TARANAKI COUNTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1921, Page 2

TARANAKI COUNTY.

MEETING OF THE COUNCIL. PAST MONTH’S WORK. The monthly meeting of the Taranaki County Council was held at New Plymouth yesterday, when there were present: Crs. J. S. Connett (in the chair), A. Morton, S. Vickers, O. Penwarden, J. S. Wooldridge and J. Andrews. OVERSEER’S REPORT. The County overseer (Mr. G. Meredith), reported as follows for the month of July: — Plant and General.—During the month the lorries and the crushing staff have been engaged on the following works: Carting metal from Sentry Hill Pit, Smith's pit, Henwood Road, Gaol Quarry, shingle from the borougn dump, putting in Mangatea culvert Devon Road, diverting stream above bridge on Hill Road, and carting bridge timber, pipes and cement. One day completed the crushing at Stony River, the crusher was then closed down for the month. The crusher is now being set up at Kaihihi depot, Okato riding, and a start will be made crushing in a day or two

Metal Delivery.—From railway pit Sentry Hill, 96 yards have been carted out for maintenance as follows; Mountain Road 8 yards, Corbett Road 4 yards, Te Are! Road 20 yards, Waitara Road 20 yards, Richmond Road 28 yards' Devon Road 8 yards and Tate Road 8 yards. 44 yards have been carted out from Smith's pit, Henwood Road, and 28 yards from the gaol quarry, 12 yards going to Waitara Riding, 8 to Mangorei Riding and 8 to Omata Riding. Crushing at Stony River depot was completed on the Ist Instant, 104 yards being crushed in 8 hours and distributed as fallows: Hampton Road 24 yards, crusher site, Kaihihi 12 yards, dumped at Stony River 60 yards, Mr. Gray and Mr. Hayes 4 yards. Shingle Delivery.—During the month 544 yards of shingle have been carted from the borough dump to the various ridings for next season's asphalt work, Mangorei Riding 216 yards, Waitara Riding 328 yaras.

Mangorei Riding.—The foremen in this riding have been engaged with the usual repair work. Foreman Dryden with the assistance of four of the crushing staff has carried out the work of diverting the stream above the bridge on the’ Hill Road. Previous to this work being carried out a considerable amount of scour was taking place under one of the piers. The stream has now practically a straight course under the bridge and no further scour should take place. Waiwakaiho River.—The flood early in the month carried away the groyne which was situated above the swing bridge near the Mangorei Factory. It will be necessary to build another groyne as soon as possible. 1 would recommend building a much larger groyne, about l’/j chains further up the stream, at a cost of approximately £6O.

Mangorei Road—A cobble culvert near Mr. Pepperell's property is in a very rough state and requires renewing with 7 9in pipes. The culvert pipes, as recommended by the overseer, were authorised. Waitara Riding.—General maintenance work has been carried out in this riding. Foreman Mallon, with the assistance of several of the permanent staff, has replaced the old wooden culvert at the Mangatea Stream with ten three feet pipes. A culvert has broken in on the hill below Mr. Pearce’s property on the Kelly Road, and will require 7 9in pipes to replace the same.

The pipes recommended for the Kelly Road will be supplied. Omata Riding.—The foremen in this riding have been engaged patching water-tabling and general miscellaneous repairs Foreman Seamark has completed the tunnel and \fllling on the old Omata Road. In a supplementary report, the overseer recommended that 3 culverts be constructed over 1 the CowOiag, Jordan, and Westoi\ Roads, and this work was authorised.

Okato Riding.—General maintenance work has been carried out In this riding. The road and culvert protective work on the Beach Road, near Mr. Penwarden's, has been completed. A small gravel pit was opened up on this road, and a portion of the kill near Mr. Gatenby’s shed and the road patched up generally, Messrs. Gatenby and Penwarden doing a considerable amount of free labor. The pipes authorised for the Surrey Hill Road are on the site, and a start has been made putting them in position. Foreman Sefton and several of the permanent staff are carrying out this work. The pipes authorised for Lower Pitone Road are on the ground, and will be put in as soon as possible. Accompanied with the chairman an inspection was made of the Upper Plymouth Road below Messrs. Thomson and Garnhaim’s property, and we found the road in a very rough state. The foreman has been instructed to form and round up about 20 chains of this road as soon as possible. The. Upper Carrington Road between . the Plymouth and Frankley Roads is breaking up badly, firewood carting per motor lorry being the chief cause of the damage. A vote of thanks was accorded Messrs. Penwarden and Gatenby for free labor on the Beach Roads.

Cr. Wooldridge put in a protest , against the amount of work done on the Beach Road when more urgent work required attention on the Upper Pitone Road. He considered that settlers on the Beach Road had been exceptionally well treated in the past and, though the culvert protective work was necessary, the metalling of the hill could very well have stood over to a later date. The chairman explained that the metalling work would have not been done only, as the men were on the culvert job, it was thought as well to "kill two birds with the one stone.” On the motion of Cr. Penwarden, seconded by Cr. Wooldridge, the necessary repairs on the Upper Pitone Road were authorised, and are to be put in band at once. COUNTIES' CONFERENCE. The secretary of the New Zealand Counties’ Association intimated that, in view of Parliament probably meeting In September, it was proposed to hold the next conference of the association on September 28. It was requested that all remits be sent in not later than August 15th. The council had no remits to forward, and the appointment of delegates to the conference was deferred till the next meeting. BRIDGE ON KIBIHAU ROAD. Tiro Sash and Door Co. Ltd., intimated that, subject to the council’s approval, the company proposed taking in hand the construction of a. new bridge at the upper end of the Kirihau Road between the entrance gates of Messrs. Taylor and Shaw. This work was approved by the council. FIXING COUNTY BOUNDARIES. The clerk* of the Inglewood County Council wrote asking that soune definite arrangement be made re marking the exact boundaries of the roads between the two counties. It was asked that concrete pegs be used, each county council to bear half the cost of construction and erection. The council were agreeable to the proposal, but pointed out that the committee’s set up by each county council had yet to meet to define the boundaries. METALLING OF UPPER MANGOREI ROAD. A petition, signed by eight settlers, was presented, praying that they be granted 45 chains of metal on the Upper Mangorei Road. Ti ej’ suggested that a special rate be struck for the loan, they to bear half the cost and the council to subsidise the other half. A) covering letter stated that the road had been I in a very bad state for a long time. Knowing that in the past, labor had been scarce and the cost high, they had not -worried the council previously, but ’ had patched up the road themselves. Now they found that the road would not. stand up to the work without metal. The road would serve at least six farms and led to one of the best part of the Egmont reserve. Metal could be obtained fairly cheaply within a few chains of the road. The overseer was instructed to visit the locality, and form an estimate of the work. SETTLERS' REQUIREMENTS. Mr. drew attention to

the state of the Alfred Road, near tte bridge. As the last flood had taken some of the ' bank away, he suggested that a groyne should be put in without delay.—lt was resolved that Mr. Ashman be informed ttat the matter is receiving the counties’ attention, and will be put in hand as soon as possible. Mr. A. Knight, Veaie Road, wrote objecting to the councils’ proposal to drain Mr. Barry's property on to his unless the drains were piped and cornered in.—The (matter was referred to the chairman and Cr, Vickers to interview Mr. Knight. Mr. G. H. Old, Brixton, applied for a section, situated at the corner of the Waitara and Te Arei Roads, which adjoined his property.—The matter was referred to the chairman and Cr. Andrews to report upon. Mrs. A. E. Aish's complaint in regard to the drains on the Albion Road was referred to the overseer. Mr. H. H. Olsen, Avenue Road, submitted a request that a crossing be made over a small creek on the Branch Road in order to give him access to his recently acquired property. —Mr. Olsen will be asked how much the settlers interested are prepared to contribute towards the cost of the proposed work. MISCELLANEOUS. The chairman reported that he and the county clerk had represented the council at the recent sitting of the Toll-gate Commission in New Plymouth and had given .evidence. The chairman’s action in accepting the tender of Messrs. Green Bros, for the supply of 500 yards of metal on the Plymouth Road at 7s per yard was confirmed.