CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 July 1919, Page 7

CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary -meeting of the Clifton County Council was held at Waitara oii Friday, when there were present: Crs. R' H. Pigott (chairman), T. McKenzie, S. J. Kennington, H. A. Foreman, C. Musker, F, C. Jones, arid H. Waite. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer (Mr. C. F. Dowsett) reported as follows: Waihl Hiding.—The contract for the Main Road metalling has been signed, and the work will shortly be proceeding. The bridge spanning the Waipapa creek has been repaired; when further attention is required it will be in the nature of a concrete pipe and straightening of the creek. The toll gate has received re- ; pairs, and the tickets to be issued are In the hands of the printer, and will shortly be available. On the Inland North Road the Waiau ! bridge has been rebuilt. A substantial job has been made, and should last for many years. . On the Turangi Road the settlers have been ploughing and improving the upper portions, but unless a depression of about six chains is levelled up the formation will revert to Its old shape.

Tikorangl Riding.—Patching, repairs and general maintenance work has been carried out during the month. On the Otaraoa ttoa.l ibe longitudinal sections for one mile 67 chains have been taken and quantities and estimates prepared. To improve the worst portions over this area will absorb the grant, and this is exactly what it was voted for.

Urenul Riding.—The boulder contract is in nti ,wny advanced, but contractors now have genuine excuses in connection with the weather conditions. The grilling contract In the Native Reserve is still being proceeded with, and carting takes place when an accumulation of supplies' warrants Its removal. An Inspection was made of a likely graTel face at Okoke. Further Investigatory work Is to be carried out to enable a decision to be arrived at as to whether the expense of reading, etc., Is warranted. I hope to aee the early completion of the concrete outlet to the culvert below the township.

Kgatimaru Elding—The Junction Ttoad beyond Tarata is breaking in places, the difficulty being to get men to do the quarrying, carters being more easily obtained. An Inspection was made of the wash-out on the Pukemahoe Road. This occurs on the six-foot track and beyond the gazetted portion, which amounts to 1 mile 60 chains. I estimate to clean out the tunnel, tho entrance to which Is choked with timber, or alternately- to cut new connecting channel, to _r e ' nstate " le filling, would cost about £75. The immert'nto requirements of the road do not warrant t.,is expenditure. I therefore arranged that n low level bush bridge be constructed,, and In addition that work to the extent of a couple of weeks for two men be carried out in the meantime. At the Mangaoapastream bridge, the bulk of the timber 19 on the site. Construction ha 9 commenced, and the work is expected to bo completed during Uie ensuing month, after which the two smaller bridges will be proceeded with. The road party is at work starting from the Kiore end, and is engaged in widening and Improving the formation to a width of 12 feet. On the Mangamalre road the tunnel site was Inspected and the pegs located, but I was unable at the time to come to terms with an intending contractor Mokau Riding—The crushing for the Public Works Department finished early in the month and certain sections on the Uruti and Main Hoads were scarified and rolled. The plant was transferred to Waitara on the 13th Inst and the driver relieved. Certain repairs and alterations to the plant are In course of being effected, ready to proceed again when occasion requires I estimate that the total metal crushed IS. «£ 13 J 9 : 893 Wrds. The Mlral-Mokiu and the Okay-Kotare Hoads are still without permanent hands. Sundry applications have been received, bjit from Inexperienced or unsuitable men. At Wal-ltl, further metal Is being recovered from the foreshore, and being deposited at the depot. Further Improvements are contemplated on the Wal-ltl Road in the reduction of cuttings and raising of fillings. The bridge foreman, after completing a couple of bridges (already reported upon), decided to seek other employment, the reason being that he required, like other applicants, more stationary work, or to follow the council's Itinerary, he would require an Increased emolument or substantial allowances. The man shortage could, I think be remedied by selection from other places, as outl ' ned ; " ut th,s would mean recasting the work 'of the county.

CLAIM i'OR GRAVEL PITThe Waitoitoi Dairy Company asked that, as the council was now using the gravel pit opened up by the company, they wpuld be able to refund to the company the cost of opening up the pit as agreed.

The engineer sta,ted lie had informed the contractor that they would take gravel from there at a satisfactory price to cover royalty, but recognised no ciaim for road whatever. He considered it was absurd ,to admit that the company had a permanent claim over a private pit and could claim , its output. The council had the owner's consent to enter, and he considered that any claim the company had on the pit, which was not a public one, was overridden by the owner's consent. The company should be asked to show a title. The council would have been justified in contributing to the cost of the road had they taken gravel from the pit at the time, 'but not two years .after. The council had not yet got out 600 yards. Cr. Foreman considered that the company had no claim on the council, but it was questionable whether they were not in honor bound to pay something. He admitted, nf course, that if the council put a road into a private pit they could not debar anyone else from using the toad.

The correspondence was read, and showed that in 1915 the Waitoitoi Dairy Company offered the council what gravel it required, providing the councii paid £3O towards the cost of the road to the pit, and the council agreed to pay £3O when it had taken 500 yards of suitable gravel from .the pit. Cr. Jones said that the council paid a private owner royalty for the use of the road, snd the!;dairy company should look to him for. payment. The only difficulty was that a resolution had bete passed by fhs....council, .probably under ft ffiiMfiprebehsioii; and the council were honoraofy bound the resolution of their predecessors.' The. council had now taken 350 yard? from the pit. . The ..engineer stated that he would never have ' allowed the contractor to enter the pita' hut that he understood Mrajjgfmerits-had been made by the contactor. ' ' *

In reply to the ehftititftlh, the engineer slated that- the metal was not taken frdnv fiie l pi® l -because 1 St' liail noj: come .•?P«tP; expgctytiqij?. It also inquired screening. .-riTliep wsujd , .rjgqujre.Vto use over. 500 yards of now. It was resolved'' t6 leave the matter in of - the ifhairman and engineer.

SUPPLY. petition" Vsa -* being • circuited in the district asking "for "the formation , of an a.ectrtbfo'Wer board, and it ;: #rproposed r 6Wtan- %!i : eith#'i!»tiye report on the 'River a source of supply. There seeftied every prospect of'. being able to'obiftin a very large- supply of eleetrfc energy-from the river, and they asM whether the council would care to joints an outer area. ■ Cr. Kenninaton stated that the Inglewood Borough Council had investigated the Manganui at a certain point, and, after gaining Authority to raise a loan, had abandoned the scheme, and were taking electricity from New Plymouth.

The chairman said that New Plymouth would have power to supply this district.

• Cr. Kennington held that in ten years' time New Plymouth would have plenty of demands Itself for all its power.

A member held that the Government scheme would be here by then. Members appeared to be doubtful as to wha,t advantages an outer areti would derive. In the course of the discussion it was stated that it was reported 6000 [bone power could, be developed at the'

junction of the Manganui with .the Waitara. It was finally resolved: That the -council is in sympathy with the object in view, but prefers to await further information and development before committing itself to any definite scheme. APPLICATION FOR GRANTS. Notification was received from Mr. H. H. Sharp, resident roads engineer, asking the council to forward as early as possible applications for road grants required for ,the year 1919-20. He also stated that it would be necessary to make application for grants and subsidies at present appearing on the Estimates, which were, as yet, unexpended. The following are the grants ou the Estimates from last year that are unexpended: Mataro, on account of £IOOO (f for £), £500; Mimi to Mokau, on account of £3OOO, £1000; Nikiriwia, £ for £, £350; Okoke, £ for £, £450; Parinuininnilii Tunnel £255; Piko, on account, £ for £, £500; Pukearuhe, £ for £, £400; Uriti, £ for £, £1143.

A similar notification was received from the Acting Under-Secretary for Public Works.

It was resolved to apply for the reissue of the above grists, and, in addition, £250 on the Otaoaroa Road. Cr. Musker said that there was a tremendous lot of back country which required roads. The chairman said that was not within their province. Cr. Musker remarked that settlers on the Moki Road were still plodding through the mudCr, Musker asked whether it would not be possible to obtain assistance for the main road, but the chairman said there would be no chance of this till the. Government formulated some general scheme. He considered all they could ask for at present was grants on a £ for £ basis.

GENERAL. In connection with the proposed sale of a portion of the road reserve at Tikorangi, the county solicitor notified that the proper method of disposal, if the vftltip exceeded £2O, was by tender. The council, being unanimous, resolved to rescind the resolution agreeing to sell the land. Later Mr. Jas. Sartin waited on the council, and it was decided to sell the land to him subject to valuation by Mr. J. W. Foreman, with the proviso that if the land is valued at over £2O tenders will be called. i

Johnson and Dairs, Mohakatina-Mokau, and E. Reynolds, Waitara, were granted renewals of slaughter house licenses. It was resolved to renew the Are and accident policies with the New Zealand Insurnce Company. It was resolved to take the necessary steps to raise a loan of £IBOO for the Okoke-Kaka roads, provisional on a £ for £ subsidy being granted. Hie engineer's action in agreeing to pay additional cost of hardwood timber for the South Matau bridge was approved. It was stated that the price had risen from 4os to 55s in Wellington, and the extra cost would be £53.

Telegrams were received from the Government in connection with the altered peace celebration arrangements. The chairman was authorised to sign consent to deviations in the Maneatoro Road-

The Public Works Department forwarded a vouchor for £6O, being hire of crusher on Mimi-Mokau Eoad.

The Public Works Department forwarded a copy of Order-in-Council consenting to stopping portion of Clifton Street deviation.

Accounts amounting to £593 7s Id were passed for payment.