CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 January 1918, Page 3

CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Clifton County Council was held at Waitara yesterday. There were present: Crs. K. H. Pigott (chairman), T. McKenzie, JL 'A. Foreman, C. Muskor, F. C. Jone», S. ■I. Kennington, and If. Sander. KNGtNEER'S REPORT. The engineer reported as follow* AA ailii Hiding.—The metalling contract on t lie. Ohanga road will be. commenced as soon as the settlers can carry out the necessary earthwork, of which they have been duly notified. The pipes for the culvert near Graham's have gone out, and as time permits will be put in, and the necessary drains cut. The binding of nielal on the Inland North road has been attended to. increased haulage will he applied at the Turangi depot in the future.

fikorangi Riding.—The fence referred to in Mrs. Hipango's application has been attended to. The major portion of the metal has been blinded where required. Mr. Jury's application for improvements on the Waihi road ivill be carried out during the present month, whilst the metal adjacent t<- his frontage is now receiving attention, to be followed by the metalling of Cunningham's hill- The improvement desired on Foreman's. hill is deferred pending the necessary labor being available. Ngatimant Riding.—The large pipes for tiie I'ukeho culvert have gone forward, and their new position has been decided on. AH claims 'having now been received, a claim has been°made on the Taranaki County Council in respect of half costs against the repairs to the Tarata boundary bridge, which is now in good order and condition. Blinding the broken metal has been receiving attention, and the respective foremen at Pi'rangi and Tarn la have been instructed to prospect for gravel suitably situated to ihp Junction road. Webb's concrete culvert and earthwork have now been satisfactorily completed, the existing metal requiring n. small alteration in

alignment to conform with the new conrli( ions, .whilst the metalled road hj, tliis vicinity will now receive what attention it requires. The Piirangi bridge lias been temporarily repaired, "and the timber for the permanent repairs has been- ordered and is due next month. Claims have been made in respect of a portion of tlie Matan-Kiore rond grant, the balance to be duly expended later. I he concrete culvert near Smith's, and grader work have been employing the of the foreman.

■(. renm Hiding, The work of metalling the Xaipikari hill will shortlv be completed. Large quantities of stone have been showing on the foreshore, Wt no efiort has been made to icoover same and the results -at the Okoke pit have been small. Foreman Burnett Ims resumed his old duties in the Okoke district. T have been over the roads with him, and also arranged about the "rant, re slip, on the Piko road. The wood"•on; on the county cottage in this district should be repaired to preserve it rendrrs are again called for metalliii" a portion of the Onaero road. The Avenue road proposition is again arousing attention, and probably a further i meeting will lie necessary.

. Mo«au Riding. Instructions have been issued for the performance of the necessary work preparatory to completing the I-ruti road metalling contract. On the rond various works have been held in abeyance owing to the absence oc the foreman, who entered the hospital, on December 12, but expect? to be about shortly. The boulder ew.Uaet for maintenance is proceeding satisfactorily. The. grader has not been put into ocmjnission, owing to the driver having pririr engagements. On the Piikoaruhe rhad the metalling has been proceeding with vigor and is nearing completion, the totai metal crushed exceeding expectations. There is still lots to do in barking. blinding and rolling, and this will be lone in due course. The blinding of the deviation metal has also received attention. Tn respect of the Tangitu deviation, the resident engineer deposited key plans and estimates, showing the original and proposed roads. My suggestion of effecting a junction opposite Mr. Putt's hous." has been agreed upon, thereby saving over half a mile of new formation. In comparing the estimates the total cost' of the new work is greatly in excess of widening the old route., and confirms uiv report that it. will lie'necessary for the sel.tleis to raise additional moneys, T W'l! submit estimates and explain matters more fully verbally. 1 propria to again call a meeting of settlor; to lay before them Mr. Sharped propolis mid figures. Contracts, however, up to the amount of the present allocations can be forthwith proceeded with, and this [propose to do, subject to the approval of the resident, engineer. Thirds proposals for the past half-year havf. ken duly approvoil, 1

Tie enginom>. tn his statement to the connoi!, f'Xplained the position re",idling the Ttin«itu deviation and the estimated cost of the work, and it was agreed that another meeting of the amlers be called m order that the pnsttion should be furtlier explained to them.

Thr* engineer's report w<tß then approved. 1 mangaopa road. With repaid to the Mangaopa road loan o.f iJioft and the State Advances Department's intimation that the special rating area would have to he extended in order to include the whole of the land through which the proposed work was to be done, it was decided that the Department be, «sk(i(t to reconsider its decision m view of the fact that the Und proposed to be included in the area was held by a ratepayer already within the area, and who had consented to the loan.

Cr. Kennington urged that the slips on the Mangaonpa road should be cleared before the main work on the road was undertaken. He contended that the slips constituted only a small portion of the work that was to be done out of tinloan, and he thought it might, well be authorised without waiting for the loan, it; would expedite the. opening of the road.

Several councillors thought it unwise to commence the work Wore the loan was authorised, failing which the ex-peiv-e would fall upon'the council Cr. Sander said the work would 'have to. 'be done, as the settlers in Hie disv trict were paying rates anil a, rrfht to ftxpect that, the road w u ld lie opened Tie.jnoved that a. commencement be made road VI " S °" the Mllu 2 aoa P a lhe reMlns>o n W as seconded by Cr. i m t was lost, the mover and se«tfKtf>;. being the only supporters. TENDERS. Tenders were received for motallinu portions of Onacro hill and the Inland ■ North road, hut as the prices submitted were considered excessive, no contract was let. It was resolved to endeavor to effect .J an arrangement with the tenderer for

the Inland Nni-lb rotvl contract, the mutter being jt.-li to the engineer and Cr. Foreman. GENERAL. The application of the engineer for a motor car was referred to by" the chairman, who submitted the report of the special committee, set up to go into the matter. The report of the committee was to the ell'rct that the present position of the county's finances would not warrant tho expenditure involved. • Councillors expressed sympathy with the engineer's application', but felt the council could not go past the committee's recommendation, and, on the motion of Crs. Sander and Muskor the report was adopted. Accounts amounting to £944 7s 5d were passed for payment.