CLIFTON COUNTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 January 1922, Page 7

CLIFTON COUNTY.

MEETING OF THE COUNCIL. FAST MONTH’S WORK. The Clifton County Council met at Waitara yesterday. Present: Crs. R. H. Pigott (chairman), T. McKenzie, F. C. Jones and A. Mounsey. An apology (for absence was received from Cr. H. A. Foreman. Tte engineer (Mr. C. F. Dowsett) reported as follows; Waihi Riding.—The improvements necessary in connection with the Parihaka. culvert have been satisfactorily completed, and additional metal has been crushed and tipped at various places for future use. Portions of the old timber have been forwarded to the Okoke district for bridge repairs. The earthwork on the Allen Road has been prepared in readiness for tte metal. In view of the information received, the Mataro Road metalling contract can now be proceeded with. and carried to completion.

Tikorangi Riding.—The contractor working in Mr. Sarteh’s pit on the Otaraoa Road now has the required quantity of metal quarried, and carting will proceed when drays are available, to be followed by the continuation of the fonmation contract and succeeded by the settlers metal for Pukaekuri hill, etc. On the Inland North Road 12 chains have been prepared for re-coating. It is toped to complete the Nikorima contract during the current month. The usual maintenance work has been carried out. ’

Ngatlmaru Riding.—The Mangaoapa Road is being formed up and improved throughout its length. On the Matau-Kiore Road the earth fillings are expected to be shortly completed and all ruts filled up on the Kiore saddle. On the Rako RakO Road about 10 chains Gf drains have been deepened, but no work has been done of sufficient importance to effect an improvement to the road. The drain requires deepening at' least two feet at the upper end, and the ■ fall carried throughout to do any material good. After inspecting the two low-level bridges and road on the North Matau, a. detailed list of requirements was handed to the roadmen in charge to carry out. The grader will be put into active work during the current month.

Urenui Riding.—The usual output of gravel has been quarried from the Okoke pit, and the distribution made to the various roads within reasonable limits; also the gravel quarried in the Native Reserve has been measured, and payment will now be made. Arrangements have been entered into to repair two small bridges on the lower end of the Piko Road and one at the upper end. The plans for legalising the 'road giving access to Mr. Mouatt are completed, and are submitted for the council's approval and seal. In the Pukearuhe district the drain at Waiiti has been completed and instructions issued to form up and sand access to road. The improvement adjacent to the school will also receive attention. The tenders for carting boulder stone from the Urenui beach at 6s per cubic yard was accepted, and the contractors asked to sign the contract and proceed with the work. Tire grader is now in this district, and will give attention to the Avenue, Kaipikari and Main roads. On the Mangamaeho Road the settlers have withdrawn their offer to re-bulld bridge, and the matter at present is in abeyance. This road has received attention during the month, and two new pipe culverts were put in. The Okoke Road metalling contract will proceed as soon a? the council are assured of the Government subsidy.

Uruti Riding.—The work of widening between the 29 and 30 mile pegs Is proceeding. The Public Works Department have already commenced to metal with 6 inches of shell rock the gravelled portion of the Mimi-Mokau road, and the county roadman is engaged spreading as arranged. The scarifier has been overhauled, and is ready to be transferred to Uruti when required. The old dray having arrived at that stage when repairs would not warrant the cost incurred, has been out aside, and during the month I purchased another at a cost of £lO and forwarded it to this riding. The usual maintenance and repairs have been attended to. No tenders were received for quarrying shell rock, but the council are open to receive applications for this work.

Mokau Riding.—The unsettled weather has prevented any serious advance being made with the sanding operations, but this work will be renewed when conditions are more favorable. One of the permanent men is giving attention to the Papakino and Kotare end of the Okau Road, and the other at present, to the Mangatoro Road. No further progress has been made on the Mangaonga Road. A good deal of work is required on the Kiwi Road, and this will be attended to when the condition of the other roads is such that the labor can be transferred.,

General.—l have to report that the crusher was not working satisfactorily, and upon investigation it was found that the spindle or the roller was broken. No local repairs were possible, and also in view of the case hardening of the cam shaft being considerably worn, it was deemed advisable to also renew this portion. An order has therefore been dispatched for both these castings to be forwarded as early as possible. In view of the above, tte work will require somewhat recasting. Pearn will now proceed with the Mataro Road metalling contract, Winter taking Pearn's place at Waihi, and Jones will proceed to the Otaraoa Road metal. When the crusher is again in order the Tikorangi and Waihi contracts will be completed, probably taking about four days, to be followed by the Nikorima road metal. The auxiliary engine used for crushing the metal at the Turangl depot has been withdrawn. The report was adopted. GENERAL. A number of ratepayers from the Matau district, comprising in all twen-ty-six, forwarded a petition asking the council to take steps to raise a loan and apply for a Government subsidy for the purpose of metalling the road ■from the Kiore tunnel to the Kiore station.—As the petition did not state the amount of the loan, it was referred back to the settlers to be put in order. The Stratford County Council asked support to a resolution asking that the duty on cement imported for the use of local bodies should be remitted.— Agreed to.

E. T. Bleakley (Urenui) drew attention to the fact that the grader had not been on the Avenue Road, and he asked that something be done before next winter if possible. He also complained that the approach to the Man-garae-iti bridge, on rhe Avenue Road, was in an unsatisfactory condition. The chairman said that the grader had since been available for the Avenue Jtoad, but a team could -not be obtained. —The engineer was instructed to inspect the bridge, The Selwyn and Ashley County Councils wrote regarding the calculation of hospital levies. It. was suggested that one-third of the levy should be charged on the basis of population, and the balance on capital value. This, it was contended, would be more equitable for those counties which now paid a greaterproportion of the levies than the towns, though having the smaller proportion of population. —Members held that this opened up the question of town versus country, and that, while the bulk of the population might be in the towns, a great many of the town patients did not contribute to the levy, and that the proposal would therefore increase the burden on the remainder. The matter was deferred for further consideration.

Frost and Thlein’s tender for 1000 yards of stone on the Urenui beach at 6s per yard was accepted. A. J. Smith wrote enclosing a cheque for £6 in payment of half-year license fees on three ’buses. He stated that, he considered it quite an unjustifiable extra charge, as the county already collected about £lOO per year through the toll gate, which seemed to him quite his share for the class of road they provided.

W. H. Davidson (Urenui) drew attention to part of the Kaipikari Road.

which was in such a bad state that it was not safe to drive on.—To be advised that the matter was in the engineer's hands already, awaiting teams for grader.

IT. 11. Jury, P. G. Sarten, J. P. Smart, and B. F. Jury forwarded a petition for the connection of the metal on 80-_ han’s hill, Tikorangi Road. One of the petitioners offered to do the necessary earth work free.—lt. was resolved that the council regretted it was not in a position to entertain Mr. Jury's application owing to the straitened conditio u of Luiaucc.