ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 September 1920, Page 2

ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The Eltham County Council met on Saturday. Present: Crs. C. ,T. Belcher, C. E. McGuinness, A. McWllliam, A. Campbell, W. E. Carter, A. Measana, W. Hardwlck-Smith, E. J. Gifford. Leave of absence was panted to Cr. Barker. ENGINEER'S REPORT. Tho engineer (Mr. M. E. Fitzgerald) reported as follows: South Riding.—The bulk of the routine work has been done on Campbell, Tlrlmonna, ; and Rotokare Roads. Some tar patching has ''oecn done on the Boykin Road to'save the surface from breaking up, but the proper tar surfacing will bo done later. Jlangatokl Riding.—Most of the work done In this riding has been the improvement of the side tracks on Eltham Road. Omona Riding.—The wash-out on the Motaiwlietu Road lias been widened out to allow of the passage of wheeled trots-: The rest of tho work in the riding lias been of n. general nature on Rawhltiroa, Karewa, and Mataiwhetu Roads. Kaponga Riding.—The wash-out on the Neill Road has been made good. Mangawherolil bridge was opened to traffic on Aug. 23rd. Some patching has been done on the Upper Auroa Road. Elthaaii Riding—Work has been done on the Rawhitiroa, Mongamingi, Hui, Horci, and Mataimaraki Roads. The re-surfacing of just about 00 chains of the Rawhltiroa Ro:id near the Maata Junction has been commenced. Arrangements have been made to put tho watercourses at the northern end of Wingrove Road in order. The Stratford County is refaclng this road up to within a short, distance of our boundary, and it would be an advantage If the two Councils could come to an arrangement about tho maintenance of the part astrido the boundary. General.—The three ton lorry has had its tip refitted and is again at work, but the engine Is not running very satisfactorily. The Daiml,er is still laid up at the depot. Tenders for the supply of stone in the Te Rotl and Kaponga neighbourhoods, and for the purchase of the old Mangawherolti bridge are before you. I am making enquiries about the supply of natural asphalt and propose that, if it can be obtained in New Zealand In a form suitable for use in Our tar sprayer and at a reasonable price, a short length of road be treated with asphalt for • comparisons with a tar treated length. CORRESPONDENCE. , The Council decided to give its support to a resolution recently carried by the Walmate West County Council, asking the Government to provide for the inspection of meat, in rural districts as well as In the larger towns. Tho Nelson City Council wrote asking the support of tho Council In connection with a resolution asking that the cost of technical education should not be a charge upon local bodies.—The resolution was endorsed. Arising out of a letter received from the Lowgarth Co-operative Dairy Company, Ltd., asking the Council to use every endeavour to secure the completion of the Finnerty Road bridge, it was resolved that the records of the Council should be thoroughly searched in order to ascertain what monetary obligations the Council was committed to in regard to the matter, and that the chairman and Crs. Mc«uinuoss and Carter meet the Stratford County Council and discuss the question with that Council. A letter from the Waitak! Hospital and Charitable Aid Board asking the Council's support to a resolution to the effect that all public health Inspection work bo carried out by officers of the already existing local branches of tho Public Health Department, and not by loea! bodies as proposed In the Public Health Bill now before the House, was merely received. Mr. A. E. Jackson, Upper Auroa Road, Makaha, wrote asking when the Council was going to do something to the road, which he described as being in a very bad condition The engineer reported that since the lotter was written the road had been repaired. At the suggestion of the cleTk, n committee consisting of tho chairman and Crs. Messana, Campbell, Gilford, and McKilliam was set up to go into the question of purging the county rolls and adding the names of new ratepayers. THE WINGROYE ROAD. A deputation consisting or Messrs. Kirk and Deed waited on the Council with reference to the condition of the Wingrove Road, Mr. Kirk stating that he understood that the Elthaim and Stratford Counties were jointly responsible for this mad.—The chairman said there was no record of any agreement In the Council's records. He would be glad to help the settlers, but the Council had no right to go on to the 20 chains of road which was so badly neglected. He suggested that the deputation should wait on the Stratford County Council when the deputation from the Eltham Council would also he present. It would lie useless for the Eltham Council to do its portion of the road unless th 9 Stratford Council put the lower end in order. Tho engineer explained that the Stratford Council was keeping the road in order up to the entrance to the property of the last Stratford County ratepayer, but. the 20 chains between there and the boundary of the two Counties was completely neglected. The chairman said that if the land fronting on the portion which was neglected was included in the Eltham County, they would put it in order, but they could not do anything to roads which were In another county. The deputation withdrew with the' intention of waiting on the Stratford Council at next meeting.