INGLEWOOD COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, 10 November 1920, Page 8

INGLEWOOD COUNTY COUNCIL

monthly meeting. The ordinary meeting of the Inglewood County Council was lie id at Inglcwood yesterday, l'rcsent: Crs. A. Corkill (chairman), J. M. Hair, A. E, Cowley, J. B. Simpson, M. S. Cameron, J. Hunter, J. H. Lyon, E. Stewart, and H. Jones. ENGINEER'S REPORT The engineer (Mr. C. S. Whiteside) reported as follows: AA aiongcnaitl Bridge.—The necessary steel having come to hand a start has been inado with the construction of the ferro-concrete bridge on the Bedford Road near Mr. Brereton's, and the work is well in hand. Bedford Road.—During the month I made the survey of the deviation of the road through Mr. Todds' land, prepared the plans in triplicate and sent ihein to the survey office. They have now been approved .and returned. The written consents will he obtained as soon as convenient.

Toi Toi Road.—This road was almost completely blocked by slips, and had become well nigh impassible. It has now been cleared for traffic and as a roadman is now stationed at Tarata it may be hoped now to attend to surface repairs more promptly, Rimutauteka Road.—Authority having been Teceivod from the Government to expend the grant, tl'e crusher is being placed in position to begin metalling operations. This will bo gone on with in a day or two when the leaims are available.

Norfolk Road.—The road grader has been employed on this road trimming and rounding it up. rt is desired to metal about a mile of the road at the north end and the settlers are considering the desirability of raising a loan for the purpose. J estimate it will cost £1250 to metal this mile of road with crushed stone at yards to tPo chain and to roll it,

Storm Water Damage.—The heavy rain experienced during the month did a fair amount of damage to different roads by blocking the water tables, scouring out the centres, and bringing down slips, particularly on the Junction Road at the zigzag. Road Plant,—Tho stone breaker crushed 430 cubic yards of metal at Tariki during the month, which with the -152 yards crushed lust imonth shows C. Lawrences' boulder contract to yield a total of 582 cubic yards. Of this amount 50 cubic yards was deputed on tho Tariki Road at Avalanche Tfiil and rolled. Twenty cubic yards were dumped on tho Rugby Road for maintenance purposes, and the balance was put on a stretch of ihe Mountain Road after the road had been scarified. Tie plant wns then shifted to Waitui.

Mcintewmce. The usual maintenance work lias been carried out on various roads dm Ins the month. The engineer's report was adopted. Cr. Simpson drew attention to the need for maintenance metal 011 the Durham Itoad, which wan poinp to pieces. The chairman pointed out that the crusher youltl he fully occupied on the main roads, the plant was now In the Waitlli district fi'llll which it would not return until January, if the three johs there were to be completed. \ Mr. Hunter urged that tenders she,till he called for metal on the Rimutauteka Road, llils was agreed to. In the course r.f discussion, the Vli:urriuin pointed out that the main road must be the first consideration. J!, was also decided to quarry w.etal for maintenance on the Tnriki Road. MT. EOMOXT QUARRY. The District Engineer at Stratford wrote saying that if it were decided to wo: 1 ! the quarry 011 the larger nil put of CO,OOO cubic yards per annum, quarrying would he at the rate of about 2000 yards weekly except for three or four months in the winter, when it was probable, no work would lie ilone. Storage would be provided at the foot station for. 2100 yards and stone would be delivered by gravity into the Railway Department's trucks. He did not anticipate trouble regarding regularity of supplies, hut was unable to say at present whether the Railway Department had sufficient trucks for the job. Cr. Simpson thought tho Council would be better advised to develop the metal resources in their own district and he moved that the matter be held over for the present. This was seconded by f'rv Lyon and carried, it being understood thai, the chairman and' Cr. Cameron would obtain information on the matter when in Wellington. WAIPUKU BRIDC.E. The Stratford County Council notified that in reteeuce to the application from Mr. Bishop, l it Inglewood County ratepayer, asking that the Waipuku bridge 011 the Derby Road be renewed, a resolution had been passed that the Inglewood County Council be Informed that the Stratford County Council was of opinion that the bridge should be rebuilt out of special loan supplemented by .1 £ for £ grant from the Government, and that the Council is prepared to pay ita share of the cost. It was resolved to defer the matter pending further information front the Stratford County CouncilROAD. Mr. T. Stansfleld, King Road, wrote asking, in View of the progressive policy that the Council contemplated, (hat the King Road should receive ,1 certain amount of attention, as all that had been done was tho annual collection of rates, save an expenditure of £l7, seven years ago. The road bad been in existence 25 years, and had never been graded, being in sucli a state that his gig had turned over twice, l'is daughter narrowly escaping serious injury. He pointed out that the settlers on the road would soon overcome the grading and forming difficulty If they were loaned one or two scoops, whilst metal on his farm was also at the disposal of the Council so that he estimated a loan of £3OO would make a decent road for about a mile.

Later, Messrs. S.ansfleld, Blanchard, and C. Longstaff waited on the Council in connection with the flintter." Tbe former, who acted as .spokesman, said that if they were to farm their land as it should be farmed they must have a reasonable road. At present the toad was practically impassable and was dangerous, while it took about six horses to cart in a small quantity of stuff. There was ai;out four miles of road yet to form, but ihey would be satisfied if one mile was done at present, and for this the sot* i!ers were willing to raise a loan. The tour settlers on ihe road who had no access paid about £4O in rates annually. It was Impossible for them to cart milk along the road. 'Jo thought that a loan of £4OO with a £ for C subsidy would do what wis re'(Hired, as. the settlers would probably form and grade the road. The chairman recognised the difficulties ;hai the setters had had to put up with in having no road, though within about six miles of fnglewnnd. Regarding a subsidy, he said it was unfortunate that the deputations had not brought the '.natter forward ..woner, as Parliament was now about over ,;ud ihe matter would be delayed another y.Mr. Cr. 'Simpson said tl'at it seemed one of n'O anomalies of the road making laws that .•.•itouayer? when they asked for roads, after paying rates for many years should b" told to provide ibe necessary money by specia 1 ;«i:ni. When agilating for a county they bad made u.sc of die term community of inii'rest, and bo ihotigiii Ilie.v should now anpi.v it, and in it is connection lie thought' they should consolidate all the loans in the County and go >n lor a special loan over 1 ho whole county io meial the by-roads. They were going in for a bun of £74.nfto for tar-scaling, but be thought- it wculd lie better to go in <i loan of £-70.000 to give the settlers on tlie by-roads a metalled road. The chairman did no; think thai settlers v.to had already gem; it! for special loans to metal their roads would pay to metal other by-roads. Cr. Simpson considered that they would, If the Council did not take this stop in 1 ho interests of th« progress of the district, they would lie failing in their duty. If time permitted hr- would table a notice of motion to that effect. . In the course of discussion, it was atnled that: then* were some sections on the road that ran right through to the Upland Road and would probably tie willing to pay it portion of the special rate to metal the Upland Rnnd. The cliftlvmaa stated that the enfflnew

would make a report on the road and the Council would give all the assistance possible. Ttey had been advising the people all the time to go in for metal roads, but since land had gone up in value, all ap»peared, to See the advantage at once, and the Council could not do all the work. He was afraid that it would be at least twelve months before anything could be done. Mr. Blanehard alsc expressed his willingness to assist in improving the road. A PROPOSED MERGER. 11. Watson, T. B. Visaljko, C. Shreiber," L. Bishop, Jury and Pairhurst, F. J. Webb, and W. J. Campbell petitioned the Council asking that tt.e Council take the necessary steps to include that portion of the Ngattmaru Hiding on the right bank of the Waitara River in the county. Tho portion referred to is now iu the Clifton County. Necessary steps will be taken to give effect to the petition. SETTLER'S APPLICATION. Eversfleld and Taylor, D. J. Mannix, J. Lep* per, E. 0. D. James, P. Middieton, J. H. Telfer, J. J. Nolan and W. N. Williams asked the Council to have an estimate made of the cost of metalling that portion of the Mana Road between where it joined with tl:e Mana Road and the junction with the new road. The engineer was instructed to furnish the estimate, and it was also decided to suggest that applicants should apply for a Government grant in view of the fact that the land had been cut up for u soldier settlement. The engineer was instructed to investigate a shell rock deposit in the district. DEPUTATION TO WELLINGTON. Cr. Cameron said that the ratepayers on tho Otawa Road were very disappointed at only receiving a grant of £SOO on tho estimates for this road. The settlers were prepared to have work done to the ex.ent of £2500, and were willing to raise £'lsoo by loan. lie therefore moved that a deputation comprising tho chainman and the mover be sent to Wellington to interview t:ie Minister of Public "Works on the question. This was seconded by Cr. Stewart.

The chairman said that the Government had not acceded to their application f u r a grant of £IOOO on the Junction Road owing to the state in which the Taranaki County Council had left the road, and this matter also could be brought forward. Cr. Lyon also suggested that the Council should make application for a grant on the roads to the Mountain, which were considerably used by tourists. The chairman stated that this had already been put before the Minister, and replies had been received stating that grants would add to the value of the farm lands. The resolution was carried. THE POUND. The Mayor and Town Clerk of Inglewood waited on the Council and asked that any loss through the sale of cattle impounded In tl:e Inglewood pound from the county should be made good. During the course of discussion, it was suggested that the Act should be amended to have the poundage fees increased, and also to provide that the stock be sold at a public sale by an auctioneer, instead of at the pound by the pound-keeper.

The Mayor cited four cases which the Inpiewood Borough Council had lost £4 13s on County Impoundlngs.

GENERAL. N. H. Tooke, engine-driver, wrote forwarding I:is resignation to take effect from December 18. The ranger reported that lie had seized 13 cows, 17 horses, 10 heifers and seven calves, and had impounded live head of rattle and seven horses. He had warned various people for driving and cycling without lights. The Taranaki County Council wrote asking when the Council would meet them for the purpose of adjusting accounts. It wns resolved to ask tl.at the Government appoint a. commission to adjust accounts Between Taranaki, Stratford, Clifton and the Inglewood County.

The Treasurery forwarded a voucher for the subsidy paid to the Council, amounting t<- £250.

Messrs. Nops and Hodge drew attention to the damage dono by float! water to their Tariki Road property, and they offered to pay half the cost, estimated at £ls to open up the drain.—Left In the hands of Cr. Cowley and the. engineer, with power to act. Mr. 13. \V. Gibbs, Norfolk Road, asked the Council to take steps to prevent the flooding of water ftom the roadway 011 to 1:1s property.—Left in the hands of the engineer. Soven employees of the Council made application for an increase f of wages from lf.s to 17s, and also asked that they he paid fortnightly;.—lt was decided to pay 10s per (lay for time actually worked. Mr. A. N. Frankiyn drew attention to this fact that the culvert across the road near his property at Kaimata were too small to carry stonm water.—The engineer was Instructed to report. It was resolved to apply for the 10 per cent additional 011 the, Everett Road loan. NOTICE OF MOTION. Cr. .1. B. Simpson gave notice to move ai next meeting that with' a view to assisting tho progress of the district, in a Tapid manner, steps ho taken to bring about consolidation of all bridge loans in the county, and raising a loan, to replace wooden bridges in concrete, and to build tho necessary bridges and culverts 011 the whole length of the Bedford Road from Its start on Surrey Iload to the junction of the Eginont Road. The wooden bridges include tho Mangamii, Maketawa, Ngatoro 011 the Junction Road, Waiongonaiti and another on the Ilursthouse Road, Mangaoraka 011 the Lepper Road, also a bridge on the Rugby and the Derby Road. The new bridges required on the Bedford Road.include the Waiongona, Ngatoronui, Plakau, Maketawa, Walteputi and Mangamawhitl. Tho engineer to furnish estimates I as soon as possibly