MOA ROAD BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 July 1917, Page 7

MOA ROAD BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Moa Koad Board was held on Saturday. Present: Messrs A. Corkill, J. W. Henwood, Jas. Hunter, A. E. Laurence, F. O. Ree&by, J. iB. Simpson, and H. Trimble. Leave of absence, on account of illness, was granted to Messrs T. S. Bowler and J. M. Hair.

ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN. Mr. Hunter moved that Mr. A. Corkill be elected chairman for the ensuing year. Mr. Corkill had been chairman only a few months, but from the manner in which he had conducted the business during that short period he (Mr. Hunter) had no doubt Mr. Corkill would give every satisfaction to the board and the ratepayers. Mr. Henwood seconded the motion. Mr. Trimble had occupied the position for a long time, and it would be only fair to give him a rest and another man a chance. Mr. Simpson supported the motion, There being no other nomination, the motion for the election of Mr. Corkill was put and carried witlhout dissent. Mr. Corkill, in taking the chair, thanked the members for the honor conferred upon him, and said the confidently relied on their loyal assistance during the ensuing year. Mr. Henwood extended a welcome to the new members, Messrs Simpson and Recdbr, and these gentlemen expressed their thanl:s and the hope that they Would be of some assistance in carrying on the business of the board. CRUSHING PLANT. The chairman reported that he had inspected the road-making plant on several occasions at Kahnata and Bristol roads and had found it in a very unsatisfactory condition. The side plates in the crusher were worn through, and the elevator chain was continually breaking and causing no end of trouble and delay. In fact it had crushed les3 than 20 yards a day on more than one occasion. He had instructed Mr. Bowler to lay the plant up for repairs as soon as he had finished at the Bristol road. The repairs, as approved by Mr. Hogg, were now completed, and the crusher would be ready for work again as soon as the new elevator belt came to hand.

Mr. Trimible expressed the opinion that a matter of such importance and magnitude should have been first submitted to the board.

The chairman said he had taken the responsibility upon himself, as the work was an urgent one. The action of the chairman was confirmed. NORFOLK ROAD. Mr. Harold Trimble wrote with reference to Xorfolk road, pointing out what the settlers had done already, and urging that it would (be a breach of faith with the settlers if the Board hired the crusher to the County Council for miy length of time. Mr. Trimble said the position had altered since the crusher had been promised to the County Council, and it would only be fair to the settlers who had done so much to help themselves, if thte crusher were sent to do the (work required. He moved that the Taranaki Cpunty Council informed that the Board regretted it could not grant the use of the crusher at present, but would do so as soon as it was finished on Norfolk road west. The motion was seconded by Mr. Henwood. The chairman said that if the Taranaki County Council could wait a little without inconvenience, good and well: but, if they 'wanted the crusher at once. lie considered the Board should fulfil its promise. He would favor the motion if it were in the form of asking the Council if they would be inconvenienecd by the proposed delay. On being put, the motion was carried.

OVERSEER'S REPORT. Mr. IT. L. Hogg, the Board's overseer, in submitting his first monthly report, stated he had made an inspection of the roads, bridges, culverts, etc., coming within the jurisdiction of the Board. He ,found that the Bristol road had only a very thin coat of metal for practically the whole length, and would 'break up very quickly under heavy traffic. It would be necessary to scarify and recoat the road with at least four inches of metal, to bring it up to normal condition, and lie recommended the Board to give the matter their favorable consideration, as it would keep the road in good order for some years and would reduce the cost of maintenance to a minimum.

Makara bridge and deviation.—He had made a preliminary and approximate survey of a suggested deviation, and prepared a preliminary plan of a new bridge in connection with this work, and if the Board entertained his suggested scheme he could make a careful survey and furnish a more careful estimate. Everett road.—The metal recently laid down required blinding and rolling as soon aB the weather would allow. He recommended dismantling the wooden bridge, which was situated about a mile down tlic road, and replacing with a concrete bridge, as the present bridge was unsafe. He would not recommend building wooden ibridges unless hardwood timber was used throughout, and even then there should be concrete piers. Kaimnta road north—He recommended scarifying and re-coatiug as much of the road as could -possibly be done, so as to bring bank the life of the road. Kaimata road south—He drew attention to the dangerous condition of the hill at the junction of this road with Junction road,, and recommended that the hill be reduced at least four feet. The turn could be considerably widened and nearly all the old metal used again. Dudley' road east and Durham road west—These roads required scarifying, re-coating and rolling. Work of a similar nature was needed at Dudley road west, (east of Bedford road), Durham road east (to bring it up to wearing standard), Norfolk Toad (considerable portion of it), Rugby road (about threequarters of a mile urgent, in fact the whole length required attention), Johns road (balf-mile at east end urgent), Bedford road north (half-mile urgent; dangerous, steep, narrow cutting required widening, and the grade reducing), Wortley road (considerable portion should be done as soon as possible), Richmond road (in bad condition, about VA miles required re-coating, hill from Lincoln road factory required rounding up). Kupara road (chain of new metal required at foot of first hill), Toe Toe road (about a mile in 'bad order and should be metalled). General maintenance work would have to be done on Ross road, N'gara, Surrey, Suffolk. Windsor, Davis, Rimutauteka, Mangaotea, Ratapiko, Mana, Motukawa, Kohete. It would be necessary to renew

one of t&o bridges at Rugby road and to strengthen the other. Be recommended dismantling both bridges on Bedford toad north, as they were in a dangerous condition. Pipes wpuld ta&e aS the water of the .first strewn, but the second bridge should bo a concrete structure, or hardwood with concrete piers. Two aew bridges wew required urgently on Bedford north, one being broken down and the other unsafe for traffic. He submitted plana for these bridges. A small bridge at Mangaone road required renewal, as it was unsafe for traffic, and two new bridges were necessary on Mangaotea road (pipes would be satisfactory for one, but a new bridge would be necessary to span the other stream). The overseer, in conclusion, suggested a revision of the divisions delegated to the foremen, as the present divisions were not altogether ou an equal basis. He also recommended allotting all monies available to each road in one grant, so that all the metalling work on each road could be completed with one shift of the plant to that road. The adoption of this system would cheapen the cost of all metalling, and do away with the cost of setting up the plant more than once during each period to each road, and in no case to put on less | than four inches of metal when re-coat-[rag.

Mr. Trimble moved that the overseer's recommendations as to new pipe-shed, etc., be deferred till next meeting, and that in the meantime he be allowed to use the Board's 'building for office purposes.—Carried. GENERAL. The Taranaki County Council asked the Board to appoint a committee to adjust accounts consequent on a portion of the road district merging into the county. The chairman and Messrs Trimble and Henwood were appointed |to meet the committee of the County i Council. Mrs. A. Dombroski and Messrs W. H. Morine, B. F. Dombroski, and 6. C. Hastie, ratepayers on Norfolk road, asked the 'Board to raise a loan of £225 for the purpose of replacing two bridges on Norfolk road west.—-Necessary steps to be taken.

A ballot was taken to decide which five members of the ißoard should retire at the end of the present year, the pames drawn being v those of Messrs Laurence, Corkill, Hunter, Hair, and Trimble.

The chairman moved: "That the overseer's time <when doing surfaceman's work be charged to the roads he works on at surfaceman's rate of wages, lis per day."—Seconded by Mr. Eenwood and carried, Messrs Trimble and Laurence voting in the negative.

Accounts amounting to £B5l 7s 2d were passed for payment. NOTICES OOF MOTKfIT. The chairman gave jnotice that at next meeting he would move: (1) "That the resolution passed at the meeting of the Board in July, MMS, viz., 'that a portion of the general rate equal to oneeighth of a penny in the £ be credited to the plant account and .balance to the road accounts, as has been done in previous years,' be rescinded." (2) "That a portion of the general rates, with the exception of those collected on the Mana, Kupara, Kohcte, Motuk&wa, and Toi Toi roads —which receive no benefit from the rond-making plant—equal to oneeighth of a penny in the £, be credited to the plant account, as has been done in the past, the total rates collected on the roads herein excepted to be credited to the individual road accounts."