EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 November 1918, Page 8

EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING, i The meeting of the Egmont County Council ivhich had been adjourned from Tuesday last owing to the armistice; was held at Opunako yesterday, when there were present: Crs. W. K. Wright (chairman), S. M. Cornish, T. Harvey, T. H. H. Sinclair, A. T. Kowe, M. O'Brien. A. H. Holder, and R. W. J. McNeill.

The foreman reported on work done during the month. (This report will appear in our next issue.)

HYDRO-ELECTRIC LEAGUE. A, report was received of the proceedings in connection with the formation of the Taranaki Hydro-electric League. The chairman also gave a report of the proceedings. He considered that if they had-Ho wait for the Government's £5,000,0Q0 scheme they would t have to wait 15 or 20 years, and, moreover, the electricity would all be gone before it reached here. He considered that the subsidiary scheme would • revolutionise Taranaki. He pointed out that in Taitapu district, for £3O per annum, a farmer could get power to drive his threshing- machine, chaffcutter, pump, and milking machines, light for house and sheds, heat for iron 9, cookers, and water, also power to drive sewing machines, and there was scarcely a house in the district where firing alone had* not cost more than £3O per annum. The council would find the benefit in crushing metal, as Inglewood Borough was now able to crush ior ] / 2 d per yard. The chairman moved that the council join the Hydro-electric League.—Carried. WIREMU ROAD.

Cr. O'Brien considered that the council should do something to give settlers on the Wirermi Road access to the Ihaia Road. They had been paying rates for 20 years, and nothing had done. If the Government would not do anything, the council should. All they required was a stock track to enable them to reach the market at Opimako. This would also save settlers at the top of the Kahui Road eight miles to Opunake-

Later, Mr C- A. Woolford waited on the council and asked that a cattle track should he formed on the Wiremu Road, from the Waiau River* to Taungatara River, about three miles. This would open up about 4'iQO acres. All they required at present was some bu3h fallen and cleared. They did not want the road stumped or drained at present.

The chairman admitted that it would be a good thing to have the road opened Tight through from Te Kiri to the Kewall Road, but he pointed out that very little could l<e done out of a halfpenny rate.

Mr Woolford did not think they would get much from the Government. Cr. Holder suggested that a committee should he set up to meet tl\o settlers.

The chairman suggested that the committee could also approach Mr. Wilkinson regarding a subsidy.

In the course of discussion, it was stated that the track could be made for £205. , On the motion of Crs. Cornish anil Harvev. it was resolved that Crs. Holder, O'Brien, Rowe, and Harvey be a committee to meet the settlets, with the engineer, and discuss t"he matter.

A PROPOSED SECESSION. Tweny-five ratepayers in the Oeo district, representing 4123 acres, with a valuation of £117,2.33, petitioned the council to allow them to merge into the Waimate County that area between the present boundary and the Oeo River. A letter was also received from the Waimate West County suggesting a conference on the matter. In the course of discussion, it was stated that the area affected totalled 0!)7S acres, and that nine settlers had noi; signed. A portion was Native leasehold-

On the motion of Crs. Harvey and Sinclair, it was resolved that the council decline to meet the Waimate County Council in conference over the matter, and that the council oppose the proposed secession.

GENERAL. In connection with the drain through Taurua's property at Rahotu, the Paribaka Road Board wrote that it understood there was an impediment in the way of collecting a share from the property owners, and suggested by way of settlement that the board should pay a slliare of the cost and expenses, not to exceed £lO, the county council to pay th£ balance.—The matter was left in the hands of Crs. Green and Harvey and the chairman.

Mr. H. H. Sharp, resident roads engineer, wrote that after giving the matter considerable thought 4ie could not recommend any stfaeme to create a ford on the Waiau river, Wiremu Road, which he could bo sure would be effective and could be carried out at a reasonable figure. A suspension bridge seemed the only other way to deal with this access, but the difficulty of procuring material and the cost of same would make it an expensive matter at the present time. A letter<was received from the Minister of Public Works in regard to the protest received from t'iie council relative to the limit of lis per day wages flxsd by the Government for the expenditure of Gu.ernment grants. The letter was on similar lines to those already

published, and pointed out that it only referred to ordinary labor. The chairman said that as far as the Egmont county was concerned this only applied to the Punettm bridge. The Eltham County Council notified that it had resolved to expend the sum of £3OO opposite sections dl and 12, block V, Kaupokonui, conditional upon the Egmont county contributing onelialf the, amount. It was decided to raise the additional 10 per cent, on the £ISOO

Tenders are to be called at next meeting for dog collars. Applications for the position of dog tax collector will also be

The question of wages was discussed. THie chairman suggested that men who had to keep horses to drive to work should be given extra money. Cr. Cornish considered that this opened up a big question, as men with motor cycles should also receive extra. Finally, after some discussion, it was resolved to pay all siirfacemcn Is per day extra. Cr. Cornish reported on the result of tho conference of local bodies re bylaws. A sub-committee had been set up and would draft uniform by-laws on motor traffic, hawkers' licenses, and sanitary matters, and these would be submitted to each council for'approval. In the case of an appeal against any by-law the defence would be borne by the councils as a whole, as would also the cost of bringing the by-laws into force.—Approved. Mr. James Young, chairman of the Parihaka Road Board, waited on the council and asked for a statement of the cost of crushing stone, crusi'ned by the council for the board through the board's crusher. If it were reasonable the board would continue the arrangement, otherwise, they would procure an engine and carry out their own crushing.

The chairman favored tlie council purchasing the crusher at cost price, the council and the hoard to hear the depreciation proportionately according to the amount put through by each. Mr. Young said ha had no power to deal /witiii' the disposal of the plant. The chairman pointed out that the season had not been a satisfactory one for crushing. There had also been difficulty in obtaining labor, The information will be Riven.

The Waimate County Council forwarded a statement of account as "between, the Egmont and Waimate West counties in the matter of maintenance of tlie Oeo boundary road. It was resolved to pay £436 as 4d. wlhich covered a period of S.J years, and it was also decided to ask the council to forward a statement every year. The maintenance of the road was also discussed, and it is probable an endeavor will be made to have the whole road placed under the control of the Kjjmont County Council, as it was. considered that the centre portion of the road maintained by Waimate was not in nearly as good a condition as the north and south ends, which Egmont controlled. Aeoiints amounting to £1504 2s lid were passed for payment.