ELTHAM COUNTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 July 1921, Page 8

ELTHAM COUNTY.

PAST MONTHS WORK. MEETING OF THE COUNCIL. The Eltham County Council met on Saturday. Present: Crs. C. J. Belcher (chairman), R. J. Knuckey, A. McWilliam, A. Campbell, A. V. Messana, M. W. Barker, W. E. Carter, C. E. McGuinness, and E. J. Gifford. The Public Works Department notified that a further portion of the Whenuakura \ alley Road had been declared a county road. Councillors expressed the opinion that the portion of the road was used practically exclusively by Hawera County ratepayers and that this council should spend as little as possible on it.—The letter was received. A communication from the Treasury stated that circumstances had arisen when rendered it inadvisable to grant the council permission to transfer loan moneys to the general account. It was decided to enquire for further particulars from tiie Treasury. A letter from the Eltham branch of the Bank of New Zealand stating that, the council’s application for a legal over- : draft of £17,290 had been forwarded to headquarters was received. The Stratford Hospital and Charitable' Aid Board forwarded a circular letter asking for the council’s support in an endeavor to change the present system of apportioning hospital subsidies to the simple £ for £. The matter evoked a lengthy discussion after which it was eventually decided that the two hospital; board members (Crs. Campbell and Gifford) and the chairman be a Committee to confer with the member for the district (Mr. O. J. Hawken) upon this matter and that the committee be given power to act. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer (Mr. M. Fitz Gerald) reported for the i.’. 'th of June as follows: The month’o work has been chiefly devoted to clearing water-tables and culverts and at the same time keeping expenditure down. The engineer’s car lifts been under overhaul and some further work will have to be done to it when it can be spared. The crusher has been burning out chips in sufficient quantities to enable lorries to deliver loads when taking men to work and the horses have been engaged in collecting a stoch' of sand and gravel. Wet days have, been devoted to the manufacture of cement pipes and cement posts. South Riding.—Some patching was done in the hill on Skeet Road, but the delivery of stone for re-surfacing has been very slow. Practically all the other roads in this riding have had attention paid to water-tables and culverts. Mangatoki Riding.—Temporary repairs have been carried out to Mangatoki bridge and a start has been made with the bending of steel for the new bridge. Work was done on most of the roads in this riding. Omona Riding.—Slips have been dealt with on Rawhitiroa and Mataiwhetu Roads. Further progress was made with the “Thirds” works. Kaponga Riding.—Mr. Julian has crushed about half his contract quantity and a small amount of stone lu?» been used on Auroa Road. An 18in. culvert was put in at the top end of Auroa Road and general work has been done on Mangawhero, Manaia, Opunake and Eltham Roads. Eltham Riding.—Most of the month’s work was devoted to Rawhitiroa Road, viz., resurfacing at Mangamingi, clearing slips on the ridge, and tar patching at Rawhitiroa. Work was also done on Hu Road, Templar Street, and Tirimoana Road. During the discussion of the report Or. Gifford referred to some bad holes on Burke’s Hill, and the engineer said these would be attended to. In reply to the chairman, the engineer said he was making enquiries regarding another source of supply of metal, but could give no definite information at present. Cr. McWilliam reported that one roafl at Moeroa was being badly damaged by the carting of timber. He thought the engineer should take cognisance of this. Heavy carting should not he done in the winter. The engineer said he had spoken to the offender. The report was adopted. GENERAL. The clerk reported that some companies were so far refusing to pay the heavy traffic fees, and he was instructed to proceed against them if they persisted in their refusal. Cr. Carter brought up the question o» the large number of cattle straying upon the road.—The clerk said on account of numerous complaints he had spoken to the ranger concerning this matter and hoped matters would improve shortly 1 .