DUMPING METAL ON ROAD.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 March 1919, Page 7

DUMPING METAL ON ROAD.

ACTION OF MOA ROAD BOARD. OBJECTION BY COUNTY COUNCIL. At Monday's meeting'of the Tarartaki County Council, when the Moa Riding report was under discussion, some pointed comments were niode>on the action of the Moa Road Board in dumping metal on the Tariki road without any reference to the Council on the matter. Cr. Lawrence said boulders had been dumped in three places on the narrowest part of the road. At one place the boulders were right out to the metal portion of the road; at another they were at a very dangerous place, just where there was a water-hole, and if a horse took fright at the metal there was nothing that could save it from going into the hole. He had not heard of the. Board approaching the Council for permission to put, metal on the roadside, and he considered they should have made arrangements for it. As they had not done so he. thought Council should be relieved of all responsibility in case of aecidentfc arising therefrom, He moved:

That the Moa Road Board be requested to remove boulders from the Ta-riki | road between, Simons' cowshed and motor shed, atid that the Council would hold the Roa«'l Board liable, in the event of accident, until such time as they are removed to a different site, such work to be done to the satisfaction of the road inspector. Cr. Capper seconded the* motion. Cr. Simpson said the Road Board was in a peculiar position. He thought if the Council knew the position as it actually was they would not take the action suggested by Cr Lawrence. The Board was anxious to tafce advantage of all the fine dry weather to get. the metal out. They did not suspect there would be any objection by the County, and he himself was surprised to learn that the metal had been dumped Sn a dangerous position. Cr. Lawrence said tb*?re was ample room in the paddocks close by, and also that tit' suitable and safe pilace could have been found about 20 chain s further dow:: the road.' The Btone had been tipped at what was the narrowest portion of the road.

Cr. Morton said the Board had acted most improperly in durwjring the metal there without first arranging with the Council. He believed also that it was intended to crush the metal there and cart it to Ratapiko, and yet no permission had heen asked to> set up the crusher plant there, or to'cart over the County road. All these things should have been settled before the metal was dumped. Cr Simpson said it. was all a question' of carting and utilising the dry weather. He agreed that the road was too narrow for crushing to be done there. He did Dot know whether it was intended to do the crushing there; he rather thought the metal was to be "taken'.elsewhere to be crushed. Cr. Morton said before the metal was carted over the County road to Ratapiko, arrangements should be made between the Board and the Council as to the damage done. Cr Simpson replied somewhat sharply that if the ratepa-yers"there, who were the Council's ratepayers, •were to 'be charged with the damage to the road it would simply be punishing them. Such an arrangement would be:all right in dealing with a local body outside the county boundary, but it was hardly fair to ratepayers within the Oounty.

Cr. Morton said that if Cr. Simpson's knowledge of local body work had been more experienced he would know that had been the practice always followed by the Council in dealing with other bodies. It had always been held that other local bodies who carted over i the County roads were liable for damage.

Cr Simpson replied that what had obtained in the past should not necessarily apply to-day. He thought the Council was hide-bound to orr-eedent. The chairman said that the trouble could have been avoided if the Road Board had approaehed the Council before doing what had been done. He did not thick the? had treated the Council falrThe motion was passed without dissent. Cr. Morton then moved that the Council notify the Road Board that, before proceeding with the carting of metal over the Tariki road, the Board enter into an agreement with the Council to reinstate any damage that may acrue to the road. The motion was carried.