TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 April 1921, Page 2

TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary meeting of the Taranaki County Council was held at the County office, New Plymouth, yesterday, when there were present: Crs. J. S. Connett (chairman), J. Andrews, J. Wooldridge, O. Penwarden, S. Vickers and A. Morton. OVERSEER’S REPORT. The overseer (Mr. G. Meredith) reported as follows: — Plant and General.—The Hope crusher has been engaged on the Surrey Hill Road. During the’ month 1066 yards have been crushed and distributed as follows:—-Surrey Hill Road loan work 860 yards, Surrey Hill Road recoating 188 yards, Omata Riding 4 yards, metalling track Into crusher 14 yards. The loan work on Surrey Hill is now completed with the exception of the rolling, 80 chains of new road having been laid down. About 26 chains on the Surrey Hill road were in a very weak state, tbe heavy loads from the crusher breaking it up badly. With the chairman’s consent this has been recoated. It will also be necessary to reeoat a portion of the Walrau Road, which will require about 60 yards of unetal. The balance of the boulders at the depot will be crushed and dumped on the Alain Road for maintenance. The lorries have been working ion the Surrey Hill Road work, carting tar to .Okato, shifting bitumen and plant from Omata to Okato, and carting out shingle in th© Okato Horse Teatffs.—Foreman Jury is hauling boulders at Kirihau Road, and has now about 1200 yards out. The wet weather is holding this work up considerably. Earlier in the sea-' son it was thought that some of this, stone would be crushed before the winter, but owing to thd wet weather and the winter drawing near I would not recommend taking the crusher to Kirihau Road. I would propose shifting the crusher from Surrey Hill Road to Junction Road to carry out the work there. The rotary crusher and Parkin’s engine are still under repair, But will be ready for use shortly. The small roller is at work in tbe Waitara Riding in Foreman/ Mallon’s length, scarifying and rolling the Devon Road. The large roller has, been engaged in the Okato Riding scarifying and rolling the Main Road in Foreman Rusling’s length. At present it is working on the Surrey Hill Road. Mangorei Riding.—The foremen in this riding have been engaged with the usual miscellaneous repairs. Mr. Swann has the formation work on the top end of the Korito Road well Ln hand. The necessary pipes have been sent out and the work will be completed shortly.

Waitara Riding.—General maintenance work has been carried out in this riding. Foreman Mallon has been engaged with the rolling on the Devon Road. On the Upland Road near Mr. Rogers’ a culvert, which had broken through, has been repaired temporarily. Omata. Riding.—Foreman Eva has been employed with the usual miscellaneous repairs. Foreman Seamark, who is at present cutting down the hill on the Sealy Road, has been engaged on the Main Road with the bitumen work which was completed on the 9th instant. A total of two uniles eight chains received the first coat of bitumen and about twenty chains on the Spotswood Road was top dressed. A start has been made hauling boulders from the Tapuae River on the Hurford Road. Okato Riding.—The foreman in this riding have been engaged with the crushing at Surrey Hill road, scarifying and rolling the Main Road, and with the bitumen plant on tne Alain Road in Foreman Hayes’ length. The plant was moved in to this ridirig from Omata on the 11th and 12th instants, and a start was made spraying on the 15th instant. To date one mile has received one coat, but the wet weather is causing considerable delay with this work. Air. Corney, who was in charge of the sprayer, left on the 16th Inst. Since then I have done the spraying myself, and now Foreman Hayes will carry out the work in lis length. Air. Henricksen has made a start with the formation work on the Plymouth Road. Tlie chairman said that with the improvement in the weather, good progress was now being made with the tarring work, and tint about one mile and three-quarters of tbe road had been covered. TE AREI ROAD. Frank Bros., Huirangi, drew attention to the bad state of the Te Arei Road, which they said would become impassable if not seen to before the winter. They were prepared to find the necessary labor if the surfaceman could not attend to the work. The overseer was authorised to carry out the nece.ssary work. BOUNDARY ROADS. The Inglewood County Council notified that the-County chairman, Crs. Capper, Hair, Topping, and the County en-1 gineer, had been appointed to meet the Taranaki County Council’s committee relative to boundary roads and bridges.. The chairman, Crs. Morton, and the oversefer, were appointed to represent the Tarangki County. The Clerk of the Waitara Borough Council notified that Johnston Street was included in the borough, but being a boundary road, it was presumed the Taranaki County would share equally with the Borough Council the cost of repairs or formation. .

The Council notified its 'willingness to pay half the cost ef the maintenance conditionally on estimates of the work being forwarded, and, further, that the Council was desirous of seeing some work done on the road as early as .possible. SANITARY INSPECTOR. ■H. G. H. Monk, Medical Officer of Health, Wanganui, notified that in reference to the changes made on January Ist, 1921, in the working of the Sanitary Department of the district, the contribution asked for from the County was £BO per annum, which included all duties carried out <by sanitary inspectors at the present time. Councillors stated that apparently they had no option but to accept the position. Some doubt was expressed as. to whether the payment of this amount would reduce the county’s contribution to the Hospital Board by a similar amount. It was accordingly decided to ask the Department on what basis the amount was made up, and also whether the Council would deduct the amount from its contributions to the Hospital Board. HURFORD ROAD. On behalf of settlers interested, Mr. Smith asked that the work on the Hurford Road should be pushed forward as quickly as possible. He also asked that the filling be fenced. The council promised the deputation that no time would 'be lost in pushing on the work. Foreman Seamark is to be instructed to proceed with the work as soon as other urgent work arranged is completed. GENERAL. Mr. J. Hall was appointed poundkeeper at Lepperton. Four ratepayers on the Victoria Road petitioned the Council, asking that stens be taken to have the Victoria Rocd closed from a point just above Mr. Huz zard’s gate to its intersection with th Koru Road. At present the road was m . fit for any kind of traffic. Left in the , hands of the chairman, councillors generally being of opinion thAt the settlers should pay >a small rental for the use of the road frontage. J. Dryden asked permission to erect a temporary fence along the edge of the Main Road in front of the Kent Road'

cottage. Left in t'he hands of Cr. Morton. The District Engineer at Stratford telegraphed. authorising t'he Council to accept tender at £450 for forming and logging 57 chains on Carrington Road. Five settlers on the Croydon Road asked the Council to take steps to raise a loan of £5OO for forming and metalling Croydon Road. The necessary steps will be taken to give effect to the'petition. The tender of Mr. R. Hill for forming and metalling T Arei Road was accepted. The matter of removing obstructions from drains on the Upper Puniho Road was left to the overseer to arrange. It was also resolved that the bridges on Sanders and Carrington Road be inspected. Accounts amounting to £2653 4s 2d were passed for payment.