TARANAKI COUNTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 December 1921, Page 7

TARANAKI COUNTY.

MONTHLY MEETING OF COUNCIL. The monthly meeting of the Taranaki County Council was held at New Plymouth yesterday. Present: Crs. ,T. S. Connett (chairman), .1. Wooldridge, O. Penwarden, A. Morton, J. Andrews, and S. Vickers. OVERSEER’S REPORT. The overseer (Mr. G. Meredith) reported for the month of November us follows: — Plant and General.—The crusher has been idle during the month owing to the lorries being required to taul shingle for the tarsealing. It was thought earlier in the month that the crusher would be at Mangorei deuot by' now, but the continual wet weather caused considerable delay In getting the shingle out. The Tlmaru Hill is also cutting up badly. Under the circumstances I thought it would be advisable to crush about 200 yards at the Onkura depot while the crusher is there for this hill before going to Mangorei: and there is still about 300 yards of shingle to haul from the beach, about 8 days’ work in all. The lorries and crushing staff have been engaged carting shingle, metal, tar bitumen, firewood, and pipes.

Shingle—We have delivered 272 yards frcim the Waiwakaiho dump, Viz., GS yards to ihe Main Road in Okato riding, 180 yards to die Junction Road, and 15 yards to the Main Road at Spotswood. From the Kaihitl dump, Okato, 572 yards have

been carted out and distributed along the Main Road between Betts Hill and Punlho. From Okato depot 56 yards were dumped between Oakura Bridge and Tapuae on the Main Road.

Metal. —Carted from Stony River depot 1G yards to Punlho and Carrington Roads, 8 yards to Hampton Road, and 4 yards have been carted from the Prison quarry *o Frankley Road.

Teams. —Foreman Jury has been engaged hauling boulders at Ahu Ahu Road and at Oakura depot, and now has approximately 330 yards out at Oakura and 800 yards out at Ahu Ahu Road.

Firewood.---Two loads carted from Stony River depot to Allan's Hill, and the lorries were two days carting from Mr. Greenway’s to tar depot at Stony River.

Tar and Bitumen. —We have carted 203 barrels during the month as follows: From Smapt Road depot to Allan’s Hill 75 barrels, to Okato 59 barrels, bitumen, Smart Road to Okato 69 barrels.

It was resolved to insure the tar and firewood at the Stony River depot.

Mangorei Riding.—During the month th© foremen have been engaged blinding, cleaning water-tables and the usual miscellaneous repairs, foreman Dryden assisting foreman Moyle with the blinding on the Junction Rond. The bridge on the top end of the Kent Road requires some attention in the near future, the end of some of the stringers and the cell on the western side showing signs of decay.

| Lepper-Carrington Road Brlage Protection ; Work.—On the 10th instant I met the engineer of the Inglewood County Council at the above site, and it was agreed to build up the existing’ groyne to its original height. Probably this would have the effect of turning the stream back to its original course, the Inglewood engineer to supervise the repairs to the groyne. The matter of protecting the bridge was left over till after the New Year. W&itara Riding.—General maintenance work has been carried out in this A considerable amount of blinding has been done on the Egmont, Henwood, and Main Roads. Omata Riding.—Foreman Seamark has been engaged most of his time with the tar work in his own length, and also carried out the tar sealing in Foreman Rusting's length in the Okato riding. Foreman Eva has beeYi engaged at general repairs. Okato Riding.—General maintenance work has been carried out in this riding. The small roller has been engaged most of the month rolling Surrey Hill, Koru, Perth, and Leith Roads. Foreman Sefton has been engaged with the roller, and is now improving the Beach Road near the Wairau Road. Foreman Hayes has completed rolling on the Perth and Leith Roads, and a considerable amount of his time has been taken up cutting and carting firewood ready for asphalt work. A culvert on the Puniho Rond collapsed, and has been renewed with 7ft. 9in. pipes. A 4ft. wooden culvert on the Upper Carrington Road on Mr. Card’s contract has broken in, not being strong enough to carry the culfilling required. I propose replacing the culvert with 50ft. of 36in. pipes. This will be carried out as soon as the lorries are available for cartage. Ahu Ahu Road Earthwork.—Foreman Cowling las completed this work, and also built the crusher site. Mr. Price kindly lent his plough to do all the necessary ploughing on the job. A portion of a tunnel on the Upper Carrington Road collapsed, owing to the extra filling being placed on it. This has been repaired, a covering being built with hinau stringers and rimu top. Foreman Eva .a carrying out this work. A vote of ttanks was accorded Mr. Price for the uso of his plough. Contracts.—Mr. W. Anstis is making good progress with the reconstruction work on Timaru Hill. Messrs. Moratti and Martellette have practically finished their contract on the Upper Carrington Road, and Mr. Card ‘s making better progress than formerly. Mr. Baker is progressing steadily with his contact on the Kirihau Road. Messrs. Green and Pentelow are pushing ahead with the stonebreaking in the Plymouth Road pit. The weather has been very much against all tne contractors during the month. Asphalt Work.—During the month the iar employees have been engaged in tie Omata and Okato ridings. Approximately 1% miles have been treated io a second coat in .he Omata riding, and about 25 chains have been-tar-sealed in the Okato riding, one coat on y, adjoining the Omata riding. The work In the Omata riding is practically completed, :u the tar plant will be shifted to Okato in a few days. BOUNDARY ROADS. In regard to boundary roads, the New Plymouth Borough Council expressed tbe approval of the County Council’s resolution, subject to the following amendments: —(a) Term of engagement to he for 10 years and thereafter until termination by 12 (months’ notice in writing by either party; (b) small concrete posts to be nut in at different boundary ends: (c) the form and other terms of agreement to be to the approval of the borough and council solicitors, and each to pay half cost of agreement.—These amendments were approved. TARANAKI—INGLEWOOD AWARD. The controller and auditor-general wrote in connection with the Taranaki-Inglewood award under date November 28. He stated: "His Honor, Mr. Justice Sim, Acting-Chief Justice, on Saturday last made an order to the effect that it is at my discretion as commissioner in this case to make an award as to the disposition of proportions of the endowment reserves or of the revenue therefroun, and also to accept the book of such other valuation of ch’attels as may seem to me right in tl-e interests of natural justice. Such being the case, I hereby have the honor to require your council to submit to me in writing, or by duly authorised representatives as may seem to you best, at my office, Wellington, on or before 11 a.m. on Wednesday, December 7 next, any evidence in relation to the two (matters in question which you hold to be entitled to my consideration for the purpose at issue. On receipt of such further evidence or in the absence thereof on the day and at the time appointed, I will duly weigh the data in my possession, and proceed at once to make'-my award in accordance with the authority vested in me.’’—Matters in this connection were explained to the council by the county solicitors (Messrs. Govett, Quilliam and Hutchin). SAUNDERS ROAD MATTERS. Mr. F. Whitehead, Saunders Road, Okato, asked the council for 20ft. of draining pipe to go across the road to open up the road, part of which was swamp, and which had been partly drained and metalled. Messrs R. B. Whitehead, F. Whitehead, E. Hnine, Robert Looke and H. Briscoe, ratei .’yers on the Saunders Road, Okato, drew the council’s attention to the state of the road pointing out that it would be to the councils’, as well as to the ratepayers’ advantage if the request were granted. Both the above matters were left to the chairman and riding members (Crs. Wooldridge and Penwarden) to investigate. PROPOSED BARRETT ROAD LOAN. Messrs. H. T. Ballinger, L. Seamark. A. Kilpatrick, J. E. Burke, and S. Vickers, ratepayers of the Barrett Road, wrote express- ( ing th* l ’’ Haslrc to raise a

metal the road from the end of the present metal, and asking that the overseer be sent out to prepare an estimate of cost. It was' that the necessary steps be made to raise the loan. GENERAL. Mr. G. H. Old applied for permission to put one %inch pipe under Te Arei Road for the purpose of conveying water on to his farm. —Permission was granted, the work to De done under the overseer’s supervision. The State Advances Office, Wellington, wrote remitting the gross amount of the loan of £5OO applied for in connection with the Cross Road. The New Plymouth Borough Council wrote that, subject to the county council taking over, as from August 1 last, the whole of the beach gravel contract, including the haulage contract, the borough council concurs in the agreement set out by the county council Jn regard to beach gravel and harbor board royalty. Mr. J. J. Lilly (Kaimiro) wrote drawing attention to the state of the road in that district. He suggested the council should allow him £l5 to £2O to enable tian to do something to improve the road. —The matter was left in the hands of the chairman and overseer. Messrs. Mace Bros, applied for a slaughterhouse licence in respect to their premises at Kent Road.—The papers will be forwarded to Wellington for the stock inspector’s approval. On account of the Christmas and New Year holidays, the next meeting of ’the council was fixed for January 9, a week later than usual.