ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 June 1917, Page 7

ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Eltham County Council was held on Saturday. Present: Crs. C. E. Belcher (comity chairman), A. h. Campboll, A. Tait, A. McWilliam, A. C. Pease, C. E. McGuiuness, E. (Jifl'ord, and J. Granville. Leave of absence waa granted to Cr. D. Black. ENGINEER'S RE POST. The engineer (Mr. W. D. Tosiwlll) reported as follows: Eltham Eiding. —The work done during the month, in addition to general maintenance work, comprises tar-spray-ing and sandingj of five miles on the Rawhitiroa road, and of 70 chains on the Mountain Road between the borough boundary and Cornwall Road. The matter of flood damages and drainage of the Rawhitiroa road at Mangamingi is the subject of a separate report. Kaponga Riding.—The forming up of side tracks and opening of water tables has been completed for a distance of two n:-les on Mangawhero Road, from the Opunake Road to Taylor's hill; similar work has also ibeen done on the Opunake Road, and on the latter a dangerously narrow filling at Makaka has been widened and securely fenced. Maagatoki Riding.—General maintenance work has teen done on the Hastings and Eltham Roads. It is hoped to carry out the tar spraying on those parts of the Eltham Road requiring it if the weather conditions are suitable and tar is procurable.

South Riding.—On the between Stuart and Boylan Roads, about 200 yards of metal has been delivered for re-facing, and: considerable maintenance work has 'been done on most of the roads throughout the riding. Repairs to the Waingongoro stream bridge at Nelil Road have been completed, and the Railway Department have begun work on the approaches of the qver-bridge at the S'keet Road crossing near Te Rbti. Omoana "Riding.—On the Rawhitiroa road near Omoana some points not affording a firm foothold have been metalled with shell rock and some narrow parts of the road widened out; slips have been removed, water-tables cleaned, and overhanging fern and scrub cut for a considerable length. The material for the .cottage at Moeroa ia now on the site and the erection ol same will be commenced at once. The report was adopted. ■ v FLOOD DAMAGE. The engineer (Mr. Toswill) reposed that in accordance with instructions he had made an inspection of the Mangamingi creek in company with. Messrs Granville, Boddie, Forrester, and Hickey. As regards the drainage of the roads in the locality the whole trouble appears to be caused by the heavy growth of watercress and raupo in the bed of the stream and outfall drains from road culverts to the creek; this'has retarded the flow of the water and raised the level of the creek, which I estimate could be lowered some three feet by cutting and cleaning out the weeds to form a channel about five or six feet wide; this would give ample fall to get rid of all the water crossing the road. The cost of this work would not 'be excessive. Through section 13 the creek is in fair order, the present water level being some 5 or <i feet below road levtfl, and the cost of cleaning out the creek as suggested would probably not exceed 5s per chain for say 40 chainß—£ 10. Through rather worse, and to thoroughly clean the creek would cost about £1 per chain, and a. particularly bad piece between Mr. 'Forrester's wool-shed and milkingshed would probably cost £2 per chain. Hero, and in one or two other places, the present level of the creek is only some 2 to 3- feet below the level of the road, and lack of proper drainage is ■certainly detrimental to the road generally, and dangerous in times of flood. The cost of cleaning out the creek between these two sections would be about £IOO. Similar work should be done in section 16 where required, but here the creek has a more defined course, and proper drainage of the road is not greatly affected. Swing flood gates, which would allow the water to pass ,freely in time of flood, shoutl be substituted for fixed wire fences at boundaries of sections across the creek as at present. Some of the culverts on the length of road under consideration require attention.

Some portions of the road also require re-metalling and re-grading. With the exception of the re-grading, •which k not an urgent matter, all the road "works enumerated could he completed for £IOO, and were these carried out as well as suggested improvements to the creek, and the bed of the stream cleared of weeds every autumn (at a cost of say 5s per, chain), it would he only \ery occasionally that flood water would interfere with the road, which, located where it is at present, cannot be wholly avoided in the event of an exceptionally heavy flood. The chairman said the engineer's renort supported the opinion he (the chairman) had held all along. The county council's principal trouble was with the water from the creek, and the settlers were attending to that. Or. Granville said he quite endorsed the recommendations of the engineer. He moved that the report be adopted and the works recommended therein carried out as soon as possible. The motion was seconded by the chairman and carried. 'ANNUAL ESTIMATES. The council proceeded to consider the annual estimates as follows, and it was decided to strike rates in the various ridings as stated:— South Biding.—Delbit balance at 21st March, IM7, £1409 lis 2d; expenditure to date, £190; proportion of general expenditure £774; proportion motor lorries, Revell's purchase, and extra hospital and charitable aid rate £522; road estimated approved last meeting, £2215; total. £3610 lis -2d. Government subsidy £.282 lis 2d. Balance to 'be provided out of the rates, £3348. Kate to Jso struck, lVad. Or. Pease objecting that it mas not sufficient.

Mangatoki Riding.—Balance at March 31, 1917. £142 14s 4d; expenditure to date, ; £250; proportion of general expenditure, £1044; proportion of motor lorries, Revell's purchase, anil extra hospital bml charitable aid rate, £1110; road Estimates approved last meeting, £2170'; total, £5618 14s 4d. Receipts: Government subsidy, £soß 14s 4d; half Riverlea and Kaponga toll-gates, net, say £1000; total, £ISSB 14s (44. Balnnce to be provided out of rates, £4058. Rates to be struck. Id general and V.d separate; estimates to be reduced by ,-t ' v '

j Omoana Riding.—Balance at March 31, il'Jli. fc-ti'-.'.i 16» 4d; cxpiiiued lo ua.e, proportion of general expendi-

ture, £407; road estimates approved at last meeting, £'800; proportion of motor lorries, Bevi'Tl's purchase, anil hospital and charitable aid rate, £270; total, £f)343 13= 4d. Receipts: Government, Bdbsidy, £l'3s 15s4d; Government grant, £37 10s; total, £173 5* 4d. balance to ho provided out of rates, £6170 10s. Rates to lie struck, "2d general apd 5-16 d separate., Kapongu Riding.—Balance at/ March 91, 1917,• £8 0s 2d; expended to date, £240; proportion of general expenditure £705; proportion of motor lorries, Revell's purchase, and extra hospital and charitable aid rate, £513; road expenditure approved last meeting, £ 1OO0; subsidies to Kaponga Town Board, tollgates, rates, and Waimate subsidy, £212; total, £-273S 0s -2d. Receipts: Government subsidy, £'259 0s 2d; half share .net toll-gates, say, £1000; Waimate West subsidy, £100; Kaponga Town Board refund, work last year,' ■' 37; Waimate West County (Neili Road), £35; rent Neill Road, £35; total £l6lO 0? 2d. Balance to be provided out of rates, £1222. Rates to be struck, Id general and %d separate. In connection with the Kaponga Riding it was decided to raise a loan of £IOOO for the Mangaweriti bridge and I £SOO for the Auroa Road.

Eltham Riding.—Balance at March 31, 1917, £1312 14s lid; expended to date, £210; proportion of general expenditure, £8$); proportion of motor lorries, Revell'3 purchase, and extra hospital and charitable aid rate, £585; road expenditure approved la3t meeting, £1765; total, £4741 14s lid, Receipts: Government subsidy, £2Ol 14s lid. Balance to be provided out of rates, £4450. Rate to be atruok, l%d. Cr. Pease voted egaintt it, on the ground that the amount wa3 too low. RANGER'S REPORT. Tho county ranger (Mr. J. S. Smith) submitted details' of during the past month; and reported that there liad been a number of instances of motor cars without proper lights having been driven on the county roads after sunset. It was decided to instruct the ranger to exercise a careful discrimination between deliberate and accidental offences in t.he matter of cattle trespassing on the county roads. GENERAL. Renewals of slaughterhouse license were granted to L. Wickham (Kaponga), Walter Clarrv (Eltham), and R. E. Williams ('Kaponga). Mr. A. Sphumacker appliod for pernnsieon to plant a box hedge on liis boundary at Kaponga.—Granted. Mr. E. A. O. Ewart, head teacher at Riverlea school, applied for permission to use a small heap of screenings from the stone crusher for the purpose of gravelling the school footpaths.—Left to the engineer, with power to act. Mr. Barr applied to have a concrete pipe culvert at- each of his two gateways on Manaia Road.—Granted, subject to usual conditions.

Cr. Campbell moved that in future all settlers be allowed one entrance culvert to their properties free of change, the cost to the Council not to exceed 10s. Cr. Grnftville seconded the motion, stating that the principle affirmed by the resolution had been in force for many years, and he would object strongly to it being rescinded now.

Cr. McWilliam moved as an amendment that when culvert entrances were asked for by settlers they be required to find all material and labor.' He knew that to pass this motion would be to yo back on the previous practice of the Council, but the cost to the settlers would be trifling, and the whole thing would be simplified and placed on a definite footing. If a man wanted one culvert entrance, or if he wanted five or six", he would be required to pay a small sum for each. The amendment was seconded by Cr. Pease and was carried. A letter from Mr. T. B. Cramp, solicitor, asked the Council to recognise orders on a workman's wages, to avoid the expetise and hardship that would be involved by personal application for his wages. The county clerk (Mr. Tristram) said Sir. Crump was aware that for years the Council' had refused to recognise orders given by workmen on their wages. Cr. McWilliam said that if in law the Council had to pay these orders there was no help for it, but they might consider the advisableness of dispensing with the services of men who continued to give orders, and replace them with men who would not do so. He moved that the orders referred to by Mr. Crump be paid, and that the matter of future orders be referred to the engineer to give a straight-out taik to the men. The motion was seconded by Cr. Pease and carried. The Stratford A. and P. Association asked the Council to forego their claim for the use of the plant, as the delay in returning it had been no fault of the Association's, but due to the dilatoriness of one individual.

The county clerk said the account, '£B, had been standing over for about ten years, and was therefore statute barred.

Cr. Pease moved, and Cr. Tait seconded, that the claim be reduced to £4. — Carired.

Messrs Syme and Weir, solicitors, wrote that the Governor's warrant had now been issued vesting the control of a portion of Auroa Eoad in the Eltham County Council.—'To 1)6 advertised.

The Waimate West County Council

invited co-operation in urging the Government to make provision for the inspection of all meat intended for human consumption killed at all slaughterhouses in the Dominion.

The chairman, in answer to a question, stated that inspection of slaughtered meat was now insisted upon only in places of over 2000 inhabitants.

On the motion of Cr. Pease, seconded by the chairman,, it was resolved to support the resolution of the Waimate County Council, The Manukau County Council forwarded copy of a resolution in favor of conferring powers on county councils to compel owners to clear willows from creeks.—Received.

The l\a.ponga Town Board, in reply to a request from the Council, intimated that they would tar and sand the roads within their district that showed signs or" wear, to tho extent the weather would permit.—Received. , The District Railway Engineer intimated that the new portion of the road at the Te Hoti station would bo metalled as soon as possible. With regard to the storm water from the station, the road was only Retting as much water as it was entiteled to get, which the Council should make provision for. Tho road was actually getting less water than formerly, a 9in. culvert that used to drain on the road having 'been closed. On the motion of Cr. Campbell it was resolved to ask the Department to carry the water from the station across the road to its natural outlet by qonpeotlng

two culverts, the county engineer to consult with the railway engineer on the spot when convenient. The Public Works Department wrote that the Council's representations with regard to the railway overbridge at Hastings Road were receiving consideration. .A further letter notified that the Department had paid into the Council's credit the sum of £37 lOg in respect to flood damage in Warea Road.—Reeoived. The Publio Works Department forwarded a schedule of unauthorised balances of votes appearing in last year's appropriations for work in the county, and asked if- the Council desired to divert the amounts to works of a more urgent nature.- The balances referred to were:—Moewatea bridge, £300; WhenU-; akura valley road, £191;; Moewatea bti4^£Soß sr lu| fi Cr Jk&WWUm

ftnd the county engineer, with power tA ■ ■; act J.-v Cr. Pease moved, in accordance wiui * notice given, to rescind a previotx wyto tion that all applications 4>y settUn foi( j'i pipes and other material, come the Council. He thought such nppliejw tions could very well be di-ult with '•*] the engineer, and tl'ie delay entailed waiting for Council meetings therebjj.'trt avoided. The motion was seconded by Cr. Me< {"■ William pro forma, but on being put, / s was lost, the other councillor* being in favor of the previous resolution remaining in operation. s,"