ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 January 1917, Page 7

ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

JIOXTKLY MEETIXO. The monthly meeting of the LUbam County Council was held on Saturday. Present. Crs. C. J. Belcher (chairman I. .1. (iranville. C. McOuinness. E. J. Giff >rd, „\ C. Pease, A. McWilliam, A. Massena. D. Black and A. Campbell. CORRESPOXDLXCr.

Messrs. riatriok and Co. Wnncnnui, 'wr.fe stating that th" timber for the i'atea bridge had been ordered, and would bo forwarded to Elthain in due course.—Received.

The Petone Borough Council forwarded a circular letter re payment of memhc« in fhe Motor Patrol service, and asking Council's co-opemtich in olitain'iig the same rate -of pay as is made to numbers of the. Exped.tier.arv Fuiym.Eeccmd.

Mr. W. ifardwick Srr.i'h. Manpnming: wrote requi-ting permission for the Council to gnr/e certain portions of roads in that vicinity. Now that a ranger had been appointed the scltiers believed tiiat the r. inova! of stock wool.' h-ad to a vigorous growth of bracken fern and other rubbish on the roads. He sl-ut-d that in the Mangaminji vfillev, nhere Sioek-L-razing had Lice permitted the roads were ke:,t almost clear. He luu, di.-rM.<.cerl fhr matter wiir. ether farmers, and all agree" tlnit -oimth'r.L' shculd he done j-.- the rnnUei - It «-,-■ dcoMed that th< Ocu.icil eov,'... net tillr.v '■he request, as ' L . ( c:iiiM be lespi'-isiV,-for any acciriei.i, that occur.

L. Bum. motorist, requested the Council to reduce toll charges on his mail car to Is lid, the same as charged for light cars.—Received.

The Egmont County Council o-rotc ac repting the offer of a hut ct .-Cftj-Kc-ccived.

Mr. I. Revel!, on behalf of '-is viu-. offered lot 1, section "0. block V.. Ngncre Si)., sa. fir. 35p., together with buildings thereon, for the sum of £750 free from encumberances.—Lelt to Crs. Belcher, Pease, and Bkcfr with ju, f to act.

'Messrs. .T. llickc> .and E. Bcrridge wrote protesting against tlio removal of the roadman's cottage from its present central position to the extreme end of the boundary, where the roads did not require sn much attention. The new site near the Patca bridge, was most unsuitable.—lt was pointed out that the cottage hart been removed, and the protest against the removal was therefore too late, and a motion to that effect was carried.

The County Ranger, Mr. J. Smith, submitted his monthly report. Excepting the ease of Kaponga and Manga'.ninji he had visited all roads in the County. The roads were found all clear of stock.—Received.

ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer, J. Basliam, submitted the following report:— Kaponga Riding—The Elthani road between the Mangawhero and Rowan roads has been ' tar sprayed. Certain necessary repairs to »hc superstructure of the Mangawhero bridge have been executed. The decking is worn out and requires renewing 1 should recommend this being done with rimu. The taming on the Upper and Lower Mar.tin road has been completed. , Mangatoki Riding.—Only a very small amount of work.lias been done in this riding principally clay blinding on untarred roads. There ie a considerable quantity of this work necessary but scarcity of labor prevents it being carried out at present. I hope to start tarring on the Upper Duthie road by the end of this month.

South Riding.—A fresh start has been made on the Boylan road.-. It should he finished in. about a fortnight. There is a distance of about 150 chains on this road that is still good enough to tar and if this is not done the motor traffic will soon tear it to pieces. The swing bridge over the Waingongoro River on the Neill road is in a bad state of repair, considerable damage having been done by recent floods. This bridge is for the convenience of foot passengers, school children, etc. I should be glad of instructions in the matter. The bridge is not on the road reserve.

Eltham Bidjng.—Work has been confined, to general maintenance and repairing flood damage. The Mountain road has been patched with tar and %and.

Omona Riding—Tho Eawhiliroa road is now open for wheel traffic as far as the washout at Takau. A temporary deviation around this is being formed through Messrs. Scott's property. To reinstate the road permanently I should reoommend replacing the filling with a deck bridge with concrete abutments when circumstances permit. GENERAL. The alterations to the crushing plant arc completed and are the means of a great saving in' working expenses, both directly and indirectly. Owing to the cost of metals the job has been fairly expensive but the whole cost will easily be saved in one sea'son and the work is'permanent. The contractor has made a' start on the cottage at the Patea river.—Report adopted.