EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 February 1917, Page 7

EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING, The ordinary meeting of the Egmont Comity Council was held at Opunake on Tuesday, when there were present: Ors. M. Fleming (chairman), W. C, Dudley, T. Harvey, Jas. Young, M. J. Macßeyuolds, S. J-'orsytli, W. E. Wright, S. Campbell, E. W. J. McNeill. FOREMEN'S REiFORTS. Oco Biding (Northern Division).—The stuff have been employed at general surface work, curling out maintenance metal, raking up louse stone;, and cleaniug ditches, etc., on the Elthaui, Oeo, Kiri, Opuuake-Slratford, Auroa, Patiki, and Wcka Roads. H. Mnnro lias made a start ou contract Mo. -I'M, of bptiidor stone on the EUham Road, for maintenance metal, and lias not yet liuiahed this contrai-' through sickness. I would recommend tailing tenders for 500 yards of pit metal for the Kiri Road, and also o-'iK) yards of pit metal for the Watino Road, and 500 yards crushed metal for the Oeo Road,

Oco Hiding (Southern Division).—The; hands have been engaged principally on contracts in progress, with the exception of a few days' raking up looso stones on the Main South, Skeot, mi Pati'ki Roads, and clay-blinding the worst, portions, G. Kehcley has oonipleted contract No. ,102, Oeo Road, haviftg delivered 111)11 yards of grave). There is :vbout half a mile of this road still left unmetalled, and I ask the Council if they can complete this portion. It would require HKX) yards of gravel; the cost would be about £930. G. Keheley has commenced contract No. 306, and completed Hone Road. H. Munro has tailed to commence contract No. 303, Watino Road.

Kahotu (Southern) and Opunake Riding.—The stalf has been engaged at blinding, water-tabling, filling in small bridges, fencing 'section, and gener.il work on Main South and Eltham Roads, and Main South, Opunake Riding. Scald ing and painting Waiau bridge is in progress. Re'contract No. 204,1 recommend calling tenders for 020 yards, as authorised, as the work can be proceeded with when the crushing plant returns from Rahotu; also tenders for S6l yards of crushed boulder stone to reface with from Mr. Dudley's slaughterhouse, northwards. I recommend attaching a tar pump and sprayer to the tar boiler for future work, at a cost of about J-'2S 1.35.

Rahotu Killing (Northern Division) I'lie staff liave been continually employed on contracts in progress, spread!ng, blinding, and top-dressing with screenings, attending to all works necessary in laying down a new road. Suitable labor not being plentiful to carry on the work satisfactorily, we ire not able to keep up with the blinding and screenings for top-dressing at times. While working the water-cart on contract No. 2!)o we had the misfortune to break the axle of the cart, so I had, a i'/i-mch axle made in place of the old one, which was 1%-inch. I consider this will be more suitable for the work. I also had a sheet of iron I had on hand dressed into a stationary shtite, to iwork under the jaws of tile crusher, so that the crushed metal could run into the elevator without any vibration, making it much easier for the elevator to collect any crushed metal, and not bo much waste. During the past month M. Colley delivered OS2 yards of crushed metal and 101 yards of screenings for the Main South lioad. Through the contractor not being able to get sufnticnt iabor, lie is beginning to let the work drag to some extent, the plant not being kept going to its full capacity. BRIDGE FOREMAN'S REPORT. Bridge No. 23 has been completed, and the Taungatara bridge, Eithain Road, has been strengthened. Repairs are being effected to the Punehu bridge. There is considerable dilliculty in securing the stays, owing to the timber being in a decayed condition in the superstructure. When repairs are effected to this bridge, it will only be safe lor light trallie. All heavy motor trallic will have, to be suspended until y u ur Council can have this bridge rebuilt. '

.Report on Crushing Plant and Roller. —L'p io the Cth January 1 was engaged putting in two new jaws, etc. On Jannary Bth .we shifted out to Oaonui River. On January 10 we started crushing. Owing to the new jaw, progress was slow for three clays. On Monday, 15th January, a Li-bolt broke in the crusher, which delayed us for nine hours. For the month's crushing, the tallying average (metal and screenings) was 72 yards per day. During the month the roller has been engaged rolling and scarifying the Main South Koad, Kahotu Riding. ! FLAX ON THE ROADSIDE. Mr. M. J. Lynakey, manager of the Fanners' Co-operative, wrote, drawing attention to the llax growing on the rcadside between Opunake and 'Piliama. From information given to him, it appeared that frequently, when drovers were in charge of stock en route from the saleyards, a cow would dive into the flax and squat, and it was pointed out that it was a simple tiling for the driver, howcvei careful, to drive on anil not miss the stock.

Cr. J. Young considered the flax was doing no harm; in fact, it was an ornament to the road, and would cost something to remove. Cr. Dudley pointed out that the drovers left at twilight, and if tliey lost cattle it was not the Council's business. There were one or two bushes overhanging the metal-way, which should .be removed.

Cr. Campbell said the Council should not leave any obstacles on the road. '.Phe Chairman said there were no obstacles. Either the cattle, the dogs, or th- drovers had deteriorated of lute, as he could remember the time when they could drive cattle through to Hawera when there was all llax and no road. Personally, he was delighted to drive along a road where there was ilax, which added to the natural beauty. Cr. Maclieynolds said it might be a matter of taste, but he preferred flax to blackberry.* It .was stated that, with the present scarcity of labor, it would be impossible to sell the flax. On the motion of the Chairman and Cr. McNeill, it was resolved that the foreman be instructed to remove any llax obstructing the view of motor-cars on the road. A RATEPAYER'S CLAIM. In regard to Mr. L. Layman's claim For injuries to a cow through falling into a gravel pit at Pungareliii. Foreman Newport reported that the pit was on Mr. Layman's property, and w«o opened up by contractors many years ago, when the road was first -.'orme,! and metalled, but since then the Council had used, the jit for getekg niainionau.ee

nietaj, on different occasions. Though not killed outright, the cow was seriously injured, am i may ], avc to be destroyed. He recommended that the pit should lie ring- fenced, to prevent a similar accident, in future. The matter was held over until next meeting. In the meantime the Chairman and C'r. Young \v[ll make inquiries, with a view to ascertaining whether any loyalty hart been paid out of the pit, The Council were anxious to do justice to the matter. COMPLAINT RE CONTRACT. Foreman M. Corrigan reported that the lull quantity of metal had been de-\ llvcred. on contract No. 2!>l, Kitham Koad, as would be borne out by ret'er--1 enoe to the tally made by the machinery ! engineer. Councillors considered 'that this was very satisfactory. It had been reported that when the dray was transferred to another fading, that foreman had had to put li-hnch battens, on the dray to make it up to the required measurement. The Chairman said that there was* hardly a contract foul what it was said that the County was being swindled. These roports could be settled better by local inquiry, and, if found necessary, could be brought before the Council. The report will be referred, to the foreman of the Riding, AtmOA ROAD. The draft agreement between the El-, tham and Egrosnt County Councils regarding trie control of the Auroa boundary road was read, and the Chairman. Cr.s Dudley and Macßeynolds were appointed to sign and seal the same. It was also stated that steps were being taken to raise a loan of £ISOO as the Egmont ratepayers', share of the cost of metalling the Auroa Road. A RESOLUTION RESCINDED. Cr. Young, pursuant to notice of motion, moved—J'That the resolution passed ; at a previous meeting of the Council, to | the effect that Mr. Marshall, solicitor, should be given no more of the Council's work owing to his having taken up a case against the Council, be rescinded." The motion was seconded by Cr. W. R. Wright, and Carried without discussion. THE HARBOR AND THE ROADS. A letter was read from Mr. A. H. Moore, stating that he had been asked to prove a statement made bl him to th'j effect that a harbor at Opunake wouid moan a .saving yearly in road maintenance to the County of £ 1200. He estimated that from Opunake to the north boundary the present ton mileage was 3<J,2!NJ, and the maintenance of the road was £2OOO. This meant that the maintenance was Is 0.02 d per ton mile. When the port was provided, the ton mileage would bo 2G.S-.i5, which meant, at the same ratet, £I3OB in maintenance, or a saving of £032. On the Eltham Road the ton mileage would be the same, viz., 7005 and 7-122, but on the Soutk Road to Hawera the estimated tonnage of 7505 cost £llOO maintenance, or 2s 10.7 M per mile. If diverted to Opunake it was estimated that it .would be 5027 ton miles, or .1728, a saving of £372, or a total saving ou the two roads of £IOO4.

The Chairman remarked that the premises were wrong, because if the harbor were provided traffic would increase on the roads, not diminish. His factory at I'migarehu would certainly use the port of Opunake if it could ship its produce cheaper that way.

Cr. Macßeynolds: If these figures are correct, it is an argument against the harbor. The subject then dropped. GENERAL. The Minister of notified that the men who had enlisted in the Motor Boat Patrol Service did so voluntarily, and willi a full knowledge of the conditions as regards pay. This being so, he could not see bis way clear to reegmmend to the Government that they should be placed upon the same basis as men o f our reinforcements. The overseer recommended that the Ss accrued thirds on Weka Street, Te Kiri, be expended in digging a ditch on the northern side of Weka Street.

The Committee reported that the tender of James Hiekey at 7s 6d per yard had been accepted for the supply ot beach shingle for the Koleoteo bridge. Foreman F. Newport (Ralhdtu, Northern) reported that lie had inspected the new ferro-concrete bridge over the Waiweranui River. Cracks in one of the pillars were' discernible, and the rails had opened up through a contractor's, bullock team having swerved off and struck the bridge. These cracks had. been previously caused'by one of the Council's teajtts w.hcn rolling tiie rood. The contractor who caused the da-mage this time had promised, to e/l'ect repairs. Mr. A. G. Bennett, Manaia, wrote that the delay in clearing the gorse off* Mr. Taylor's frontage, Oeo, was due to shortage of labor, but a start had now been made with the work.

The Taranaki Hospital and Charitable Aid Board asked that payment of levies for January, February, and March should: he made as early as possible, to the .Government subsidy to be claimed by March 31. Booth, McDonald and Co. notified that the Austin road-roller would arrive within five months. Cr. McNeill doubtedg whether, under present arrangements, it' would be here witiiin a year. He suggested that they 'should purchase the secondhand roller from Waimate West County Council. Several ratepayers on the Oeo Road-, petitioned ,the Council, and asked that a piece of the Oeo Road should be' 1 metalled.—Tenders are to be called for metalling about 25 chains of the road. Cr. Campbell brought up the state of the Wu-Uno Road, three-quarters of a mile of which had .been scarified several weeks ago, but nothing further had since been done, it was decided to call on the contractor to proceed with the work within seven days. Later a letter was received from the contractor, stating that he had been in hospital, but would proceed with the work within a week.