CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 4 December 1920, Page 3

CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The Clifton County Council met yesterday. Present: Crs. R. H. Flgolt (chairman), T. McKenzie, H. A. Foreman, V. C. Jones, C. H. Barultt, 8. J. Sutton, and Harrison. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer (Mr. C. F. Dowsett) reported as follows: Tikorangi Hiding.—Work has been resumed on the Nikorima Road metalling contract, and tho teams are engaged on recovering stone from the beach. The existing definition of high water mark is a mean tide between spring and neaps; this therefore is tbp divid. ing line between public and private property and defines tho boundaries of the relative claimants for royalties, if any. The stone quarrying on Mr. Alexander's property is proceeding satisfactorily and will probably be completed in contract time. Owing tu the settlers desiring to get their wool out with tho least obstruction the completion of the Otaraoa Road filling will In the meantime be suspended.

Waihi Riding—Arrangements have been made for the supply of suitable etingle for the erection of the reinforced concrete bridge over the Parihaka stream, the necessary cement has been ordered and a portion Is already to hand. Adjoining owners will be notified of their liability under "The Land Drainage Act, 1908," in respect to clearing out tbe existing watercourse before erection. Tbe Moerangl Road has been covered with crushed stone; from the Kalrapo bridge to Its Junction with tte main road, over four hundred yards having been used for this purpose. Nothing so far has been done with the prosecution of the Mataro 'Road metalling con. tract. The contractors are willing to proceed, but the completion of the earthwork is a necessary preliminary before starting The Inland North Road between tho Ohanga and Main Roads has been improved. Ngatlmaru Riding.—Maintenance work has been carried out on the district roads at Pitrangi, and small bridges have received attention on the Pukemahoe Road, 'also portions of the Junction Road have been blinded. The approach to the South Matau bridge still remains uncompleted, the removal of extensive slips having consumed a considerable time. Tho low level bridge on the North Matau Road near Jensen's needs attention to the eastern wing and arrangements have been made to rave It repaired. An inspection was made of the metal deposits in Section 23, Matau, and instructions were given to thoroughly strip the face to ascertain the quantity, and also to put In three shots to determine the quality. The access road would be over broken country and fairly costly to mako and maintain, and I prefer to await the result of the preliminaries and a second visit before making a final report and estimate. The suggested metalling proposals would require over 8000 cubic yards to complete.

Urenui R'dlng.-Ahout 12 chains of the T'renul hill have been scarified and re-coated and one day's metal carting will be tipped for repairs. No offers arc forthcoming for tic Katpikari Road metalling contract. It should suit a man with a couple of tip jnotor lorries, and I understand th's class of wagon will be shortly available in the district. Small quantities of gravel have been caned out from the Native reserve for main road repairs On the rukearuhe Road some of the worst holes have been patched, and when additional mm I is carted this work will be extended. The road foreman at Okoke has commenced his duties.

Until Idling. - Patching metal, clearing water-tables, and renewing culverts have been proceeding on the main road. Tic repvrto Murray's bridge are completed, also repaid to the m and Unit! Road i.ridges and tile foreman again visited the Dcrwent. brid"e to renew transmnes and decking Tbe roadman has commenced his Unties al Uruli and has a lot of arrears of work to overcome. When labor ; s available the Mangamaeho Road will receive intention. Tenders close to-day for quarrying shell rock at Unit! Mokau Ridlng.-Thc limber for the Man-n----nnga and Derwent bridges Is, I understand, already cut. and I am awaiting information as to its being on tic site to inspect, and bass it. ( )u n ,e Okau and other roads Hie work of the foreman and assistants bad been directed to the eternal clearing of slips etc, precluding the small remaining repairs to ihe Knta:.. bridge being effected, and also sanding ba; portions where required. Plans showing various road and river reserves are submitted for information.

PARINIMHI TUNNEL. Tho Awakino County Council wrote statin" that they were prepared to contribute up t(i £B.l towards the cost of repairing the Parinlnlhi. tunnel. Before anv work was done they would like to know exactly wlat was proposed i„ ) u . ( i one , and l|)c es ;, m „ te( , cost of such work, and further the amounts heme contributed by the'various bodies Interested and by the Government. . Cr. Sutton considered that In view of the estimate (£1700), of which the Government was prepared lo find I.alf, the Awakino County's offer was a ridiculous one The chaitsnan thought the Awakino County was Interested i„ ,|,is work Inore than the Clifton County. Cr. -Barultt pointed out that lite open- » of this tunnel would relieve the road ov* Alt. Messenger of a considerable amount of cattle trattlo. The chairman said that In saving one road tl;cy would throw extra traffic on the beach road. It was stated that no reply had vet been received from the Smart Road Freezing Co as In what amount they were prepared to contribute. On the' motion of Crs. Jones and Barnett it was resolved to write to Messrs. Borlhwlek Ltd., and the Taranaki Farmers' Meat Co. asking what amount they were prepared to contribute towards the Pukearuhe tunnel. ROAD AND BRIDGE GRANTS. A circular was received from the Hon J G. Contes (Minister or Public Works) stating thai he had recently been investigating the liabilities of He Department in regard to .luthorlt.es issued to local bodies for expenditure of moneys provided „„ the Public "orbs Api»iTf, r ;at|r,u for road and bridge wnrits, and found that (he total of unexpended balance had reached an unduly lnr»e amount far in excess of what. It was possible for local bodies lo expend during the next season. Many of the authorities had been in the bauds of local bodies for ion" periods without any expenditure comiti" to charge. This poslllon hill doubtless arisen owing to labor stnrtage and other pauses which had prevented local bodies from c frying out the work. Whrlever tho cause (added the M'nister), the aggregate of these unexpended lislan-p* was altogether ,00 large, and the lim lKld arrived when tbe position must be reviewed Wdh a view to reducing mis liability t ,, ~„ anr.uiu more leiiiy approximating 'lie •-- l-ndrtnro under sud authorities likely to "' tu '' "'''-' duv'ng the current fln-ue-hii V--11—111 olbcr wrros to limit the nuthoMjo-, to works which ;i would be possible 10 proceed with w'lbiii a reasonable lime This would belter enable him to authorise tbe. r?.-s?tu..on of fiu.ther really urgent works, wli rli in vi-w ~f :i„. present \oavy rommitiiu'iis [.Mating lo loss urgent works. ' lB was lnrdly justified in doing. IP.' visiuii ii distinctly lmdersoou tint he bail un wl-!; {.. Interfere w'th •ny ■'mounts a'., h.r.sn! for work which could be ]>ti>ee...l.'il vfirp during the current fiiunciai J' l ""' tho same twnje he. exi>-"teid local bodies lo (real |u m fairly in (be matter and say frankly what authorised works they expected lo be able- to -proceed with and what authorities might be cancelled for the time being. A seiedule was attached showing unexpended balances a follows, all on a £ for £ basis: Kai>ikn- C . -.i'lii, Mataro Nikorima £3:,n, Okoke ;,:i:a Umti £20::, oiarnoa £250. It was asked that the Council indicate the items which mi;;bt be cancelled and return the schedule to tbe Public, Works Engineer for the district. All cancelled authorities would be reinstated at a later dale If it. could be shown that tho works were, works which could be proceeded with. In regard to money provided -in His year's estimates, in respect to which no authority had yet beep issued, the Council was asked to Indicate to tbe Public Works ' Engineer in the district which works they were In t position '0 proCetd with.

stated that lie had replied Intend to proceed with all eutioned. eknowledgine receipt <> however, to- know that should iirnt action he rendered necessary the Government would have the suponvt of » large majority of the D|)le of the Dominion." .Mr. c. H. Steivtl wrote, on behalf of Mr. Couehinan and others, asking tlat the Co: ell should consent to the closing of a potion of the North Road at Mlml,—lt was re. solved that the Council could not see Its way to accede to the rawest. The fee for dog registration was fixed at 2s 6d for working flogs, and 6b for all other dogs. It was decided to interview Borough Council in regard to the appoiti of n. dog tax collector and ranger tor the