CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 June 1920, Page 2

CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

i THE MONTHLY MEETING. Hie Clifton County Council met at Waltara yesterday. Present: Crs. Piggott (chairman), Muskejr, Janes, Foreman, Pennington, and Mackenzie. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer (Mr. C. I\ Dowsett) reported lis follows: VValhl Riding.— I The work of Improving tlie various hills at Onaero lias been. completed, anU tlie plant transferred to Motunul, where !ome chains of road have been scarified, recoated, and rolled, and at the first opportunity the balance of metal at Turangi will be cleared up. Tlio major portion of Hie road is now deposited on the Inland Norllt Road, but under present conditions nothing further can be done either to this or the Nlkorlma road contract. The gorso cutting on the metal reserve at Onaero will be attended to by the foreman as opportunity permits, The crossing at Uie junction of the Jurangi and Inland Roads will be culvcrted. Tikorangi Riding.—No further progress has been possible on the Otaroa Road formation contract, and the work generally has been confined to maintenance and repairs. The pipes for tho factory hill contract should now be matured, and the work could proceed I am forwarding plans and estimates to tlie Tar'anakl County for the renewal truss to the Bertrand Road suspension bridge. The metal roads could ho improved by stripping and clearing off tlie grass borders. Ngaltimaru Riding.—The wash-out on the Turangi Hill has been attended to, and the roadman is now engaged in othor duties. I siecurad, in Tngle'woodl, timber for repairs ■to tho Ngatoro bridge, and on arrival this work can proceed. On the Mangaopa Road the formation, culverting and bridge construction have all been completed, and with favorable weathor this road Is now capable of carrying any traffic, I understand that tho tenderers for the Mangamalre tunnel have submitted reduced prices for the work. The erection of the South Matau Bridge will bo started when the contractor completes the pile driving a Tangitu where the plant is now located, and after so many delays tlie work should be promptly carried out. The breastwork on tho same road .rill receive attention when suitable timber is available.

Urenui Hiding.—Some farther gravel repairs have been carried out on the Moerangl Road. The plans and specifications for, the Ma tarn Road formation and metalling woro handed to n contractor, and It is hoped something tangible -trill result. The kerbing in the township has been repaired. Substantia! quantities of gravel are already Quarried in the Native Reserve, and this Is now lwing put out as rapidly as possible. Pipes for Topless' Hill and the Nelson Road hnvo gone out to the Main Road junction. In the Okoke and Plko districts efforts are being made to overtake the work, but owing to continuous bad weath«r the contest between Improvement and otherwise is a 3tl(f one. The completion of the proposed metalling contracts should remedy most of the trouble.

Mokau Biding.—Patching and repairs have been continuous over the Main Road, and attention has been given to the Mangamaeho Road. The bridge repairs at Okau have been in abeyance. Tho carpenter required leave of absence early In the month and wired last week that he was repimlng his position. Tliis means further delay. which is regrettable. I propose calling for fresh apri'Jflations Mr the position:. Conn-ate pipes for tho Mangaonga Road have gone forward, and the settlers have arranged tfl put them in whore required. No definite time can be given for the supply of timber for tho Dcrwent Bridge, Tongaporutu. In the Pukearuhe district the usual maintenance rnd repairs have been carried out and the Mimi Hi]l has received metal repairs; the Para;ninihl tunnel has also received minor attention. The new County Iroumlaries having been prescribed by Statute, the amended plans are In course of preparation.—Adopted

JIT. EGMONT METAL. Mr. R. Masters, MP., wrote desiring information regarding the re-opening of Mt. Egmont quarries for supplying metal to local bodies. Information from tho Public Works Department disclosed a great variation in tho price at which stone can be supplied nt tho foot of Egmont line, as fol-I lows: 15.000 cubic tfards per a'Unum 50s G<V per yard; 30,000 cubic yards per annum! 13s; 45,000 cubic yards per annum, 103; 00,000 cubic yirda per annum, Bs. Councillors generally did not look upon the prices quoted in a fnvorable light. Cr. Jones expressed the opinion that tatli the Opunnke-Moturoa line they would be ablo to get good quality imetal at a cheaper rate. Cr. Pennington thought it a waste of time considewig tlie Mt. Egmont. metlal, which would prove too costly owing to the distance. The letter was received. GENERAL. An application by Mr. Newton King desiring tho Council to .onetal the approach to his Urenui saleyards, towards the cost of which Mr. King was prepared to pay half, was agreed to. Cr. .Tones desired information as to tho possibility of the Council hiring or obtaining the loan of motor dumps or lorries for metaling purposes from the Government He understood the Victorian and N.SW. Governments were hiring these lorries out to the Councils—lt was pointed out that, the Government had been previously written to on the matter, and It was decided to again make a request In this connection T. A. West, Tikorangl, wished to know If Hie Council desired the use of his property when crushing stone. He also considered the Council should supply pipes to carry water from the road across his land.—Cr. MclCenzle slated that If they used his property ho thought the Council should give tho pipes as compensation.—Resolved that if the Council use the property they will supply the pipes. H. Taylor, foreman, Urenui section, forwarded his resignation, and A. C. Owborn also resigned as bridge foreman.—Accepted. In reply to a letter from J. B, Campbell, district engineer, it was stated that the estimated cost of work on tho TongaporutuMmigaroa Road would be £12,800, and the Mangatoro Road, £3200. A complaint was received of pigs being allowed to stray on road.—Owner to be notified that practise must be stopped.