CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 April 1918, Page 3

CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Clifton County Council was held at TVaitara yesterday. There were presenf: Crs. H. !■[. Pigott (chainnan), 'l'. Mclv.ni:',ie, li. A. Voreman, I l '. C. .(ones, C. Masker, S. .i. Kennington. Leave of absence was granted to Cr. 11. Sander. COKE ESPON DION CIO. IT. Welis wrote asking the council to metal :i portion of Pukeavuhe road opposite Mr. Greig's house.—On the motion of Crs. Pigott and .Tones it was resolved that the council could not accede to the Request. It was decided to inform Mr. .Wflls that the loan moniea raised for metalling had been expended as allocated. Nine settlers of Piko Road petitioned that steps be taken to raise a loan for metalling Piko Road from its junction with Okoko Road to the section occupied by Air. Wliitinker. Tin? matter was referred hack 1o the petitioners for full particulars aa to the amount, of loan required, and as to the proposed special rating area. The secretary of the Tnrauaki Hospital Board wrote notifying that it was intended to levy a rate of Is (id in the £IOO on local contributing bodies.

OKOKE GRAVEL RESERVE. On the motion of Crs. Pigott and McKenzie it was resolved to oiler the lease of the Okoke gravel reserve at public auction at Urenui, at an upset annual rental of ,ClO, and that the term of the lease be for ten years, on the usual terms and conditions. MANGAOAPA ROAD LOAN. The State Advances Department wrote slating that it had been decided to entertain the council's application for a loan of £:500 for forming and bridging the Mangaoapa Road. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer (Mr. C. F. Dowsett) reported as follows:

Wailii Riding—The contractors have been busy carting quantities of boulders from the foreshore at the Turangi depot, in view of it being required at an early date. The crossing at the Lpilm Road has received attention. The pipes near Graham's have been placed in position. The boulders at Anaero will shortly be crushed and placed as previously arranged. Tikcrangi Riding.—The metalling at Cunningham's has been satisfactorily completed, and the road frojn this point to the Ngatimaru Road junction has been much improved. The question of a deviation at .this junction should be considered before any permanent metal is laid down, as a much improved grade could be obtained. The contractor haa the major portion of iiis metal ready for the Tikorangi Road. The Inland North Road contract has been hampered by labor conditions, but is now proceeding. The request for improvement on the Wailii Road has been attended to. When tho metalling work in hand is completed t.he improvement at tin; Library corner will be attended to, to be followed by some attention to tho Bertraiid Road. Xgatimaru Fading.—The grader has been active on the Otaraoh, and other roads. Any reasonable offer to supply gravel will be considered, hut all enquiries so far have proved fruitless. The foreman, if time permits, will endeavor to quarry sufficient for repairs." I inspected tlie Maugaopa Road, and found a certain amount of improvements effected, but with increased assistance much more is expected in the immediate future Timber is continuing to arrive in small quantities for the Purangi bridge repairs The Purangi portion of this riding is now without a roadman, and as I have not been successful in filling the position the settlers will require to assist when possible. Urenui Riding.—The improvements to the points on the Kaipikari Hill are at present in hand. It is proposed to crush the existing metal at the Urenui depot, and put it down opposite the pah. Work is proceeding at the Okoke pit. The output promises to be greater, and with the use of a screen the quality is also much improved. The concrete culvert at l'errott's has been attended to. The small item for slips on the Upper Piko Road has been expended, and arrangements have been made for repairs to a number of small bridges t this locality. The settlers are again moving in the matter of raising a loan for metalling 440 chains of this (Piko) road. My pre-war estimates will, of course, require amendment if the work is done under existing conditions. Mokau Riding.—The crushing operations at Llruti have been satisfactorily completed, n total of over 500 yards having been put out. A section north of Uruti bridge was recoated, and the bal•lllno ..4 .1 If,._

Mokau Riding.—The crushing operations at Llruti have been satisfactorily completed, n total of over 500 yards having been put out. A section north of Uruti bridge was recoated, and the balance placed at depots for future maintenance. The sanding on the Okau Road has been completed, and similar work is now proceeding on the Mangatoro Road. The Kiwi Road lias also received attention. The work in connection with the improvement to the coast road at Tongaporutu is in abeyance, no word having been received of tho proffered assistance as outlined at last meeting. The Government scoop is not at present available. The Paraninihi tunnel and bridges north thereof were inspected, and instructions given for temporary repairs, The price submitted for the proposed metalling from the Tongaporutu gravel pit, covered cartage only, and an inclusive price, although promised, lias not yet been received. .No further metal supplies have been obtained at the Wai-iti depot. Correspondence has been proceeding between the resident engineer, the settlers and myself relative to the construction of the Tangitu deviation, and I understand the replies of the Department to the settlers' suggestions are at present under consideration.

GENERAL. The Minister of Finance wrote asking the council to assist in securing contributions to the war loan. The chairman, in commending the matter to the council and the public, said there was good reason for believing- that the settlers in Clifton County were liberally subscribing to the loan.

The I'ublic Works Department forwarded advice of C for subsidy (amounting to £457) deposited at the bank on account of ("rati lioad work, also i;:lO() on account of '.'ukcaruhe Koad. Mr. W. T. .Jennings, M.P., wrote stating that lie would support the resolutions passed by the council anent the retention of Samoa and the l'einstitution of special trains for local race meetings. Accounts amounting to £ll2O 10s 4d were passed for payment. » '