INGLEWOOD COUNTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 December 1921, Page 8

INGLEWOOD COUNTY.

MEETING OF THE COUNCIL. PAST MONTH S WORK. The monthly meeting of tte Inglewood County Council was held yesterday. Present : Crs. A. CorkiU (chairman), R. Hair, A. Cowley, Jones, W. Topping, G. Capper, J. Hunter and K. Stuart. ENGINEERS REPORT. The engineer reported as East Riding.—The contractors for 'the Autawa Road metalling have made fair progress with their contract. Working back from the 2 anile 20 chains peg,, they have metalled approximately 40 chains. The gravel from Martin's pit being used is somewhat patchy. Portions of the seam contain practically no fine sand, while in other places there is too much sand. I have suggested that these two qualities be mixed when loading drays. I have also instructed the spreader to refuse all loads containing too much fine stuff. The contractors lave seven teams working, and given fine weather should make good progress during the summer. With the exception of one small point near the top of Bluff, all heavy earth works have been completed. The formation now needs trimming to be ready for the metal. The decking of the bridge on the Otaraoa Road gave out under heavy carting, and I sent new material out from the yard. In reference to the contract for metalling one mile of the Motukawa Road, 1 wist to say that I cannot advise the council to allow material from the last pit tn road side to be used for this work. So fatno suitable pit has been found, but I think it much better to leave the road as it is than to use material from existing pit. North Riding.—Mr. H. Lambert, contractor for the Toi Toi Road metalling, has tow completed practically all the earth work and re-forming, and will commence metalling within a few days. The large slip at the far end of the road requires removing, I have arranged with the contractor to do this by day work, and also to put in a 12-lnch cul vert near this same place. No work has been done on the Mungaone Road contract this past month. A good deal of earth work requires to be done before the contractor can start metalling. I have spent some time looking round for metal deposits for .he Richmond Road work. Two men have started to open up a quarry on Mr. Metcalf’s property, nearly at tte centre of the portion proposed to be metalled, and 1 suggest that as soon as we know approximately the amount of metal available from this quarry, tenders be called for completing the whole work. Present indications point to there being almost an unlimited supply of stone' similar to the sample on the council table. I find that a contract has been let to Mr. Paul lor breaking 70 cubic yards of stone in Gaiublin's pit. To date only a small portion of this has been done, and I advise that the contract be determined, as it will not be economy to haul stone out. South Riding.—l l ave inspected the bridge at the end of Road, and it will be only a small matter to make this safe for lorry traffic when metalling work is commenced. It will* be advisable to get two 18in. x 9in. planks to take the wheels of lorries and engines wten using these weak wooden bridges. These will save much other material being necessary. After inspecting the proposed shell rock pit on the Ratapiko Road 1 do i ot expect the work ever to be let by tender. I’its like these can be used only when contractors get aeroplanes. I am submitting schedules, attached hereto, showing comparative costs of carrying out the metalling work on both this and the Mana Road, by using motor lorries and crushing metal from Tariki Ito ad pit or Manganui river. In regard to the Mana Road, we spent one morning prospecting shell rock deposits, but I am afraid that any we found do not promise much, and 1 show that this road can be .metaliecr nr m reasonable cost from the Tariki pit. I am expecting a tender for earth work on the Ratapiko Road (first hill), but should this not be considered Mr. Grigg has offered to provide horses and drays- and to carry out ail work on both the above mentioned roads by day work, and I recommend that his offer be accepted. My recommendation for metalling the two roads is that tenders for the supplj- of 4000 cubic yards of boulders from the Manganui river, or alternatively, quarried from the Tariki pit, be called, and that our own plant be employed to crush and cart the metal out. Tenders will be opened nt the meeting for the supply of 850 cubic yards of stone for metalling Kaimata South Road. These will be crushed at Messrs. Nopps and Hodges’ property and metal carted with motor lorries to Kaimata Road, a distance of 85 chains. It is hoped to set the plant up before Christmas, and to crush immediately after the New Year. West Riding.—As Instructed I - <met the overseer of the Taranaki County at the Lep-per-Carringlon Road bridge, and it was arranged that the existing groyne be built up to its former height, and that results oe noted. So far I have made no arrangements to get men for doing this. The necessary wire mesh is on order, and this coming mon‘h I will endeavor to find experienced men for the work. The plant was put in position on November 7, and crushing at the Bacon Factory' depot, was started on the Btt. To the ist inst. 760 cubic yards had been crush? <l, and of this 24 cubic yards had been dumped on Junction Road between King Road and Esmont Village. 4 cubic yards on' Lepper Road, and the balance (732 cubic yards) used to re-metal 47.60 chains re-coated, an average of 15 and one-third cubic yards per chain. The total of wages and hire of teams Is £lB6 7s 7d. A great deal of trouble has been experienced in arranging the plant to give efficient service. Another four-yard bin has been erected during the month, also »everal minor improvements effected. the best day’s crushing to date was 78 cubic yards and if an average like this could he maintained the cost of crushing, carting and spreading metal would run out at approxim- i ately 5s per cubic yard. A preliminary survey has been made of bridge s?ies on Lepper Road at Kaimiro and on Bedford Road. Plans of these will be readj’ for the council's approval at next meeting. Plant and General.—The overhaul of bot.i engines was completed on the sth ult., and they left the yard on the 7th, since when the crushing plant has worked J 5 days ami the road roller 20 days on Junction Road. New tyres were fitted to the White truck during the month, and slight engine adjustments made; also a hvbmeter fitted, and I arn now keeping an accurate cost of running this truck. The road grader was repaired and sent out for use on the contracts rear Tarata. I And that the county l as not a lifting block of any kind, and as the want one may occasion delay any time, I re-n-MWitond that one be purchased. Prices for various makes are on the table ave aso been trying te get charges quoted for the Hire of dump trucks, and these will also come before you. During the mouth I have travcreed most of the metalled rootle in the cuuotr, and taken on the whole, they are 'll fair order. The main ™‘" ls " h in urgent need of attention. It funds nr.)l I allow the srarirylna and rolling or some m.lhs of these this would, in the long run, prose a great ’saving of maintenance charges. Instructions have been given to surfacemen to get on with the blinding of all metal roads ?n their charge. It will be necessary for the council to consider the question or appointing another surfaceman to Jive in Inglewood. I find there are some roads in rhe Nortl Riding which have no one in charge, - i It was decided to proceed with the contract for the metalling of the Mangaone Road. , The engineer was instructed to- proceed with formation work on the Ratapiko Road by means of day labor. RATES CONCESSIONS. Cr. Capper, pursuant, to notice, moved:— "That concessions shall be given to the ratepayers of tte said county ; that me county rate for 1921 and 1922 be paid in two instalments by those who nn- not in n position to pay the whole amount at once, lll*’ I first part to be paid on or before Decernnm- ■ 22 next, and the second part to be paid not I later than February 14. 1922, after t t date j the usual 10 per cent. tf) be added.” He i thought tfle council would not get its ra.es unless s concession was miade, owing to the manner in which farmers were hampered and I tie low pay-out at some of the factories. The chairman doubted wtiether lip snoqld accept the motion, which would give no co’v . cession. It would be better to deal with WUftaid. rates after February 14. when 10 per O6HJ. iuqst be added to rates then unpaid. He

contradicted an impression which seemed to! be abroad that the council was approactlngl bankruptcy. The council was in a very I sound )x>sition, and after paying accounts for I i the month, would be overdrawn by £8800,! I whereas tho limit was* £9900. In addition they had paid out of the general fund £l3OO on account of loan works, which would be refunded when tte money came to hand. There was a further £lOOO which had been earm-- ked for a special purpose, and would now be available for roadfng purposes. Only about £l2OO of rates had come to hand lor this year. . - 1 4After discussion It was agreed that no concession was given in the motion, which was withdrawn, Cr. Capper stating that the ratepayers should be appealed to to pay rates to save interest on the overdraft. DEPARTMENTAL MATTERS. The chairman reported that at the inquiry held at New Plymouth by the Auditor-Gen-eral into the adjustment, of accounts tne Taranaki Council, the Inglewood Coitnctcs claim fbr a. new valuation of the plant and a share of endowments had not been admitted, but a further inquiry, at which ihe chalmnan intended to be present, would ne held at Wellington on December 7.—lt was resolved that the chairman and county clerk should be present at the inquiry. Ti e Minister of Internal Affairs wrote stating that, steps would be taken to Gazette vne new boundaries submitted for tho registration of births, marriages and deaths'. Tjle Registrar-General wrote regarding two boundaries, and it was decided that the boundary at Purangl should be included in the Inglewood county, and that' near Stanley and Croydon roads should be included in the i Stratford county. In reply to a request not to proceed with 1 the securing of a loan of £5OOO on account of the adjustment of accounts between Inglei wood and Taranaki councils, Mr. R Masters, ’ M.P., wrote expressing pleasure that the set- : tJement was so profitable to Inglewood, which i undoubtedly justified the strong attitude taken up by the chairman. The chairman said that the facts regarding ■ the proposed loan had been misrepresented I in somie quarters. Under tte Act a council had power to raise a loan without taking a I poll for the purpose of adjusting accounts bei tween it and another council. 1 Referring to a loan at a previous meeting, he intended to convey the impression that t the loan was required for the purpose of i adjusting accounts as between the three - neighbouring counties, and not to relieve the i general financial position. : The agreement entered into by a commiti tee set up to adjust accounts between Ini glewood and Clifton counties was confirmed. The Superintendent of the State Advances > Office wrote stating that the council’s appllt cation for a £lOOO loan for forming and I metalling Richmond Road lad been enterta’ni ed. and that the consent of the Govemor1 General-in-Council had been given for the ■ raising of a £3OOO loan for the Kaimata > South Road. LOCAL BODIES FINANCE BILL. > It was decided to endorse the resolutions i recently passed by the Taranaki Local Bodies’ Association objecting to the principle of the Local Bodies Finance Bill, and suggesting al- , I ternative amendments. ELECTRIC POWER. 1 The actlnfe-secretary of the committee of the Taranaki electric power district forwarded copies of the petition for tte joining of a new area to the electric power district and of the ratepayers’ roll, and asked that no time should be lost in obtaining signatures and completing the petition. MR. SIMPSON'S RESIGNATION. Cr. J. B. Simpson wrote resigning his seat on the council, chiefly because of neglect of. the side roads in favor of the main roads.

In moving the acceptance of the resignation the chairman said ttat. 'he must take exception to the excuse given, as he considered it was pure camouflage. The district roads were in a very imuch better state of repair than the main roads. There wits not enough money for either. The state of disrepair that the main roads had got into previous to the constitution of tte Inglev.ooa county was the cause of so much having to be spent on them now. Everyone knew the difficulties they had had to contend with as regards labor until quite recently, and also with regard to plant, having Jo' payover £4OOO for new plant, although they had previously contributed more ttan that amount towards purchasing the plant of the Taranaki County Council. Inglewood had the same mileage of Mountain Road and carried the same traffic as Stratford, which, however, received £2600 per annum revenue from the toll-gate to assist in its maintenance. Under the circumstances he considered the council had done the best that was possible, and moreover tHs year had asked, for grants amounting to £7,000, all of which was applied for on account of side roads, and not one penny for the main roads. The resignation was accepted. GENERAL. Mr. R. C. Gray .again wrote asking for arrears of pay amounting to £4l 'l3s 4d, and Messrs. C .oker and Kklmonds, solicitors, also i wrote on behalf of Mr. Gray—lt was decided to admit no liability. > . Mr. J. Wallace senr. applied for a refund of £3O paid by him on account of the Everett Road loan, as no other ratepayers were paying this to the council.—lt was decided to obtain legal opinion as to whether the guarantee to this road was enforceable. The chairman and engineer were instructed fo iinake negotiations for obtaining a similar motor waggon to ttat already in use for metalling work.