OPUNAKE.

Taranaki Daily News, 23 November 1920, Page 7

OPUNAKE.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) A special meeting of the Egmont County Council was held on Monday. It was the last meeting together of the old Council. All the members, with the exception of Cr. Sinclair, were present, thejatter member being ill. The business of the meeting was the "cleaning of the slate," before tlie next meting of the new Council. The Wiremu Road votes were freely discussed. Cr. O'Brien charged the Council with delay in having the money spent. This the chairman denied, stating that all sums authorised by the Public Works Department were allocated by tender, the Council only being responsible for lotting the work. Cr. Green pointed out that Cr. O'Brien was chairman of the Wiremu Road Committee, and' theCouneil carried out whatever recommendations were made by that committee. It was decided on Cr. O.Brien's proposition to get the necessary authority to have the new votes authorised for expenditure as sopn .as possible. Apparently councillors are not cognisant with the methods now adopted by the Public Works Department that votes now authorised for expenditure on Government roads is not left entirely, in the hands of County Councils. The la,tter are now practically only an advisory body in regard to the expenditure of votes. The Stratford engineer of the Public Works Department estimates the value of the work and the passing of the work, and anything done not in accordance with that officer's instructions is thrown on to the responsibility of the Council. County Councils are only "barrackers." The Resident Engineer of the Public Works Department is the "whole - team and the little dog under the wagon" in the expenditure of Government money. The Seaside Society will hold a queen carnival at an early date for the purpose of raising money for further improvements to the Opunake beach. The milk supply to the factories in this district has gone up considerably these last few days. I There is some quiet canvaseing going on regarding the appointment of chairman to the Egmont County Council. A visitor stayed at the Opunake gaol last Thursday. It is an unusual occurrence here, and it is not customary to mention "honored guests" on the first occasion. It would paake it too much like an hotel or an aristocratic boarding house. Last season's potatoes are now coming to hand freely at; greatly reduced prices. What prevented them from coming two months ago? Regarding the expenditure of money authorised for the Opunake railway, an interesting and watchful eye should be kept to see that the money is spent. In the 1918 Public Works estimates £25,000 was voted, and somo £12,000 was spent. The last estimates showed £20,000 voted, with an expended sum of £IO,OOO. In other words, more money was spent during the war on the construction than during piping days of peace. The point is, will the balance of the £20,000 be spent or carried overto the other side of the ledger? The sum of £12,000 was carried over from the National Government's unspent authorisation, which, in other words means, what is left to spend now is not equal to what was not spent during the Hon. Mr. Frasor's administration. . The Northern Company's boat; called at Opunake last week. From now on until next winter we should have regular calls.