hands of the chairman. Pipes will be put in at the Awatuna Store, as requested. Pour hundred yards of extra metal will be supplied for the Eltham Road, the present contractor to be given first refusal.

Tenders will be called for 1000 yards ,of metal for the Oeo Road, and 1000 yards on the Watiro Road. The sominittee reported that out of 23 applications, W. Mahoney, of Okato, was appointed driver of the County roller.