CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 May 1920, Page 2

CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

» MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary meeting of the Clifton County Couno.il was Held at Waitara yesterday. Present. Crs. R. H. Pigott (chairman), T. Mc~ Keir/ie, H. Foreman, P. t'. Jones, and S. .TKennlngton. ENGINEER'S REPORT. Mr. C. F. Dowsett (County engineer) reported:— Wnihl Riding.—Crushing has been proceeding at the Onaero depot, the Reserve hill, also tirahnm's " and Jones' Hills being re-coated where required. Future movements -of the plant are dependent on the weather, and it' possible tho Turangi metal may be crushed On the Inland North Road the formation has been completed, tho culvert put In, and over 200 yards of boulders deposited under contract, and probably a similar Quantity of settlors' metal. Tikorangl Riding—The Otaraoa Road formation has been held up. more or less, by the weather, and I have arranged that Poreman's Hill be trimmed down to the grade, a side-track made, and tho work suspended until better weather conditions prevail, The pit Toad is practically completed, and quarrying can proceed at any time when labor' is Available. Ngatlmaru Riding.—On the Mangnoapa Road, the three bridges are now completed, a very satisfactory job having been made. The application will now be forwarded for tho subsidy. The formation work has progressed satisfactorily, hut the weather has prevented completion. An early termination is, however, expected. The .South Matau bridge timber Is now on the site, and this work should be pushed to an early completion. A tender has been received for cutting the Mangainalre tunnel, but prices exceed my estimate. The work at Purangi is not up to expectations, and an improvement is necessary. Urenui Riding.—Further gravel has bten carted on to the Moerungi Road for repairs. Planks have been ordered for repairing tho kerbing in tho township, and will be put in us opportunity occurs. In tho Piko and Okoke districts, the roads, bridges, and culverts, suffered considerably with the heavy Tains, and an endeavour is being made with assistance to repair the damages, but it will ■ take some time to get matters normal, I Mokau Riding.—A subsidence occurred at the Junction of the XJrutl and Moki Roads, nud instructions were given to repair saime. On the Rl Road, the small bridge was washed out, the scour being produced by logs being piled Into tho creek from adjoining ; sections, and carried down with flood waters. I propose cutting flvo chains of drains, and re-erecting bridge about four chains northward, utilising old stringers in doing so. This will cut out all timber accumulated In tho vicinity, which would probably cause furture trouble. My estimate for tho work is about £IOO. On the Okau Road, the bridge party have completed Bowers' Bridge. Fresh trouble Txresented itself as each portion was removed, and the timber portion has been rebuilt. The Te Reinga Bridge is now receiving attention. On tho 16th an Inspection was made of ,tho Parinlnihl tunnel, the party comprising the chairman. Messrs. Quinn. Gray. Martin, and myself. The matter of an alternative route or permanent Improvements to the tunnel were discussed at length. The visitors wore prepared to offer contributions from the companies represented, and also financial nidi from others, but It was evident that this Council would have to provide very largely from their funds for the purpose of giving a shorter route for foreign traffic. Unless substantial aid we.ro forthcoming from contiguous counties the work would probably have to bo abandoned in favor of-uslng the Main North Road.

MANGAMAIKO ROAD. W. Gordon Glassford asked that something should be done to the Mangamaiho Road, as ft dray with four or five-inch tyres could not Rtifely get along when it was wet, and ns it was higher in tho inside, the dray team and probably driver, would skid into, the stream below. Tie hnd posts and bat-' tens to prot out. A Rood man for a weelc would clean up all water-tables, which was nil that, could be done with advantage this tlmci of the year. Thore were plentv of men ready to do tho little job. He also pointed out that there was plenty of metal close to the road. Mr .T. Leonard also wrote in very strong terms concerning tho stato of the road. Tho chairman said that he was one of the first settlers on the road, which was not in a bad state for a by-road. The engineer stated that the culverts required attention, but what the road need.-*] was imetalllng, and to do this the settlers should raise a loan He also referred to the difficulty of obtaining a man for a few days. On the motion of the chairman and Cr. McKenzle, It was resolved to refer Mr. Lennon's letter back to the writer, and that Mr. Glassford be informed that the engineer will attend to the road when labor Is available.

HOSPITAL CONTRIBUTIONS. A letter was received from the Tuapeta County Council nsklni* support to a reaolution statlnc tlint tho present, svstem of imposing a levy on local bodies for the purpose of providing revenue for hospital and charitable aid purposes wns Inequitable, nnd that It unduly taxed the holdcws of rural ixroperties. Tho resolution sutf£ested tho Government bo urged to amend the Act In the direction of ranking tho cost of such institutions a charge on the consolidated revenue. The chairman did not see any need for supporting the resolution, as the Government subsidised the levy from the consolidated funds. It would mean that the Government would .have to find all the funds, nnd if they dill so in all cases what would be the need for local bodies. After further discussion, tho letter was received. Tho Tnran.ilcl Hospital nnd Charitable Aid Board forwarded a statement of the estimated receipts nnd expenditure for the ensuins y»ar, which showed that £10,134 (Is would have to be made up by local bodies' contributions. Tho Board Intended to strike n rate of in 9(1 <ln the £IOO capital value to make up the estlmnted deficiency, vl7„, 2s 43-10 d for hospital and charitable aid maintenance, nnd 4 7-10 d for paying interest and sinking fund on capital expenditure. The clerk stated that tills was an increase of fid from last year, the Council's monthly contribution would now be £llll. OICOKE ROAD. Mr. Percy Darke wrote stating that at a meeting of ratepayers at Okolie, it was unanimously resolved that the Council be requested to tako the necessary steps to Talse a loan of £201) to metal the Okoko Itoad to the E'iko junction, the rato lo bo cellected from all the land In the Okoke and Piko special rating area recently formed. The necessary form will bo forwarded for signature. GRANTS REQUIRED. It. wns resolved to apply for the following grants for the ensuing season: Mimi-Mokau £3OOO, to complete tlie metalling to Ml. Messenger; Matau-lOoro £r>o, for taking off points; Ahltltl-Kotare, on the TongaporutuMangare Road, £IOOO on account of £BOOO, also on a £ for £ bomus for metalling; Mataro, £1000; Niltorlnna, £350; Nikorima extension, £1100; Okoke, £1000; ICnka, £800; Piko, £2000; Urutl, £1500; Kaipikari. £600; Otaraoa, £IOOO (also a £2.10 grant for formation) ; Turnngi, £!)00; Mangnhia, £1300; Pnvlninlhl tunnel, £ 32r>, for improvement of tunnel; Majigaoapa, £SOO, for flood damages.

general. The Whangamomona. County Council asked for particulars of tiio valuation of eleven sections in the Upper Waitara Survey District., the owners of which had petitioned to be Inqliuded! in the Whaiigamoumdm County Council.—The clerk will supply the information. The Public Works Department notified that £4OO had been paid to the Council's account hi connection with the prant for metalling the Pukearuhe Road (£ for £). Tom A. West, Tlkorangl, asked that Ihe Crmndtl should supply pipes to carry off water, which, he stated, they had diverted front tho Inland North Road through his property.—Left In the hands of the riding meatber. The New Plymouth High School Board wrote asking the Council to have tho weeds cut on a prravel reserve adjoining the High Schools Ennrrt property at Onaero.—lt was resolved to Inform tho Board that the matter is being attended trt. ,T. L. James wrote asking that a small piece of road reserve on the Rerekino Road should be transferred to W. .T Murray.—Deferred for further consideration.