MOA ROAD BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 January 1917, Page 7

MOA ROAD BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING, The monthly meeting of the Moa Road Board was held at Inglewood on Saturday. Present: Messrs IT. Trimble (chairman). A. E. Laurence, J. Williams, ■I- VY. Ifenwood, T. Bowler, J. Hacker and J. 11. Harrison. OVERSEER'S REPORT The overseer (Mr. W. R. Davis) reported that, as instructed, eighteen 12in concrete pipes had been sent out to Kohete road junction as per agreement with, the Taranaki County Council, and these would he put in as soon as possible. The. large stumps in the waterway of the Ngntoro river had been removed, the cost of the work being £1 2s At the second depot on Durham road west IC9 cubic yards of boulders had been crushed, and' a distance of about 22 chains had oeen reeoated. Mr. P. Hodges deserved great praise, as he not only helped in connection with this work, but also paid a man. .As the settlers were too busy with their harvesting the -dant was shifted to Windsor road on .January 3, and the following work was done: 184 cubic yards was crushed, rolled in anil blinded for Mr. A. W. Yeates; 12 yards for Mr. J. Bowler, Thontascn's boulder contract, and lfi yards were received from Julian and Cvylls, as instructed by the chairman. A distance of 15 chains was remetalled. The crushing plant wa.s shifted to Durham road east on January 18, and when the necessary work was completed it would be moved to Suffolk road. The overseer said that as the metal was lifting badly on the Dudley road west and tiie roller was at hand, he had the metal rolled in and blinded between Mountain road and Mr. Eggars' gate.

Tlie following boulder and metal contracts had been completed: Davis, Windsor. Durham east and Norfolk east. ' General maintenance work had been done on the following road: Lincoln, York, Rinunauteka, Xgaro, Ross, Kailr.ata south, Kupara, Surrey, Ratapiko, Dudley west, Upland south and Egmont south.

CULVERT ON ROSS ROAD, Mr. A. K. Cowley, in a. communication to the overseer, wished to know if the Board would lower a culvert on Ross road, near the junction of Ngaro road, in order to take the storm'water away from a blind gulley in his property, as in wet weather there was n big lake owing to the pipe culvert being too high. Mr. Cowley offered to assist with free labor if the Board would lower the ruU'ert.

Mr. Lai|renec did not think ib was wise-to grant the request, as it would create a precedent that would not be a wise one. .Moreover the nature of the property and the fact that it would be necessary in course of time to open up the creek below the culvert made it unwise to take any action. The Board endorsed this view,

A DAXGEROTO BRIDGE. Attention vns drawn to the dangerous stats of the first small bridge on Ross road. The. overseer said it .was not safe for heavy trafiic. The warning notice that had been erected on the bridge had been pulled down by some vandal. Mi. Laurence said there was no doubt the bridge was dangerous. The policy of the Board had been to replace wooden bridges with concrete. A new bridge, which would cost £240, could not be built out of rates, and he thought the ratepayers concerned ohoubl be asked to consent to ~ small loan being raised. A motion embodying Mr, Laurence's suggestion was carried.

WAITARA WEST MERGER. The Tnranaki County Council asked what the Board desired the Council to do native to the merging of a portion o? WaHnra \V«t— The 'clerk will reply that the Board was agreeable to exclude section lvil.

MANGAOTEA ROAD LOAM. The Stratford County Council noticed th' Board that the State Advance? Office had informed him that the Mangaotea road JE:'.">s loan was. now available. A special order in connection with the loan will be passed.

LEPPER ROAD METALLIC. The chairman reported that the tenders received for the. Lepper road metalling contract, wore too high, and the Board had not accepted any of them.

Mr. Laurence said it was evident that the work could not be carried out at the estimated cost. The best thing to do was to call the settlers together and to allow them to discuss the position. Either they would have to consent to the raising of more money or would have to be content with an uncompleted iob.

Mr, Bowler's name was added to the committee appointed to deal with the matter, and the committee will meet again next Saturday to further discuss the situation.

ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £507 "s Sd were passed fur payment.