ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 November 1918, Page 7

ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

HQNTHLf MEETBJGL The usuai jnoathly meeting of the Eltham Coaniy Council was held on Saturday, when there were present;—■ Messrs C. J. Belcher (cSuairman), W. H. Smith, E. J. Gifford. C. E. McGuinness, A. C. Peaee, W. Barker. A. Mes«anp, and A. Campbell, with the clerk (Mr VV. ,T. Tristram), and the engineer (Mr R. D. Tosswill). THE HEW COUNTY OifICES, Bwef referewe was made by the chairman to the new County offices, the work in connection for the erection of which was, he stated, now proceeding as Wpidly as possible. Mr C. Baker h&i been appointed to manage the work.

The plan of the buikting was .presented by the engineer, and was generally coßHJdeced veey satisfactory.

COSBESFgKDSNCfi. .. The Clerk presented a report-of G»& proceedings of the recent County Conference.—The chairman pointed ous that it had bees suggested to form She Conference into a Previnci&l Counties' Aasoeiaikai,—Cr. Pease supported this pnggeetkHi.—A formal resolatjos warpassed authorising tao CouaeiFfc stars of the cost of drawing up the proposed by-laws, etc N

TJio Tsranaki County Council w*ote .asking ac-opeca£on in opposing tJw Tail Gates Abolition BiUr-4t was decided to ,-«oiniaunieate with tine Ministers of Pubiie Works and Internal Affairs protesting ag&inst toe BUJ, and requesting an opportunity to give evidence before any committee set up by the Bouso: and also to request Mr S. G. Smith, member for TaranaJd, to look after the Couaeffs interests in this matter.

X Mogifl. of Lower Duthie Road, applied far £2 damage done to ibis property by a horse belonging to the Council.—Left ia the hands of the engineer, with power to pav any damage to the extent of £l.

J. W. Hawke wrote offering the Council the first refusal of his teams, drays, pte.. which he is disposing of.—Consideration IheW over for a month.

The Department of Landb and Survey forwarded thirds totalling £lO2 4s 3d.—Left in the hands of Cr. MeWilliam and engineer to seheduK

Mr H. A. Turne»-. of Mangamingi, wrote complaining of the state of two small creeks on the Over© Road.—Left In the bandß of Cr. Smith and the engineer.

Ju'r A. J. Ptrrdy. of Moeroa, ■wrote expressing regret tliat.he was unable to go on with the contract on the 'angamingi Hill as he could not obu.u men. —Received.

The Hydro-Electric League forwarded a report of the meeting held at Stratford on 17th October, when thß league was formed.—The chairman said he attended the meeting but was not at all impressed by what he heard.—Cr. Pease said the Council would have to join the League, He moved that the payment cf the annual subscription of £2 to the League be authorised,—Cr. Campbell considered the proposal premature. —Cr McGuinness seconded the motion, which was carried. The Kapo>iga Town Board wrote calling attention to the state of the Elthatn Eoad bridge over the Kaupokonui stream. —The engineer said there waa v*ry little the matter at the bridge and the letter was "received."

The Public Works Department wrote informing the Council that the total assistance which the Department was able tc render the Council for the repair of the flood damage, wa* the sum of £4O, the authority for which had already been forwarded, £IOO for tfce Rawhitiroa Road and £4O for the Waitiri Road.—Received. <

The Stratford Council wrote / pointing out that the Finnerty Road Waingongoro bridge was very unsafe and required immediate attention.—The engineer eaid he had inspected the bridge, and dealt with tie matter in his report. A further circular was received (from tSie Rangitikei County Council) on the Minister's recently-made wgaiafcfon SfogarcJ!i,r the paynMit for the carrying out of public wrrks subsidised by the Goremmant.—Received.

Mi V. Thompson wrote resigning his position as County Ranger;— Resignation accepted. The appointment of Successor was left in the hands of the eh&irman and engineer. ENGINEER'S REPORT.

Tie Engineer (Mr R. D. Toaawill) reported as follows: South Riding.—General maintenance work only ihas been done during the month; this has included the regrading of side tracks and water tabling on Mountain road, and the refacing of nieial wings at the junction of Neill Road, metal patching and cleaning of culverts on Boytan Road, the removal of slips and water tabk'ng on Rotokare Road, also metal patching and attention to culverts on Dalziel Road. Mr Corbett has had the outlet to culvert on Stuart Road, mentioned at last meeting, well cleaned out and the flow of water is greatly improved. Mangatoki Siding.—Side tracks on several thills on ETtham road have been regraded and water tables have been cleaned. The formation, of side tracks, the renewal of cd verts and the banking up of metal on Duthie Road has been continued, but owing to the constant wet weather experienced during the r/ionth the delivery of metal for refacing had to be temporarily abandoned, and the work held over until weather conditions improve, as the road in its present state will neither carry the metal trucks nor the roller. One hundred and forty yards of boulders were brought in from this road to the crusher and thirty-six yards were haird-napped on the road. ' Sand Bias been delivered on various roads where required for spraying. Omoana Riding.—Practically the whole of the work done in this Riding has consisted of repairing flood damages, principally on fiawhitiroa and Waitiri Roads. Kaponga Riding.—The Mindiug beat-ing-up and water tabling of Palmer Road has been completed; .the riding foreman reports that tihe metal en this road is becoming very thin and that it will soon break up. On Benfley"6 Bill. Eltham Road, the shoulders have been metalled, blinded suid side tracks nave bfcen banked. The junction of 51&tham Road and Rowan Road tots been improved by w*J doing **>e metal to. gwe a better sweep for traffic rounding tfflfi cornei-, lanC water tables have been cleaned on the last mentioned road. Eltham Riding.—On Rj-whr&oa Rotul the clearing of slips on Mangamingi Ridge has kept &a foreman of &» riding constantly occupied, and <rrmg te insufficiency of labor, way neeesssury inahrtenanee work an tm» aad «tter roads is getting behind hand, IS»' MOdxMt iar «4feaaißg *t tin note *T

near the top of the Ridge v vas let to a party on the 16th, but haa since been thrown up, and the contract for delivery of fAell rook along the Mangajmingi Valley has aot yet been signed in jeccords.rice with the specifications. Slips have been removed and water tables have been cleaned n**rer the fatea river and some of the worst holes in the metal have been filled in along Mangaraingt Valley,

General.—A letter has been received from, the Engineer of the Stratford County pointing oni that Uie Waingongoro bridge, on Boad cannot hold together much longer, and inquiring if this Council has taken any steps regarding half coat «f renewal. In company with the engineer levels were taken and measurements made of the site and ihu design of proposed bridge discussed. Applications have been received from Mr Robinson for iwo crossings on .fulmar road, and from Mr Mills far one on Blthaia Road. An offer has also been received for the purchase of CauieiJ concrete mixer and oil engine. Cr, Peaee suggested that an improvement aright be made ■on tie had comer on-the Eltham Eoad near tie old bacon factory site. Crs Meoeana, Barter and the engineer were appointed, to inspect tsj» Melville road.

Ee the Phmerty Road bridge the derk said the Stratford representatives had decided some time ago to let the bridge fall or pail it down and leave only a ford, «ts the ratepayers would not eonBent to a loan. They had apparently ehanged thek minds. In answer to questions he said if the Riding liked to take tfie responsibility they could, but otherwise the matter would become a County one. Cr Peaee said the work would base to be done. It was resolved that the Stratford County be' informed that the Eltham Council would contribute half the cost of the reconstruction of tt*e bridge.

GENERAL. It was decided that all rates unpaid by 30th November bu sued for without further notice.

On the motion of Cr. Campbell, seconded by Cr. Barker, the chairman and Crs. Pease and MeGuinness vrere appointed a committee to consider the Wfiges of the County employees.

, Mr H. A. Nuttall. waited on the Council requesting a vote of £25 to be spent in connection with tlhe peace celebrations. The money would be spent on prizes and refreshments for the children, fireworks, eta It was decided to grant the £25, there being no discussion on the matter. At the suggestion of the engineer £5 was vc+;d for the decoration of the County lorry. Cr. Campbell called attention to the very bad state of the Fraaer Eoad, and asked that a few loads of metal be placed on the hill there in anticipation of Joan.

The engineer said the season was such an abnormal one and no one knew when the County's work would be carried out this season.

Or Campbell pointed out that ihw small matter was an urgent necessity. Nothing had ever been spent on the road. He moved that the work be done in antieipatioa cf loan.

The chairman seconded and it was .carried on th 6 understanding that if the loan '.vas not raised the work be paid for out of Riding funds. Cr Campbell said t&at was : the last meeting of the year, and the chairman would, of course, be voted the u-iual honorarium. He moved that it be made £6O far the year, as some recognition of the strenuous time he had gone through. Cr SmrKb seconded and it was carried. The chairman briefly returned thanks and referred to the splendid assistance given him by councillors. — , Argue.