TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 February 1918, Page 7

TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary meeting of the Taranaki County Council was held at the County ofiice, 'New Plymouth, yesterday, when there wefe present C'rs. J. S. Connett (chairman), J. Andrews, G. Capper, A. Morton, C. Andrews, J. Wooldridge, J. H. Simpson, 4 E. Laurence and >D. McAllum. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. The chairman reported as follows: 1 have made enquiries as to paddock accommodation for Foreman Mallon and expect to make satisfactory arrangements within the next few days. After further consideration of foremen's lengths in the Okato riding, I have to recommend that no alteration be made at present in the distribution proposed last meeting. Foreman J. West has resigned and J. McGrath has been appointed to the position. At Okato with Crs Andrews and Wooldridge, I met the ratepayers interested in the Komene road loan, when the objections raised by the Council Were fully discussed. Satisfactory assurance now being given, W< advise "that the work ie proceeded with as soon as possible. With the Moa Biding members I met Mr. Palmer at Swanston's Flat to again consider the best method of re-building Mangaohe bridge, Messrs Surrey and Rowe being also present. Estimates will be placed before the Council. We have instructed Foremen Mallon to remove Council's share of planks from the Tarata- bridge and store for renewing posts on Zig Zag The committee set up to consider bousing accommodation for Council's machinery qnd plant visited Waiwakailio and recommend for a beginning that a building 40 x 20 x 12 lie erected in concrete with lean-to addition for pipe making purposes. This should provide a store room, work shop and repair 3hed for [one engine and crusher, and could l>e added to as necessity arose. I have accepted J. McGee's tender for stone at Chain bridge and arranged with Forema j Meredith to supervise the crushing of !F. Sole's supply of stone on the Perth I road.* | The chairman's action was confirmed.

On the motion of Cra. Wooldridge and Laurence, it was resolved that the-Ko-rtene road formation and metalling be proceeded with, and the question of procuring a crusher and engine left to the riding councillors to arrange, provided all current and arrears of rates are paid. TAR-SEALING. The chairman reported that Mr. Conway, of the Wanganni Restar Company, arrived on January 23, and commenced work at Spotswood on January 28. Intermediate stone had to be procured, and this was obtained from R. Parkin at Fitzroy. Some delay has taken place owing to supplies of tar being held up on the railway, but good progress was now being made. Up to Saturday night 48 chains of metal had been taking 584 yards of metal. Forty chains "had received one coat of screenings, and 28 chains had received the second coat and had been gravelled. The total length proposed to be treated was seventy chains to the foot of Ojnata Hill, and this shoiild bo completed this week. Mr. Conway had inspected the Waiwakaiho flat, and reported favorably on its condition for tar-sealing. With the approval of the building sub-committee, he had arranged for this work to be done, and accepted a tender for a supply of gravel, which was now being delivered. The chairman stated that it was proposed to tar ten feet wide on the hill for the time being, so as to enable the hill to be negotiated by horse traffic, which would find the tar surface difficult. The chairman's action re the Waiwakaiho flat was confirmed.

The Restar Company notified that the matter of supplies for the Waiwakaiho bridge road would be placed in hand at once. FOREMEN'S REPORTS. The reports of the various foremen on work done during the month were,, submitted as follows: Plant—Engine-driver M&ckie: We crushed as follows: 1 day 5 hours, Spotswood, 114 yards; 12 days fij hours Tomer's, 772 yards; total, 880 yards. En-gine-driver Stewart; We have rolled and scarified 100 chains on the Mangorei, Junction, Old Hospital and Main South 'Roads, Engine-driver Orr: This pidnt has rolled and scarified 125 chains on the Main South, 'Ngamotu find Wairau roads and is at present engaged on the Omata tar Bealiug work. Moa Riding.—Foreman Laurence: My time has been taken up with usual miscellaneous repairs. A set of Bin pipea is required to replace old culvert in front of Parrott's place. Foreman Mallon • I have been engaged at ordinary maintenance work and considering the dry weather my roads are very fair. Foreman Bennett : My time has been occupied at blinding and water-tabling. I want a horse and dray badly but cannot get one for f>s per day. Foreman Heal: T have been assisting at the plant most of the month. Foreman Taylor: Not to hand.

Mangorei Riding.—Foremain (Batten: I have received the following metal during the month and placed oil the undermentioned roads: Junction, 314'; Old Hospital, 216; Mangorei, BG. Avenue, 110; Old Albert, 30; total, 750 yards. We picked and crushed 12 .yards of stone on the Old Hospital road, making Magee's contract 744 vArds, Foreman Ivcast; The Korito, Albert and top end of Kent roads require a lot of attention and I require help for two weeks. A car went over the Korito bridge and broke the hand rails. The inspector has since repaired the bridge. Foreman Spencer: T have been assisting at Tozer's depot with the plant. A culvert requires replacing on the Upper Carrington road with seven Din pipes. Waitara Riding.—Foreman J. Holmes: The Mangati road has been formed for about 20 chains and is quite passable. Mr. F. F. Hoskin lent his plough and Karena put on two men and horses to do the work, They all have one day free and one day on pay. Mr. Scandlyn also gave a day's work. Foreman F. Holmes: I have been employed at usual maintenance work. I require eleven nine-inch pipes for culvert on TCgmont road. Foreman W. .Holmes: During the month I have been assisting the other foremen. I repaired Waioneona bridge, Lepperton Foreman Proud: I have been assisting at tVie repairs to ManufaM bridge and also at the formation on Mangati road.

Omata Riding.—Foreman Seamark: I have raked np and broken large stones on Barrett, road. Burton's Hill, in Foreman Eva's length as instructed. I have received 272 yards of crushed metal on Main road and re-coated 21 chains which is being tarred. Foreman Eva: I have been assisting at the plant in the Mangorei and Omata Ridings. I have put mv time in for 12s per day for overtime nut of mv own length. Okato Riding.—Foreman Meredith: I have raked up loose metal and blinded the Hempton and Dover roads through'out. Ihav# finished crusher tit* on

Perth road. Die tinmetalled portion of Dover road about has been- sadly neglected in the past arid requires a good deal of formation work while the weather 13 suitable. Messrs Tunnecliir and Soars have done a good deal of free labor to keep the road open. Kaihiih road is in a had way and requires maintenance metal to repair it. Foreman Sefton: The small roller has been in this length and searilied and rolled Upper Wairau and Surrey Hill roads. There 13 gorse ajid Wajtlcberry growing on Maori frontages on the Upper Wairau road which requires cutting back clear of the metal. There are no occupiers t 0 the land. Foreman Collins: I took up my position on the 14th inst., and have' been engaged at usual work and at crusher site. Foreman West: Rtbigned, no report. Foreman Haves. No report to hand. I inspected the Lepper-Carrington road bridge, and found that it requires two or three new posts, and three or four decking planks. The inspector also reported on the three whares. One was beyond repair, while another could be easily repaired, and the third required reconstruction. Foreman Laurence was granted eight 9-inch pipes. Foreman Heal is to be requested to place stone now lying on the Hursthouse road on the road, and clean out the drain on Marshall's frontage.

It was resolved to thank Messrs. P. F. Hoskin, Karema and Seandlyn for free labor on the Manga iti road. Foreman Mallon was granted tar and supplies to tar posts. Seven 9-inch pipes were granted to Foreman Spencer, and the chairman was authorised to pay overtime. Eleven 9-inch pipes were granted Foreman J. Holmes. Timber for crusher site on Mangaiai road was authorised. Foreman Eva was granted overtime while working in another riding. Timber was authorised for the Lepper road bridge. The chairman was authorised to enquire into the matter of portable whares, and report at next meeting. : Inspector's Report: I have effected repairs to the Mangaoraka bridge on the Te Ari road. From instructions received I repairod the two piers of the Manutahi bridge and also repaired the decking. Receiving instructions that the Korito bridge required immediate attention I went out and took down the old guard rails and reconstructed new ones. ,1 also put down npw wheel checks and also attended to the approaches. I have everything pretty , well ready to start with the concrete wall on the Tarata 7Ag Zag and will make a start when Foreman Mallon is relieved from his metalling contract. I have issued five licenses to drivel's for using the County roads. On the 24th January I attended Court to prosecute two persons for breaches of the County by-laws.

TENDERS; A tender was received for the erection of the Mangacue culvert on the Mountain road, also an offer to do the work on a commission basis.—Referred to the chairman, with power to act. W. Thomason's tender at 8s per yard for lOCfb .yards of metal on Egmont road was accepted, as also was his tender to supply metal on the Mountain road, near Inglewood, at 9s per yard. The action of Crs. Laurence and Simpson in accepting Julian and Gryll's tender for fifty yards of metal on the. Junction road at 12s fid per yard was confilmed. UPPER DOVER ROAD. Messrs. C. J. Sears, P. Richardson, L. W. Tunnecliff and M. V. Tunnecliff, ratepayers of Dover road, drew attention to the bad state of the road, They pointed out that the heavy rains of the winter and spring, together with the traffic, had scouipd out holes and ruts that, but for the iree labor of the settlers, the road would have been impassable. Tunnecliff brothers had widened a cutting and re> paired bad places. C. J. Sears had kept in repair twenty-eight chains of Carrington road. Thoy had formed part and metalled one cutting, besides doing a week's free work on Dover road. In asking the council to repair the road, they intimated that they would supply labor if necessary. Cr. Wooldridge stated that there was about two and a half miles of road to attend to,' and that Foreman Meredith had estimated that, with free labor, it would cost £2O to do the work. It was decided to thank the petitioners for the work they had already done, and to grant a sum of £2O, provided they undertook the work. The matter of repairs lower down the road was left in the hands of the chairman and riding members. MANGAONE AND MANGANUI BRIDGES.

Messrs. Sladden and Palmer estimated that it would cost £570 to erect a bridge over the Mangaone river, Junction road, if the plans were altered to do away with the pile foundations. They also reported that the water could be diverted along the road to the foot of the hill, where an eiglrt-foot culvert could be put across the road at a total cost of £3BO (estimated).' The Manganui bridge site was suitable for a concrete arch, which, they estimated, without going into the matter approximately, could be erected at a cost of £2600.' This did not provide for keeping the road open. Or. Morton: There is a bridge loan sticking out. A councillor: And very soon, too. Consideration of the Mangaone bridge was deferred till next meeting. WAIWAKAIHO BRIDGE. The Public Works Department notified that the sum of £535 4s had been paid into the council's account, as follows: Waiwakaiho bridge, -£430; Lepper road, £100; rent of office December, £5 4s. Mr. F. T. Bellringer, town clerk, notified that a progress payment Of £250 had been made in connection with the Waiwakaiho bridge. The letter further stated that the matter would be considered at a meeting on January 22. The clerk stated that up to the present no reply had been received. LOWER PITONE ROAD. The State Advances Department notified that it had been resolved to grant the council a loan of £IOOO for the purpose of forming and metalling the Lower Pitone road. It was resolved to instruct the engineers to draw up plans for the work. THE CAIiRINGTON ROAD. • Mr. H. H: Sharp, resident engineer, notified that a sum of £2O had been gianted for improving access to Mr; Tiirchie's section on the Carrington road. As there was a considerable amount of work required on the lower portion of the road he wished to know whether the»council would be prepared to extend an additional sum and carry out the work. The chairman stated that the road certainly had been neglected, and required attention to protect whtvt had ■. already

been done lower down on the Oxford road. On the motion of Crs Vooidridge-»nd C Andrews, it was resolved to expend a sum not exceeding . ■ CL'O on the Oxford road. LOWER MANUOItJiI ROAD Benoni White wrote tendering thanks for the chairman's recent inspection of the road conditions at the MungoreiJunetion cross roads. The business attention so shown wag in marked and hopeful contrast to the attitude of abandonment hitherto shown .by the council towards frequent and numerous petitions. He also protested strongly against the council's attitude in regard to his claim for royalty for metal taken from his land, and used on the Smart road. He considered the attitude amounted to imposition and injustice, and practically countenanced something' very much like raiding ratepayers' property.—Received. GENERAL. Cr. Laurence brought up the Question of the council manufacturing it:-, own pipes. The matter of obtai ng pipe moulds was left in the hands of the chairman. The question of. repairs to the Lepper road bridge was discussed. Cr. Morton considered this would be an ideal place to erect a concrete bridge, and that therefore too-much money should not be expended in repairs. Deferred till next meeting, when ihe inspector will submit an estimate of the repairs, The difficulty of obtaining teams at the price now paid waH discussed, and Cr. Capper gave notice to niove at next meeting thriJE the resolution re limiting pay for dray hire to 16a be rescinded. Mr. E. Gilmour, clerk to the Waitara West Road Board, asked whether it was the intention of the council to charge the board's contractors the usual license fee when they carted metal for the board over the county roads. The chairman considered that they should adopt a give-and-take policy.—To be informed that no charge will be mado.

Mr. Wooldridge pointed out that the council had by-laws, which should be carried out. The deputy-superintendent of the State Advances Office notified that the sum of £7OO, in connection witfi the Komene road loan, would be available on receipt of the debentures, satisfactorily executed. The chairman and Cr. C. Andrews were appointed to sign and seal the debentures. F. J. Greenway, Okato, asked that something should be done on the Upper, Puniho road. He pointed out that he could hardly get through even in the summer, and it would be quite impassable in winter. It was resolved to authorise Foreman Hayes to expend £2O in repairing the road on the lines' suggested by him. Mr. J. West wrote tendering his resignation as foreman of the OakuraTapuae length.—Accepted. The district railway engineer, Wanganui, notified, in regard to the proposed level crossing near Tariki, that no one but the lessee of the crossing was allowed to use it. The gates were provided with locks, of ,which the council would have the key, and if the crossing was used by others, it would be the council's fault. It was resolved to draw the attention of the railway engineer to the uasatislactory state of the railway C'Ossinf,! at ligmout and Smart roads, where •the metal was wora dewn. The chiel surveyor wrote re lejjallaing and gazetting the road deviation i.i Mahoetahi. The chairman stated that, with the removal of the gravel pit, the road could be put back to its proper line, when funds were available.—To be given effect to. The Commissioner of Crown Lands notified that the Land Board had agreed to the council's application to allow thirds to accumulate, owing to tha difficulty of obtaining •> \>v. Mr. J. J. Lilly (Kaimiro) again drew attention to the state of the Alfred road. If this road was left alone much longer, it would be impassable, as a pipe was broken in one of the culverts, and the water was running down the road. The foreman will be instructed to report to next meeting. . David Jones, of Tariki, offered to allow the council to go through his property to obtain stone from the Mangamawhiti stream for ten years on payment of a royalty of 6d per yard.—Accepted, and the county solicitor will be instructed to draw up the necessary agreement. A. Malton, foreman at the Zig Zag, submitted particulars of sections, etc., available for the erection of a surfaceman's cottage. The question of further coal supply was left in the bands of the chairman. Cr. Capper brought up the question of expenses allowed councillors. These, he considered, were inadequate. After some discourse, the matter was held over till next meeting for adjustment. Accounts were passed for payment as follows: General expenses, £sll 10s 6d; Moa riding, £2Ol 2s 7d; Mangorei, £279 10b lid; Waitara, £164 lis 7d; Omata, £5lO 7s i)d; Okato, £244 13s lOd; total, £lOl7 (is Bd.