HAWERA COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, 5 July 1920, Page 2

HAWERA COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. The Hawera County Council met on Saturday. Present: Crs. ,T. B. Murdoch (chairman), A. G. Larcom, E. A. Washer, B. C. Lysaght, C. J. Hawlten, R. B. Douglas, and W. Williams. FOREMAN'S REPORT. The foreman (Mr. Muggeridge) reported as follows: • < Hastings Road.—This road has been scarified and stone 3 knapped and graded from Skeet Road to within half a mile of the Normanby Road. The lower portion requires scarifying but the engine was required elsewhere so that thte had to be abandoned for the present. Ohangal and Mungapoua Roads. The metalling authorised to be done on these roads Is ncV completed, covering all the places Glover Road.—A start has been, mads refacing this road, from the junction of the Walhi Road to the factory Is getting very worn and is full of pot holes. The metal is very thin and it will require about five Inches over tho whole length. Tangahoe Bridge, Ohangal Road—Good progress Is being .made with the erection .of this bridge. The stringers are ready to go Into place with the exception of Iron straps which have not come to hand yet, but are somewhere on the road between here and Wellington. As soon as these are available the staging will be erected. This lias bjen postponed until everything Is in readiness on acocunt of the treacherous state of, the river. The filling of the approach on the eastern side is progressing, and one of the worst coraers on tho road has been t'aken off, but this Is a slow job on account of the long carting. Mangatokl Bridge, Skeet Road.—This bridge has been repaired but it Is not fit to carry any very heavy traffic, also this applies to the Walngongoro bridge on the same road. The bridge carpenter Is now engaged repairing the bridge in the Pokomoko Gorge. The surfacemen are engaged In removing a big slip In the same place, which came down during the recent wet woather. MT. EGMONT QUARRY. Correspondence was received from the Patea County Council intimating that' It was prepared to take 1000 yards of metal from the sMt Egunont Quarry if the pTlce was reasonable; from the Wanganul Borough Council stating that it did not want metal; from the Stratford County Council stating It could not estimate Its requirem its; from Stratford Borough Council that. • would require 3000 yards per annum; from the Hawera Borough Council that it was unable to state prospective requirements, and from the Elthara County Council, estimating Its requirements at 8000 cubic yards per annum. The chairman said he proposed) visiting Sentry Hill where there was a pit with siding, in company with the overseer. After discussion it was decided to forward the correspondence received from local bodies in connection with the (matter to the Public Works Department. HYDBO-ELECTRICITY, The secretary of the Taranakl HydroElertrie League wrote asking if tho Council was prepared to contributo towards the cost of obtaining a report on the possibilities of an electric, supply being available in the province. The Council's contribution would be £l2O, and the money would be refunded If an electric power district was ultimately formed by the Power Board. It was decided to reply that the Council was prepared to contribute to the cost of the report on a fair basis. DEMURRAGE CHARGES. I The district traffic manager for the New Zealand Railways wrote in regard to demurrage charges on coal and tar, and stated that these charges had only been enforced on two occasions during the month of May. The. letter explained that in justice to the Department's customers who were kept waiting for trucks, It was very necessary that vehicles bo released from load promptly. The Department much preferred the uso of its rolling stock to demurrage charges, and the railway staff had definite instructions to assist > consignees by promptly aorislng them of the arrival of trucks, Tho Department could not agree to forego the demurrage charges objected to.—The letter was received. THE PRASER ROAD. The Eltham County Council wrote suggesting that the control of the Fraser Road should be made the subject of an agreement between the two councils. Messrs. C. .T. Belcher and Campbell, of the Eltham County Council, afterwards waited as a deputation and explained that they wished to be given full control over one half of the road in order to carry out certain works and desired an agreement In writing. The deputation's request was agreed to. WORKERS' EDUCATIONAL ASSN. The Rev. Liversedge and Messrs Strack and O'Dea waited on the Council as a deputation from the Hawera branch of the Workers' Educational Association, asking for support towjirds the local Association, After tho deputation had briefly explained the objects of the Association, the Council decided to postpone consideration until the nest meeting, in order to obtain further Information. HOSPITAL LEVY. Correspondence with reference to the Council's complaint about the' unfairness of the hospital levy was received from Mr. W. D. Poivdrell, M P., and the Public Health Department. The latter pointed out that while tho Hawera County appeared to be penalised this year,' next year the Watmate West County would be penalised to an equal extent. The Department assumed that the. Hawera County had received benefits during the past few years through being undervaJued, which should offset any disability under which they were placed this year through the re-valuation. Tho chairman protested against the high valuations In the county, and said that as a local authority they would have to watch the matter or be hit at In every way. The imore they Improved their roads the higher their valuations went up. They should keep hammering aft the department until something was done. THE WHEEL TAX. Correspondence was received from the New Plymouth Borough Council and the Commissloaer (Mr. L. B. Campbell) with reference to the commission of inquiry into the powers of the Taranakl County Council to .make a vehicle licensing by-law. The former asked for certain Information, and also If the Council would bear a share of tho cost of conducting the Borough Council's case. The chairman said that on receipt of the letter from the New Plymouth Borough Council ho had instructed the clerk to reply stating the Council did not intend to contribute anything towards tho cost of the inquiry. With reference to the letter from the Commissioner, Information in respect of the amount and destination of traffic which passed through the toll gate on the South Road was asked, and that information had been supplied. For the week when the tallv was made, 090 cars passed through the toll gate. It was decided to apply 'to the Department for payment to the toll-gate keeper at the .rate of £1 per day for the seiven days on which tho tally, was taken. TONGAHOE VALLEY ROAD.

A letter was received from the district engineer of the Public Works Department In reference to a claim by the Council for £643 for repairs to the Tongahoe Valley Road from April, 1918, to January, 1920. The Department had agreed to ,a payment of £254 being a £ for £ subsidy on a sum of £509 actually spent on the road. GENERAL. The Council agreed to support the Manawatu County Council's., resolution asking that heavier penalties 'be provided for breaches of motor by-laws. A letter from the Hamilton Borough Council asking support for a proposal that the duty on cement be removed, was received.