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CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

. MONTHLY MEETING. lilt; Clifton County Council met at Waitara yesterday. Those present were: Cn. K. H. Pigo'tt (chairman), R. T. Hicks, H. M. Purdie, W. Old, S. J. Kennington, A. M. Bower and 11. Sander. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer (Mr. C. F. Dowsett) resorted as follows: Waihi Riding.—The teams have been hauling boulders as opportunity offered. If labor can be obtained and the carting price is suitable, the Inland North road will be metalled during the current month. It is also expected that the grader will shortly be available for work on the .Oliauga and other roads. Up to the present no suitable man has'been obtained for the riding, and the Tikorangi foreman is assisting in the meantime. Tikorangi Riding— TJie boulder contract is proceeding, and I would recommend an extension of time, and also an extension of the quantity by another 200 yards, .which is urgently required. The grader is expected to arrive at any time, and labor has been arranged to form up the Otaraoa road. Ngatimaru Riding. —The protective work in connection with the Matan creek low-level bridge has been lot, and tl'.e preliminary work is in hand. Tiie grader has completed the necessary work at Matau and been transferred to Tarata. The neeesary timbers for repairs tc bridges on the Junction, Autawa and Pita roads have been ordered, and will shortly be available. The boundary bridge at Tarata has been examined, and will receive the necessary attention in the near future. The steel bridge over the Kakara will also be chipped, cleaned and re-painted. A decision as to the method of spanning the Mangamaire creek on the South Matau road, in place of the present understrut, should be arrived ajyr so that the necessary plans may bfTpropnred. The Mangamaire road bridge could bo dismantled as soon as labor is available to drive the tunnel. The work of widening the MatauKiore «■• '■]'" can also be proceeded with when !■ ! enn be obtained, as the money is a\ ib!e. Other bridges at Puraugi and Matau have also been examined, so that when bridge work proceeds in this district its continuity may be assured. Urentf Riding.—Work is proceeding in metalling the Moerangi road. On tin: Kaipikari road the grader has been active in improving the formation. I deemed it advisable in the Council's interests to call tenders for metal carting in this riding, and such close to-day. All

bridges on the Okoke and Piko roads have been examined. The bridge near the metal face on the Piko road has been rebuilt, and timber ordered for necessary repairs. to all other bridges in this locality. Mokrfu Riding.—The metalling contract on the Mokau road is in progress, but the number of teams have not been up to expectations, and there is still an element of doubt as to whether there is sufficient metal to cover the gap. The gauge ic good, and the man in charge of the engine has everything running smoothly. Upon completion, the plant will proceed to the Uruti road depot. Owing to the large amount of work required on the Main road, the foreman cannot possibly be spared for work elsewhere without serious consequences to the road under his charge. Owing to so much metal traffic, I deemed it advisable to alter the bridge programme in this district for the present, which is indicated by the bridge foreman's presence in other ridings. An inspection of the Tongaporutu wharf was made and levels and all data taken and plans for a new .composite structure in hardwood and concrete are in course of preparation. I visited the Mangatoro road with a view of sanding some bad portions, but understood that the Government are now putting the road in order preparatory to gazetting it to this Council; the county work is, therefore, postponed for the present. An application for thirds expenditure on the Upper Okau road, and also a similar request on the Boar road, will be given effect to. Tentative arrangements have been made for sanding certain sections between Schmidt's and the factory at an early date, whilst the conditions of the Tc- Reinga, Kiwi, Boar and Kotare bridges were again under review and their condition noted. On the Pukearuhe road the formation is proceeding, and further additions to the metal have been made. The report was adopted. TECHNICAL SCHOOL. I xJio question whether the Council'

should contribute towards the cost of erecting a technical school at Waitava was discussed as the result of a letter received from the promoters asking for assistance. Cr. Bower moved that the Council could not see its way to contribute. Cr. Bower considered that the school .would b.> of no use to children of the Clifton county. He questioned whether the Council was legally in the position to contribute. Further, at this time of war none but necessary expenditure should he incurred. Besides, the Council was only concerned with roads and bridges. Cr. Sander seconded, and said he did not believe the ratepayers woudd endorse their action if they contributed. Cr. Kennington said that if the school were erected at Urenui or somewhere so that Clifton county children could be benefited he would support the payment of a donation. The chairman said there was no doubt that the Council had power to contribute. He was in favor of the Council assisting the scheme, because it was a good cause. The war had proved the tabic of technical instruction. Cr. Purdie supported the chairman and moved that £lO be donated. The chairman ruled that this vw a direct negative, and therefore was not an amendment. Cr. Old questioned whether the Council was in a position to pay. On the vote being taken,'the motion was carried, the chairman and Cr. 'Purdie dissenting. DUTY ON MOTOR TYRES. A circular was received from the Mackenzie County Council asking the Council to co-operate in support of the following resolution—"That the Government be asked to impose a Customs duty of not less than 10 per cent, ad valorem on motor tyres, the money so collected to be refunded to local bodies for the upkeep of roads, on the basis cf capital value or such manner as the Government may deem equitable. 7 ' The resolution was proposed on the grounds that the tax could be collected by the present Customs staff at no additional expense; that it would be a fair tax, as those using the road most would have to pay the greatest amount of tax; and that the tax would tend to the use of the best tyres, tnose of British make. The resolution was endorsed. MANGAOPA ROAD. Messrs Webb, O. Dowrnan and Mounsey, of Purangi, waited on the Council and asked it to' put the Mangaopa road, which had been seriously damaged by recent floods, in order. The bridge had been swept away, and there were several wash-outs. It was stated that the Government had granted £SOO towards the cost of renewing the'bridge ami repairing other damage. The settlers were prepared to help with labor at current rates if necessary. ' The engineer was instructed to prepare plans for the bridge, and the Council promised to start with the necessary work as soon as possible. GOVERNMENT GRANTS. The Council was invited to co-oper-ate with the Waiapu County Council and other bodies in an endeavor to bring about the abolition of the system of Government grants for roads as now in operation, and to have substituted for it some system more acceptable to local bodies and county settlers generally. Cr. Bower said there had been more bother over this question of grants than anything else. Votes were made, but the grants were often delayed, or not given at all. The chairman said the matter had been brought up year after year. The Waiapu Council had not suggested a practicable substitution. The clerk (Mr. H. E. Vaughan) 1 said grants could be made in accordance with the immediate needs of the local bodies. It was resolved to heartily support ilie terms of the letter, and to co-oper-ate with the writers in connection with the proposal. GENERAL. Mr. G. H. Bullard, Commissioner of Crown Lands, asked the Council to consider spending about £7 in thirds to cut out the scrub which was blocking up the grade road leading from Kotare to the Mt. Dampier-Mangapapa road,— Referred to the engineer. The Resident Engineer of the Public Works Department wrote advising that the Department could not pay' more than lis per day for men employed in connection with the expenditure of Government grants. It was mentioned that a number of county employees were receiving 12s. If it came to the point, the Council would pay the extra, shilling. The letter was allowed to lay on the table. The engineer and Cr. Bower reported that excellent progress was being made with the breaking of metal at the pit at Uruti. The Comptroller of Customs advised the Council that £llO 12s, being duty at 20 per cent, ad valorem on the motor road roller recently imported by the Council was being forwarded to the Treasury for payment to the Council. Preferential duty ( t:.') 1 ' 0s) and primage (.C5 10s 7d) were not re-payable.—Re-ceived. The chairman proposed, and it was carried, that the necessary steps be taken to close the Wilson road at Urenui. Two tenders for carting metal at Urenui were received, but they were declined.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19170303.2.10

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Taranaki Daily News, 3 March 1917, Page 3

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,562

CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL. Taranaki Daily News, 3 March 1917, Page 3

CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL. Taranaki Daily News, 3 March 1917, Page 3

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