TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 March 1921, Page 8

TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

THE MONTHLY MEETING. Tho Taranaki County Council met yesterday. Present: Councillors J. S. Connett (chainman), S. Andrews, J. S. Wooldridge, O. Pen warden, 8. Vickers and A. Morton. OVERSEER’S REPORT. The overseer (Mr. G. Meredith) reported as follows: Plant and General.—The Hope crusher has been set up at Surrey Hill Road and a start was made with tie crushing on February 18. Up to date 290 yards have been crushed and delivered on the road. The crusher is not working as satisfactorily as it should do. During the month 429 yards have been crushed in the Omata Riding and distributed as follows : Hurford Road Hill 369 yards, dumped on Hurford Road .56 yards, on Main Road 4 yards. The rotary crusher is under repairs and also the big engine. The lorries have been metalling Hurford Road Hill, which is now completed. They are now’ on the Surrey Hill Road loan work. Foreman Jury is carting boulders at Kirihau Road, and has about 700 yards out to date. The large roller is at present scarifying and rolling the Main Road in Foreman Rusling's length, Okato Riding. The small roller is on the Devon Road-j in Foreman Mallon’s length, scarifying and rolling. I -am sorry to have to state that two of the permanent staff are laid up, Mr. F. Anstis, truck driver, having had to undergo an operation, and will be off duty for some considerable time. Mr. M. O’Grady, of the tar gong, has injured tis hand and will also be off for some time. Mangorei Riding.—The bitumen plant was shifted from Junction Road on the 7th inst., having completed spraying 50 chains with the first coat, ’rhe fence has been erected around the crushing site on the Junction Road. The fence on the corner opposite tte Mangorei Factory has been shifted back as requested. A start will be made to build the site up as soon as it is decided which crusher will undertake this work. Korito Road.—Accompanied by the chairman we inspected the upper end of this road, about one mile of which, leading to Messrs. Blesiek Bros, property, is metalled. This piece of read is in a very rough state. Three culverts are required before doing any earthwork; thirteen nine-inch pipes would be sufficient. Mr. Swan, one of the settlers interested, is agreeable to assist with the work, and will contribute a few days free labor, providing other settlers do likewise. I recommend an expenditure of £2O for this work. This, with a few days free labor, should make the road passable for wheel traffic. The overseer was authorised to expend £2O and supply pipes as recommended for tte Korito Road. Mr. J. Swan wrote stating that he had interviewed Mr Neilsen, and Messrs. Beisick Bros., who were willing to help with the proposed work on the Korito Road, but thought the proposed grant (£2O) insufficient.

Waitara Riding.—Foreman Mallon is engaged with the roller on the Devon Road. Pennington Road.—l have arranged with the foreman to carry out the necessary repairs to this road, such as ploughing off some of the ridges and -filling in ruts. Six 18-inch pipes are required to replace an old culvert, which is beyond repair. The lowering of the culvert on the Upper King Road has been carried out, and the old culvert and wash-out filled in. Omata Riding.—Foreman Seamark has been metalling Hurford Road Hill, also assisting with the bitumen work on the Main Road, a start having been made with the latter on the 9th instant, and to date one mfle and fortyeight chains have been treated with the first coat. Foreman Eva’s time has been taken up with tte usual maintenance work. Okato Riding.—The foremen in this riding have been engaged with the crushing plant at Surrey Hill Road, scarifying the Main Road, and general repair work. Foreman Hayes and gang have been assisting with the spawling jit Surrey Hill Road. * Komeno Road.—As requested I have made an inspection at the lower end of this road and find It will be ratter a costly work to construct a road across the swamp, which is three '(‘hains wide on the road line. I estimate to culvert, fill and drain swamp will cost approximately £85.; i.e., seven 30-inch pipes aftti delivery £25, filling £4O, and draining £2O. Albion Road Culvert.—l have unade an inspection of these culverts. No. 1, about six chains from Pitone Road, consists of 9-inch pipes. No. 2, about four chains further on, is constructed of wood and is beyond repair. I would recommend taking out No. 1, and with four extra pipes, replace the wooden culvert witti the pipes. Albion Road Metalling.-—I estimate to form and metal 24 chains of this road, from Pltone Roq,d to Mrs. Aish’s gate, would cost approximately £332 8s; i.e., 24 chains, 14 yards to the chain, would take 336 yards at 18s per yard, £302 8s; earthwork £3O. Four 9-inch pipes are required on the Pitone Road near Mr. Lett’s house, to replace an old wooden culvert. Foreman Hayes Is at present engaged cutting the corner back below Mr. Allardice’s on the Puniho Road. Plymouth Road Deviation.—Mr. Kratz has completed his contract, tte work being carried out satisfactorily. It was resolved to make application for a loan of £7O for the Komene Road. The council will contribute £ for £ for work on the Lower Komene Road. ' It was decided to forward thd overseer’s estimate for metalling and reforming the Albion I Road to the persons interested in raising the loan. The pipes' for the Albion and Pitone Roads were authorised. ROAD METALLING AND FORMATION. Messrs, gladden and Paltper reported that plans and specifications of the Plymouth, |gurscy Hili, and Upper Carrington Roads ’ had been completed and approved bj* the Public Works Department. Ti e plans and specificaof the Kirihau Road have been prepared and await approval by the Public Works engineer. Plans for the first mile of the Te Arei Road arA now being prepared. It was recommended that the council consider letting a contract the earthwork on the Plymouth Road, and also that the council find any necessary pipes for culverts, the earthwork contractor to fix them in position at a price to be agreed upon. The question of arranging the acceptance of tenders for work on the Plymouth Road was left in the hands of the chairman. CARRINGTON ROAD LOANS. Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P., forwarded a copy of a letter he had received from the Public Works Department in reference to the deputation wtich waited upon the Minister at New Plymouth on January 7 regarding the transfer of portion of the vote for the Momona Stream Bridge to be expended on the formation and metalling of Carrington Road. The resident engineer, together with the county engineer, had recently gone Into the cost of metalling and reforming the 60 chains of road between the end of the metal and the bridge site. They are of opirtfon that tlft work can be done for the amount of the original estimate, viz., £lO5O. Provision had been made on the estimates for Carrington Road to the extent of £9OO, and under the circumstances the Minister was prepared lo authorise the transfer of £l5O from the Momona Stream Bridge vote to make up the amount required to complete the road to the bridge site. Tenders for formation work on the Upper Carrington Road are to be called immediately. ADJUSTMENT OF ACCOUNTS. Correspondence was received from the Au-ditor-General (Mr. R. J. Collins) in the matter of the distribution of assets and liabilities between the Taranaki and Inglewood County Councils, rendered necessary by the creation of the Inglewood County. The cost of the award, amounting to £2l, would be borne in equal proportions by each of the counties concerned, viz., £lO 10 each. In the matter of the adjustment of accounts, it was directed that the Inglewood County Council should pay to the Taranaki County Council £1263 Is 4d; that all general and special rates due to the Taranaki County CCtincil as at March 31, 1920, over the area formerly in the Taranaki County, but now in the Inglewood County, shall become rates due tu M l * Comity Council; that the

Inglewood County Council shall pay annually on Februarj 1 to the Taranaki County Council £4-06 'l9s Bd, being proportion of interest on special loans partly merged into the Inglewood County; that th© Taranaki County Council shall pay to the Inglewood County Council £54 10s 4d, being staro of plant purchased out of the road improvement loan raised'over the Waitara Riding; that the Taranaki County Council pay to the Inglewood County Council £B’4 6s Od, being credit balances of interest accounts on loans wholly merged into the Inglewood County; that the Inglewood County' Council pay the Taranaki County Council £59 14s, being debit balances on interest accounts on loans wholly merged into the Inglewood County; that the liability of payment of principal and Interest on special loans raised by the Taranaki Council over special rating areas now wholly in the Inglewood County shall, as from March 31, 1920, be taken over by the Inglewood County Council, which shall refund to the Taranaki County Council any instalments of interest and principal on these loans paid by the Taraaki County Council since March 31, 1920; that the Inglewood County Council shall pay to the Taranaki County Council interest at 6 per cent, on £1263 Is 4d, calculated from March 31, 1920, to date of settlement. The council intimated that they were in accordance* with the Auditor-General's award, and the Inglewood County Council will be asked to remit the award due in accordance with the Auditor-General’s finding. GENERAL. Mr. S. G. Smith l , M.P., forwarded a letter from the Minister of Public Works, who regretted that he could not see his way clear to depart from his former decision to authorise more than £250 each for the Corbett and King Roads. He would consider the provision of a further amount in this year’s estimates. —Received. Messrs. Duncan, Macßae, and J. H. Damon wrote applying that that portion of the Old Devon Road within the Waitara West District, lying between section 55 (owned and occupied by Duncan Macßae) should be closed at the applicants’ expense.—lt was resolved that the council could not see its way clear to grant the request. Messrs. Hanover and Treeweek, representing the settlers of Sealey Road, Omata Riding, waited upon the council in reference to the re-grading of the Sealey Road Hill. The chairman said that the council would consider the deputation’s request. The matter of making arrangements for undertaking the work was left In the hands of Cr. Vickers and the overseer, with power to act. Tamati Whangul waited on the council in reference to Wortley and Te Arei Roads.—lt was resolved that formation work, as requested, should be done. Mr. A. E. Williams (hon. secretary of the Hurford Road Settlers' Association) wrote asking that a finger-post should be erected at the Hurford Road turn-off, as a considerable number of taxis used this road.—The council regretted that they were unable to grant the request. The Lepperton poundkeeper (Mr. F. Lownsborough) wrote resigning his position, as he is leavihg on a trip to England.—The resignation was accepted with regret, and it was decided to thank Mr. Lownsborough for the good sesyice he had rendered the council.