INGLEWOOD COUNTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 June 1921, Page 8

INGLEWOOD COUNTY.

THE PAST MONTH’S WORK. MEETING OF THE COUNCIL. The Inglewood County Council met yesterday. l»r»sent: Crs. A. Corkill (chairman), R. Stuart, J. Hunter, G. Cupper, W. Topping, J. B. Simi.son, H. Jones, and A. E. Cowicy. Leave of absence was granted to Cr. J. M, Hair. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer (Mr. Whiteside) reported as follows: Bedford Road, linking Durham and Norfolk Roads. - I have been over this portion of road, and have given the matter of Its construction careful consideration. The length of road to be made is approximately 90 chains. The line of road is almost straight, and generally, is nearly level. The eartt ‘ work would be very light except at the places where fillings would be required leading on to proposed bridges. These embankments would be heavy; £4BOO may be taken as a rough estimate. The cost of the bridges over the rivers makes up the greater part of the amount. Egmont Road.—’During the month the road plant has been engaged on the Egmont Road South, where 870 cubic yards of boulder stone tas been crushed and placed on the road after it had been scarified. Over 100 chains ta length of road hits been strengthened up with metal and rolled; £lOO of the cost was provided by the Government, owing to the fact that this road is being largely used by tourist traffic visiting the mountain. Upland Road.—The plant also crushed 70 cubic yards on this road. This has been used to metal, patch and improve this road. RatapFJjo Road.—Some furtter stripping has been done at the outcrop of shell rock at Conical Bill, and the indications are that a considerable quantity of useful stone for road-making purposes can be obtained from this place. Ngatoro-iti River Ferro Bridge.— The concrete work was completed about the middle of May. The earth work has also been completed, and given a few more fine days, the required metalling will be done. Id a couple of months' time the old wooden bridge may then be removed. Todds Deviation.—Fencing material having beep obtained, the new road has been fenced off. The work of making the approaches to the new bridge over the Walongona-itL River is in hand. Motukawa Road.—The resident engineer of the Public Works Department, after very careful consideration of the whole position and the material with which it was proposed to metal the road, has given his sanction for the work to proceed. He advises the council that this is not to be taken as a precedent as to. using an inferior quality of metal in future, and only the very exceptional circumstances surrounding this case allows of his approval being given. John's Road.—The settlers have done good work in metalling portion of this road, for which the council has granted £lO as a contribution toward the work. Norfolk Road.—Arrangements have been made to re-opeii and clean out the road drains. Zig-Zag, Junction Road.—The sum of £6O spent on the two worst bends would greatly improve them, and perhaps prevent a serious accident. It Would be money well spent. Autawa Road.—Progress has been made with this, and the contractors state they expect to complete the earth work this month. Road Plant.—The plant having had an overhaul, vjll operations again on the Mountain Road, near the Maketawa River. Pipe Works.—With the return of the rainy season, opportunity -has been taken to utilise some of the men's time during wet weather by employing them making concrete pipes. The following pipes have been made during the month Twenty-four 12-in; twelve 181 n; two 361 n.

Tenders.—Contracts for the supply of boulders were entered into during the month as followsNgatoro River (Mountain Road) 500 cubic yards, J. Clement, 6s; Waiwakitlho (Junction Road), 500 cubic yards, J. Clement, 4s Gd; Kalmlro (Lepper-Carrington), 500 cubic yards, J. Clement, 4s; Bacon factory (Junction), 500 cubic yards, J. Rowan, 5s 9d. The report was adopted. The engineer was authorised to expend up to £6O in improving dangerous corners on the zig-zag at Tarata. The scarifier and roller will be sent up the top of the Durham Road as soon as available. LOAN PROPOSALS. Correspondence was received from the State Advances Department in reference to the proposal to raise an additional 10‘per cent, on the Everett Road loan of £2300, steps for which are now in hand; also in reference to a proposed loan of £2500 for rebuilding Ngatoro and Maugaorake bridges. The letter pointed out that the consent of ratepayers must be obtained. The council passed confirmatory orders in connection with the raising of a special loan of £2500 on the Autawa-P!.to Roads, and £550 on the Toi Tol Road. HYDRO-ELECTRICITY. The Minister of Public Works, in reply to a communication from the council asking to be supplied with any report furnished by Mr. Parry concerning the possibility of power being obtained from adjacent streams for hy-dro-electric purposes, pointed out that Mr. Parry, in the course of his investigations for a power scheme for the North Island, visited Taranaki and inspected' several prospective sources. There were none, however, sufficient to warrant a detailed survey and report being submitted, owing to their apparent unsuitability to fonm part of a comprehensive Government scheme. There were doubtless several streams, small in magnl. tude, which might be quite suitable for local supply purposes. Special notice was taken of 'power available from the Patea and Waitara Rivers, but they were too small for comprehensive Government purposes. Therefore, any report made by Mr. Parry would not be of any assistance to the council. RATEPAYERS’ REQUIREMENTS. ) Messrs. W. R. McCracken, F. J. Miscliefske and N. C. Wright requested the council to do a few days' work on the Wartley Road, as it was in a very bad state at present, not being fit for traffic.—Referred to the engineer. Mr. A. L. Long (Tarlkl) drew attention to the state of the road drains, both on the Main Road and on the Mangaotea Road.—Referred to the engineer. Messrs. Lumsden and S.’sley asked for payment of royalty on stone taken from their pit at Wultul.—Left in the hands of the chainman and engineer. Mr. A. N. Franklyn wrote complaining that the pipes across the Junction Road at his place, near the Manganui, were too small to carry the storm water.—Left In the hands of Cr. Jones and the engineer to report. Settlers on the Hnrsthouse and on the Wortlej- Roads petitioned the council asking that steps be taken to raise special loans for metalling.—Held over pending estimates by the engineer. ESTIMATES. The council discussed the estimates, which provided for expenditure on main roads as follows;—Mountain £2OOO, Junction £9OO, Wortley £4OO, Tarlkl and Rataplko £250, Kaimata South £3l, Lepper £5O, Egmont £4OO, Bristol £l."0, a total of £4150. Byroads £l5OO, plant £2740 (tar sprayer £370, stone crusher £BOO, concrete mixer £250, coal, oil, benzine £5OO, repairs £3OO, motorcar running expenses £470). ZThe chairman considered that the council would have to seriously consider raising a loan for the main road, as It was .'impossible to nut it In order out of rates. Other members agreed. The purchase of plant out of rates was also deprecated. The estimates were adopted, with the exception that the £370 allocated for the purchase of a tar sprayer, etc., was deleted aad allocated to the by-roads. The Wortley Road allocation was reduced to £l5O, and the Junction Road increased to £1450, ROAD-MAKING PROPOSALS. At the suggestion of the chairman It was decided to hold a special meeting to discuss jhe question of raising a loan for Renewing

the main road. The chairman stated that the main road in many places required renewing, and if tho council endeavored to maintain it out of general rates they would be no further ahead in ten years’ time. The Advances Department would limit thcun to £lO,OOO per annum loan money, and moreover would not advance money to purchase machinery- &ud plant. If they were to go In for putting down new roads, plant would be necessary. He had, however. Interviewed Mr. McDonald, of the Public Trust Office, when the latter was paying a visit of inspection to the offices in the Taranaki district, and had placed their position before him. Mr. McDonald informed him that the department at present had heavy commitments, but he promised io give any proposal they might submit careful consideration. GENERAL. It was reported that the bank overdraft at the end of May was £5128 18s Id, Bresiclt Bros, applied to lease portion of the Apitl Road, about half an acre, at Kalmatu, which was now overgrown with blackberry and fern.—Agreed to subject to conditions. The Bank of New Zealand notified that the minimum rate of Interest on the council's overdraft would be 7 per cent The clerk stated that summonses had been issued against a number of ratepayers for outstanding rates, The ranger reported having Impounded 14 calves, 2 cows, 1 bull and 1 bullock, and had seized 25 calves, T bows, and 7 horses. The engineer pointed out that some of the council's cihiployees were having diffiqulty !n securing housing accommodation, and he suggested that the council should take advantage Of tho Housing Act to secure homes for some of thpir permanent employees.—No action taken at precept, The Taranaki Hospital and Charitable Aid Board notified that th? amount of the coun* ‘ ci|'s contribution fpr the current yepp would .bo £1285 10s, or £lO7 2s 6d pet month.