TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 October 1917, Page 7

TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary meeting of the Taranaki County Council was held yesterday; present Crs. J. S. Connett (chairman), A. E. Laurence, J. B. Simpson, W. Binnie, C. Andrews, D. McAHum, A. Morton, £}, Capper and J. Andrews. , CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. The chairman reported as follows:— < Since the last meeting I have tn report as follows:—The timber and sundries'advertised for sale on September 5 at Waiwakaiho realised £l2O 13s nett. A complete statement of the cost of the bridge restoration is now available and a copy will be sent to the Minister of Public Works and the New Plymouth Borough Council.

Satisfactory arrangements hr.ve been made with Messrs Andrews, of Okato, for the use of their traction engine while the County engine is being repaired and their engine is now engaged with the crushing plant in the Frankley road pit. The Council's big engine is now undergoing repairs, and it is estimated that these will take another month to. complete. Driver Fitzgerald ha* asked to be immediately relieved of his duties owing to family trouble. Driver Stewart has been appointed to fill the position. Up to the present I have been unable to secure tho services of a capable man for concrete -work.

With Cr. Morton I inspected the King road; and we recommend that that road foreman be authorised to assist the settlers in improving the road where they are ready to help.

The Sanders road could bo considerably improved at a moderate cost of widening the cart track and removing the largo stones. The Moa Road crushing plant has been engaged to complete the Lepper road contract and extras. Work was commenced on September 21, but owing to wet weather only 109 yards have been crushed to date. As there was not sufficient stone supplied at the Blue Gums' depot to do the work authorised on Sutton road, I have accepted Mr. J. Kendall's tender for a supply of gravel' fro'ni the Hurford road pit. FOREMEN'S REPORTS. Plant.—Engine-driver Mackie: During the month we crushed 13$ days, crushing 1041 yards as follows: Tapuae 90 yards, Blue Gums 177 yards, Spotswood 564 yards, Frankley 210 yards; total 1041 yards. Engine-driver Orr: During the] month I have rolled and' scarified 35 chains in Foreman T. Sefton's length, and 60 chains in Foreman Meredith's length, I M!oa Riding.—Foreman LaurenceMost of my time has been taken up with the general repairs and backing np metal. Mr. T. Long has been removing metal without authority from the Manganui pit. I requested him to desist on the 21st inst«, but he was still helping himself and said he would have as muc?l as he required. Foreman Bennett—Decking is required for the Ngatoro and Manganui .bridges. Tho Zig Zag contractor fhoiild deliver 50 yards extra for the Hill on Junction road near Mr. Bathurst's property. Foreman Mallon —I have started on my new length and have been employed on the Zig Zag cleaning water tables and cutting fern and scrub. Foreman Heal. —The most of rav time has been taken up assisting Foreman Tayi lor. Foreman Taylor—No report to hand.

Mangorei riding.—Foreman Batten—l rave placed pipes in on Mangorei and Junction roads as requested last meeting. I have inspected the Upper Alfred road and there is some large stones that require blasting, a short piece requires metalling, and Mr. Lillcy has offered to cart the stone. I am now assisting at the Frankley depot. Foreman Spencer— J,have been engaged at the usual repairs, Mangorei road is breaking up somewhat. Foreman Keast. —The roads show an improvement since tho dry weather set in. I would like the assistance of Foreman Batten to assist with banking the metal, at top of Kdnto road. ■\yaitara Riding.—Foreman J. Holmc3 ~I had to employ a horse and cart to repair Pariti road, which is getting in a very bad state. Foreman F. Holmes— During tho month I have placed 178 yards of pit metal on Egmont road and also put in a pipe culvert on the Dorset road. Foreman Proud —My time has been taken up with the usual repairs and assisting on Egmont road. Foreman W. Holmes —I have placed 11S yards of metal on Hie Mountain road. It requires a lot of attention and 1 would like tho roller to re-roll it if possible. Omata Riding.—Foreman Seamark— My roads are fair. Tho crusher lias crashed 714 yards in my length, siz., Blue Gums 177 yards, J. Kendall's contract, Spotswood, yCt yards, A. Cowling's contract, 401 yards being put on tho Main road and 340 yards on Barrett road. Foreman Eva.—My time is taken up with the plant which is in the Frankley pit. The Frankley Road Dairy Co. had nine yards of spa-wles and 20 yards of crushed metal, carting two days three hours at 35s per day. Okato Riding.—Foreman Scfton—l had the small roller scarifying and rolling. I have been assisting Foreman Meredith since the 13th inst. Foreman Meredith— The small roller is in my length, and we have scarified and rolled 25 chains and repaired iia chains of whce'i tracks. Foreman West—My time has been taken up with the crusher in' Foremen Seamark's and Eva's - lengths. Foreman Hayes.— Main road is in fair order and an improvement is being effected to the other roads. The Kaihihi road broke up badly and I had to engage a dray to repair the road. Wo placed a concrete pipe culvert on tlie lower end of the road. Foreman Wadsworth is assisting Foreman Meredith on the Main road. It was decided that the matter of removal of metal from the Manganui pit (Moa riding) be referred to the chairman to deal with.

The matter of decking for the Xgatoro and Manganui bridges was referred to Cr. Capper to deal with, and also the matter of an extra, 50 yards of metal as requested by Foreman Bennett. Foreman Bennett was instructed to give the bad corners and bends more batter on the Junction road.

Foreman Taylor was appointed to take charge of the Mountain road behind In-fi-lcwood and Mangorei, and Foreman Heal of tlie old length with Upland road south, and authorised to employ casual labor to assist on these roads. The matter of repairs to the Upper Alfred road was left to Cn- Morton to arrange. The Franldey Dairy Company is to be [debited with the cost of metal delivered , by the Council. The action of Cr. C. Andrews in authorising the use of the drav for the Kiiiluhi road was confirmed. Th;; inspector was authorised to repair the Xgatoro bridge and Junctiea rosw I as soon as possible, and that tlm Storv.

j River, Main South, Carrington, Keri, and any other bridges requiring it should be tarred as soon as labor is available.

CORRESPONDENCE. , I Mr. H. Okey, M'.P., wrote thai ho had [submitted (he cost of work on the Waiwakaiho bridge to the .Minister of Public Works, and that he was hopuful of the latter paying one third of the coat. less the amount paid for engineering. In the matter of the proposed transfer of tha grant voted for the purpose- of erectin,™ a bridge over a stream on the Upper Carrington road to repairing the Egiuont load Mr. Okcy reported that he had informed (h,! Minister that lie objected to 'this transfer, as the vote was got on his lepreseniation for the settlers of the district for (he purpose above stated, and that if Iho transfer were allowed the money would be lost to the district for some years.;, If a further srant of £IOO was required to construct the bridge he would be pleased to urge the Minister to have it placed on the estimates. He was hopeful of getting a small grant for work on: the Egmont road as already applied for.

It was decided to send Mr. Okey a copy of the council's letter to the Minis! r-r.

■Mr. Benoni White complained that he had received no reply to Lis'icttcrs of June 29, August 4 and August .'ll, and asking if dues for metal had been com. puted. and if payment had been made to the Patriotic Fund as suggested in his h)t(er.--;It was decided to inform Mr. White ihat the contractor states that no metal had been removed from his property and that the Council cannot consider the question of royalty further as they recognised no further" liability in the matter.

[ Mr. IT. Dempscy wrote drawing atten- | tion to the fact that the New Plymouth Borough Council had decided to continue the excellent road they had formed from Devon street to Rirnu street as far as the borough boundary, and pointing out, (hat from this point the county road was good, with the exception of two short lengths, one just beyond the. old water works, and the other a little beyond Aua's. He asked the Council to carry out repairs at these points.—Mr. Dempsey wiii be notified that provision has been made for repairing these sections. '' ;

Mr. H. E. Glover drew attention to | the bad condition of the. Maud road, his only outlet to the. Main road, its present condition being a source of danger, apart from the unnecessary wear and tear it puts on horses and vehicles.—Foreman Batten to ell'ect repairs. Mr. J. Lilly „.sked that the Council should do something towards putting the upper end of Alfred road into "good order. He had given two days' work on this section, but could not afford free labor and pay rates as well.—Left with Cr. Morton to arrange. The reserves agent, Mr. E. Barns, writing in reference to the Komer.e road loan of ,£ioo, reported that there appeared to be no way of recovering the rates although most of the owners were in receipt of rents from the office.

The Clifton County Clerk wrote that they had always experienced difficulty in collecting native'rates in his countv. His Council was nuking F o r an amendment of Cie Ka'.T.g Act to allow lieu, for unpaid -.lative rnK-s to* be registered in the Native, Land Court, whether or not a title in the Lands Office or the Deeds Office for registration is in exisfaie.'. It is hoped that these measures will prevent the loss of revenue from \ T aiive lands which is now being experienced. _ The clerk of the Eguiont Comity Council wrote that no special loans for any road, where practically all the land Was occupied by Natives had been raised. A similar reply was received from the Patea County Council. In view of the fact that the council had no guarantees that the money would be forthcoming, it was decided that they w<)ro not justified in going on with the Komene Road loan.

Letters were received from sever?! employees of tho council, asking the council to purchase war certificates on their bslmlf and (hat the cost should be deducted from their wages at the rate of 6' per cent, of the total wages per month.—Kcceived.

Foreman CI. Spencer reported tiiat he had inspected the Upper Mangorei Road, but nothing could be done until the road is dry. Mr. Schwauim was prepared to metal this section if a prico could be arranged, but this would bo high, as metal is difficult to obtain.—The clerk was instructed to write to Mr. Schramm. to ascertain ii the settlers are prepared to grant anything towards tho metalling, and if he would undertake tho work.

OENERAL. Tile chairman and Cv. Capper were appointed to confer with the Moa Road Hoard in the matter of re-grading work (o be carried out at the junction of lvahnata and Junction Roads. Mr. A. Hagenson. Frankley Road,' waited on tho council with a request to lease an old disused road adjoining his property.—Left to the chairman to inquire into. It was decided that the bridge on the road off' Wairau Road, near Captain Mace's property, be repaired. The council will proceed with the sale of all lauds for unpaid judgments for rates. Tho following tenders'were accepted; W. J. Thomason, Mangamawhiti and Bacon Factory, each 7* fld per cubic yaril J. H. Magee, Weston's depot, 4s. A. W. Cowling, Taupuue Ss Bd.'Wiiiravi and Oukaru lis «d, and Koru Ss (id. The following accounts were passed for payment: Moa riding £99, Mangorei riding Km, Waitara riding £l3B, Omatu riding £154, Okato riding £233, general expenses £27o—total, £l23;}, ,