TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 March 1920, Page 6

TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary meeting of the Taranaki CnuiaW Council was held a', the Comity Office, New I'Umouth, yesterday, when there were present. Cr.i. .1. S Connett (chairman), (i C!nppe,r, .1. Andrews, A. Morton, 8. Viekers, .1. Woeidrldge, .1. B. Simpson and A. E. Laurence. ENGINEER'S REPORT. Mr R. D. Cllmie, County engineer, reported as follows: Mca Riding.—Since the heavy rains on the lTt'i and 18th Inst. I And that in a great many places culvert?, had choked and water had been over the roads, and the foramen are. now occupied repairing any damage done. The mountain road between Inglewhod and the Toll Gate is getting worn cut in places, but thero is an amplo supply of stone ouit wa tine to be crushed for maintenance. All other roads are mostly in very fair condition ami show that attention has been given them by the foremen in charge. This second flood has done considerably mere damage at the Waiwakalho bridge on the Lepper-Car-rington road. On the top side of the bridge another twenty or thirty feet,has been washed awt y, and below the bridge further erosion has started and the river got across to the Albert road and washed out a small filling, Adwce has bean received that the necessarywire mesh will bo to hand in a few days and as soon as this ~ comes the' work of constructing a groyne will be started. The neussary repairs to the Maketawa and Nga-toro-iti bridges have been completed and most of the other timber bridges hn.re been inspected during the month. Mangorei Hiding.—The work of re-snrfaclng ■Tunciinn Road as far as the throe mile peg has been completed. This road required far mere mietal than was expected, a total of IOC') yards being used in 152 chains. A statement is being prepared showing cost of this work and other works completed. The work of improving bad bends and fillings on this road is now completed as far as Mr. Weston's gate. It Is proposed to get the men who have been doing this work to go on with the filling on Hospital road. If sufficient labor is a.vailabi£ ; a star* will bo made the first week ill March with the work on Hill road. Several of the settlers have offered their services and tho use of teams. I will be glad to have authority to instruct Foreman Spencer to get out five or six hundreds yards of stone for maintenance purposes on Hie Oarrington Road. It will also be necessary to deliver about 200 yards on Foreman Keast's length when crushing is star«e:l at Mangorei It is hoped that the Foreman's house at Kent road will he completed within the next week. At present the length vacated by Mr. Batten is being kept, in order by temporary men and Mr Dryden the new foreman is now waiting for the house 1o be finished. Waltaira Riding—it will be necessary to get out a considerable quantity of maintenance metal for the. Toads in Foreman Palmer's length. Thero is a good face or metal stripped in Old's pit and it may be advisable to get this quarried and carted out with horse teams on to tho nearest roads. Tire grader has been working on tho Manutahi road doing formation work. Unfortunately the Tain did a great deal of damage to the newly completed work and several chains have had to be gone over a second time. Tills worlt should be completed this week and the grader' will then he used to round up tho Corbett road and from ther? it, wi'l lie taken back into Foreman Palmer's lemrth to finish up work on Waitara and Kelly roads. I have heen endeavoring to iget. men together to commence work on the To Are! road loan metalling work There are several teams avallablo for carting, hut so far I have heen unable to get. any men for the quarrying work. It is proposed to try out the pit on Mr. Surrey's farm, and if this does not Improve in quality it will be necessary to re-open tho pit in Mr. • Loveridge's place. Minor repairs have heen made to tho small bridge on Te Arei road near Kennels and to the Wniongona bridge at Lenperton. Both these bridges arc in a very bad state, however, and are unsafe for any but the lightest, traffic An Inspection of the Waiongona bridge mi the Devon road shows that very little can bo done to fix the decking unless most of the bevrer joists are renewed Although the decking makes a rattle when vehicles cross, it is perfectly safe. To make a job of it, it requires'new joists and new decking. Omat.a Riding—Allen's Hill deviation has now been completed and metalled and t!he men under M> Eenricksr.n's supervision are now employed taking the crown off the Tapuar Hill. The spoil from this cutting is being used to widen the road along the flat towards Kora road. A? there is a very small siirmly of stone out rt Tanuae It. has been fielded to metal the st-onnd portion of Allen's Hill from the Walwakailio and this work is now heinc done There is between three and four hundred yards of stone at the crusher ready to ho put through. When Foreman Seamark completes, tills work It. will be advisable to give him authority to get out stone for maintenance metal on the Httrford road. The Tapttac river has been inspected and a good supplv can be obtained from it and dumped on the road near the Hurford road school FoTaman Eva has been employed the past, few dpvs Rereading metal on the road to the Old People's Home. As instructed 200 cubic yards of metal were supplied for this wort and with the exception of about 40 cubic yards this has been snread and rolled in. Okato Riding—The metalling on Pltone road has been o.omnletcd One. hundred chains has been metalled, taking 1610 cubic yards or metal, and as instructed an additional ISO cubic yards has been crushed This latter has been (lumped and will he spread as soon as tha formation work has been (lone An_ extra 25 cubic yards has been dumped for maintenance This makes a total of 178" cubic yards used for the work. Si".oe the small roller has finished rolling Titore road, it has been used under Foreman Meredith» supervision on Lelth and Perth roads cleaning up edges of metnl. etc. This next week it will be used on runiho road, and will be kept in this district until the Komene road work is completed. Enough cement is now to hand to enable me to. make a start repairing the pier of Saunders road In-idgc, and as soon as the necessary men can be secured this work will be commenced.

General.—The crushing plant will be moved from Waiwakalho as soon as the stone on hand (about 350 cubic yards) is crashed. The stone at Tapnao will be crushed first and then the plant nil! put through about 1200 to 1500 cubic yards- at Oakura Tho largo roller will be working in conJunction with this plant,. At present! the teams aire employed hauling extra s'.ono at Oakura and when finished there they can be used either to haul stone from the Stoney river or on Klrlhau road. The ran anff during the month a set of spares have been orderecl Tar Work—To date no word has been received delivery of tar spraying gear. The widening of asphalt along Waiwakalho flat has been carried on by using r. small tank and applying ta.r by hand. This work is now practically completed and thn whole flat, between the two bridges is now an even width of sixteen feet.' Two gate entrances to the show grounds have also been completed and this work will be charged to the A' and P. Association. A schedule of costs of widening road will be placed before the meeting. Some comment took place on the amount of metal used in rerouting tho main road in the Mangorei riding, which was being made 1G feet wide It had been estimated that it would take 14 yards of metal to the chain, whereas it had taken 20. At this rate, it was stated, the loan would not go as far as anticipated It. was rcwilvcd that in future the road should be made 14 feet wide. It was resolved that the work of forming a groyne In the Waiwakalho bridge, near the Mangorei factory, be put in hand as soon as possible. The engineer was authorised to get out SOO yards maintenance metal in the Carringtors Road, and a similar amount for the Waitara riding: to report on the. portion of the Upland Road within the Taranakl County, to prepare plans for bridges over the Mangaoraka on the Te Arei and Corhett roads, the Walongona at Letiperton, and a small bridge on Richmond Road. Necessary hardwood will lie ordered for the Waiongona bridge. Expenditure of Government, grant of £2OO on the Ngamotu Road will be undertaken while the crusher is in the district. The engineer was authorised to secure 303 or 400 yards of boulder stone for the Hurford Road from the Papuae river, and also to get 50 yards of broken metal to repair the byroads in the Omata riding. The chairman and engineer will see to Mr Hair's reouest relative to his entrance at Allen's Hill. DEPXtTATIOXS. Messrs. Geo. Hanover and Sanger, representing Ave ratepayers on the Senley Road, asked the Council to improve the grade on a hill on this road, which was at present one in right. Cr. Vlckers considered that the settlers had a good case. The grade on tho upper portion of the road had been improved about six years ago. but nothing had been done to the lower portion. He understood that Mr. Sanger was prepared to give tho ground in which any filling would encroach. The chairman said that a principle had been established. In view of ths Council's financial position, that no such work which the engineer estimated at frcrai £l2O to £IOOO could be done nut of the general fund I'osalbly the metal might be thin, but as lons as the Council kept the road In reasonable repair they were fulfilling their obligations The Council was sympathetic with the request,

but he did not thhik they could entertain It until the time came to re-coat the road. Or. Viekers said that setters would be prepared to assist by giving labor, and the work | could be done in tho winter. He suggested that the engineer should furnish a report on tho matter. The chairman said that it would entail Hie Council dumping sufficient metal to re-coat the road. Of course, if the settlers were prepared to do the work under the foreman it would ease the position. Mr. Hanover asked why the by-roads were always penalised. The chairman stated that they were not penalised. They had a metalled road, which it war, the Council's duty to maintain, but this was a question of regrading. He had endeavored to'impress on deputations that the present financial position of the Council would nol permit of such expenditure. When the roads were tarred it was hoped money would ho available. It was resolved Chat the engineer visit the road and give an estimate of the coat of Hie work. Mr. Dixon (Tarurutangi) waited on the Council on behalf of tho settlers of tho unmetalled portion of the Upland Road. There were ISO chains of the road unmetalled, and they considered the work could be put through for £2OOO. Mr. Dixon said that he. considered the engineer's estimate for the earthwork far too high. Some of this, he thought, the settlers would be prepared to do for nothing la order to get the work through. They were also prepared to go In for a loan. The chairman said that this was a different question, where settlers were prepared to go In for a loan, but there was the question of a possible deviation of a bad hill, and this would bo a matter to be worked in conjunction with the new Inglowood County. In further discussion Mr. Dixon said that ho was convinced that with a loan of £IOOO raised by the settlers and the Government subsidy of £OOO tho work could be put through. It was resolved that the chairman and engineer meet the settlers interested in the road. Messrs. G. V. Tate and Graham waited on the Council and stated that the ratepayers en the Tate Road were willing to rate themselves for three years to the extent of y 2 tl in the £, realising £CO per annum, for the purpose of metalling :>» chains of the Ta.-.e Road, five chains of which the Council was Pleated to do. They asked that tho Council should subsidise the amount and proceed with the work before the winter set in. Tito chairman again referred to the strineency of tho Council's finances, and askod whether the settlers would be prepared to have their amount extended in the event of the Council not. being able to subsidise it. Mr. Tate considered tills would not be fair, as the settlers had been given to understand that the Council would meet them half way. Tlie road was a paying proposition to the Council. Mr. Graham suggested that It would be better to raise a loan to do all the work and councillors agreed that this would bo the better plan. It was resolved that the Council will metal the" road providing the settlers will raise a loan to meet the cost. Messrs. G. Green, Watson and Loonov asked whether the Council had gone any further in the matter of raising a loan for the formation and metalling of the. Plymouth Road The chairman explained the steps that had beea taken and stated that steps would be taken to expedite the .matter. A member of the deputation asked if it took over eighteen months to raise tiio loan how long would it take to put tho work throughi Mr. Green said that tho County had put its own loan through and had done some of the work, though they had taken the matter up since tho Plymouth Road settlers had approached them. The chairman pointed out that thero were eleven loan jobs in hand, and they were carrying thorn out as fast as the surveyors could get the plans through. It was through the Council's push that a Government grant was secured for the work. Mr. Watson also asked that the deviation on the upper Plymouth P.oad should be pushed through. It was resolved to prepare plans and forward copy of same to the. Public Trustee for his approval.

SETTLERS' REQUIREMENTS. Ckas. Longstaff wrote pointing out that tvlitle driving homo along the King Koad on Saturday, February 14th, his trap was capsized and damaged to the extent or £lO owing to the tact that no work,had been done on that portion of tho road during the past 20 years. He pointed out that he had paid -rates on the road for more than 20 years, ami had given a. great many days of his own labor to try to keep communication open. He had over and over again pleaded tor help to the road from the local body In whose charge it was, and he asked whether the Council would assist him either by direct monetary compensation or by remission of some of his rates.—Becoived. J. J. JJates, W. Thomas, G. It. Coleman, Pitt Bros, and J. I'. Giddy drew tho Council's intention to the very bad stato of the lowei' King Koad, which had not been repaired since it wan metalled eight years ago.—To be Informed that the Council will see that the road is kept in good order. Jit. YV. li. Card wrote that three settlers in the district ware willing to take on uay labor in the expenditure of £SO which the Council had promised twelve mouths ago for tho purpose of forming the upper end of Plymouth Koad—To be put, in hand when the foreman is available. Frederick Whitehead, Saunders Koad, drew attention to the bad state or the upper Saunders Koad, Okato, which had suffered during the heavy rajn. If the ratepayers were not going on with the metalling proposals lie suggested that the money In hand should he spent on the worst part of the road bofcre the bad weather sets in.—To be itifonucd that there is no money In hand and that nothing can be done until tho loan is raised. TOE WAIWAKAIHO WEIR. The New Plymouth Borough Council wrote asking whether, now that tho weir at the Waiwakalho bridge was completed, tho Council proposed to proceed with the construction of the wing wall on the lower side of the west end of the bridge. ' Before deciding upon tlie plan of the work, the Borough Council aslted that tho county engineer should confer with the borough engineer, who wished to suggest, a modification reducing the cost of the work. The chairman considered that In view of further work carried out by the Public Works Department this work was not now necessary, ,and it was resolved to inform the Borough Council to that effect. GENERAL. E. Jackson protested against his farm of 30 acres on Tate Itoad, Waitara, being Included in the rating area of the proposed loan to metal tho lower portion of Tate Road. He stated that he was already paying a special rate to the Tate ltoad, and intended, with other settlers, applying for a special loan to 'metal the .lohnslone .Street, which he used. Mr. C. -T. lteakes, Director-General of Agriculture, notified that the Council's letter with reference to tho introduction of poppy seeds gathered from soldiers' graven In Franca had been noted, and inquiries Into tho matter would be made at once. Accounts were passed for payment at forlows:—General expenses £BIB lis 3d, Moal riding £2)3 6s 7d, Jlangurei riding £3li Osj 3d, Waitara riding £798 Is sd, Omata, riding £53 3s lid, Okato riding £lfl;|.Uls lod, road improvements loan account £7f>2 17a Id, Lower .Petone loan account £397 10s 10u\ total £3,(191 2s 2d.