CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 August 1917, Page 7

CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING, The ordinary meeting of the Clifton | County Council was held at Waitara yesterday, when there were present: R. H. Pigott (chairman), E. T. Hicks, H. M. Purdia, W. Old, H. Sander, 1 A. M. Bower, and S. J. Konnington ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer (Mr. C. F Dowsett) reported as follows.— . Waihi Riding.—Referring to Mr. Graham's application on the Turaugi road, an inspection proved that a partial remedy might be obtained by cutting fairly lengthy drains, but «, culvert on such a dead flat would not long bo effective. Tho foreman has given notice to be relieved of his duties at the end of July, and the vacant position has been duly advertised. Tikorangi Riding.—The work in this riding has been the subject of much controversy. The metalling procedure ,was fully discussed with the riding member, and the method decided upon. The work was fully justified, but the abuse wa3 never justified. Sineo action has been condeinued, and inaction criti cised, the middle course desired is difficult to define. The hostility towards me is prompted by prejudice, and its source is well known, •. Ngatimaru Riding.—Tho bridge .man has commenced operations at Ta/ata, and is at present engaged on tho Autuwa culvert, to be followed by repairs to the Tarata boundary bridge, the Pita road bridges, Webb's culvertß, and the Purangi bridge. Owing to heavy lains, the maintenance work in this district has been increased, and the Kiore widening has been retarded. Various ■wooden culverts have been renewed with, concrete pipes. The necessity of main- | tenance metal on the Junction road is apparent, but the difficulties in obtaining it are no less than last year. | Urcnui riding.—Quarrying has been proceeding in the Okoke pit under new management, and patching has been carried out as the metal becomes available. The main road bridges have been partially re-decked, and a quantity of 6pare decking has been forwarded to the Okoke and Piko road bridges for future use. The Okoke district is, however, suffering from the lack of constant attention from a permanent man, and the settlers are meanwhile assisting with the work. The widening contract on the Upper 'Piko has been proceeding, and the timber for the bridge lias been partially cut. Relative to Mr. Butler's application on the Waitekauri road, 1 am again submitting ray original plans and estimates, but the latter must be considerably amended to suit the present situation. The surfacunan has had to leave the Iwiipikari road to remove slips blocking the Okoke road, but !will return there later.

Mo'kfui Hiding.—Tho erection of the concrete culvert between the 32 and 33 mile pegs has been satisfactorily completed, and tho timber erection will be dismantled, and the old course filled up in due season. Various sets of largo pipes have been put in where required on the main road. The absence of maintenance ra?ta) is being severely felt. Arrangements for its provision were not overlooked, but failed to materialise. Two separate visits were made to the Tangitu deviation, absorbing some days, but the weather negatived any great progress being made. A route was, however, located, and graded, and firsthand information prompted me to call a meeting of all settlers interested, and this has been arranged for Wednesday, August 8, on tho ground, when those concerned will be shown the graded line, and estimates, etc., discuesod, and a statement made to the council at a later date. On the Pukearuhe road the Waikaramarama bridge will be rebuilt dur-' ing the current month. The heavy seas have caused some damage to the entrance to the Paraninihi tunnel. Two small bridges north of the tunnel have also suffered from the heavy weather. The boulder contract at Wai-iti is at present stationary, the contractor's sons having been called up, INCREASED WAGES ASKED, Seven employees of the council applied for an increase of 2s per day, pointing out that the increased coßt of food and clothing has considerably depreciated the purchasing power of the sovereign. In his report, the engineer advocated that the council should attract additional men by increased wages, and give them, in proportion, increased responsibilities. Speaking at the meeting, Mr. Dowsett favored offering 12s (id, so as to draw good men from other counties, who would be capable of looking (after the work. Cr. Sander considered that tho council would have to pay increased wages. Cr. Bower did not favw increasing the wages. The men should be prepared to put up with inconvenience as did other people. . Jlr. Dowsett pointed out that they .wero short of men. Motor traffic made increased demands on the metal roads. H" thought surfacemen on these roads should receive increased pay. The chairman considered that there should be no distinction made. Or. Bower thought that if there were any distinction, it should be the men on the unme.talled roads who were given the advantage. Cr, Sander moved that the men bo paid lis per day from September 1. Cr. Purdie pointed out that if the Wage* were raised to lis they would remain at that; whereas, if a war bonus was given, wagea w>uld come back to normal after the war. On the motion of Messrs Kennington and Old, it was resolved to pay surfacemen a bonus of Is per day during the war, and for six months after its conclusion. THE KAIPIKARI ROAD. Messrs T. Buchanan, L. O'Neill, 'I". O'Grady, L. Kewton and C. Jury, settlers on the Kaipikari road, waited on the council in connection with the proposals for metalling the road. Mr. T. Buchanan, who acted as spokesman, asked that the council should do something to place the road in a substantial position, either out of revenue or to put them in the beat position for raising a loan. The revenue from the road was about £l6O or £l7O. Very little had been done on the load, but this they considered, especially during the past two or three years, when some grading had been c'oue, was due to the <shortagc of labor. The portion grad«d, ow ; ng to the lateness of the season, was now in a bad state. They estimated that it would cost £4300 to form ana metal the whole 215 chains' of road, but , they had divided the work into two sections—*hout S5 chain* to the top of tin hill could be metalled, it was estimated, at £I2OO. They had considered it might be possible to obtain a Government subsidy, in which case they would raise a loan. Failing a subsidy, they suggested that the council might give tuew some ; Relief by u£Uirim? some of the l£a fsen- ;

era! rate tdi tf» payment of interest.; Cr. Bower thought tho> deputation 'should -wait until after the war, when things were normal. Mr. Buchanan stated that they had to consider the question of the children getting to school. Councillors did not think there was any possibility of obtaining a Government subsidy, though there was do harm in applying for it. They did not think that any provision was made, whereby the ordinary revenue from the road could be dovoted to payment of interest on loan money. Mr. T. Buchanan asked th« council If they raised a loan of £SOO, would th» council subsidise them to the extent of £350 —about four years of their rates. This £BSO 'vould do the first portion with Onaero metal, which councillors thought woujd be suitable and more economical. Cr. considered this was a fair proposition, but the trouble was that other roads might come forward with similar propositions, which funds would not permit. Mr. Buchanan considered that those who came first were lucky. He thought the proposition was a good one from the council's point of view. Very little revenue had been spent on the road.' Crs. Sander and Bower thought the proposal was an unreasonable one, the latter asking what the Kaipikari road would be like without the main toads, It was resolved to ask tho Government to contribute a £ for £ subsidy on tho ■•£soo loan for metalling Kaipikari road.. ~ COUNCIL'S ADMINISTRATION . ' ATTACKED, " ' A deputation from the Tikorangi district, comprising Messrs J. W. Foreman, W. D. Foreman, K, J. Lye and T. McKenzie waited on the council on various matters connected with county work in their riding. Mr. J. W f ' Foreman; who #eted as. spokesman,' suited that the 4eputathro was present at the request of », .meeting fl ratepayers on the riding. Dux* ng the pa9t three of four years very little had been done in maintaining the metalled roads, and tho settles* viewed the position with alarm, as in a few years it was considered the Tikorangi road would become worn out. From time to time the attention of the member for the riding and the engineer had been drawn to the matter, and had replied that as far as the money went the work would bo attended to in due course. There had been considerable dissatisfaction at the way in which a good deal o\ the money had been expended. I,t was considered that the services of jthe surfaceman and his assistants had not been utilised to the best advantage. It had been hoped that the 1000 or 1100 yards accumulated at tho crusher site would have remetalled a length of the road, but unfortunately different methods were adopted. The road had originally a boulder foundation, and the stones had been ripped up and carted over a mile to the crusher, subsequently being brought back oyaia at considerable cost. Ho contended that it was an error to remove these stones, especially from the hill at the factory. He understood that an offer to deliver stone at ten shillings some time ,ago had been declined, and Utcr the same stone had cost fifteen shillings, Ho ateo considered the council was unwise to grade on tho Waihi hill at the beginning of winter. He asked the council to see that the money was more carefully expended, especially in view of the fact that out of £728 collected 'from the riding in 1915 only £258 had been allocated for expenditure, and In 1910, out of £9OO only £422 had been allocated. Settlers asked that there should be no more digging up of foundations, and considered that if the same methods of maintenance were carried on the roads would be for vehicular traffic in a few years. As an instance of the cost he pointed out that i three men with one dray had carted 4 yards of ston« to the crusher, crushed them and carted them back to the sits in one day. Mr. Poreman also pointed out that settlers on the Waihi road had agreed to contribute to metalling Cunningham's Hill on the council agreeing to metal the long hill. This the council had not done, and settlers asked the council to bear the whole cost of metalling Cunningham's Hill. The chairman stated that neither work had been done, but the council's liability to do the long hill still existed, Cr. Old did not think the settlers had any hardship in contributing, aa they did not pay any special rates. His road paid two special rates, besides voluntary contributions.

After the deputation withdrew, the engineer stated that the work on this factory hill had been beaten by the weather. Had the weather kept fine for one week the work would have been' satisfactorily completed. The council did not alter its previous decision re contribution towards metalling Cunningham's HilJ.

TONGAPORUTU WHARF. Mr. Geo. Allport (Secretary of Marine) notified receipt of advice from the council to the effect that on account of it 3 straitened financial condition it was unable to expend any money on the Tongaporutu wharf, and in reply stated that under the circumstances it had been decided to vest the wharf in Mr. R, O'DoiiHill, of Tongaporutu, subject to the condition that he keeps it in a proper condition. The necessary Order-in-Council would be issued Bhortly, giving Mr. CyDonnel) authority to charge similar dues to those which Mr. Rattenbury >vas authorised to (Jiarge when he erected the wharf, WANDERING CATTLE. A. Hutching, surfaceman at TJruti, asked the council to send final notices •to two persons for allowing cattle to wander on fhe roads. It wm resolved to request the surfacemen to send particulars of the offence, when reporting owners for stock trespass, so that summons may be issued against them, The Okau foreman also reported a number of scttlere for wandering cattle. The settlers will be warned, GENERAL. Mr. Newton King wrote drawing attention to the state of the drain fronting Mr, Joll's property at Uruti. Owing to the drain not being cleared out, the water was flooding the land, and he requested that the matter be attended to without delay. It was resolved that all drains necessary for the upkeep of the Mimi-Mokau I road should be cleared out, when .wea< I ther conditions are favorable. The resignation of Mr. Himes, tollgate keeper at Waihi, was accepted, and the engineer was authorised to fill the position, the understanding being that if the present temporary holder of the position will not accept it, the position is to be given preferably to u returned soldier. The council confirmed the resolution levying a general rate of ljd on the capital value in each riding. Mr. A. R. Greenwood wrote thanking the council for its consideration of his application ,in connection with lie clo3ing of Wilson road, and asked the osaa-

cil to renew the permit to deviate, the road. The clerk wats instructed to report on the matter. The Public Works Department advised that it, would be necessary to take the Miini-Mokau road deviation through sections 4 and 5, block I, Upper W«tara, under the .Public Works Act, as it would be impossible to obtain all the native assents thereto. The council re« solved to take the n«ae«iary steps. The Commissioner of Crown Lands notified that the Land Board had approved of the proposals for the expenditure of £339 9s 2d, accrued thirds. Mr. G. Cleaver was appointed roadman in Waihi riding. Messrs Moratti and Gannons way each applied for the use of a portion of the road reserve at Otaraoa. Left in the hands of the engineer to inspect and report. Notification was received from the State Advances Office to the effect that the council's application for a loan of £3OO for forming bridging the Mangaoapa road would be submitted to the board for consideration when necessary particulars had been furnished, for the purpose of obtaining the consent of the Gqyemor-General in Council.

Accounts amounting to £9Ol lis fid wero passed for payment.