ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 April 1921, Page 8

ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The Eltham County Council met on Saturday. Present: Crs. C. J. Belcher (chairman), R. J. Knuckey, A. McWilliam, A. Messana, M. W. Barker, A. Campbell, W. E. Carter, and C. E. McGuinness. An apology for absence was received from Cr. E. J. Gifford. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer (Mr. M. E. Fitzgerald) reported as follows: South Riding.—The carpeting of Boylan and Rotokare Roads was finished. Further work was done oh Fraser Road after the crusher was repaired. The work was interrupted towards the end of the month owing to the necessity for concentrating on Duthle Road. We are faced with a. serious shortage of river metal and this point will- be refered to later In this report. Very little was done on Skeet Road during the month.

Mangatokl Riding.—The widening of Martin’s corner on- Eltham Road nas been commenced. Practically the whole of the available plant and staff had to be concentrated on Duthie Road during the latter part of the month to pick up lost ground and keep pace with the rate at which metal was being supplied. The estimated cost of building concrete bridge at Mangatokl is £6OO. The proposal is to erect the new work under and around the existing decking, to avoid disturbing traffic, and ultimately to Remove the old decking and make up the roadway during one night. The carriageway would be 16 feet wide, and Lt is proposed to form a four-foct footpath on the south side. Omona Riding.—The bulk of the month’s work was done on Rawhitiroa Road, chiefly at the metalling job by the old township site. Road widening has been in hand at several points. Orders have been placed for materials for the Whenuakura bridge. Kaponga Riding—Auroa Road has been tarsprayed north of Awatuna. Work of a general nature was. done on the Mangawhero and Eltham Roads. A concrete face with wings has been constructed at Kaponga washout, and the filling will be proceeded with as opportunities offer.

Eltham Riding.—The bulk of the month's work was done on Rawhitiroa Road. Some rough patches have been broken up and respread. A branch road to Mr. Pennington’s was improved and some ditching was dene below the bridge. General.—The concrete l post moulds ordered some months ago have been received. The estimated cost of .erecting sheds at ti e depot is £350. The sheds would be of corrugated iron on wood framework, and are to be used for sheltering carts, etc., and workshops for men making tarred chips, concrete pipes and posts during wet weather. As the financial year has just closed if will be of interest to give some figures representing the work done by the council, and to draw a few deductions ihereform, particularly in those directions which will influence future policy.

Number of yards of stone supplied from depot:—l9l7-18: Metal 3935, chips 350, dust 362, sand 1055, total 5702; 1918-19, metal 3157, chips 570, dust 490, sand 1560, total 5787 ; 1919-20, metal 2511, chips 148, dust 232, sand 1666, total 4557; 1920-21, metal 5260, chips 249, dust 415, sand 1271, total 7195. Total for four years: Metal 14,873, clips 1317, dust 1499, sand 5552, total 23,241. Tar used:—l9l7-18 46,420 gallons, 1918-19 18,840 gallons, 1919-20 36,086 gallons, 192021 45,944 gallons. Total for four year 147,290 gallons.

FINNERTY ROAD PETITION. Mr. A. D. Johnson, one of the Finnerty

Road settlers who had signed the petition asking that their properties be taken out ol the Stratford County and merged into the Eltham County, waited on the council in connection with the matter. He said that the settlers felt they had reached a deadlock .n the matter because they had heard there was a possibility that they might have to bear the costs of the commission, which would need to bp set up. The olerk stated that he had informed the settlers that the Act provided that the Government may assess' the costs of tte inquiry among the petitioners of the two counties. Although it was not probable that the petitioners would have to pay the costs, it was a possibility, and he accordingly had told them of the matter; The petitioners, in view of this matter, did not like the idea of running the risk.

Tho chairman thought it was certain thal the costs would be allocated between the two counties.

Mr. Johnson said the petitioners would not go on unless they received a guarantee that they would not have to pay dhe costs of the inquiry. They had heard of one commission which had cost about £6OO.

The chairman did not think the council could give a guarantee, but he suggested that the clerk obtain information from the Waimate West County Council, regarding the cost of the commission which inquired into the petition of the Oeo settlers. The two petitions were of a similar nature, and the information would be a good guide for them. The clerk said it wt(s the usual practice to asaCßs tho costs between the two councils, but the clause was doubtless put in to provide against frivolous applications. It was decided to obtain the information from the Waimate West County Council and to communicate it to the petitioners. PROPOSED POWER BOARD. The Eltham Hydro-Electric Committee wrote asking tho council to appoint delegates to attend a meeting to be held at Stratford on Monday,. April 11, at 10.30 a.m. to discuss the question of forming an electrical power board to include the counties of Eltham, Stratford, Whangamomona and Inglewood and interior boroughs. Cr. Knuckey said that after seeing the amount of water in the Waiwakalho River where the New Plymouth scheme was being developed, he was quite satisfied in his own mind that they could get more power and get It cheaper from the Pgtea River near Eltham. Crs. Barker, Campbell and McGulflnpss were appointed the council’s delegates, pthsr popn? cillors stating that they were attending the conference as delegates from their respective dairy companies. LOCAL BODIES’ ASSOCIATION. The secretary of the Taranaki Counties’ Conference wrote stating that at the last meeting of the conference it was decided to form, a Taranaki Local Bodies’ Association for the purpose of dealing with matters of importance to local bodies, and inviting tpp to become a member. .The airman said he had been working towards thia end fpr some years, and he was satisfied that such ft.n association would be of great benefit to ths whole Of Taranaki. Cr. McGuinness agreed with this View, stating that the meetings of the' conference wfeiclr had been held had been i>f great value. Thy GhSH'W.an said that one if the matters which Hie asflpeiation could diUuss was the p'sppoeed Main yyjiich hp personally did not think would be received favorr ably in Taranaki on account pf tj?e gppd roads they at present had. Cr. McGuinness moved that the fiOUfifijl |?Pcome !) member of the association, the subscription VS 1)P paid being £lO 10s. The motion WAS seconded by Cr. McWilliam and carried unonimousiy. NEW VALUATION. The plerk (Mr. A. Tiplady) reported that the re-vftluatlpn of the county had been completed, the new valuation amounting to £2,966,726, compared wifh £1,9.31,466 previously, an increase of SANITARY INSPECTION, Dr. Monk, medical officer of health for the TaranaktriVanganui district wrote stating that the contribution p.sked for from tl’e council inwards the of a sanitary inspector was £7O per year, wiiich Includes all duties carried oyt by sapU.ajty inspectors at the present time. The clerk stated that he hAd replied |.q the effect that thy council glpeady |iad ap inspector employed at a salary of P® r annum, and asking if the department would to him remaining in the position, and i>r.- applied that he would shortly visit

Eltham, when he would discuss the matter. The matter was held over in the meantime, STOQK ON ROADS. Cr. Knuckey moved, in pursuance of a notice of motion, that the resolution authorising legal proceedings against all second offenders in tho case of cattle found wandering on the county roads be rescinded, and that in future all such cases be referred to, the council before final action is Cr. Messana seconded the motion, which was defeated after a full discussion. ' SOLDIE’RS’ MEMORIAL. Cr. Carter reported that he had attended the conference called by the Eltham Progress League for the purpose of considering the question of a soldiers' memorial for the district. The committee thougjit the memorial should take the form of a park,' and hoped co get something in the vicinity of £2OOO. Cr. McWilliam thought it would be better to stick to the idea of a big national memorial instead of small memorials. 'No action was taken. GENERAL. In view of the need flor exercising greater economy it was decided, not to proceed wi/fi •tie erection of a new shed at the depot .n the meantime. The chairman was nominated as representative of the county on the executive of the Taranaki Progress League. It wks resolved that the engineer proceed with the erection of the Mangatoki bridge on the Eltham Road, referred to in the engineer’s report. In reply to a question the chairman stated that the rates outstanding amounted to only £BOO. Accounts amounting to £1224 3s 7d were passed for payment.