EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 April 1919, Page 6

EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Egmont County Council was held at Opunake yesterday, there being present Crs. W. R Wright (chairman), S. Campbell, W. Holder, M. O'Brien, T. A. Rowe, W. C. Green, T. H. H. Sinclair, T. Harvey, and S. M. Cornish. ENGINEER'S REPOI The engineer reported as follows: Oeo Riding (Northern .—The staff were engaged several days on the work of cleaning out the water-tables and banking up the sides of Se Si on the Eltham Road, and Putting on clay blinding on the same road. Wnkhu been done on the Kirl Road towards the '<£«?<»''» the shape of taking out large stones where the surface had worn down below them, cutting out to sides, and reforming with the material obtained, and a wooden culver which had fallen in has been replaced with a line of 121n Pipes. The water tables have been cleaned, out ana ?idlbTnk!ng done at places in the lower Oeo and the worst places in the Watlnoi Boad have been patched. The decking on the Ourl bridge, on the Eltham Boad, will be put down Immediately on 1 arrival, after wbdh the surface wUI be tarred and sanded and the bridge painted. Oeo Biding (Southern) .—Early in the month we completed the work of Contract 340, at the bottom end of the Oeo Road, rart of this contract was executed In October last. The work recently finished consisted of the laying on or 400 yards of pit gravel on 21 chains of roadway. Water tables have been cleaned out and sides banked up on the Main South Boad, near Pihama and the Punehu Hills. About fifty new decking planks have been put down on the Oeo, Ourl and Punehu bridges on the Main Soutn Road, and more decking is on order for the same. A 3-inch diameter concrete pipe culvert has been put In across the Nopera Boad near Mr B Lamble.'s place. The unmetalled portion of the Tiiahl Boad at Plhama (about 5% chains in length) has been formed up, and we have started metalling same. A ditch on the Main South Boad near the bottom of the Watlno Boad has been cleaned out. » Opua Biding—The work of Temetalling portions of the Main South Boad between the Waitelka and Taungatara Rivers with crushed paddock stone was completed early in the month. As the contractors were not in a position to proceed with the older contracts on the Skeet and Patlki Boads in the Oeo Southern Riding, the plant (No. 2) was sent to contract Nrt 342 on the Eltham Road, where it is being worked direct from the Waiaua Biver bed This plant was stopped yesterday to re-run the eccentric bearings with Hoyt's metal, as no amount of attention and extra plates, behind the rear toggle- would produce metal small enough. A considerable amount of patching has been done on the Eltham Boad beyond Healy's Hill, and the approach to the upper Walteika Road improved. Clay blinding has been put on the Main South Road at Opua and Waiaua Hill, and the Eltham Boad near the Main South Road. Opunake Biding.—Clay blinding has been put on the Waiaua Hill. Twelve-inch, twenty-four-inch and tbirtyrstx-inch pipes have been made in the yard in broken time. Babotu Riding.—Work In connection with contract No. 345 was completed about March 19, the contract yielding 850 yards of crushed metal and 118 yards of screenings, which was put down on the Main South Boad between the Bahotu Public Hall and the Rautinl stream, on the west side of the road in front of the hotel, post office and Kahui Boad, on the lower Kahui Boad from the Main South Road westward (half -the cost of the latter has been paid by the late Parihaka Road Board). While the jaw stock of the Acme crusher was being repaired and refitted the staff were employed on the' work of scarifying, reforming and rolling in about 30 chains of the Main Road, between the Rahotu Factory and the Public Hall, but the work had to be stopped to allow the scarifier on the Garrett roller to be reflxed on hardwood blocks, the old Kauri blocks having suddenly perished. In the meantime the road between the Bauttni and Waitaha streams (about 68 chains), which was plucking badly owing to the dry weather, was covered.with clay blinding, and the roadway over the top of the reinforced culvert carrying the Waltapuae stream at Puniho was filled in. No. 1 plant was next moved to contract No. 344, between the Waitaha and Puhlna streams, where good progress has been made. Quantities and costs of the work will be submitted next month.

I Bridges.—The work of erecting the Matanebunehu bridge In reinforced concrete will be completed In about a week's'time, and after the temporary bridge has been removed the plant and men will be moved to the Eltham Road, to renew the two small bridge* we* of the-Manga-hume and the Waiteika brldgff The concrete work on the Punehu bridge, Eltham Boad, Is nearing completion. Only two bays of the parapet on the north side remain to be done, and the work cleaned and pointed up. Some filling is yet required In the eastern haunch, after which the metal can he put on, and the centres struck. To facilitate the work I have started the riding foreman with a gang of men and drays on the work of forming the new embankment at the eastern approach with material from the cutting of the deviated western approach. An advertisement for laborers for this work last month met with no response. The cement shed has been advertised for sale by tender, but only/one bas been received so far. This shed will have to be moved within a week, and the surplus cement stored in the shed taken over from the road board. The cost of the work to date, and the estimated cost to the end of April, works out very satisfactorily; In fact, it is well within the estimated cost of the work originally prdposed; but we have now the additional cost of the approaches to contend with, owing to the new bridge being erected on the upstream side of the existing bridge. This was not allowed for in the estimate. I have given the bridge foreman here six months' leave of absence to take a trip to the Old Country, and hope to have his services again. Plant.—The hind wheels on the "Garrett" roller are very much worn, and the council should consider the question of obtaining a new paid. A new elevator chain and set of buckets for the Collett crusher have been delivered; also a hew pair of jaws for same. Most of the buckets of the Austin elevator have been repaired and stiffened up with plate washers in the backs, and a quantity of new buckets and links have been delivered. A new 1%-inch diameter suction has had to be obtained for the Avellng and Porter engine, the old one being completely perished. • General—l understand from Mr. Sharp, the Public Works resident engineer, that he Is about to let by contract the bush-falling on the Wiremu Boad from the Taungatara River westwards, and he is making a recommendation to the chler engineer with respect to that portion of the same road between the Arawhata and Ngarlki Roads. Along with Mr. Young, chairman of the late Parihaka Road Board, Councillor Sinclair and Foreman T. Harris, I have gone Into the question of values of the land, buildings, plants, tools, concrete pipes, etc., taken over from the board by the council, and the estimate was £l4ll 9s 9d. As soon as I can obtain a statement of the financial position of the various roads taken over from the late Parihaka Boad Board I purpose dividing the Bahotu and Optia Ridings into tw* districts each, so as to concentrate the arrears under the supervision of each foreman, and keep them in closer touch with the requirements of the roads and settlers in their respective areas. The I proposed districts are roughly as follows: Opua Riding No. 1, from Taungatara bridge to Waiaua bridge, with all by-roads off, including Ihala Road j No. 2, from Waiaua bridge to Oaonul | bridge, with all by-roads off except the Jhala [ Road (this includes to Opunake Riding); Rahotu Riding No. 1, from Oaonul bridge to lower Parihaka boundary at Puniho, including all the by-roads off; No. 2, from the lower Parihaka Road to the boundary at Puniho, Including all the by-roads off the main road. The two extra foremen are available in the county, and have already been spoken to on the matter. THE OPUNATIE RAILWAY.

Regarding the deputation to the Mmisters at Stratford; on Monday night, the chairman reported that he had joined in the deputation, and after matters relating to the development of hydroelectricity and the completion of the Stratford-Okahukura railway had been dealt with, to both of which the Ministers'gave, favorable replies, the question of the Opunake line was brought under the Minister's notice. With regard to the delays the speaker thought the Government was not so much to blame, as they could not get men to do the work. The Minister said he would push on the work as soon as labor could be procured. Personally he (the Minister) said he would be very pleased to have the line finished, as he had had a part in commencing the line.

Cr. O'Brien asked if it was proposed to' commence work from the Opunake end. He thought that if enrthwork was started there, work would be provided for a number of returned soldiers, where they could live under proper cover, and not in the open in tents in the winter season. He thought that unless the district took steps to help itself the Government would not do much for it. He was strongly in favor of such a course, and saw no reason why work could not be commenced at the Opunake end. It was pointed out thatihe best course' to follow would be to further deputa r tionise the Minister on the occasion of the opening of the Punehu bridge, on the Eltham Road. It was «übiefluently agreed that the

whole council should form a deputation to the Minister, and that the Town Board be asked to join, and that strong and influential representations he made to the Minister on the matter referred to. ~ Cr. Sinclair expressed himself as against commencing work at the Opunake end as being a wasteful policy. NOXIOUS WEEDS. In reply to the representations of the council the Minister for Lands wrote regarding the spread of noxious weeds on Crown Lands that the Lands Commissioner for Taranaki had arranged with the weeds inspector to take action in cutting j out noxious weeds, and he has also ar-; ranged with tenants of temporary leases i to assist in eradicating the weeds to the ! satisfaction of the inspector. Regarding i the spread of gorse and blackberry it was pointed out that a large expendi- J < ture would be necessary to do any good ! this year. When the Crown land is j sub-divided and the land available for settlement, it is hoped to make satisfactory arrangements for the eradication of the weeds. The letter suggested that small settlements were the best cure for the noxious weeds menace. When the letter was read Cr. Green remarked that blackberry was running the country and the Government was the worst offender in the matter. COUNTY BOUNDARIES. The Waimate West County Council forwarded a copy of a resolution passed on March 13 last in accordance with the i Counties Act, as follows: That this coun- j cil grants the petition of the Oeo rate- : payers to have the county boundary so altered as to include their properties in j the Waimate West county, and that the Egmont county be notified of this council's resolution and be requested to pass a similar resolution . . .in order to avoid the necessity of applying for a commission to decide the question. It was resolved to lodge an objection against the proposed alteration of boundaries. MERGER MATTERS. Cr. Green brought up the matter of the Rahotu pound, over which some misunderstanding had arisen in connection with the-merger of the Parihaka Koad Board with the county. Some cattle had been impounded and the owners had afterwards demanded a refund of the fees paid, alleging that the impounding was illegal, as the council had no authority over the pound. He held that as the council had taken over all the liabilities of the Road Board and the board's staff, the jlound and the poundkeeper and ranger were all under the control of the council and the pound was still a legal pound. It was only a question of a lease of the site by the council, as, in view of the merger, the board had taken only a Bhort lease. It was agreed that the matter of arranging the pound lease be left in the hands of the chairman and Cr. Harvey. Cr. Green also pointed out that he had good reason to believe that some of the owners intended taking steps to recover their money from the ranger (Mr. Harris). He thought the council should accept all the responsibility and protect Mr. Harris. This was agreed upon without further discussion. The question of rates outstanding to the late Parihaka Road Board.was referred to, and it' was stated that a resolution had been passed by the board to the effect that all due and outstanding rates should be sued for. It was resolved to employ the clerk of the late board for one month at the salary paid by the board, for the purpose of completing the board's balances and arranging for the collecting of the outstanding rates. Some discussion took place on the question of boundaries for road foremen since the merger of the Parihaka Road Board, and the matter of attention to the by-roads. Cr. O'Brien said if anything was done by which the by-roads did not receive the proper amount of attention there would be trouble. The chairman said he had given an assurance to the ratepayers of the road district and he intended to keep faith , with them. Some of the councillors considered the "proposals of the engineer with regard to the foremen's boundaries were not satisfactory. It was eventually agreed to refer the question to a sub-committee to report upon at next meeting. PERMANENT ROAD FORMATION. The committee set up to consider the whole question of permanent roads, stone depots and the cost thereof, reported that it had been resolved that the engineer prepare estimates of the cost of laying down and tar-sealing the whole of the main roads in the county in alternate widths of 12ft. and 16ft."; also that the engineer be provided with a motor car to proceed to neighboring counties in order to obtain information on the question of road construction. The question was considered by the council in committee. GENERAL, i The question of the cost of the approaches to the Punehu bridge was discussed, there being some difference of opinion as to whether it should be charged to the bridge loan or to the general fund. It was eventually resolved to charge the excavating and earth work and the retaining wall to the bridge loan and the metalling to the riding account. Cr. Green brought up the matter of stone dumped on Mrs. Kahui's property at Rahotu, which it was alleged had been crushed there and some of the spawls left, to the detriment of the site. He wished to know what the position was, as it was desirable that nothing should be done to prejudice the council's privilege of dumping stone there. The chairman pointed out that the question was really one for the contractor, who was>,responsible. It should be seen, however, that the paddock was left as it had been before the metal was placed there. The Hastings Borough Council forwarded a copy of a resolution for which it sought support, affirming that the time had arrived when the GovernorOeneral should be selected from among the citizens of the Dominion, and suggesting General Sir Andrew Russell as the next occupant of the office, in . recognition of his war services.—The letter was allowed to He on the table. The Taranaki Hospital and Charitable ' Aid Board forwarded particulars of csti- : mated receipts and expenditure for the current year, intimating that the amount to be made up by public bodies was ( £6297 6s 3d, the proposed rate to meet ' the same being Is 6d in the £IOO of ' capital value, and the rate to meet ! interest and sinking fund on the loan for the new nurses' home was 21-5 d in i the, £IOO. A credit for £6OO Was received from , the Public Works Department, being a j £1 for £1 subsidy in respect to the , Punehu bride* '

The Parihaka Road Board forwarded a cheque for i'i2s lis 4d, being amount to the credit of the board's account after providing for outstanding cheques. A letter was received from Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., intimating that he would do what he could in the direction of getting the Government to pay county rates on Crown lands, as suggested.Received with thanks. R. W. Conaglen tendered £lO for the concrete shed at the Punehu bridge.— The offer was considered too low, and it was decided that th.e council take the shed over from the bridge account at .-615, and that it be held unlil such time as an equal offer was received for it. ' Notice of motion was given to the effect -that in consequence of the addi- i tional work arising out of the recent merger, the. f-tgineer be provided with twygm '-' ~ J

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