EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 September 1918, Page 6

EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. ? ' The ordinary meeting of the EgtnOnt County Council was held at Opunako on Tuesday, when thcro were present: Cm. W. R. Wright (chairman), S. M. Cornish, T. Harvey, T. H. Sinclair, W. C. Green, T. A. Rowe, A. H. Holder, M. O'BHen, R. W. J. McNeill i ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer (Mr Pease) reported:— Oeo Riding (Northern). —Additional repairs have been done to the Eltham road in several places contiguous with contract No. 312, which was completed at the beginning of the month, the work consisted of scarifying the road in places and refacing with hand-broken metal which had been lying on the road I side for a considerable time. A length of 12 chains of the Opunakc-Stratford road, at the Eltham road end, has Been scarified and coated with 124 yards of pit metal. 200 cubic yards of pit metal have been laid on the Kiri road at Tindle's Hill and north of the same. A total length of about 27 chains of the road has been remetallcd. A fair amount of work had to be done in forming proper water tables alongside the new work and banking up the metal. A considerable amount of banking has been done to the newly metalled portions of the Eltham road. Timber is on order for temporary repairs to the Punehu bridge, The permit, allowing settlers to erect a temporary bridge over a stream in the Kiri road, has been withheld, pending a reply to the county clerk's letter to the solicitors re the subsequent responsibility of the council.

Oeo Riding (Southern).—The men in this riding nave been engaged most of the month on the work of widening and cleaning the watertables on the Main South Road from the Taungatara river to Pihama.

Opua Riding.—Other than a, little watertabling the only work of importance done in this riding (has been the part removal of a high bank on the north side of the Eltham road opposite Mr Leahy's place, past the Mangahume School.

Opunake Riding.—Notice board?, regulating the speed of motor cars have been erected on the main road at each end of the Opunake Township. The new 15inch and 18-inch diameter pipe moulds have been delivered and the men have been employed making concrete pipes from 12 inches to 24 inches diameter, 54 pipes of the various sizes having been made this month. Light patching and watertabling have been done. I have gone into the question of the proposed weir in the Waiaua river with the Opun ; ake Town Board's engineer, and see no serious objection to the proposals, bui I have drafted two clauses to be embodies in the agreement and license which still cover the matter.

Rahotu Riding.—The crushing plant was moved to the gravel reserve near tfte Oaoiti stream early in the month to crush metal for contract No. 333, the yield being 316 cubic yards of crushed metal and 48 cubic yards of screenings, i which were laid down on the Main South [Road on three sections between the |Kina road and the Oaoiti stream, the total length coated being 29 chains. The above work concluded the crushing in the riding for the season. The Garrett roller was taken back north of the Puhina stream and employed scarifying and re-rolling without new metal until she was stopped for boiler inspection. The approaches to several of the bridges have been improved. Bridges.—The Puhina bridge in fhe Rahotu Riding has been completed. Shingle has been delivered for the erection of the two small bridges on the Eltham road west of the Mangahume river, one of which had to be strutted last week to prevent it from collapsing. The east and west abutments and the centre pier of the Punehu bridge on the Kltham road are concreted up to the springing line, the sole plates for the centreing timbers of the eastern arch are bedded, and a great amount of the centreing timbers have been cut to templates whilst waiting for the heavy timbers. This is now being delivered and the work of erection proceeded with. The contractor is commencing to paddock more boulder stone to rush for concrete. It is possible that we may have some difficulty in obtaining suitable sand for the concrete for the arch rings, as the sand from the Punehu river is not giving satisfactory results from the tests being made by the District Engineer. Plant.—A new three h.p. petrol engine has been filled by the makers to the 2£ h.p. engine. The new Acme crusher has arrived.

The engineer reported on various repairs, etc. ~£ The chairman stated that he had au-

horised timber to be procured for

temporary repairs to the Punehu bridge, which the council had declared closed some time ago After considerable discussion, rn which the question of the council's liability in case of accident was stressed, the action of the chairman was onfirmed.

Cr Green took strong exception to the council over-riding its previous resolu-

Cr Cornish gave notice to move Vk&t the resolution re closing the bridge be rescinded with the view to repairing the bridge so as to carry traffic up to two tons. Members were unanimously of opinion that the bridge must be kept open for traffic, but the foremen are to be in- , structed to report any one exceeding the weight specified. ESTIMATES. Estimates were submitted of requirements for the ensuing year and were approved as follows for metalling, etc., on various roads: Oeo' Northern Riding: Eltliam, Oeo (north and south of Elt'ham road), Kiri, Opunake-Stratford, Weremii, Patiki and Watino roads. Oeo Eiding, Southern: Main South, Witino, Patiki, Skeet, Oeo, Hone and Piiiietapu roads. Opua. Main South and Eltham roads. Opunake: Main South Road, Rahotu: Main South Road. Tenders will be called and considered at a special meeting on September 30th. It was decided to metal sixteen feet wide through the Rahotu township. STRAYING CATTLE. Cr Cornish complained of the straying stock at Awatuna and beyond Pungarehu. He wished to tuow if the ranger ever visited Awatuna and who owned the bullocks that were on the road there every night in the week. Tho chairman said that as the result I of complaints the ranger had gone down and filled the pound on three occasions. Cr McNeill pointed out that this en- '" &iled a hardship on the contractors who fcsed bul?vks and would only come iack on the ratepayers. He knew one contractor whoge bullocks had been I impounded three nights'running. If

would mean that their metal would co3t £1 per yard, instead of 7s and Ss, as it was impossible for contractors to get paddocking, and chaff was very dear. He considered they should protect contractors' bullocks while working for the county.

Cr Rowe said the Eltham County Council protects their contractors in this way. He admitted that some time ago bullocks had been a considerable nuisance to the district. Cr Holder second"'].

Cr O'Brien said -re was no doubt if they put the sc: on the contractors the latter would [ the screw on them. Some middle coui'-c should he adopted, and he suggested that the chairman s'bould meet (lie contractors and endeavor to mitigate the nuisance. Tho chairman considered that it would he a hardship on the contractors and he had suggested to them that the council should protect their bullocks until 24 hours after the contract was completed. Cr McNeill then moved: That while a contractor is using bullocks working for the council his bullocks be protected from impounding.

The chairman said that such a resolution #Duld not bind the ratepayers.

Cr Green opposed the motion. It was humbug to say they got cheaper metal. Contractors did not tender witfi the object of grazing on the road. Moreover, any right-thinking man knew that the counHl had no power to grant permission to graze the road, and any ratepayer could take the bullocks to pound. If ratepayers were not prepared to pay for a road let them have a bad road. He I had known bullocks belonging to contractors graze on the road that (had not worked for the council for two years. Personally he would instruct the ranger to pound every bullock. Cr. Holder, while sympathising with motor car owners, considered that bullocks kept to the side of the road and were not as troublesome as horses. If they started pounding bullocks they would ruffle the small contractor, and, of course, the more contractors the better.

After an amendment proposed by Cr. Harvey and seconded by Cr Rowe that the action of the chairman in interviewing Hie contractors be confirmed was lost, and the motion was carried.

Cr Green said they might as well at once dismiss the ranger, and added: "I intend in spite of all you do to instruct the ranger every time to pound the bullocks, because they have done ine no end of damage." SUBSIDIES TO ROADS. In reply to a request from the Eginont County Council that a special subsidy should be granted towards the increased cost of the upkeep of the county roads within the Eginont County owing to the prohibition of steamer traffic to the port of Opunake during the day. Mr C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., stated that he had forwarded the letter to the Minister of Public Works. He hardly thought the council had much chance of getting a subsidy under the circumstances. Later he submitted a letter from the Minister of Public Works (Hon W. Fraser) who stated that he knew nothing of the prohibition referred to. He presumed the County Council referred to some precautionary measures which were being taken owing to the danger on that coast from enemy mines that had escaped from their moorings. He failed to see that there was any valid reason for making any special subsidy towards the maintenance of roads in that locality and he regretted that he could not see his way to entertain the request. GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES AND WAGES. A circular letter was received from llie Minister of Public Works notifying that the Department would only pay subsidies on any works based on the payment of wages at a rate not exceeding lis per day and the price tendered for If the local authority agreed to pay the difference between the price based on lis per day and the price tendred for or wages earned, the tender would be approved by the engineer, but the subsidy could only be based on lis per day. Any exceptional case, where, owing to local conditions and urgency of the work the above provisions could not apply, he would be prepared to consider the same on its merits if the local authority applied through the District Engineer before commencing the bridge.

A letter was received from Mr H. H. Sharp, resident engineer at Stratford, notifying that under the special circumstances the Minister of Public Works would agree to the payment of 13s per day wages, providing the council would agree to pay the cost of its erection £I6OO. • The cfhairman considered that satisfactory. Cr O'Brien said this dictation on the part of the Minister practically prohibited the council from carrying out works subsidised by the Government,

The chairman pointed out that the Minister had given them a subsidy of £BOO without waiting for it to appear on the estimates. • GENERAL; The under-secretary of Internal Affairs forwarded additional instructions regarding regulations for the issue of permits to collect patriotic funds. The Treasury forwarded voucher for £492 10s, being subsidy on rates collected in the district outside the road district; also £250 subsidy on rates collected within the Parihaka Road district. The Auditor General notified that if the engineer's reports were "in connection with the scheme" in the terms of Section 4 (1) a Local Bodies Loans Act 1913, the cost might legally be charged to loan account, but that the cost of the poll was specifically chargeable under the Local Elections and Polls Act. 190S, to the general fund, and could not therefore be paid out of loan moneys. The secretary stated that the cost of the engineer's report was £lOl. It was resolved to charge this to the bridge loan account. With reference to resolutions recently passed by t'he council in support of one by the Waitomo County Council regarding the preparation of separate rolls for Maoris and Europeans and that provision be made where natives exceed a certain number they be allowed to elect one or more exclusive representatives to the council, t'oe Minister of Internal Affairs (Hon. G. W. Russell) notified that having given the matter careful consideration he did not think it desirable to make any such distinction between the two races as that proposed. As the object which the council had in view was apparently to prevent Maoris who had not paid their rates from practically "running" the County Council, he was of opinion that this could better be obtained by providing that no ratepayer shall be allowed to vote without having previously paid his rates. He had attempted to lave this brought; into law and proposed to again bring it up jthis year.

at Rahotu from Alex Stewart to Quickendon Bros, was approved. The engineer was authorised to notify ratepayers to clear gorse and other noxious weeds from their road frontagss and also to clear overhanging trees. The secretary stated that after paying that day's accounts, there would not be £27o*available of We £2OOO so far obtained on account of the bridge loan. It was resolved to take the necessary steps to get the third debenture of £IOOO taken up. The report of the executive of the New Zealand Counties' Association was received. This stated, inter alia, that in connection with the Workers' Compensation Act, returns had been received from 48 counties which showed a balance of over £4OOO in favor of tr.e insurance companies during the past three years. The chairman stated that he favored county councils going in for their own insurance.