CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 September 1919, Page 7

CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

. MONTHLY MEETING.' ' v The monthly raeotlng at the Clifton County Council whs held at Waltara yesterday, there being present: Crs. R. H. l'igott (chairman), C. 1 Kennington, H. Watte, H. A. Foreman, T. McKensUe, F. C. Jones, and C. Musker. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The County Engineer Sir. C. F. Dowsett) reported as under:— Waihl Hiding.—General surfacing has been carried out aud all weak places on the Main Road patclied and repaired. The contractor la pushing ahead with his boulder contract at' the Waipapa depot, and arrangements have been ' made to quarry supplies of gravel at tho Onaero pit for maintenance. On the return of the bridge foreman the Parlhaku bridge will receive attention. Tikorangi Riding.—Patching and repairs hate been proceeding and the additional stone required will bo obtained by the metal contractor. Duplicate plans and specifications have been prepared for tho Otaraoa road formation and submitted to the District Road Kngineei- for approval, and upon their return I propose calling tenders for the work.

Mokau Riding.—Patching and repairs on the Wain Road hate been continuous during the S on «' .. timber for, the breastwork on the Urutl Road has been delivered at the end of the metal. Ploughing edges of metal and patching have been proceeding on the Pukeatuhe Road, and further stone has been deposited at the Wal-itl depot. Two separate appointments were made In this riding, and subsequently declined when It was discovered that the position was an out-dlstrict one. A third man has now been Appointed, and promises to start this week. The work of laying off the various formation and metalling contracts under loan and subsidy will bo comnenced cu .ing the month, and the rollet and Plant will shortly again be in commission. urehul Riding,—During the month furthet 1 supplies of gravel have been carted Otit from the Native reserve and the price has been In-i creased by 6d per yard for screened gravel, pro- i vided 100 yards per month Is put out. It is' necessary to guarantee a supply pending the boulder contract being operated upon, which Is at present in abeyance. On the Okoke Road the formation of the pit road is proceeding, and I hope to be shortly drawing on the supplies here for maintenance. Various concrete culverts have replaced wooden structures during the month. On the Plko Road the Black bridge Is requiring attention, also a small bridge on the Okoke Road, and I am endeavourlng to get the timber required In the vicinity or these works.

Ngatlm&ru Riding—Overtures have been made to quarry gravel at Pukeho, and will be accepted If prices are satisfactory. The bridge near Drummond's requires attention, find I propose shortly submitting proposals in connection with same. On the Pita Boad, five small bridges have been repaired and erected, and access provided to the upper section"- Tho Mangaoapa stream bridge is nearing completion, and the final inspection will be made during the month. Arrangements have been made to secure the necessary timber for the small bridges on this road, free of royalty, and they will be started during the current month. The formation work Is proceeding satisfactorily, and should be completed simultaneously with tho bridges. 1 understand all tho timber for the youth Matau bridge Is awaiting railage from Wellington. The retort was adopted.

PROPOSED INGLEWOOD COUNTY. A letter was received from the Internal Affairs Department enclosing copies of a letter from the Stratford County Council, and also a memorandum from the Comndsslooer at Crown Lands, New Plymouth, in reply thereto The letter from tho Stratford County Council stated that a resolution had been passed disagreeing with the proposal made by the CpmmisMoner of Crown Lands and the District Valuer, that part of the proposed addition to the Inglewood County on 1 the eastern side bo ultimately transferred to the Stratford County j The reason given was that the district had no community of Interest with the Stratford County, and that the settlers therein had prfcvlously successfully petitioned to be transferred to the Clifton County. Tho Council "also considered that machinery would be ererv bit as difficult to get into the district from Stratford as from Inglewood. The memorandum of the Commissioner of Crown Lands stated that there was nothing to prevent that part of the Ngatlmaru riding In question remaining In the Clifton County if the settlors preferred It.

A petition, signed by 21 settlers of th» Matau district, expressed a desire on the part of the signatories to be included within the area of the proposed new Inglewood County A letter was also received stating that a meeting or ratepayers held at Tarata, a ra oo. lutlon was passed to the effect that the ratepayers would not be opposed to tl» whole or any portion of the Ngatlmaru ridlhg being Included In tho proposed Inglewood County Cr. Kennlngton said the decision of the ratepayers and the petition did not express dissatisfaction on the part of the settlers with the Clifton- County, but rather that they recognised that their Interests would lie more within the new county than any other In tho course of the discussion,' It was pointed out that tho Clifton Council must soo that, In the event of tho proposed boundaries being altered, the County was not left with just' tho back portion of the riding. It was decided to protest agiflnst the proposed amendment of boundaries, and that the Council approve of the boundaries as set out In the first report of the commission, with the ui. dltion that Section 1, Block It), and Sections 7, 8, and 9, Block 11, Upper Walta-a, be Ineluded in the new county.

OKOKE-KAKA LAND AREA. In connection with the Okoke-Kaka. loan of £ 1800, a letter was received from the Skate Advances Department stating that {he consent of the Governor-General had been obtained for the same.

A letter was received from Percy Darke or the above matter, stating that Mr. Jones did not get the consent of the Okoke settlers to join in the ICaka loan, and that he certainly objected to be included in the area. If Mr Jones had i petition he asked that it be aent to him so that the matter could be further considered.

It was. decldeti to Inform Mr. Darke that the Council wits of opinion that the present ar'angements for tho raising of tho loan were antlsfactory and equitable, and that tho petition could he seen on application at the county .o.®?s.

NIKOBIMA LOAN ABBA. J. Vlokery wrote protesting against his property being Included In the Nlborlraa Road •can area,—lt was decided that the property was rightly included in the loan area.

WAITAHA-Tfi KUT.TI MAIN ROAD. j In regard to the suggested Joint representations by all local bodies 'interested la the comoletlon of the Te Kultl-Waitara Road, the clerk of the Awakino County Council wrote explaining that for the completion of the road the following work was necessary: Five miles formation of the Awakino Valley Road, metals log 40 miles, between Mahoenul and Uruti, and bridging the Mokau. A suggestion had neon made that at tho forthcoming Counties' Conference all representatives should Join In a deputation to the Minister on the subject An intimation waß received from Mr. W. T. Jennings, M.P., that the Minister would receive such a deputation from the Counties' Conference.

IHHRO-ELECTKIC POWER*

The chairman of the Moa Road Board wrote In regard to concerted action being taken by Taranakl local bodies with a Mew to inducing the Government to develop hydro-electric power within the province, setting out the reason for such a course.

Cr Foreman said ho thought the Council should support any scheme that would provide Taranakl with cheap electric current It was a dairying district, and tho factories would b.'. glad to avail themselves of Mch power He was In favor of supporting tho Moa Board's proposal.

It was decided that the Council would sunnoit any proposal that the Mou Koad Board could bring before the Government that would facilitate the development of a hydro-electric scheme for Taranaki.

BACKBLOCKS MEDICAL SERVICES. Correspondence was received from the Department of lUibllc Health in regard to the provisions made for the supply of nurses and doctors for the outer districts. Tho schema ror district nurses had been steadily developing. Where possible such nurses were possessed of medical nnd maternity certificates. The tees which they were entitled to charge (to those able to pay) were payable to Hospital Boards who control the expenditure and pa* tho nurses. In regard to doctors, power liai recently been given to local authorities to apply to tho Minister to provide a doctor for a district, or a number of districts agreeable to join in such an undertaking. Any defltfoncy in the doctor's earnings, under guarantee, could he provided out of rates or by a special rat*. Provision was also made whereby a local auth» ority may, give financial asslstfanco to any organisation not established for the purpose of profit, whose object is to promote miblla health.

GENERAL. Messrs. D. Paul anA Hawke waited on the Council to aslc llitm do something to help Hie settlers in B*Ulb|, their road (off the Tikorangl HoMB, Tu omHa lencth of about »l/ chains bltaf mJfeW a waterhole In the winter. It i»t» -wttmatea ihc work would cost iibout £2Ol, tad four out of the five settlers •vero prepaMft to contribute halt tho cost If ihe.v could get a £ for E subsidy. Mr Hawke ufl'ercd to do the work for £5 pp- v chain It was decided to assist the ratepayers | n g< /s the Government aubsldj l . 0, ». Stw4 ntaii la >«|«nt J« w *S»Usa;.

tIQQ from Chos, Flint (or ft rebate o( tales due on section 4, block 10, Waro Survey District. It was pointed out that the applicant had been on active service, and (bat ha uad abandoned his section. The CouunMonet of Crown Lands had had no notic« of abandon* tnent, but stated the lent duo while on aotlve aefvlce was remitted. The rates, amounting la C 3 8s Bd, had been placed In the solicitor's hands to collect, and be asked whether the Counsll dealled him to. take proceedings.—lt hub decided to take no proceedings, The New Zealand Automobile Association wrote asking (or support In the matter of Inducing all local authorities to have' the approaches to bridges painted white, and where necessary hoards painted white be erected on each bridge; and that similar precautions be taken In regard to "rabbit gates." A' resolution was also forwarded suggesting that local authorities should have power to order thinning, removal, or lowering of fence* and trees at road corner, where, by qbstruotlog the view they were calculated to oauge accident!. A circular letter *vs received from' the State Advances Office In regard to tha arrangement of suitable half-yearly dates for tha paywent nf principal and Interest oa any loans lifted by the Council from the Department. jwr/iy-r-T' w *** "* "