ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 August 1919, Page 6

ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING, The monthly meeting of the Eltham County Council was held on Saturday. Present: Messrs. MuGuinness (chairman), Gifford, Carter, Campbell, Messana, McWilliam, and Hardwick Smith. It was decided to have tho concrete approaches to bridges whitewashed ,as soon as convenient with a view to reducing tho possibility of accidents at night to approaching vehicles. An application from the Mangatokl Ball Committee for four yards of metal to imI prove the approaches to the hall was granted. ! A letter | was received from the Govern- . ment stating that any expenditure in con- ■ nection with the visit of the H.M.S. New Zea- ; land would be validated. The Stratford Borough Council and the Stratford County Council wrote approving ot the proposal that an effort be made to open up a quarry for stone at Mt. Egmont. The JJatea County Council wrote stating that it had no use for mountain metal, which had hitherto been of too soft a nature. It was getting better metal at a slightly higher cost, but at the same time it would be quite willing to assist other local bodies in an endeavour to obtain mountain metal Tho clerk said he had seen by newspaper reports that a number of other local bodies had approved of the proposal, but their replies had not come to hand.

It was resolved that tho Stratford Borough Council and the Stratford County Council be asked lo meet the Eltham County Council, and tiie representatives of any other local bodies who may wish to attend with a view to inspecting sources of good metal rrpproachablo by the Waipuku line.

Mr It W. Best wrote stating that the' Council's letter asking him to moot the representatives of the Council and the'engineer In reference to the inspection of a culvert reached him too late to comply.—Received. Mr. J. B. Syinoiw wrote asking the Council to pay Gd per yard royalty on stone taken from the Wuingongor' Kiver.—lt was decided to increase the royalty to Gd in every case for river metal from August 1. RACING CLUB'S TAXATION. The Egmont Jockey Club wrote statin? that during the past three years the following amounts had been paid to iho Government in totallsator taxation: 1910 £3741 lis 2d, 1917 £2833 2s 2d, 1910 £7184 17s Gd. The secretary of the Taranakl Club gave the taxation of his club as follows: 1017 £3877 12 7d, .1018 £3r>G2 8s Gd, 1919 £4017 4s 3d.

Cr. Messaua said the Ugures showed what enormous pro/Us the Government made out of the totallsator. .As race traffic was responsible for much wear and tear on the roads they were caking that a portion of this money should be handed over to local bodies for road maintenance The information was sought in pursuance of a resolution passed at the Local Bodies Conference which met hi Eltham a short time ago.—lt was pointed out by the clerk that the intention was that the Government should bo asked to increase the tax, and also the tax on motor oars, so that 10s subsidy on main roads could he paid He further stated that with the present subsidy the Eltham County Council received £I4OO per annum and under tho Conference's proposal they would received £7OOO.

GENERAL. Cr. McGuinncss reported ihnt he had inspected the culvert near Mr. Best's property and found tho conditions very unsatisfactory Speaking to tho report Cr. McGuinness said it was unfortunate that Mr Best was not present when the inspection was made as one of the obiocts of tho inspection was to reconcile Mr. Best and avoid friction —lt was suggested by the chairman that the portion of the county in which Mr. Best resided should be transferred to the Stratford County—ln reply to Cr McGuinness the clerk said tho transfer could be made by Order-in-Coiincll. provided both - counties were agreeable without any reference to the ratepayers concerned.—lt was suggested that tho Council hold the matter of the renewal of the culvert and other necessary works in connection with it over until the chairman (Mr Belcher), the member for the riding, could be present. After further discussion the report was adopted, and it was decided to inform .Mr. Best that he must not deepen the drain least two feot

ENGINEER'S REPORT. Tho engineer reported, inter nlin South Riding.—General maintenance work has been carried on throughout the riding constating mainly of patching and watertabling on Skeet, Boylan, Dalzlell, Nelll Campbell, Fraser, and Stuart Bonds. Mangatoki Riding—The sides of Stuart Rnad hare been cleaned up after tho grader, water tables have been cleaned, and metal repaired. The sides of a portion of Eltham Road have been banked with metal and the side tracks regraded. The junction of Eltham and Hastings Roads has beon Improved by widening the metal to give sufficient sweep for traffic rounding the corner, and by banking the sides. Further down Hastings Road water tables have beon cleaned, and repairs effected 011 all hills and where necessary the shoulders of the road have been banked with metal. Extra traffic planks have been laid by the Public Works Department on the Over bridge, and the approaches have been filled In with tar grouting to conform to the new level. Oinona Riding—The usual work of removing slips and fallen trees and tho cleaning of water tables has been carried out on Rawhltlroa, Mataiwhetu, Waltlri and Matalmaroke Roads, all of which aro in excellent order for this season of the year. Kaponga Riding.—On the Opunake Road the blinding of metal, cleaning of ditches, and water tables has been continued from Mangawhero Road and completed to Mangawhcroitl Bridge. The metal 011 Nelll Road has been rounded up and water tables have been cleaned, and the sides of Palmer Road hare beon cleaned up nftor tho grader and the metal has been repaired. Eltham Riding.—Work carried out on Rawhltiroa Road includes tho laying of n' new culvert and repairs to others, the patching of metal and the cleaning of wator table?,, the napping of about 4(1 yards of shell rock, and the removal of slips on Mangamlngl Bridge The Hui and Mangawhoro Roads have been patched and concrete pipes have been delivered for several culverts on Sangster Road. Water tables , havo ~,been.. cleaned.. on Ilorol ~Road and slips removed from Mangamlng! Road. Repairs to.Ttrqmoana. Rnad .are in hand. • General —About. COO yards ..of stonop and sand has been taken from :the\river and 400 yards delivered on'' various ronds- In '-(•eadtness'for tar snravlng, fltc. I would'-again direct tile 'Council's attention 1 tp the 'necessity for makjng arrangements for futurtcsupplies of metal, as the present' suppll® are becoming seriously depleted, and the demand for stone and shingle from that part the fiver worked by this Council Is increasing. Owing to the large proportion of tar scaling work now required as against metalling of road-!, the matter of obtaining the required amount of stone chipnings for the purpose will reouiro to lie specially provided for Hitherto sufficient of this material was olitninod by screening the product of tlio present crusher, but the supply thus procured has now become o.uite inadequate, and will, it is estimated, only produce ahout 10 per cent, of the amount required to carry out the works authorised for the coming season. I therefore recommend that a special machine for the purpose of providing stone chips be obtained. Inquiries have been received from Patangata Counly Council as to whether the telescopic portable bins belonging to ilils Council were for sale, and theso hare been placed tinder offer at £IOO. An old disused concrete mixer has been disposed of to Mr. C. Baker for £lO Applications for crossings havo been received from the following ratepayers, C. T. Nicholas, Hastinas Road, and E Nicholson, Fraser Road! also from the Kanonga Dairy. Company for uso of the Council's lorries to cart shlnglo. These have been supplied. In accordance with the Council's directions, visits of Mspectlon with the chairman and riding representatives have been made to culverts tin Wingrove and BMA, 49 o£ <■* * -MWMtMf?*

Bridge, to discuss the question of proposed deck level. ' ■ > A committee, consisting of Crs. McGulnness, Campbell, and the chairman lyjis appointed to dc<il with the question of metal supplies from the rlyer, and to 'meei 'tlic Borough Council on the qucstloii of carting' ovffr borough road£> The committee was given power to act. . In. reference to .a crusher of,the disc type for 'productive chips, 'the engineer said the las' quotation wits' £423 f.ob, British port, which would mean about '-5.460, landed In New Zealand. At present, ; he were relyt Ing for chips for which the' demand was con? stnntly Increasing on the ' stone crusher which only produced about one yard'of chips to 10 yards of -metal Ttje ordinary meta) requirements were decreasing; and thh raoant a decrease In the quantity of chlp9 If the present methods were tbnflnOed,' find without the crusher he proposed purchasing!, ho did not see how they, were going, tq , get sufficient chips. Ho thought, they should cable their order. Or. Carter moved, and Cr.'-faeaaana seconded pro forma, that they- purchase a crusher —Cr. McWllliam .moved.- as an rumendment that the matter be held over till Mr. Belcher was present He did' not''fount to stay progress, but he wbuld l like to see a full meetlni!. Two councillors wfere; absent.— The engineer said that this mav mean losing a season—With Cr. McWilllam's consent it was decided to leave the letter ln ; the hands of the Metal Committee with power to act. It having'been pointed out that the chairman was on that committee. NOTICE OP MOTION. Notice of motion was given by Cr. Campbell as follows: "That a special order be made for the payment from the general fund cf the annual Instalments of Interest and prln. Clpal upon current loans, with tho South Biding such payments to be made a preferential charge against the South Biding Fund uutll the loans are paid off."