MOA ROAD BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 February 1917, Page 7

MOA ROAD BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. ' The monthly meeting of the Moa Road Board was held at Inglewood on Saturday. Mr. H. Trimblo presided, and others present were:—Messrs. A. E, Laurence, J. Hunter, T. Bowler, J. W. Henwood, J. Hucker and J. Williams. Mr J Hunter, a new member, was welcomed to the Board The chairman mentioned that tho clerk, Mr. R. Buckley was attending an officers' refresher camp at Wanganui. OVERSEER'S REPORT. The overseer, Mr. W. R. Davies, reported that, as instructed, the washout on Mangaone Road had been attended to. The crushing plant was shifted to Durham Road East on January 18, and Rowan and Thomason's boulder contracts had been crushed. As instructed, an extra 33 cubic yards of boulders were got out and crushed. This, with Rowan and Thomason's 114 cubic yards and 34 cubic yards of knapped metal, had been used in re-coating 30 chains, and had been rolled in and blinded. On February 1 the crushing plant was shifted to Suffolk Road, and Rowan and Thomason's contract of 98 yards had been crushed and put on the road. There were two unmetalled places, one a break in the metal of seven chains and one piece from the end of Norfolk Road of three chains. This was in a very bad condition, and the settlers offered to ' give free labor if the Board would metal the strips. With the chairman's consent, the boulders had been carted out, and the forming and metalling was nearly completed. Five of the settlors had assisted. The, pl»«it will be shifted from Suffolk Road about February 20. W. Thomason had asked for the crushing plant for two days to crush at the Makatawa on the Junction Road, From Durham West. The contractor there we will be shifting to the end of for Lepper Road is making good progress, and hopes to start metalling on Monday. The timber and ironwork for Motukawa bridge have been delivered. The bridge-builders expect to finish Work at the Mangorei factory in about a fortnight's time, and will then mak* a start with the bridge. At the June" 1 tion of Kohete and Tariki roads the drain has been opened and the pipes put in as per arrangement with the Taranaki County Council. General maintenance has been done on the following roads:—Yqrk, Richmond, Bristol, Mangaone, Toi Toi. Kufiara, Ratapiko, Salisbury, Ross, Norfolk East and West, Dudley East and West, and Bedford North and South. ) BRIDGE ON RUGBY RQAD. Since the last meeting of the Board the settlers on Rugby road were circularised and asked whether th'ey would agree to the raising of a loan for the purpose of defraying the cost of new concrete bridge to replace the present structure on Rugby road, which was considered to be dangerous for traffic. Mr. J. Butler, Ngatoro, wrote refusing to agree to the loan owing to their being no outlet to his property on Rugby road. The chairman said Mr. Butler was not concerned. Those ratepayers ha had approached had agreed to the loan. He proposed to call a meeting of settlers to discuss the position. LEPPER ROAD SOUTH. With regard to Lepper Road South, a sub-committee reported having failed to make satisfactory arrangements for.letting a contract for re-metalllng this road. A meeting of settlers was called and arrangements were made with thetii to supply eight men_ to work throughout the contract at a wage of lis per day of eight hours. Subsequently, a tender was put in by Mr. J. N. Neilßon, at 10s 6d per cubic yard. This was accepted by the committee. Arrangements had been madt. to get the use of the Stratford Borough Council's crushing plant in connection wtih the wort.. The committee's action was confirmed. It was resolved, at the instance of the chairman, to raise the additional 10 per cent, on the Lepper Road South loan The Stratford Borough Council advised that the Board could have- the use of the crushing plant until April 30. PROTEST FROM RATEPAYERS. Fifteen ratepayers on the Lepper Road South, wrote protesting against the action of the Board in using the 130 yards of boulders at the top end of tho road between the bridge and the hall, as they considered they were entitled to the stone on the main part where the loan is to be spent, as the loan money? might barely cover tho cost of re-metalling. The chairman moved, and Mr. Laurence seconded, "That the ratepayers on Lepper Road be informed that the Board had made arrangements for re-metalling out of rates the' portion of Lepper Road between the Mangaoraka bridge and the, Egmont Road after consultation with the ratepayers themselves, and that the reason given in the petition is not sufficient to cause the Board to alter its decision."—Carried. GENERAL. ' The chairman's action in authorising extra metal for Durham West and Ross Roads, and in taking action against W. Thomason for removing shingle from the Board's pipe depot was confirmed. The Board resolved to keep open the position of J. Bowler, the Board's engine driver, who has been drawn in the ballot.