CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 February 1920, Page 5

CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary meeting of tlie Clifton County Council was held at Waltara yesterday. Present: Councillors R. H. Pigott (chairman), T. MclCenzlo, H. A. Foreman, F. C. .Tones, C. Musker, S. J. Kennlngton, and H. Waite. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer (Mr. C. F. Domett) reported as followsWaihi Riding.—Scarifying, crushing, and Tolling have been proceeding on the Main road from Hie County boundary to the toll gale, although under somewhat dual difficulties, one of which Is the necessity of frequently pulling out the engine for rolling, which breaks the continuity of the crushing, and Is not appreciated by the contractor, and the other trouble has been the broken weather, which will ne-1 eossltato again scarifying certain sections after our return from YVaMti. In view of heavy metalling proposals In the future, a second ot stationary engine is a prime necessity for expeditious work. The toll collector resigned his position during the month. On tho Inland North road the metal supplies under the voluntary and contracted systems will be proceeded with Immediately. Tlkorangl Riding.—The formation contract on the Otaraoa. road has been proceeding slowly, shortage of labor and wet weather preventing I any -great headway being made. An Insp&c- , tion was made with Messrs Foreman and McKenzle In connection with the metal showing on Mr. Sarten's section, and, upon tho . road foreman being at liberty, a cut will be made and a suitable afceess road be graded out. A plan is submitted, together with data of tho Tlkorangl suspension bridge, showing tho proposal to re-erect the truss in hardwood. ; This, I understand, is supported by the Tarai nakl County, and as tho condition of the bridge is bad, steps should be taken to provido sufll--1 clent funds to have this work carried out wlthi out delay. Tho respective allocations are: ! Taranaki, two-fifths; Clifton, three-fifths, and, : my estimate for tho work at current rates is 1 ! about £ISOO. Of this amount, Clifton would i : requlro to find £9OO, Taraaaki £6OO, and the j amount this Council have on hand frbm old bridge loan is £450, or fully half their requirement. Ngatlmaru Riding.—Foreman Topping has again resumekl his duties at Tarata, and Is attending to immediate requirements. The vac-1 aney at Purangi lg still open. On Mangaaoapa road, the formation work has beeiv In abeyance, but it is expected to be resumed this month. 1 and tho end of that period should see its completion. With reference to the small bridges contract, all timber is on tho sites, and : cutting and fitting have commenced. Here, also, lack of assistance has somewhat, curtailed j expected advancement. The Riding foreman has been busy attending to duties necessitated by tho rains, and will ho starting with the grader this month. Tho machine will then be transferred to the Tarata district. Tho bridge; timber stacked'at Kioro for some t!mo is now 1 being transported to Matnu. Thero is still a small balance for Improving points on the Kioro saddle, and tills will shortly be expended. TJrcnul Riding.—Tho cutting In Whaknpakl 1 Street. has heen completed and tho metalling in Nlkf»rlma Street ran now be proceeded with, when the teams are available. Further metal has been carted out from the native reserve for Mcin road repairs, but the supply is quite inadequate for requirements On tho Mataro road tho formation and metalling contract has been laid off. and plans and specifications aTe in course of preparation. The gravel deposit * on the Avenue road will be Investigated when . time permits, and, If suitahle, may be useful In j j the tov.risiiiu On the Piko road, various sec- I | tioiK hava been iaid for formation and : I metalline, and plans and specifications are also : being prepared. Mokan R!d!n?.—Patching and repairs hare been proceeding on the Main road, and the maintenance metal Is rapidly disappearing, with no immediate prospects of replenishment. The bridge foreman has taken up his duties In the TJrtiti district, and Is engaged in under-strutting and strengthening the Manga'iiaeho bridge, to be followed with repairs to Oxonham's bridge, etc. The timber for the Okau bridge Is now stacked at the depot, and opportunity fill be taken to get it to thp various sites. A spring cart has been purchased, harness ordered. ?nd enquiries made for a suitable horse for the conveyance of tools and gear. On the Pukcaruhe road Ihe formation is ready, and It. Is hoped to complete the metalling contract this month. General maintenance work has been carried on throughout tho County, embracing tho removal of slips, renewal of culverts, and attention to bridges where required. The report was adopted. A SUTLER'S COMPLAINT. O. L. Young. Toko, notified that, settlers had erected a gate on the Wnitara Valley road in a dangerous position for drovers of cattle If any of Ills cattle were lost or Injured thereby, he would Halm damages. He suggested that the gate should ho erected at n moT© suitable sito on ihe road Tie also complained of the annoyance caused him through sheep and cattle being allowed to wander on tho road where it. was unfencod. It was resolved to inform Mr. Young that the Council had not given penmission for the gato to be erected on the road, and that. Messrs Larsen Bros be Informed that complaints had been made regarding the position of the gate, and that they be asked to remedy tho same.

OKOKE ROAD. Mr. Percy Darke wrote enclosing a guarantee from twelve settlers in tho district offering : to pay In a lump sum half the cost of metalling the remainder of the Okoke road to tho Piko Junction, in proportion to the amount of rates they paid. It was, ho said, understood i that tho guarantee would include the whole of the Piko and Okoke rating area for the two loans now boing received They also asked that the Council make a grant of, say £25, to- ! wards the work, as they had been for several yearn without a surfaceman. The clerk was instructed to proceed with the allocation of the amounts, and as soon as the amount is lodged the work wvll bo proceedqd.wUh. MT. EGMONT QTJARRY. ! A circular was received from the Public ; ■ Works Department notifying that before anything definite could bo decided upon as to the : cost of metal, or whether the opening up of the Mt. Egmont quarry would bo justified, a statement, was required as to the 'amount of crushed metal which the local body would'guarantee to purchase annually. The chairman said that before giving an estimate of the quantity tho local body would require to have an idea of tho cost. Members considered tho quarry would be no use to the Council at present, owing to the «>oat of distribution from the railway station. The engineer said that tho Council could get metal itself cheaper by tapping the beach in various places. Tho difficulty was labor. Cr. Jones said he would not mind seeip" "Sit. "Egmont metal a.t the foot of Mt. Messengi-r. The engineer, said he would far sooner see Uruti shell rock there. It was resolved that" Hie Council could give no guarantee of the amount required until the price was known. URUTI ROAD LOAN. Two petitions were received from settlors In the Uruti district asking the Council to take steps to Taise a loan af £ISOO for tho purpose of metalling portions of tho Ututi road, subject to the Government granting a £ for £ subsidy. In the course of a brief discussion, it was pointed out that the settlers iii one area where the road was tv bo metalled were rating themselves to pay Id rate, whilst the others were agreeing to pay *4d. It was decided to take tho necessary steps to raise the loan. GOVERNMENT GRANTS. The Public Works Department notified that the following grants were on the estimates for tho Council, all on account of £ for £ subsidy Kalpikari £4OO, Kaka (on account of £. r »00 £ for £) £4OO, Mataro (on account of £IOOO £ for £) £SOO, Okoke £275, Tiko (on account, of £SOO £ for £) £SOO, Purangl (on account of £OOO £ for £) £4OO, Uruti £O4O, and Waipapa £100; total £3515, and notified that authority would be issued for the expenditure of tiie same, immediately plans, etc., had been approved. Tho engineer said that the work would be gone on with in order. The Mataro and Tlko wore in hand now, and the Okoke would bo put in hand. GENERAL. ! The Waltara Borough Council notified that : It could not depart from its previous decision to chargo £7 per annum for water for tho toll gate. £G was the minimum chargo for properties outside tho borough, and £1 was due by agreement to tho North Taranalcl Dairy Co, for use of their service line. As tho Council only required the water for the toll keeper's cottage, it was considered that the charge was excessive. Members considered that £3 10s would havo been sufficient. Sir W. Fraser, Minister of Public Works, acknowledged receipt of the Council's resolution in regard to the provision of motor wagons for tho use of County Councils for metalling work and stated that it had been noted for consideration. There were thirteen applicants for tho position of toll keeper, and Mr. J. H. Rice, of Now Plymouth, was appointed. It. was resolved to forward a copy of tho Public Health Inspector's letter re the receiving yards at Urenul to the Inglewood Bacon Co., with a request that they comply with the letter. Tho question of renewing some of the bridges in permanent materials was touched <P n » aad members generally expressed the opined ttiOMMSI.