ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 January 1918, Page 3

ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

.MONTHLY MEETIN The. Eltluim County Council met, on Saturday. Present: Crs. C. .1. Belcher (chairman), 10. J. GilTord, C. I'. McGuinness, A. C. I'eiisc, A. McWilliam, M. W. Barker, A. V. Mcsscna, and A. L. Campbell. Thursday was declared the .statutory half-holiday lur closing in the county. CORRESPONDENCE. Jas. Allan, Fields Inspector, notified that he had instructed the farmers on the Anderson road to remove noxious weeds. He also drew attention to -blackberry growing on the councils property, off Bridge street, and requested that the weed be grubbed out.—Blackberry to be grubbed. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., notified the council that the amount voted to the council for payment on the Rotokare road loan was £IOO, not £lO as previously announced through a typist's error. —Received.

The Recruiting Board, Wellington, forwarded a list of balloted men who had failed to report, and recptested the council's assistance in discovering their whereabouts. The men concerned were all in the First Division.—Assistance, where possible, to he given. The Eltham Borough Council wrote that they were not in a position to effect, repairs on Mangawhero road, between Castle street and Mountain road, in the borough boundary, and desiring the county to effect repairs and charge half cost to the borough.—Left in the°hands of the engineer to arrange. Regarding stray stock on boundary roads, the Kltlmm Borough Council notified it had no objection to the county ranger impounding wandering stock on borough boundary roads. Stratford County Council also granted permission to the ranger. The Public Works, Department forwarded .CloO towards the cost of repairs to Rawhitiroa. road through damage done by floods. —Received. Awatuna, dairy factory complained of the insufficiency of width of metal laid down on Surrey road from Eltham road north past the factory. Traffic was heavy and they suggested a width of 1(1 feet.—The onginear stated the.factory had been carting metal, and lie (the engineer) had to make arrangements to carry the surface water, otherwise that from the factory would go on to the road. He had no doubt they could work with the factory, and would complete the road at the end of the job.—Left in the hands of the engineer. Eltham Drainage Board applied for usual drain subsidy in respect of Maata and Oru road drains. The total amount of subsidy desired was £7 Ins 6d Granted. H. Mehrtens, an employee of the council, desired an increase of 2s per day in wages,—Not granted. John Smith, county ranger, forwarded a list of various offenders as to straying stock, riding motor cycles at furious pace, etc. He also stated that overloading motor lorries still continued, and requested permission to interview the council on the matter.—Received,

| CARTING METAL. | Symes and Weir, county solicitors, | stated that the council's claim for damI age on Eltham road through heavy traffic lay against the Mangatoki Dairy Companv rather than against the contractor, and suggested that a similar demand be made against the company as against the contractor. Cr. Gilford protested against the Mangatoki Company being penalised. In answer to a question, the engineer stated that half the contract had been completed. Crs. Campbell and Messena moved that the Mangatoki Company be notified of its liability in accordance with the solicitor's advice.—Carried.

ENGINEER'S REPORT, R. D. Tosswill, county engineer, reported as under: South Riding.—General maintenance work, consisting of Winding and watertiib|ing, has been carried out on the Oalziei, Boylan, and Rogers roads. - Relacing of Fraser and Rotokare roads has been continued, about 18 chains of the former and ">4 of the latter now being complete. 1 will be advisable to continue the re-facing of Rotokare road a further chains to join up with the part previously re-faced, the intervening length being in a very worn-out condition. Mangn.toki Riding.—Duthie and Palmer roads have been blinded and tar-patching has been continued on Eltham road. Omona Riding.—The work of shifting slips, forming up and water-tabling has been continued on Rahwitiroa and Mataiwhetu roads. The of the timber for Takau bridge lias now been delivered and the work of erection will be started almost immediately. Hardwood timber for Mangatoromiro bridge, Mataimaroke road has been earted to the site, it being intended to proceed with the erection of this bridge immediately on completion of the former. The necessary gravel for concrete repairs at Patea river bridge and -Mangatoromiro stream bridge, Rawhitiroa road, lias been delivered, aud these works will also be carried out while the bridge builder is in the distreit.. Shell rook for maintenance pur-, poses has -been quarried at Mangatoromiro stream, and is being carted out on to Rawhitiroa road. V Kaponga Riding.—Kehfcley and Co. continue to make satisfactory progress with their contract for deli-very of crushed metal on Auroa road, about !)0 chains of metal now having been laid. Owing to the extreme shortage of labor the work of "backing up" and formation at sides is considerably behind, and general work throughout the. riding has to be held over for the time being. In company with members for the riding, an inspection was made of the Auroa road as far as the radius line, with a view to ascertaining the possible extent of work that could he carried out under the present loan, and it appeared very improbable that there would be any balance available for work of any description beyond the end of the present metal. "Dunkett's" bridge on Opurmkfc road has been re-docked and the hand-rails repaired. Mr. Onckett applied for permission to remove the old decking from this bridge when available, and 1 recommend that permission be granted. Eltham Riding.—Several hundred yards of shell-rock have been earted out along Rawhitiroa road. Templar street, off Clill'ord road, is getting into a very bad state of repair, the result of continuous heavy carting of gravel from the Waingongori) river. The formation of this street is quite unsuitable to carry the heavv loading entailed in metal carthiu\ and if continued under present conditions the road surface will soon he entirely destroyed. As this street was only recently laid down out of loan money,, the matter is one of some urgency. General.—The o-ton White dump truck recently purchased has been given a thortest and ?med exceedingly,

suitable. The tipping gear on the I smaller White, truck is now completed and is working well. The digester purchased from, Coltett and Sow lias been delivered and will be ibricked in position as soon as the busy season is over. Arrangements have 'been made to erect fished over the engine used to drive the crusher. Blackberries growing on the council's property have been cut and fences have been repaired. The report was adopted. The condition of Templar street created a little discussion, ami eventually, on the motion of the chairman, was resolved to obtoin the solicitor's opinion regarding the council's liability on the road. Accounts totaling ,-£35 15a were passed for payment, and the council rose.