EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 April 1917, Page 2

EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary meeting of the Egmont County Council was held at Opunake yesterday, when there were present: Crs. M. Fleming (chairman), R. W. J. McNeill, S. Campbell, W. R. Wright, S. Forsyth, M. J. Meßeynold% J. Young, T. Harvey, and W. C. Dudley. ■ FOREMEN'S REPORTS. The various foremen's reports ivere read as follows: Oeo Riding (Southern Division).—The hands have been engaged principally 011 contract work in progress, spreading, counter-sinking, and trimming in new lengths of metal. I have also replaced an old wooden culvert near Mr Alan's with a line of two-foot pipes. Mr Ilikaka has completed contract No. 305. Nopera road, and Mr G. Kehely has completed contract No. 309, Oeo road. Mr Madgwick has started his contract 011 the Main South road for crushed boulders, and will be ready to start as soon as the crushing plant is available. The contractor, H. Munro, has completed contract No. 303, Watino roaify having pushed the work through with expedition, the material supplied being the best class of gravel I have handled. 1 have been advised by your clerk that some exception has been taken at last meeting to the manner in which the specification? had been carried out on this contract. In reply to which I may state that they have been carried out in the same -manner on this as on all other gravelling contracts in this or the other division of this riding, the same specification having been in use ever since I 1 have been in the employ of the Council. On this contract a great deal more than the average quantity of stone has been delivered in the gravel, and a quantity of the large boulders from the pit have been sprawled down and delivered higher up the road than the present contract, which I propose to crush in the winter to metal a steep grade where gravel would not be obtainable owing to the scour, and I would strongly recommend procuring another hundred yards to make it worth while bringing the crusher up the road, thus providing sufficient metal to cover the spot mentioned. I am certainly at a loss to understand how any councillor could take exception to the material used or the manner of carrying out the works 011 this contract. I have never heard the slightest complaint from any ratepayer on the road, Oeo Riding (Northern Division).—The staff in this division have been employed at. general, surface .work,' cleaning ford and water-tables, and spreading gravel, etc. Tho roads treated were the Eltliam, Opunake-Stratford, Kiri,, and Watino. H. Munro has completed contract No. -292, Eltham road, having delivered ' '2ooyds of boulder stone for maintenance. D. J. Kehely has completed contract No. 307, Kiri road, having delivered 000 yds of pit gravel. D. J. Kehely has also made a start on contract No. 308 on the Watino road, and has delivered 400 yds of pit gravel, and weather permitting, this contract will be finished in a few days. 1 have had the notices put up at the Punelin bridge, 011 tin? Eltham road, and a light erected at each end of the bridge and also had the ford fenced off. Minor repairs have been done to the Pmiehu bridge! lUUiam road. Rahotu (Southern) and Ominake Ridings—The staff has been ' engaged at blinding patching, and water-tabling on Ma.iji South and Eltham roads. The culvert and filling 011 Main 8n»lli road has been completed and ford at Maungahume, 011 Eltham road, is near completion. On the evening of the 1-tith, last month, a motor lorry went through the decking of bridge No. 21, and I had to engage a night shift to effect repairs, the next day being race day. J was laid up for a day or so through catching a cliill at Koteoteo bridge, working at night, but performed light duties. [ recommend calling tenders for 170vds crushed metal for Opunake Riding, re-metal Waiaua hill, etc., which is in a had state, and for-464yds crushed boulder stone to i?ahotu Riding (Northern Division).— The staff In this division have been continually employed on contracts. Contract No. 290 having been completed,. \V. 11. Julian delivering 580vds crushed metal and 60yds screenings 011 this contract, we are now employed on contract No. 301 at Waiweranui River. W. H. Julian having delivered 832 yds crushed metal and 108 yds screenings at the end of March. Weather permitting, tins contract should be completed in about a fortnight's time. While -employed pn

contract No. 301, we had the misfortune to bend the crankshaft of the crusher through beinjj overheated, and had to send it to the New Plymouth Foundry to lie straightened. I have not yet been able to procure labor to carry' out deviation work at the crossing of the Oaonui River along the Wirnmu road; however, f will have this work attended to at first opportunity. Two sets of pipe culverts between the Kahui and Newall road will also be attended to. BRIDGE FOREMAN'S REPORT. Bridge No. 21 will he completed in about a week or so. Bridge No. 23—repairs are being effected to this bridge. Oil Thursday night, March l'fi, one of the Taranaki motor lorries smashed in the decking of the Koteoteo bridge. It took us all night and until daylight to effect repair; for traffic. The driver of the motor lorry disregarded the notices erected at the bridge. I may mention that this lorry was carrying about live tons at the time of the smash. REPORT ON CRUSHING PLANT, The crusher has been engaged on contract No. 299; the same was completed in D'/j, days, the tally being 'sßoyds crushed metali, . and 00yds screening. Eleven days live hours oil contract No. 301). the tally being 832 yds metal, 100 yds screenings, ,On Monday, March 19, I took the crankshaft out of the crusher and took it to New 'Plymouth. The) roller has been on the same contracts rolling and scarifying. It was decided to procure the 100 yds of metal required for Watino road. " Metal required by the Rahotu Southern foreman was held over for a month. THE PUNEHU BRIDGE. Mr E. C. Robinson, engineer, stated that plans and specifications had been prepared for the renewal of the Punehu bridge. As some considerable time must elapse before a new bridge was in existence, he considered that jome further strengthening was an absolute necessity, and be strongly recommended that the foreman should be authorised to strut the bridge and effect other repairs. Diseusison took place over the need for effecting temporary repairs to the bridge. It was stated that despite the bridge being placarded as closed, traffic w'is "still using it, and that on one occasion a motor lorry containing 00 fullweight bacon pigs had been driven over the bridge, causing it to sink even more. Tin* clerk remarked that traffic, even foot traffic, used the bridge now at its own risk. A councillor remarked that the person using the bridge with heavy traffic risked his own life) but there wbb also to be considered the inconvenience that would be caused to light traffic were the bridge to collapse. Cr. McNeill stated that while the ford was fit for light traffic, it would hot permit of heavy motor wagon traflic proceeding towards Eltham, as there was a two-foot drop. The ford required some attention. After some further discussion, a committee, consisting of Crs. Mcßeynolds, McNeil), and Campbell, was appointed to, visit the bridge, with power to act. Cr. Dudley a shod ■what the Council's position would be in case of accident, bejause it must be recognised that as long as the bridge was there, traffic would use it. The chairman reiterated that people used the bridge at their own risk. Mr Collins waited on the Council and stated that shingle was being taken near the ford, and he asked that his royalty should be protected. Since the Council had removed the gatest.he had no protection. Cr. McNeill said the Council had power to prevent the removal of shingle' closo to any bridge. It was resolved to advertise that the Council would not allow any stone to be removed without permission, and the foreman was asked to keep an eye on the matter. Later, Cr. McNeill pointed out that the Council had a credit in the present bridge loan, and he suggested that the money should be utilised to rebuild the Punehu bridge, which otherwise would not be built this season. The chairman pointed out that that balance could not be diverted from the bridges for the re-erection of which it was borrowed. The Warea bridge was' in just as bad a state, and there were also several bridges in the Oeo Riding that were specified in the £SOOO loan, of which this money was the balance.

NEW CRUSHER. Messrs Booth, 'McDonald & Co., Ltd., submitted specifications and prices for a portable stone crusher. Cr. W. R. Wright stated that he had approached the firm when in New Plymouth, as lie felt that the time had arrived when a new crusher should bo secured. He considered that the old crusher .had outlived its usefulness, and delayed the work by so many breakdowns it could not keep up with the •work. ' The chairman stated that throughout the season the crusher had not worked well,, but since it had been repaired in New Plymouth it had been doing good work. Unless they got oil quicker now than in the past, they would never get through the work this year. The work in the northern end had not been finished as soon n* expected, and the crusher was now mauled down on the southern end. . Cr. Voting: You want two crushers, j The chairman said that there was also the question whether it was good policy at the present time to procure a new crusher, when the cost won! 1 he so much higher, and when it would be doubtful whether they .would be able-to secure labor to work it. lie thought that they should try lo get on as Veil as they could with the present plant. Cr. Wright pointed out that if the Council had had another crusher all the work in the Geo riding-would have been completed, and the crusher would be back at- Opua. The chairman said that the source of some (u the delay was that many ol their contracts were in small quantities. The contractors generally found at the last that they were short in quantity, and delayed the crusher waiting for stone, Cr. Campbell stated that a number of contractors thought that it would be better to let coiitracors lind their own crushing plant. The chairman remarked that this might suit big contractors, but small contractors could not find their own crusher. Cr. Wright staled that one crusher could -lie worked by the roller and the other by the engine, Cr, Young agreed that there should be a crusher at each end of the county. No action was taken, RIDI.VG BALANCES. The clerk,reported that the riding balances were as follows: Geo, credit, £2B

7s; Opunake, credit.- I>2 14s 7d; Rahotu South, debit .£'l is 3 lid; , Rahotu North, debit;. £'.Vjl Gs Bd. Members, expressed appreciation of position shown. Cr. Campbell said that they should consider the question of tarring the roads. Jr. Wright: Every three years the roads require scarifying, Cr. McNeill said that he would not vote for any extraordinary expenditure until a qualified engineer was employed. The chairman thought that the question of tarrii'g should he held over until they were discussing next year's rates, 'rawing had now passed the experimental stage. Cr. Wright considered that it would i)e advisable to ra isn a loan for tarring. A COIIPBEHENSIiVE BRIDGE LOAN. Mr E. C. Robin son), engineer (Stratford) reported having inspected the wooden bridges in the county and submitted a report on their condition and the cost of their renewal in reinforced concrete. A little over U) years ago, he had reported on all bridges over 30-foot span, Four 'were renewed in steel, two in reinforced concrete, and to the remainder he gave a life up to 10 years longer if certain repays were carried out. His recent inspection had in the main confirmed that report, though in a few individual cases the structures, as lar as durability was concerned, had outlived the period assigned to them. During the last 10 years, however, a new, and important feature in connection with bridge loading had come into operation. This was motor traflic, and in particular that section consisting of heavy motor lorries, carrying from six to eight tons and travelling at high speed. This class of traffic was nowcommon and was an eyer-increasirtg factor, with the result that even those ■wooden structures which 'ivere more or less sound were far too light in design to safely carry what was required, Whilst the remainder, from this point of view, were in a dangerous condition. As far as possible, the arched type had been adhered to. The estimates were based on present prices. Detailed measurements of all the bridges and sites had been taken, so that when renewals were trom time to time decided on, the necessary information would be available, i The report would give an approximately correct estimate of the total expenditure that the county must face in order to renew the whole of its wooden bridges. He gave details of the .bridges, i with the present, condition, which ranged from rotten, dangerous, unsafei, unsound, to too light in design, and the cost of renewal as follows: " ' Rahotu Northern—Waitapuae £4O, Matenehunehu £320, Wairononia '£!<], Teekaparua £620, Mangaone branch £35, Waitekauri £33, Otaki £125, Waitotoroa £550), iPuhina £35, Waitaka £250, Rautini £2OO, Piingarere .£230, Okahu £IOOO, llaunkaheke £35, Moutoti £175, Oaoiti £SOO, Oaoiti South £35; total £4523. Rahotu Southern—Humaiha '£575, half cost Otahi £237, Maungahume £OSO, half cost Taungarata £350, Maungahume B £l5O, Maungalinme branch £l9O, Maungahume £7OO, Waiteika £2OO, half cost Taunsat#ra '£33o', total, £3352. ■ Oeo •Southern—Half cost Taungatara £350, Punehu £I2OO, Ourl £SOO, 'Oeo £000; total £2900. Oeo Northern—Half cost Taungatara £3-50, Punehu £ISOO, ,Kiri road £225 Kiri culvert £3O, Kiri bridge £35, Oeo road £175, Quri-Oeo road £2o()> Q uri . Opunnke road £500; total £3005. Opun vce—Half cost of Otahi, £'3g. The total cost for the county was thus £ 14,438. The clerk stated that he had written to the Advances Department relative to raising the loan of £15,000, but was informed that the limit to any local body was £SOOO. It was suggested that the Council should apply to the Public Trust Office. They were limited to &'/ 4 per cent, interest, with 1. per cent, sinking fund. B

Cr, Dudley: What would be the position if the ratepayers do not sanction tlie loan? ■The chairman said that as reasonable men all recognised its necessity. It would bo advisable to obtain tlie loan lor as long a period as possible, because tac bridges would "be permanent. Steps will bo talcen to raise the loan from the Government, if possible, Mr E. 0. Robinson, in the course of a communication regarding the.-bridge loan proposals* stated that he understood the general opinion of the Council was to undertake -the work by day. labor; indeed, this would be the only practicable method assuming that an effort was to be made to standardise the works as much as .possible and to go in for labor- ■ saving plant, such a sa concrete mixer etc. He pointed out the need for careful supervision, and offered to arrange «it.i the Council to carry out the whole or its works (bridge renewals included) on a salary basis. "* ■ GENERAL' T' l ?.,';'® l * that the proprietor of a billiard saloon at Rahotu and of one saloon at Opunake had neglected to apply for renewals of licenses, despite a notification forwarded by himself The police are to be informed. ' j . The necessary resohition was passed m connection with the lifting of £IOOO of the -bridge lonn No. 2. Tin-aii Timiihana was granted a li. for a bdliard-room at (Jpunake. I lie band Hoard notified its approval » l»' proposals for the expediting of the tin,Js amounting to Bs, accruing at , ni'i: U i'' . IVOI, of Land Eevnne lotil I II payment' of the' amount to the Council s credit. .1 lie Opnnalie Town Board was granted the use 0l the crushing plant for two Jl'i.vs, as 50,,,, a , it „. il3 availab , ba( . nQ ■'l Wil \ !uiw out of its being available toi some time. tha V ni : iL S (l lm p' olia I >,ain -/ai>tain, wrote ■ - * ... tin Council for its donation of for A' i r provision of comforts fo till soldiers on the troop-ships. n statins that he unduMood that 19, of which lie snb . • i •' "' RS ." oI> sufficient to make a n - lol ' 0 el; a street, Te Kiri. He lierefore asked the Council to grant a 1(1(1 '■>"'( " f r £i ' U> wlliL ' l ' he wo " ld av!n n T% ' mking an adlli tional ili .».!liable for expenditure. mu V V ?> n^°p' e ' 1 t0 accedp t0 ,ll(! re " belie- 'i" i H vnolds stllli "S that lie themsdve" who hd >«» oil T co«ildThi. WOint f <l OUt tl!#t the CO.IBOf alterim? n, con «"ler the question if (h-eni, i l • T° Se " tation of ridings moiitli. atlvi3able -—lieferred till nert n Q frv ?." r " oss ' of the Ware a 2 the' Council » „ " to allow the comhalfa » w? cril,hcr and for for o'vn- a'/" -roller and scarifier Zz\: da - vi om the fact -'y * us3 iswm