ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 May 1921, Page 2

ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

THE MONTHLY MEETING.

The Eltham County Council met on Saturday. Present: Crs. C. J. Belcher (chairman), E. J. Gifford, C. E. McGuinness, W. M. Bar- 1 ker, A. Messana, A. H. Campbell, A. McWllliam and R. J. Knuckey. Cr. W. E. Carter was granted leqye of absence owing to Illness.

ENGINEER’S REPORT.

The engineer (Mr. M. E. Fitzgerald)’ reported as follows' South Riding.—Work on Fraser Road has had to be slackened off owing to weather conditions, and I fear that very little more can be done before the spring. I have, therefore, askqd for steady deliveries of metal to Te Roti for the Skeet Road work. Work done other than loan expenditure included water-tabling on Rotokare, Mountain and Campbell Roads. Campbell Road has also been patched with metal.

MangatokL—Metalling of Duthie Road was completed. The filling below Martin’s Corner started to slip, and willow posts have been used to check further slipping. Other work done included renewals of culverts in Ifltham, Upper Stuart', and Upper and Loiver Hastings Roads. Reinforcing steel for Mangatokl bridge has arrived and will be shaped at the depot by the present staff. Omona.—The bulk of the month’s expenditure has been in connection with the special metalling works on Rawh’tiroa Road. Other work done included clearing of slips, watertabling and widening on Rawhitiroa, Matal-: marake and Matalwhetu Roads. Iron work and. timber for Whenuakura bridge was ordered some time ago, but so far only part of the timber is available. Stone for the concrete anchorages has been quarried. Tenders Were called for the labor on the job. Kaponga.—General maintenance work was done on Mangawhero and Opunake Roads. The imetal contractor has moved his plant to Ma kaka for the purpose of crushing metal for Auroa and Mangawhero Roads. As he wants to start work at once and'work through the winter, it will be necessary to dump and store the metal at the crushing site until such time as it can be used. Firewood hauling has become a very serious matter in this riding. The by-roads will be ruined soon If steps are not taken to prevent the heavy winter traffic with which they are threatened. Eltham.—Water-tabling was done on Tlrimoana Road. Some rough metal on the ridge was broken down and re-shaped, and a K start has been made with re-metalling in Manganringi Valley. A three-foot culvert was put in .at tire Stratford end of the Wingrove Road and the road was patched with imetal. Arrangements were made for settlers to do further clearing on the Rotokare Lake Road, which had again become almost impassable. I noticed that near the lake this road is only ten yards Wide between the hedges.

General.—Mr. Maynard has commenced duties at the depot. The three-ton lorry has had to be laid up for overhaul. The five-tonner cut out one of the main bearings owing to lubrication trouble and has been put right. The Daimler has been taken down and is having the oiling system put right and the main bearings attended to.—Adopted. RIDING BALANCES. The Treasury Department wrote enquiring; whether, in connection with the temporary transfer of £4OOO from the South Riding loan account to the general fund, it was intended that the general fund should pay interest to the special rating area. A general discussion ensued, during which it was pointed out that by transferring the ononey the council would be able to save 17s 6d per £lOO in interest on the overdraft, this difference being made up between 5% per cent, which Was payable to the Government as interest, and 6% per cent., which was payable to the bank as overdraft interest. Eventually it was decided to defer the matter until the annual meeting of the council on May 25, when the question of transferring all unexpended riding balances would be discussed.

GENERAL.

Mr. A. C. Pease was appointed as the council’s assessor at the sittings of the Assessment Court, which will deal with objections to the new valuations recently made in the county. The chairman «drew attention to the financial position of the council, stating that from figures which had been supplied by the clerk, the expenditure on public work would need to be limited to £lOOO a month during the next few months to avoid getting into financial difficulties.