MOA ROAD BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 September 1919, Page 2

MOA ROAD BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly mooting of the Moa Road Board was held nt iiiglewood on Saturday, there boiiiji present: Messrs A. Corkill (chairman), A. Stewart, 1). Todd, .1. H. Lyon, J. Hunter, .1. M. Hair, A. Cuwtey. Leave of absence was trained to .Mr T. S. Bowler. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer reported on a number of matters in respect to several roads and bridges that had been referred to him at the previous meeting. It was deeided to rail alternative tenders for tho erection of tliti Makara bridge on the Bristol lload, for the whole contract or for labor only. OVERSEER'S REPORT. The overseer (Mr. It C. Gray) reported that crushing and rolling had been completed on the Dudley Itoad west. Tour hundred and sixteen yards of metal were crushed, and 51) yards of pit gravel and for blinding. Of that 35 yards was carted to Windsor Itoad. Seven yards were given to Mr Todd as compensation for damage to his road, Mr Codd 4 yards and Mr Stewart 1% yards as they had done a considerable amount, of free labor. The plant 1j at present being overhauled. The surfaconon were encaged at patching and watertabling and In a short time the approaches t« the Kurnpeic bridge would be commenced. Work had been carried out on the following roads: Dudley west and Windsor (metalling), Rimutauteka and Wortley (watertaMfng), Bristol and Suffolk (watcrtabllng and patching), and Norfolk east (trimming and patchh,g). Forty-six pipes were made during the month, and twenty-six sold. There were 181 in hand. HYDRO-ELECTRIC POWER.

Replies to the' Board's circular in regard to the development by the Government of a hydro-electric scheme were received from the County of Taranaki. New Plymouth Borough Council, botli bodies considering the matter should be placed before the Taranaki HydroElectric League. The Stratford Borough Council stated that tho Major, as chairman of tho Hydro-Electric League, Intended bringing tho matter under the notice of the Minister of Public Works while in Wellington, and that on returning a meeting of the League would bo called to discuss further steps to urge Taranaki's claims. The Patea Borough Council replied that thoy were In accord with tho proposal and were already considering tho compiling of data for the Patea district, to be submitted to the chief electrical engineer. At. a later stage In the meeting Mr Lyon moved tho following motion, of which ho hud given notice:— "That Mr Hlno. M.P., bo asked to call for tho following information, tho same to be laid be">ie Parliament: (a) Returns and fee of hydro-electric licenso issued to tho New Plymouth Borough; (b) Whether the above borough In Its dealings with outside "power boards" Is preparing to charge over 100 per cent on the producing cost of current." Speaking'at some length In support of the motion Mr Lyon said lie was not opposed to the scheme of tho New Plymouth Borough Council for the development of power, but he was opposed to tho rates that they proposed to chargo those outside their own borough for powef. He dealt with the report of the electrical engineer (Mr It. 11. Bartley) and the statement by Cr. Clarke (chairman of tho Electric Light Committee) published In reply to his previous letters, and said that unfair aspersions were cast upon him. Cr Clarke had followed the advice of an old lawyer to a younger man, that .whoa ho had no case or a bad case, "abuse the other fellow." In dealing with the matter generally ho said the power was a national asset and was the property of the peoplo and should bo developed and supplied to thorn at as near the cost of production as possible. In regard to the Manganul, he held It to bo the duty of the Moa Board, If tho power was there, to develop it in the interests of tho district. It appeared to him that the New Plymouth Borough Council was In favor of cheap power for everybody except those outside their own borough. What he really wanted was a "power board" of the combined local bodies of the district, for the purpose of developing the resources of tho district. Ho moved his resolution for tho purpose of gottlng the information asked for, if possible, and If the New Plymouth Council was not amenable to reason he urged that the Government should he asked to step in and take control of the whole thing. The motion was seconded by Mr Stewart and carded without discussion.

UNIVERSAL SATURDAY HALF HOLIDAY. 11l respond to an invitation from the executive of the Taranaki Bowling Centre to attend a mooting of representatives of sports and local bodies to discuss Hie question of a universal Saturday half-holiday, It was decided that Mr Hah' 3hould represent the Board, the meetiuft to ho held at. Stratford on September 2fp. Several members expressed the opinion that the matter was outside the province of the Board, and others that a Saturday halfholiday would nut suit the country people. One member suggested l -'o town should be allowed to decide themselves what day they would close, to which it was replied that they would probably do that, and close on Saturday without asking the country peoplo what they thought The Board might at least take the opportunity offered of expressing its opinion on the Question.

CORRESPONDENCE. T. H. Bredin wrote in regard to the Mangoatea 'Road, to the ellect that sinco laying the metal no attention had been given to the watertables or drain outlets which was most ossentlon on a road that was on such a flat grade, with scarcely any fall for a considerable distance. He also drew attention to cattle on the load which he knew had been specially turned out, and asked the Board to take action li stop tho practice. It was decided to Inform the writer that the road would bo Rltended to as soon us possible. F, A. Reesby wrote asking the Board to attend at Its earliest convenience to the Kaimata Road north, which is in a disgraceful and unsafe condition. Mr Lyon stated that the road was bad and he had Intended to ask that something should bo done. There was a good supply of boulders ready and the ratepayers' were prepared to do a considerable amount of free labor. He hoped it would bo possible to get tho plant there and do the crushing and spreading all at the same time, which would bo an economical arrangement. They were pre'jtrod, however, to bo guided by the overseer as to how the work should be done.

The chairman pointed out that the rood was In debt, and that even after the current year's rates were collected there would bo very little left to spend on the road. So far as the plant was concerned, It was undergoing repairs, and would not be available, for probalily a couple of months. It was decided to notify Mr Reesby that the road account was considerably overdrawn but that tho plant would bo sent out next vear If the settlers provided tho necessary labor. GENERAL. /' A notification was received from tho State Advances Department In regard to arrangements for the payment of instalments of principal and Interest on loans lifted by the Board from the Department, on certain halfyearly dates. The liiglewood Borough Council wrote thanking the Board for a contribution of £5 towards the cost of repairing tlio Inglowood public pound. » An acknowledgment of tho Board's expression of sympathy in thetr bereavement was received from" the relatives of tho late Sir. T. E. Hamerton.