ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, 12 November 1917, Page 3

ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL

I -MONTHLY MEETING. lhc Council met at Eltliam on Saturday. Present: Crs. J. Belcher (chairman), J. Granville, E. J. Gilford, E, JlcGuinness, A. H. Pease, A. McWilliam, J- Wack, A. V, Mcssena, and A. Campbell. ELTIIAM'S DOCTOR. the question of Dr. Cooper having been called up for military service was brought |up by the chairman, who remarked that tlie friendly societies had held_ a meeting the previous night to consider the question, and desired the co-operation of the council in entering an appeal on behalf of Dr. Cooper. The county clerk remarked that the uorough "council had also held a special meeting and resolved to do their utmost to retain tiie services of the doctor.

Cr. Pease said they might make, a strong representation to the Health Department. If they did this they might get a medical man. He was not favorable to appealing. Majiaia had appealed to the Department and had obtained another practitioner.

The chairman disagreed. His protest was made, not so much in Dr. Cooper's favor, but on the grounds of general interest.

Or. Pease said Qpunake had been placed in a similar position. Cr. McWilliam said he did not like the position at all. If tbey appealed to the Department for a substitute they might get a young man or somebody not satisfactory.

The chairman said it would be a cruel thing to leave the district without a medical man.

Cr. Campbell moved that the council co-operate with other councils and friendly societies in their appeal that Dr. Cooper's services bo retained for the district.

The chairman suggested the' appointment of two delegates to meet other hodic= interested in the matter, and thought Cr. and the chairman should be appointed.

Cr. Pease objected; he was against appealing.

The chairman said it would ba we!! to have Or. Pease, as thev would have different views on the matter. Cr. Pease declined, and Cr. McCuinncss was elected delegate in his stead, and the motion, .with the delegates added, uas then carried.

OORRESPOXDEXCK. 4 r-uley. llahoe, requested the council to grant him a load of shingle.— I! i.anted. A. firay. district health officer, reported a case of diphtheria h Cornwall Road. Ilvgaere, and made suggestions regarding r'Miitarv improvements.—Owner to be notified that the alterations must' be attended to. Hie <.,on'" > "'sioner of frown T.and" advised that the question e f expenditure of thirds towards the erection of a I■'■.•'■;e within a ' "'ion adjacent to a road 11:111 been considered at tile Und Hoard meeting on ■ :obey 24, when it, wis resolve' ' ir such expenditure,, liein* contrary to the provisions of tin: Laud Act, could not be approved.—Received.

Tlip Minister of T 'ernal Affairs forwarded .1 notice regarding the emended pro; n--al« • the carrying of numbers on iiiiuor vehicles.

Mr. Newton T " ! ijr notified that the council's .lump truck had been shinied and was i. ■• in ellington soon. The Kithaui Borough Council offered £W for council's tar boiler.—Accepted.

The district engineer of railways stated that :r. .. i-ons had been given to improve the road at Te Pioti, near ue railway station.

T''o Depart pointed out. the advisahilii • of the council adopting sanitary by-laws, and enclosing copy of suggestions. Suggestions to be adopted. The Kaponga Town Board applied for permission to sjipplv electricity to persons residing outside th e board's area. ■ —Granted, subject to approval of the county solicitors.

WORK AND WAGES. The chairman stated that since the last meeting there lm-d been a conference of the various councils to consider the payment of maximum wages to their workmen. After peeing the list of payments made throughout Taranaki iie could say that, excepting Stratford, the Eitham county compared very favorably with ,other bodies. The town clerk then read out a list of wages paid to tl"» men in the various branches of county work.

The chairman said their payments were made for actual time worked, not wet and dry. Councillors could see that their employees werl? getting well paid. Cr. McWilliam said it was a case of getting down to a common level. He did not begrudge a good wage. There was a difference between a good wage and a poor one, but it was the wovk lie looked to, not the wages paid. The chairman said they had to look to the foremen to see the worlc was done. Cr. McWilliam thought they should pay the foremen fall timg throughout the year.

The resolution adopted by the council fixing the maximum wages at ]2s per day for employees was then carried.

ENGINEER'S REPORT. Mr. R. D. Tosswill, engineer, reported as follows: ' South.—The re-facing of Mountain road Ims been completed from Boylan road to Stuart road, a distance of about a mile. On the Boylan road a portion of the tar macadam not previously tarsprayed has been sprayed and sanded for a length of 45.chains, and metal hag been patched on Rotokare road. Mangatoki.—The upper portion of Hastings road has been tar-sprayed from Eltham road to the county boundary, and Eltham road has been tar-patched preparatory to spraying. The damage to side track on the Eltham road caused by the haulage of metal has been re-, paired, and Upper Stuart road has been blinded with clay. Omona..—jSlipß 3iave been removed, water-tables cleaned and culverts repaired on Waitiri, Mataiwhetu, and Rawhitiroa roads. A ford at the site of a washout near Moeawatea stream has been completed, and a track has been formed over a washout further along the same road. Some of the hardwood .timber for Takau bridge has been delivered and satisfactory arrangements have been made for the supply of balance of timber required, which should be on hand within a month.

Raponga.—-Maintenance work has been carried out on Rowan, Opunake, Manaia, and Mangawhero roads. On the lower portion of the last-named road, creeks on the eastern aide are much overgrown with watercress and the flow of water through culverts crossing the read is much retarded; subsidences of fillings and damage t<? culverts will follow if the

matter is not attended tn very shortly, Occupiers of sections li!) and 94, block 10. have been asked to clear the creek, lyehcly and Co. continue to make satisfactory progress with their contract on Auroa road, and give notice of their desiro to commence the delivery of crushed metal. Elthain. —Water-tables have been cleaned and culverts attended to on Mangawhero, Tiromuana, ami Rawhitiroa roads. Several' hundred yards of ■iliell rock has been stripped and is now being quarried in the. Mangamingi valipv bv the council's men for use on the RaMiiitiroa road. General. —The roller sold to the Horowhenua Cour.ty Council has been safely delivered at Levin, and a satisfactory trial on the roads in that district has boon given. Particulars of a considerable number of portable engines for driving the crusher have been submitted, but up to the present no selection has been made. The tipping gear for the new White lorry is complete and will be given a trial to-day.—C. H. Sharp. Boylan road, applies for two Gin. pipes for crossing. and for permission to take 6 yards of clay from bank.—Mr. O'Neill, Mangawhero road, applies to purchase about 6 yards metal lying opposite his gate. A crossing, as authorised, has been put in for Mr. J. Campbell, Rawhitiroa road.

The report was adopted. Mr. Sharp's applications wero granted and 'Mr. O'Neill's request left to the engineer. HOSPITAL DELEGATE.

The chairman stated that Mr. Marx had been elected a country representative on the 'Hawera Hospital Board. They required a second delegate. Cr. McWilliam thought this was a position that might go to the chairman.

Tin*, chairman declined. His time was well taken up. After further discussion it was suggested that the appointment be held over till the 28th inst. FAREWELL SPEECHES.

Cr. McWilliam stated it was customary to vote the chairman an honorarium for the work done during the past year. He testified to the good work accomplished by Cr. Belcher, and had pleasure in moving that the chairman be granted £iio. —Seconded by Cr. Campbell and carried.

The chairman, in teplying, thanked members for the honorarium, and said that as this was the last meeting lie would take advantage of the occasion to express his appreciation of the courtesy, consideration, and assistance given him during his occupancy of the chairmanship. Reviewing the position of the cimiu-.i lie said It was very satisfactory to know that the metal roads of f'e conntv generally were in fair order, and the tarred roads in pood order. The war was stil! on, and they had no knowledge of what the future cost of upkeep of roads, etc.. would be as a result. I/ibor was pelting very scarce, and he thought the council had done well in arranging for a conference in this connection. During the year they.had lost Mr. Basharn, (1 - engipoer, and in Mr. Tosswill they had obtained a good successor. He desired to congratulate those members who had been returned to their ridings unopposed. It bad been a pleasure to preside at the council meetings, and lie hoped that the good relations would continue.

Cr. TMaek said lie regretted in a. way he was not contesting the Kaponga Hiding. He extended his thanks to the ehnh-nian and councillors for their consideration to him, and wished the new council a successful term of office. ,

Cr. Campbell said he was oir< of thopi> who had to go to thn ratepayer for reelection. Tie appreciated the manner in which the chairman had controlled tl><> meetings, and the assistance the council ha: given him in looking after the South Rising. He had done liis beat for the ratepayers. Cr. Granville said he was pleased to testify to the general harmony that existed at the council table. All ltad had their minor differences, ( but these had left 110 sting behind. 'He wished the new council every success. Crs. McGuinness, Messena, and pease all briefly added appreciative testimony as to th" chairman's term of office. Cr. McWilliam stated that whilst the war was on they had to make the best of things, but he thought that as soon as it was over tile council should make every, effort to improve the roads in the outlying portions of the county. ' He wa9 entering upon another term of office, and he hoped to see an improvement in this direction effected during the next term. , RATES.

The question of outstanding rates was brought up by the clerk, who desired a resolution on the matter.

Cr. Granville trusted they would not be severe on the ratepayers, many of whom were finding the rates pressingvery severely upon them.

Cr. Blank's resolution that all outstanding rates on DecemberSO, be sued for was then put and carried.