CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 June 1919, Page 3

CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. s The monthly meeting of the Clifton County Council was held at Wailara yesterday, there being present: Crs.'. El H. Pigott (chairman), T. McKenzie, H. A. Foreman, F. C. Jones, C. Musker, S. J. tvennington, and H. Waite. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer (Mr. F. C. Dowsett) reported as follows: Wailii Riding: Fresh tenders are called, as instructed, for the Waipapa boulder supply. Timber is .'deposited for repairs to the Waipapa bridge, and the road lias. 1 also been receiving attention. (An estimate of the cost of forming up, culverting, and metalling the Turangi Road, from the Main Road to the Inland North Road, was furnished.) The timber for the re-erection of the Waiau bridge is already on the site. Tikorangi Riding: Metalling on the factory hill has been completed. The fencing to protect the metalling lias also been erected, but the width between the edge of metal and fence is such that the result sought for is not wholly remedied. Moreover, material was sent out to continue the fence to the creek. Plans are in course of preparation for re-erecting in hardwood the truss of the Bertrand Road suspension bridge. On the Otaraoa Road 163 chains have been pegged off, and sections taken for the purpose of improving the worst portions from the end of the deviation to the Ngatimaru Road junction. The whole of the stone under contract No. 341 has now been deposited at the depot. Ngatimarn Riding: The, vegetation* on the Autawa and Otaraoa Roads has been receiving attention. No further gravelling has been done at Tarata, and the quality of that put down is not good Roadman Winter has been laid lip, and the Pukemahoe Road work has, in consequence, been somewhat delayed. I The work of sawing the necessary timber supply for the Mangaoapa Stream bridge is proceeding, and I hope by next meeting to see it stacked at the site. Arrangements have been made to complete the formation on the Mangaoapa Road, and, as the three bridges are practically let, this should ensure the road being re-opened for traffic in the near future. The work to be performed by the settlers on the South Matau Road has been completed. The plans: arc ready for cutting for the Mangamaire Creek tunnel, and this work is available to any local man at a reasonable figure. Urenui Riding: Further supplies of gravel have been carried out from the Native Reserve. The boulder supply contract from the foreshore has been let at 9s per cubic yard, but, beyond repairs to the access road, nothing' has been done. The county cottage at Okoke has been receiving repairs, and the woodwork has been painted. Further investigations are in progress to ascertain whether any gravel deposits are situated within easy access of sections requiring repairs on the Okoke Rond. When the loan moneys are available work will be laid off in connection with the various metalling contracts awaiting attention. Mokau Riding: The department completed their crushing operations on May 24, and the plant has been engaged in scarifying and rolling portions of the Uruti Road, to be followed by similar work on the Main Road. Patching and repairs have been carried out on the upper portion of this road. The roadman on this section left the council's employ last week to take up other employment. This leaves two vacancies at Uruti and a similar one on the Okau Road. Further boulder supplies to complete the metalling at Pukenruhe have been deposited at the depot, and the grader has been active on the Wai-iti Road. The Parininihi Tunnel requires attention, according to plans already submitted and contemplated in 1315, but, owing to the present rates:, the work could not be done at the original estimate. The. new bridge foreman is expected to take up his duties on June 0, and I suggest placing in his charge the county horse and spring cart for the easy removal of his tools and gear. Arrangements have been made with the trustees of fiimYs estate whereby improvements to the coast road will be undertaken conjointly when labor is more plentiful. Consideration should be given as to future requirements of the Main Road as outlined in a previous report. The timber for all bridge repairs between Tongaporutu and Kotare is now coming to hand. • The report was.' adopted. A CONTRACTOR'S GRIEVANCE.

A difference between a contractor for the council and the engineer was ventilated. Mr. J. Foreman waited on the council to ask why bin tender for the Waipapa boulder supply had been rejected. It was lower than another tend- , er which, though not accepted, he was

given to understand had been considered by the council as a reasonable one. Mr. Foreman said the specifications provided for getting the boulders out, but that he had .asked the engineer if he would accept a tender for putting the boulders through the crusher and spreading on the road, and had been told "No." Later it transpired that another contractor, had been told by the engineer that ho might tender for the completed work, and ho had put in a price on that basis. Mr. Foreman's price for getting out the boulders was lower than the other,. though it did not include th« crushing, and spreading. The other tenderer alleged that his price had become known to Mr. Foreman, and entered a protest against any tender being accepted, and contract was re-advertised. Mr., Foreman wanted to know why he was: debarred from tendering on the samef basis as other contractors, and suggested, that the treatment meted out to him indicated that he was not wanted as a contractor by the council. The engineer stated that Mr. Foreman' had told him he did not intend to put in a tender, and, as the other contractor' concerned was practically the only other' man available, he had told him to; tender for the whole work if he liked? and the council could decide whether they would accept it or not. It was : not a question of any bias against Mr. ; Foreman. The chairman-admitted that the coun-( cil had made a mistake in considering! any tender for the combined work, butj under the circumstances the best couraej had been to re-advertise for tenders. He. responsibility for the course, taken. Mr. Foreman declined to put in another tender for the work, as he knew/ the prices that had been put in by the. other tenderers. It was agreed that the incident had T been unfortunate, but that there was; no deliberate intention of keeping Mr. Foreman out of a contract Mr. Foreman thanked the council and-' withdrew. , It was afterwards; resolved that the chairman's action in calling for fresh tenders for the contract be endorsed, and; that the council regret the seeming injustice done to previous tenderers. i PROPOSED E«JLEWOOr> COUNTY. A copy of the report of the commuvsion on the proposed Inglewood county was received from the Hon. 6. W. Russell, Minister of Internal Affairs. The accompanying plan showed an area of the Ngatimaru Riding of the Clifton County which the commission considered should be included in the proposed new county. The area concerned way that in which tho community of interest lay more between it and Inglewood, rather than Waitara, chiefly affecting the Matau and Purangi districts. It was decided that in the meantime the letter should be received, and the opinion was expressed that the matter should be left for the ratepayers in the affected areas to consider and formulate their opinions on. GENERAL.

E. W. Burnett, county surfaceman, applied for a lease for 10 yearß of a small county' reserve of about three acres, situated between the Okoke and Kaka junction.—lt was decided to give an annual lease of the reserve at the same rental as at present charged. The Waitojtoi I)airy Company wrote asking, as the council was; now using the gravel pit opened up by the company, if they would refund the cost of opening up the pit, as agreed. The matter was held over, pending inquiries by the engineer. The Olcau Dairy Company asked permission to lay pipes across the road from Mr. R. Scott's property to the factory, for water supply purpos.es.— The engineer reported that the matter had been dealt with, permission being granted on the general conditions laid down, by the council. The secretary of the Taranaki Counties Conference wrote expressing satisfaction that the council had agreed to participate in the movement for uniform by-laws, and that it was intended to proceed with the same and submit drafts.' to the eight contributing bodies for approval, and a final effort would be made to bring in those who at present were unfavorable to the proposal.—Received. Mr. E. Whittaker waited on the council to ask permission to alter his boundary fence on the Piko Road and bring it out on to the road to avoid a swamp which prevented him from keeping the present .fence in repair.—Permission granted, subject to the approval of the engineer. The tender of air. G. 2f_ si< e ] tQn f or contract No. 337, Waipapa boulder supply, at 8u 9d per yard for getting out, feeding to crusher, and spreading on the road, was accepted. Accounts amounting to £857 7s lOd were passed for payment.