MOA ROAD BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 August 1917, Page 6

MOA ROAD BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly me-.-ting of the Moa Road Board was held at Inglewood on .Saturday. Present: Messrs A. Corkill (chairman), J. \V. llenv.ood. J. 11. Simpson. H. Trimble, J.< Hunter, .1. M. Hair, J. Reeshy, A. E. Laurence, and T. S. Rowlcr. WORKING OVERSEER'S REPORT. The report of llie working oiorsccr, Mr. 11. L. lor the month vas ai follows.— Plant working.—The roller has been 111 use 011 Durham lioiul east, scarifying and roliing. and proceeded from there to the Mountain Road, under hire to tho •TaranaU County Council, as instructed by xj:\ commencing work theer on tho li'th 0: August. With your approval I propose moving the plant to Lincoln Road, to carry out the work mention? 1 under Lincoln Road heading, believing it ■to be in the best interests of the Board to push this work along while opportunity is offering. The parts for the iiewi elevator are not yet to hand, and it -V.il! mean laying up the roller for a tew days if this work is not proceeded with. I expect to have tho crusher in commission again at a near date. Road Works. —The principal work of [ the month has consisted of general repair and maintenance, the broken weather not allowing of much breaking up of road surfaces. Bristol Road.—l have completed the plans and all necessary details .in connection with the Mah.ua bridge and deviation, and have banded the same over. If this work were complete, we should lie able to deal more efficiently wilii tho roads to the east of the Makara stream,, and soon put them in a reasonably good state of repair. Rimulauteka Road.—A slip which came clown during the heavy rains has been cleared, and other work of a general nature has been done 011 this road. , Lincoln 1!< -;<l. —Patching, water-tab-ling anil .genera I maintenance been done to hold the road together. ■This road, like many others in the riding, has suffered through tin- continual wet weather. I propose scarifying and le-coating about oO chains of this road with metal fron Mr. Thomason's pit. The grati- metal owing to the l-'oard I would siiL'ge?t dumping 011 the side of tiie road until required.

Richmond Ruad.—Patching, watertabling, and general repair* have been carried out, and dtiugt-rous holes filled in and made -afe for t"'.;l!ic. York K<S'-!.- A:? ..:elcd, T made an inspection r; v ~t»! <>n Punga Hill, and consider a'; ri.ai :;r'; rece-.tsary was to deepen 1• There are two culverts on ti.ij i;,a! requiring attention, 1 would r(. ouiine:;:! putting in 1-ir. eotier.-tc pip:s to replace the old culverts, in e:t?U ca and to deepen

sa.ne. ti Dudley Road. —Attention has been given to this read in a general way and | tlie usual maintenance •..■.rk done. c Durham Hoati.—Aljoiii -:l chains of ■ scarifying, up, re-coaling, roll- r ir.g, etc., hits been done, and water- t tabling, .leaving .the road in fair older. ! with the exception of about 3D chain?, , which requires lvecating. I would re-' ; doing the work when the plant i lias finished Norfolk Road, as the road 1 will not hold up much longer if the | Weathfcr does not remain good. Durham Road West. —General main- | tenance work has been done, and a new set of Dill, concrete pipes supplied to < replace the broken set. Norfolk Road East and West: Attention has been giv- < cn to these roads in a general way, and matters dealt wtih as occasion has i arisen. i John's Road.—General maintenance work has been dOBe, and attention given to a defective culvert, drains cleared, etc. Rugby Road.—Patching, water-tables, etc., and renewal of broken culvert have been attended to. Work of a general natuit! 'i.-.? been done on the following roads: Katapiko, Ivupara, Bedford, Mana, Ross, Suffolk. Wortlev, Kaimata, Xgaro. Everett, Windsor, Salisbury, Surrey, Davis. A good deal of time has been occupied in taking levels, preparing plans and attending to other matters as per your instructions. Ross Road. —1 met Mr. Butler and Mr. West in connection with their dispute re Koss Road, and would suggest that the settlers concerned adjust the matter themselves. On visiting the portion of the road under dispute I found it almost overgrown with blackebrry. Xgatoro Bridge.—l met the settlers interested in the Xgatoro bridge, and was shown over the portions of the river where encroachment is taking place, and found that considerable erosion is evident. and it does not appear to be safe to build the bridge over the present crossing without more river protective works being done. There is a pprticu-, iarly good fite for a bridge r,o!>;<v the [ford, and considering the existing conditions 1 think the bridge should ba built on this site. The expenditure would be no greater, and a shorter bridge would niian the river at this particular place, which i-, from every point of view, a safer and better position for the pro(ftsed bridge. It was deeided to clear Ross Road of the blackberry and other weeds. • With reference to the Makara bridge ar.(l deviation, Mr. Trimble said the overseer's estimate was £S3S, but they all knew that estimates of this kind were generally exceeded by the actual cost. He thought it should be clearly understood that in all. probability the cost i;f erecting this bridge would be in the neighborhood of £SJO. He moved that the chairman wait on the Taranaki County Council and ascertain what they will give towards the work. The motion was seconded by Mr. by. and carried, and on the suggestion of Mr. Hunter it was deeided to call a meeting of settlers to consider the position. The overseer's recommendation rela tive to a new site for the Xgatoro bridgj was held over for consideration. CHAIRMAN'S DUTIES. Mr. Kenwood brought up a question (,1 to the diflieuliies (with the Waitavil West Road Board relative to the ni*rgitig of the Richmond Road and the York Road properties, and the grant for Duvis Road. Mr. Trimble moved that the ehairmtti wait on the Waitara West Road Board with reference to the matter. The chairman said he was not going to take all the business of the Board on his own shoulders; he was quite prepared to take his share of the work, but he tiiomight other members should lake » sufficient interest in the affairs of the (district to do theirs. Mr. Trimble, when .cUjtfrman. had done the wholo lot hlm--0 self, ;#»d no one had begrudged him tlio ' privily, but he (Mr. Corkill) wag aot ''imte XLk * -

Mr. Roc-shy agreed with the chairman j thai the members of ihe Hoard should j fairly share the work and the responsibility. Mr. Trimble consideu-d that attending to matters such as the one, now before the meeting came within the scope ct the chairman's duties. Mr. Simpson sympathised with the chairman. -Mr. Triir.hU> had cone too much, and had iaade it very difficult for anyone who followed hiu;. A certain amount of sclf-sr.crifieo was involved in connection with public bodies affairs, and something should be done towards its equalisation. The chairman said that matters which hau been hanging over for years had been settled in a few minutes when considered by the members as a whole, and there was no reason why that should not always be done without timtceessiry argument or quarrelling. Mr Hen wood said the mini who had moved the resolution that the rates raised on each road should be spent upon it deserved a monument to his memory. It was the best resolution the Board had over pasesd. and he hoped it would never be rescinded

Eventually tho chairman and Mr. Hen- J wood were appointed to wait 011 the ' Waiiara West Road Board, the chairman j repeating that he was quite willing to j do his share. i THE PLANT ACCOUNT. ! I The chairman moved, in accordance j with motion given: "That the resolution transferring l-Bcl in tho £ of the general rates to the plant account and the balance to road accounts, as in previous 1 years, be rescinded. In doing so he said J that at the present time there wem a , certain number of the roads in the (lis ! trict that derived no benefit from the : plant, upon which the roller could ncver go, and lie did not think it was fair that these roads should be required to pay a portion 01 their rates toward", payment for the plant, and if the previous motion : were rescinded, as he proposed, he would then move that these roads should be exempted from the charge. 11c wished it clearly understood that, if his proposal were agreed to, tho settlers 011 the exempted roads would not pay less intes. They would still pay the same, but. the 1-Sd would not go towards p:;vir.g for a plant from which thev derived no benefit, bub towards improving their roads. Mr. Laurence seconded the. motion pro forma. Mr. Trimble said lie would like to go a little closer into the question of paying for the plant, and suggested that a committee should be appointed to go into the question with a view- of making a lair and equitable adjustment. He did 1 not agree with the chairman with rcnard j lo certain roads not benefiting, and con- ] tended that eventually all would benefit. ' The chairman again urged that, the present -system was unfair. He did not : claim that his proposal was 11 complete solution yf the difficulty, but lie was rc-r- j lain it would be a long step in tin; right direction. j Messrs Laurence, .Simpson, and Reps- ; by favored the formation of us suggested by Mr. Trimble. j Mr. Trimble then moved as an arntrid- 1 went: "That a committee consisting of - tell chairman, Messrs Hunter, Simpson, Hair, and the mover. Vie appointed a 1 committee to go into the question of ! arriving at an equitable basis for psv- I ing for the piant. and generally dealing , with tho bridge fund, to report at next \ meeting. i The amendment v/as seconded by Mr. I f-anreriee. The chairman said it seemed a fore- j gone conclusion that the amendment: | would be carried, and he therefore with- ■ drew his motion. '

Mr. Trimble's amendment then became i the substantive motion, ?nd was put> ' and carried. j OEN'ERAL. J The overseer reported tliat be bad been I unable to obtnir sufficient evidence to j justify a prosecution for heavy trallic | 011 I.inclon road, althou,i?li there were in- j 'ligations that it had taken place. He ; had come to an agreement with Mr. • Thomason for the delivery of metal 011 j this road at os per yard.—Overseer to ! obtain, the 111et.il iram Mr. Thomason us Boon as possible. The Taranaki County Council intimated their approval of the agreement arrived at by tile committees of tbp respective bodies with regard to the adjustment of accounts rendered necessary by the merging of a portion 01 the road district in the county.—Received, and agreement confirmed. The Eltham county clerk wrote, 111 answer to inquiries froijC the Board, that the cost of laving down tar-sealed roads depended entirely upon circumstances and local conditions. Assuming ilio foundation to be satisfactory, the cost would vary from £l2 to £2O per chain, according to the cost of material and the cost of upkeep (approximately .CI 10s per chain per annum). Everything in regard to cost had to be gauged according to locality and surrounding circumstances, as well as the facilities available

for doing the work, but the foregoing figures should he a guide for tile Board's purpose. —Received with thanks. Mr. Laurence reported that he hadoorb r tained the signatures of all the settlerk 011 the Rugby Road, excepting one, to a petition asking the Board to raise, a loan l'or the luidge, tho exception being a gentleman resident in Christchurch. to whom it had been suit for signature. He jhad also inquired into a request by two settlers that eleven chains of tho read be metalled at a cost of £lo(l.—The opinion was expressed by Sir. Trimble that I.lm cost c-f the proposed metalling would i:o more than ClOti, and the matter was held over till next meeting for the overseer's report. Messrs Hodge and Broadmore waited on the Hoard with regard to the Ngatoro bridge, and it was resolved: "That Mr E. C. Robinson, 0.E.. be asked to inspect the site of the proposed blidge as early as convenient, to confer with the settlers. and definitely decide as to the class | of structure to be erected. I Accounts amounting to £278 10s 3d were passed for payment. .