EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 July 1917, Page 7

EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETpOKr. The ordinary meeting of the Egmont County Council was held at Opunake on Tuesday, when there were present: Crs. M. Fleming (chairman), W. C. Dudley, T. Harvey, J. Young, M. J. Mcßeynnld's, S. Forsyth, W. R. Wright, S. Campbell, \V. J. R. McNeill.

FOREMEN'S REPORT. Oeo Riding (Northern Division).—The staff have been employed at surface work, carting out maintenance metal, widening cuttings, cleaning -water-tables, etc. Oeo Riding (Southern Division) I .—The hands have been employed at general maintenance- work on the Main South, Patiki, and Skeet roads. Minor repairs have been done to the Ouri bridge on the Main South road. I have also, with authority from Cr. S. Campbell, worked ten days helping Messrs Madgwick and Kehely to put a road down to the beach at the bottom of the Puketapu road, which will give access to plenty of stone for years.

Rahotu (Southern) and Opunake Hidings.—The Btall have been engaged at water-taibling, .patching, bridge repairs, and pipe-making, on the Eltham and Main South roads. The crushing plant arrived, and, after reapirs, crushed 200 yards. If the weather permits we will finish in three weeks' time. Some stringers that I took out of a bridge (Okaweu), north of Opua road, and were lying on the side of the road, have been sawn into lengths and carted away, and I have traced same into an adjoining paddock. Kahotu Riding (Northern Division). — All contracts have been finished up, and the crushing plant and roller have been shifted into the Southern Rahotu Riding. The crusher dealt with S9B cubic yards of crushed metal and 72 yards screenings. Through the contractor not having sufficient boulder stone out of the river for contract No. 300 when the weather wa3 suitable for working, and there not being enough stone to keep the crushing plant going, it was decided to close down the contract considerably short of the specified quantity. I scarified and re-faced one pr two of the roughest portions of the Main South road. With regard to the Waiweranui river encroaching into property on the northern side in flood times, there is every probability of the river making a fresh out across the Main South road, unless something is done by the Warea Dairy Company to keep the Hood gate in their dam lifted in flood times. On the last three occasions the Waiweranui river has been flooded, the company have not lifted the flood gate, therefore a good deal of debris has collected above the dam and under the bridge, causing the bed to rise and forcing the water on the adjoining properties. I would recommend that the Warea Dairy Company 'be notified to keep the flood gate lifted throughout the winter and early spring. Bridge Report.—'Since last reporting on bridge No. 8, the foundations, piers, jind counterforts have been constructed. The lagging for the arch ring is being erected. The unsettled weather has delayed the construction of this bridge considerably. Weather permtiting this bridge should be completed in about three weeks' time.

j iMOLITIOX OF TOLL GATES. | The Council discussed the question of the Abolition of Toll Gates Bill, as introduced to Parliament by Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P. A letter was received from Mr. Wilkinson asking the Council's active co-operation, and suggesting concerted action with Waimate West County Council and the Town (Boards of Opunake and Kaponga. Cr. Wright stated that lie had seen Mr. MdPhillips, chairman of the Waimate County Council, who was strongly opposed to toll-gates, and suggested that a deputation from the Egmont County Council should visit Wellington in support of tho Bill. Personally the speaker favored a large deputation, which might do come good, whereas he did not think a petition would do much good. The chairman considered that the Council should support the Bill. It was certainly time. that toll-gates were abolished. He thought the Councils that owned toll-gates 'were making a I'erv good thing out of them. Taranaki Countv Council were keeping their road in repair with the toll revenue and less than half the rate that Egmont County ratepayers paid. They were using the roads themselves and should be prepared to pay. lie hoped the ißill would go through and that) the Council would give it strong support. Ratepayers of the Egmont County could not get their produce to the railway without paying the iniquitous toll tax. He moved that the Council take an active part in gupporting Mr. Wilkinson's Bill. This was seconded by Cr. McNeill. Cr. Campbell did not favor toll-gates, but considered they mere a necessary evil, and, if abolished, Egmont would have to pay more in subsidy than was at preesnt paid through the toll-gates. The chairman said he would sooner ipay a subsidy and allow the roads to be free to the travelling .public, Cr. Campbell considered that the travelling public should ipay. Cr. Young favored strongly supporting the Bill. Cr. Me' Reynold:; would not favor the abolition of toll-gates until they knew what subsidy would have to be paid instead. Once the gates were abolished the Council 'would bo in the hands of a commissioner, who would probably fix their annual subsidy at £7OO, as against the present toll collection of £IOOO. Cr. Dudley did not see that the abolition of toll-gates would benefit the county. A subsidy would be paid bv ratepayers whether they used the road or not, whereas only those who actually used the road paid by the toll. Cr. Harvey considered tolls a clumsy way of collecting revenue. Cr. VV. R. Wright said there was no doubt the Bill nvould be carried, and the chances were that the Council would have to pay compensation, and it would be necessary to have a strong committee to give evidence. Cr. Young considered that Mr. Wilkinson would have some clause safeguarding Egmont County Council. The removal of the toll-gatea was not going J to crush anyone. I The chairman pointed out that on the; very day that tho Council had waited on | the Taranaki County Council and asked j for a subsidy of 20 per cent, of #|i£ toll,) 20 tons of chaff had been sold by a Tara-1 naki County ratepayer for cartage over) the Egmont County roads to Waimate, i ftnd yet tbey were told that very little outside cartage was done. He considered j that their roads had to (bear a lot of j outside traffic. Moreover, he pointed j out that one local 'body stated that it j maintained 17 miles of rood through] toll revenoA. u> that F-<*~ Sgns&l

ratepayers /were paying to give that County (Eltbam) a free road to Eltham., Taranaki County Council also levied a much lower rate on the Okato Riding than did the Egmont County Council. It was evident, therefore, that was not a fair and equitable method of taaxtion. Ratepayers would benefit by the abolition of toll-gates in the reduced cost of carting. The motion was carried, Crs. Meßeynolds, Campbell, and Dudley voting against it. A deputation consisting of tlie chairman, Crs. Young, McNeill, and Forsyth was appointed to visit Wellington to giva evidenco in BUpport of the Bill

THE CRUSHER. The chairman stated that as the contractor was unable to keep the crusher going at Warea, he had authorised its removal to Oaonui. Cr. Wright pointed out that the crusher was bogged for some days at Oaonui. The chairman understood that the engine used to drive the crusher was too heavy, and once it went off the road it got bogged. Moreover, the bridges all had to be planked to enable the engine to cross.

STRIKING THE RATE. Some discussion took place over the striking of the rate for the ensuing year. Cr. McNeill moved and Cr. Campbell seconded, that the rate in the Oeo riding be l%d (last year ljd). The chairman favored tlie rate being the same as last. year. He admitted that with the shortage of labor it would be impossible to get so much work done, but he pointed out that there would be machinery to pay for, and also an increased hospital rate. The motion was carried and the rate was allocated as follows: Main road Jd, by-roads y 2 d, and interest, hospital rate, etc., y 4 d. On the motion of the chairman and Cr. Wright it was resolved that the rate in the Opunake, Rahotu South and North ridings be l%d (the same as last year), viz., Id to the. main road and%d to interest and charitable aid charges. Crs. Campbell and Mcßeynolds protested, the latter stating that the southern end sould have less to pay. The foremen will be asked to reduce their estimates accordingly. A CLOSED PIECE OP WORK. A letter was received from the Public Trust Office, asking what steps the council had taken in regard to acquiring land at the Oaonui bridge as a crushing site. , It was stated that some two, years ago the Council had endeavored to obtain the piece of old road at the Oaonui bridge for a crusher site, but had ascertained that it had reverted to tlie Public Trustee, though the county had paid for the land taken in exchange. Cr. Wright considered that the council should also endeavor to obtain a piece of land on the other side, so as to run the road straight through'. Cr. Dudley considered that the whole thing was an absurdity. The council paid for the new piece of road, and should be pnid by the Public Trustee for the old road. The clerk explained that the county had paid £2O, viz., £lO to the Public Trustee and £lO to other owners, for the piece of land taken for a road, It was resolved that the chairman and clerk interview the Public-Trustee on the matter when in Wellington. Mr. A.Ji. White notified that he had purchased the material at the Oaonui factory suitable for reinforcing for £27. Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., notified that he would at all times support a liberal pension being made by the Government for dependents of soldiers who have fallen, or who arc now on active service; also a liberal scale of pension to discharged soldiers. The resolution, he felt assured, was in accord with the bulk of public opinion throughout the county.

Mr. James K, Law drew attention to a very bad spot on the Wiremu Road, between the Kina and Ngauki Roads, which was now almost impassable for horse traffle. Tho special orders dividing.the Rahotu riding and authorising the raising of a loan of £ISOO on the Auroa road, were confirmed. Mesdames A. Allan, F. Julian and. J. Dunbar, and Miss E. Forsyth were granted permits to collect money for the Pihama Red Cross League. Tho district health officer notified that certain alterations were necessary to a 'residence at Te Kiri; otherwise the building would be condemned.—lt. was resolved to send a copy to the owner of the property, Mr. H. Munro, contractor at Te Kiri. asked to be allowed to crush his metal at two sites, instead of one, as instructed by the foreman.—Resolved that the contract be carried out according to speqiflcations. The secretary to the Taranaki Hospital and Charitable Aid Board notified that the figures supplied to the Board by the Department, with regard to the population for the district, did not include the Maori population, which should have been included. This increase in the. population increases the rate of the subsidy from the Government, and consequently the levy on local bodies is proportionately reduced. The council's subsidy would, therefore, be £l3Ol 14s (id, instead of £I4OO 7s, as previously notified. It was resolved to call for tenders for shingle necessary for tho Warca bridge, and the bridge foreman was authorised to proceed with tho work as soon as possible. Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., notified that he had arranged for a deputation to meet the Prime Minister and Minister of Public Works in regard to grant and loan for Punehu bridge on July 12.

Booth, Macdonald and Co. notified thai they had received advico from the Austin Manufacturing Company stating that after considerable delay, due to American railway disorganisation, the Toller had been shipped. The chairman, Crs. Wright and Harvey were appointed to wait on tho Warea Dairy Company in connection with the flood gates. It was resolved to instruct the foreman to attend to the footpath at Rahotu. The foremen are also to be instructed to see that noxious weeds do not obstruct the roads. If the occupier doesn't clear tho noxious weeds, the foreman is to do the work at the occupier's expense. The foremen are also to attend to the approaches to the bridge. Accounts were passed for payment as f'Hows: General, £630 18s 4d', bridge, £137 18s lOd.