EGMONT COUNTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 9 November 1921, Page 7

EGMONT COUNTY.

MEETING OF THE COUNCIL. THE PAST MONTH’S WORK. The Egmont County Council met at Opunake yesterday. Present: Crs. S. Campbell (chairman), C. A. Trotter, R. Ferguson, A. F. Chapman, W. C. Green, J. S. Tosland, M. O’Brien, BC. Watson and P. Brophy. ENGINEER’S REPORT. Oeo Biding (Northern). —The old wooden bridge over the mill stream on the Klrl Road lias been repaired and stiffened up. Considerable patching has been done. Oeo Riding (Southern).—Patching has been done to the Main South Road on the western side of the Oeo Rill, and the Eastern side lias been covered with clay blinding. The water tables have been cleaned out from the eastern boundary as far as the Mangatoromiro Creek, and the metal has been banked up where neces 7 sary ; also water outlets improved at places. A two-feet diameter concrete pipe culvert at the junction of the Main South and Watino Roads has been extended about ten feet to improve the turn out. The old wooden culvert across the Hone Road has been removed and replaced by a line of fourteen concrete pipes, eighteen inches in diameter, and the surface made good. A fair amount of patching has been done to the Patiki Road. Opua Riding (Southern). —The Main South Road has been covered with clay blinding where required, and the same class of work has been done on the Eltham Road. The Kaweora Road has been repaired with pit metal. Patching has been done to the Lower WaiteIka and the Iliaia Raod. I have examined the Kaweora above Mr. S. T. Cox’s gateway, and And that a length of about 65 chains requires to be properly drained and formed, to give access to section XII, block X, Opunake Survey District. Part of this length has already had drains cut, which have since been gradually filled in, and most of the roadway is at the present time practically a swamp. The best way to deal with the road would be to let a contract at once for the opening of the existing drains and the cutting of new ones where required, so that the water can get away easily and dry up the surface ready for a second contract for the formation. Young Road has been formed as far as it 13 possible. Opua Riding (Northern). —Several lengths of clay blinding have been done on the Main South Road. Patching and blinding have been done to both the Lower and Upper Arawhata Roads. The Arawhata Road nehr the Wiremu will require from 100 to 150 yards of pit metal to put it in reasonable repair, in addition to which a lot of work is required in connection with getting away the surface water quickly. Opunake Riding.—Patching, water-tabling and clay-blinding have been done on the Main South Road where required. A portion of this just north of the tar-sealing is becoming full of pot holes, and will shortly be scarified and re-rolled. Rahotu Riding (Southern) .—A fair amount of patching and water-tabling has been done to the Main Soutli Road, and the worst places have been blinded, the recent severe weather having done considerable damage to the surRahotu Riding (Northern).—Patching has been done along the whole length of the Main South Road. The Stent Road has been patched for its entire length. A fair amount of patching has been done to the bottom end of Bayly Road. The Parlhaka Road has been patched from end to end with pit metal, whilst the Cape and Pungarehu Roads have been patched for the full length with crushed metal.

Bridges.—Some time about midnight, between the 21st and 22nd ult., flood water carried away .the ribs supporting the lagging for the arch ring of the new concrete bridge, over the Taungatara River, on the Eltham Road, leaving the .9x2 logging Intact, including the necessary boxing to each face of the ring and abutment, and the whole of the steel reinforcement. Steps were at once taken to prevent this from collapsing, though there was little danger of it so doing after withstanding the enormous pressure put upon it by reason of the ribs being torn away, also by reason of its being very well put together. As soon as the water was low enough for the men to again work in the bed of the stream, the timber was recovered (very little being lost), and the centreing re-erected. The work of concreting the arch ring is now being proceeded with. The bridge foreman has tendered his resignation, solely on account of his inability to secure a house to live in. Every effort has been made to secure ateommodation, but so far without success.

TAR-SEALING LOAN. Cr. Tosland asked what steps were being taken In regard to raising a loan for road improvement. If they wished to tar-seal the roads they must at c put the position before the ratepayers, wl.l a view to raising the loan. The chairman did not consider it advisable to go on with the matter till they saw what was the outcome of the Main Roads Bill. Cr. O’Brien considered that they had lost two or three years’ time, and their opportunity of securing £lO,OOO per annum from the State Advances Department. Various by-roads would have gone in for a tar-sealing policy if the law could have permitted differential rating. Warea, Kabul and Ihaia would each have gone in for a loan if their general rate could have been credited towards the payment of interest, instead of whicli they would have to pay an extra rate. The chairman and several other councillors thought it would cost as much almost to maintain a tar-sealed road as it did the existing roads. Cr. Tosland strongly favored taking a poll on the loan proposals. Cr. Trotter thought it would be advisable to place the matter before the Advances to Settiers Department and ascertain if they would grant the loan. On the motion of Crs. Green and Chapman it was resolved to ask the Department whether they would be prepared to sanction the loan. THE RANGER. J. Geary, county ranger, reported that he had visited various roads. He had impounded five working bullocks, whose owners he re- j ported, and he also reported another settler for tethering a bull in the road. Some of the members considered that the ranging was not baing carried out satisfactorily, as they had received various complaints of straying cattle during the month. Several instances were given whore cattle had been seen straying on the roads eacly in the morning. The opinion was expressed that settlers should impound the cattle. Cr. O'Brien said that it was as much the duty of the council to clear the roads of cattle as to clean out a culvert. He understood some of the surfacemen were prepared to undertake ranging. On his motion it was resolved to offer the position to one of the surfacemen to range the roads part time, he to be given the driving fees in addition to his wages. Cr. Tosland offered to give a horse. CONTRACTS. Contracts were accepted as follows: 400 yds. boulder stone, Oeo Road, Munro and Kehely, 4s; 400 yards Main South Road, Munro and Kehely, 10s sd; 750 yards, Ngariki Road, Jas. Hickey, 3s sd; 300 yards Warea Road, M. R. Hill. 4s 3d (on Burgess Road) ; Arawhata Road, Upper, McLeod Bros., 4s per yard. GENERAL. The Rangitikei County Council asked the ' council’s support in (javlng legislation introduced exempting county councils from the operation of all Arbitration Court awards.—The council resolved to support the resolution. Mr. O. Hawken, M.P., acknowledged receipt of the council’s resolution in reference to the Main Highways Bill, and stated that he agreed with the contentions raised, and had brought > C ister rCSOlUtiOn tO the attention °‘ the MinCr. Tosland stated that during the luncheon f adjournment several councillors had visited the e machinery depot, and found that valuable ma- fc chinery was lying perishing for the want of „ b s* n ® I ? oused> Ho considered a committee tO 60 lnto the Question of 7 oustng, which he estimated would cost £2OO. On the motion of Crs. Green and Brophy a E committee, consisting of the chairman and I Crs. Trotter and Tosland, was set up to go 3 into the question of site and cost, and report f at next meeting. 1 B. J. Wallrldge, bridge foreman, wrote re- 11 signing his position, owing to the distance he , 3 W ° rlt ’ “ nd al3 ° «» 1 the difficulty experienced In regard to housing The resignation was accepted, j;

The Public Works Department notified payment to the council’s account of £252 7s 6d. on account of work done on the Wiremu Road. The State Advances Department also notified that £lOOO had been remitted on account of the £5OOO No. 3 bridge loan. It was resolved to give a contractor on the Wiremu Road notice to commence his contract within a fortnight, failing which tho contract will be forfeited. It was resolved to ask Mr. O. Hawken, M.P., to keep the. matter of a grant for a bridge over the Huirama River on the Wiremu Road in view when the estimates were being framed.