ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 May 1917, Page 3

ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary monthly meeting of th<: Eltham County Council was held at Eltham on Saturday, when there were present: Messrs C. J. Belcher (chairman), J. Granville, E. J. Gilford, C. E. MeGuinness, A. C. Pease, A. McWilliam, D. Black, A. Messana and A. Campbell. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer presented his report, as follows: South Riding.—General maintenance work lias been done. New pipe culverts have been put in on Dalzeill and Boylan roads. The swing bridge on the Neill road is in hand, but is at present held up pending arrival of wire rope. liaponga Riding: Usual routine work has been done. That portion of the Eltham road between the town boundary and the Rowan road should be sprayed as soon as tar is available. Sand is in readiness. Mangawheroiti bridge: I inspected this bridge in company with Mr. Tosswill. The bridge is some 30 years old and being constructed of totara, the timber is naturally brittle with age. There are no signs of decay in the superstructure, but the decking will require attention from tiino to time. There is a slight deflection in the top chord of the upstream truss. This is probably causea by overloading at some time. The bridge is at present under strutted, and provided no excessive loads are passed over it it should last until such time as it is possible to economically renew it in concrete.

Mangatoki Biding: Portions of the Hastings and Eltliam roads have been tar sprayed. The balance of tliis work has been held tip on account of the shortage of tar. The Railway Department lias resumed carting this material, so it is just possible tlmt this season's work may be completed before the winter. Eltliam Riding: The Itawhitiroa road between the borough boundary and thfc Btore shows signs of requiring tar spraying without loss of time, and I am afraid that if this is not done before tho winter sets in the road will go back very considerably. The shingle for the apron at the Patoa bridge is delivered but the weather has been too nnset'ied to permit the work being completed Omoana Riding: The material for

cottage at Moeroa is on the site and Mr. Whiting is going out at once to erect some. The contract on tiie Karpwa road is completed and taken over, the same applies to the contract for the removal of slips. General: Attached hereto are estimate's for the year ending March 31. 1918. The vrrks tint are most urgent are shown in detail, and ovcry effort-should be made-to carry them out. Mr. Tosswill commenced his duties on the Ist instant, and has now a good grasp of the general running of rame. The following recommendations are worthy of your earnest consideration: The procuring cf a second fiveton lorry for heavy work end also one of two tons capacity for lighter work. The use of the'latter will render possible the centralisation of the. control of all roads within a radius of ten or miles of. Kltiiam. thus ensuring bolter and .more economical work. The purchase of a hot asphalt mixer beforeany further tar mrfcadam work is undertaken. The substitution of a light motor roller for one of the steam rollers, Tho car to lie overhauled and varnished. AM fences to fillings and bridges and culvert. n to bo renewed in con. Crete as becomes necessary. A careful investigation of the merits of the C-ali-fornian bitumen as compared with tar, with a view to its use when freights become more reasonable. The yards to be connected with telephone service. Tim 3'langatoromiro creeks to be straightened and widened.

It was resolved, to placard the Manga• wheroiti bridge as unsafe for heavy traffic.

Crs. Black and Pease moved that the council tako steps to raise a loan of .€IOOO for the bridge and £SOO for the Aurea road. An amendment by Crs. Messana and MeWilliam that the matter be deferred for a month was passed. Cr. MeWilliam referred to the. cost of clearing slips in the Omona. He understood that four man lmd received £loft rioinir work that only took a fortnight. This only showed the tendency to make the cost of work in the backblocks as high as possible.

Mr. Easham said the. Government estimate was £75, and the council received .1 subsidy of £ for £ up to that amount, The m?n asked £l2O, but''ho let the work at £IOO. It was a case of either giving that amount or leaving the road blocked. From the time the work was let until he inspected it was five weeks. ' Mr. Tosswill, the engineer, estimated it, would cost £350 to straighten the Mangatoromiro creek, and it was decided that the mgincer should report on the whole drainage matter at next meeting. The engineer was also instructed to attend to various matters in the Omona district. ESTIMATES FOR THE YEAR. Mr. F. Basham submitted an estimate of proposed expenditure for tho year ending March 31, 1918—a total of £lO,340, as follows: Omona Riding: Removing slips, repairing flood damage and general maintenance, £SOO. Kltham Riding: Rawhitiroa road, tar spraying 3 miles, £500; Mangawhero road, re-facing and tar sealing 1 mile J share, £300: Mountain road, tar spraying 70 chains, £00; Rawhitiroa road, Mangagingi, refacing 1 .nile, £400; general maintenance and wages £500; total £IBSO. South Riding: Mountain road, refacing between-Dalzic.il and Eoylan roads and tar sealing 1 mile, at £fl per chain, £720; Bcylan road, scarifying and rolling two and a half miles, £100; RotoItare ar.d Fraser road:, refacing three miles, at £li per chain, £1440; Manga-, whero road, refacing and tar sealing 1 mile, y s share, £300; general maintenance and" wages, £400; total, £3020.

Kaponga Riding: Eltham road, tar spraying two and a half miles, at £ IQO, £250; Auroa road, metalling between Railway reserve-and Mountain reserve, £1500; Manaia road, tar spraying. 200 chains, £200; general maintenance and tvages; £550; total £2500. £lfloo ol this is provided in the Auroa road loan, and probably the other £SOO will be raised.

Mangatoki Riding: Finnerty road, half share maintenance, £300; Stuart road, reinstalling ten chains, £SO; Elthnin road, tar spraying five miles, £o00; Hastings road, tar spraying two miles £200; Dutliie road, reinstalling fifty chains at £5 per chain, ;G250; tar and chip BO chains at £3, £270; general maintenance and wages, £1100; total, £2170. All were passed, with the exception of the Eotoliare and Eraser roads in the South riding, which were reduced by £720, and the Mangawhero road was reduced from £720 to £550, which is equally divided between the South and Eltham ridings. ADJUSTMENT OF ACCOUNTS. The se-cretary to the Treasury asked for particulars regarding the £4BO loan to the Hawera county. He also asked that the council quote the authority under which it was suggested the Governor oould act in the matter.

The secretary forwarded a reply, showing that after several conferences between the counties it had been agreed to allocate the amount of £4BO anion? the several loans as follows: Mangatoki bridges, £260; Rawhitiroa road, £li;i 3s 4d; Mangamingi road, £8 Ss lud; Wingrove road, £25 17s 4d; Hu road, £35 17s id. The authority quoted was tho I.ocal Bodies Loans Act, 1013.

The Treasury Department asked that a draft warrant should be forwarded for the Department's consideration.

The chairman said the matter had been in hand for two years or more, and now it looked as if the Department was going to hold the matter up. Both local bodies concerned had agreed on the matter, and he thought that all that would be necessary was the Department's approval. It was resolved to authorise the clerk to prepare the necessary warrant. AUKOA ROAD. The Egmont County Council notified that consent had been received in connection wieh the Auroa road loan, and the Eltham county could now proceed with the work. Councillors pointed out that it was too late to do any work this season, and the matter would have to stand over until next summer. Moreover, it was stated that the Eltham comity could do nothing in the matter, pending the receipt of the Governor's warrant in connection with tlio commission.

A councillor stated at present (heiv was extraordinary traffic going on that would ocmpletrlydestro the road. A cord and a half of wood was being carted on one pair of wheels.

It was resolved to draw the attention of the Egmont County Council to the extraordinary traffic, and to point out that the Eltham Council could do nnt;:i;r.' pending the receipt of the Governcr'--warrant. In the course of discussion *ti-> -'--vy man stated he understood i' u ' county's loan money provided fi!ing from the Railway reserve .mMountain reserve.

PROVISION OP COLD STORAGE. Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., wrote Stating that the matter of providing cold ■storage at. the four chief porta had been already referred by other local bodies to the Government, who had replied in the negative. It was quite evident, if the local bodies were determined in the matter they would liaye to take a further step in order to impress upon the Government the necessity of the scheme. Fie also pointed out that in view of the hear approach of regular direct shipping to the port of Now Plymouth that that, port might be included in the scope of the proposals. The chairman did not think that it was any use including New Plymouth. When times were normal the increased storage would not be required. Cr. MeWilliam said that when in Wellington recently he had been informed from a reliable source that the stores were all full, and that matters looked very gloomy indeed for next season. At present only two boats were available instead of eight as previously. Cr. Pease stated tlrnt the cold storage could not be provided for at two years, by «'bioh time the war, it was hoped, would be over. It was resolved to thank Mr. C. SA. Wilkinson, ' HOSPITAL LEVY. The Hawera Hospital and Charitable Aid Board notified that a resolution hao been passed making a levy of Is in the £IOO on local bodies on a total valuation of .-£7,080,982. In this a sum was provided for a motor ambulance in the district, from £3OO to £OOO, also provision had been made for increased cost of provisions and hospital requirements. Last year a sum of £2478 was spent on new operating theatre, new nurses' cottage and furnishing sttmc. Provision was made to spend £2OOO, £IOOO by levy and £IOOO by subsidy. The chairman stated that the subsidy would have to be paid, though it was gradually creeping up. The cleric stated it would amount to £BS per month, an increase of £2O per month.

The chairman said it had been stated that it was a poor man's hospital, whereas the rich man used it as well, for the sake of better treatment. Cr. Messana stated it was becoming a burden to the ratepayers. He did not think that the Hospital Board collected its hospital fees as much as it should. Reference was also made to the fact that. the Hospital Board could make whatever levy it wished, and did not give the contributing bodies any details of expenditure regarding charitable aid, etc. GENERAL. W. Charterton, Te Roti, drew attention to the bad state of the road near the railway station. The clerk stated that the Railway Department had notified the matter would be attended to on Monday next. It was resolved to communicate with the Railway Department on the matter.

Mr. Robert Dagg, Palmer road, asked the council to provide a second entrance to his property. He offered to do the labor if the council found the pipes. The engineer said the matter would be attended to now that tlio pipes had arrived. In reply to an application from the Farmers' Co-operative Organisation Co., it was resolved that providing price and quality are right the engineer obtain supplies from the company. J. Taylor, foreman of Mangatoki rid-' ing, applied for a rise of £SO per annum. The application was declined. It was resolved to procure a wizard light for the use of the toll gate keeper at the Eltham toll gate. It was resolved to make provision in next year's estimates for £2OOO for the purchase of two-ton and five-ton motor lorries. The ranger's report stated that the roads were in a more satisfactory state, the prosecutions having acted as a deterrent. Motor lights and the speed of inotcr traffic had improved. He reported several cases of cattle straying on roads, and also a case of unregistered dog. Procoidings will follow. Cr. Messana reported on the result of his visit to Wellington with Cr. MePhillip, of the Waimate County Council, in connection with the adjustment of accounts between the counties.