MOA ROAD BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 June 1920, Page 2

MOA ROAD BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. A meeting of the Moa Road Board, which has been 'authorised to control the affairs of the Inglewood County pending the election of tho new Council, was held in the new County Office, Inglewood* on Saturday. There were present: Messrs. A. Corklll (chairman), R. Stewart, D. Todd, J. B. Simpson, J. Hunter, J. Cowley, and T. S. Bowler. Leave of absence was granted Mr. J, H. Lyon. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer (Mr. Whiteside) reported a» follows: Surrey Road. —An inspection of this road shows that the upper portion has become in a very bad state of repair. The part referred to only recently became incorporated in the Inglewood County, having been previously controlled by the adjoining county. The length of road that is not imetallod is about two miles and the vehicular traffic is compelled to use a narrow track which in numerous places is axle deep in mud. What is now required is a substantial sum to clear and remove tho timber to widen the rOad enough to allow more room for trade. Proper drainage is required as the land is very much water-logged. Forming to a proper width should then follow. I believe when drains are cleared on eacn side of the formation that metal can be got at a low cost from tho bottom of the ditches, as in various places a good deposit of hard gritty stone of a size for road metalling purposes shows up. I arranged for minor repairs work to be done on a £1 for £1 basis not to exceed £25, the settlers to And half and the Council to find the other half. Everett Road.—Owing to the weather breaking, work had to be suspended on this road, and the crushing plant removed to the Bristol Road. There is now 101% chains of metalling, part of which has been blinded , with screenings and rolled. At 18 1-3 yards to the chain this makes approximately 1850 1 yards, and 130 yards screenings. There are 40 yards crushed metal not yet put on the road which was done at odd times, when the teams could not keep the crusner clear.. To this has to be added 60 yards of extra metal put ou In extra soft places, making a total of 2130 cubic yards. There remains 73% chains of road to be metalled which at 18 1-3 cubic yards per chain requires 1250 yards to complete the road allowing the 90 yards of metal already crushed to take the place of what will be used as screenings. Mountain Road.—Patching has been continued on this road, which is in a very bad state, as the road is much 'pot holed,' and the metal worn out. It Jb proposed to crusli a quantity of boulder along this road to provide, suitable material to fill the worst places until the Council can 'consider the situation.

Bristol Road.—A portion of this road has been scarified and is being metalled with crushed stone. A pipe culvert has been put in j another has also put In the Bedford Road. At Pukeho about five miles east of Tarata, the storm water overflows the main Road< A set of 18-in. pipes is required to relieve the overflow. The adjacent settlers on each side of the road, Messrs. . Lambert um) O'RpiJJy, who are Interested in tho work will do the work if the Council will supply the pipes, Discussing the need for repairing the Mountain lioad, the chairman said that It was necessary to keep tho road passable, which would lie difficult in the event of bad weather,

Cr. Simpson said that the road was not as bad as it was fifteen or twenty years ago. It was alright for the farmer's traffic, but for the motor car it was probably unsuitable. Was the farmer to keep the road up for outside traffic, he asked.

The chairman pointed out that farmers owned pars.

The question of metal for repairs was left to 1 ho engineer. Tho district engineer forwarded schedule of the estimated costs of metal crushed at tho station. Mt Egmont Line. The letter—and one from Mr. U Masters, MP—have already been before other local bodies. After discussion, it was decided to leave the matter in tho hands ot" the chairman and engineer to Interview the district engines and obtain all particulars re method of delivery to the Council's dump trucks at the sidings. and, if necessary, to call a special meeting of the Board. HOSPITAL MATTERS, Notification was received from the Taranaki Hospital and Charitable Aivt Board that it was the intention of the Board to strike a rate on contributory local bodies of 2s 9d in the £IOO capital value, being 2s 4 !l-10d for hospital and charitable aid maintenance purposes, and 4 7-10 d for paying interest and sinking fund on capital expenditure The chairman and Mr. )> Todd wera appointed delegates to attend the conference of contributory local bodies which is to be held in New Plymouth to discuss the question of contributions nn'd by local authorities within the Tanmnki hospital district. THE COUNTY ELECTION. Mr. fl. Wnite, Tarata, notified that, as authorised, he had employed a man to clear slips, etc, at Auiawa Koad. He also asked whether there was any prospect of an election of members of the Inglewood County, as it appeared there was an unnecessary delay. The Under-Secretary of Internal Affairs, notified the appointment of Mr. F. A. Lloyd, County clerk, as returning officer, the per-

•on to prepare the electoral roll In connection with the first County election. The valuation list from which (lie roll Is to be prepared was forwarded, and the returning officer was asked to advise the date on which the election was desired to be held. The clerk suggested July 7th as the date of the election, and this date was agreed to. GOVERNMENT GRANTS. ■y The chairman reported that, applications had been made to the Government for the following grants: Mountain (Main Road) forming and metalling £IOOO (£ for £), proposing to spend £SOOO in metalling and tor macadam; Everett Hoad, .farming and metalling, £2OO (£ for £ basis); Upper Egmont Road (metalling), £soo;.Makara Road bridge, £2OO (£ for £); Autawa Road forming and metalling, £IOOO ,(£ for £); Richmond Itond (metalling), £IOO (£ for £1 10s); Bristol Road, reforming and metalling, £200; Mangaoiie Hoad (grading and metalling), £2OO (£ for £); DurhamRoad (metalling), £3OO (£ for £); Norfolk Road (metalling), £llOO (£ for £) ; Surrey Road (metalling), £3OO (£ for £); Dudley Road (metalling), £3OO (£ for £) ; Windsor Road (metalling), £2OO (£ for £); York Road (metalling), £SOO (£ for £). SURREY ROAD. A, H. Frost, Tartki, wrote drawing attention to t„3 drainage caused to Surrey Road, through the carting of loads of firewood. Messrs. Potior. Bros, and Bishop waited on the Board and drew attention to the slate of a bridge on tho Derby Road from which the filling iiad been washed away, leaving the bridge In a dangerous position. They Also complained that none of their rates had been spent on the road. In reply to the deputation, the chairman said that no settler had permission to place fences across the road. GENERAL. The Under-Secretary of Internal Affairs acknowledged receipt of Council's application to be approved as a registering authority under the Motor Regulation Act. ' It was not possible to grant the Council temporary permission to register motor cars. The engineer was authorised to obtain the petition for the Bristol Road deviation from the Board's solicitors so as to enable the work to be proceeded with as soon as possible.