INGLEWOOD COUNTY.
MEETING OF COUNCIL. PAST MONTH’S WOJUi. The Inglewood County Council met yesterday. Present: Crs. A. Corkill (chairman), R. Stuart, J. M. Hair, H. Jones, G. Ca/pper, J. Hunter, W. Topping, and E. A. Laurence. The chairman formally welcomed Cr. Laurence, who was recently elected as a representative of the West riding. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer (Mr. R. D. Climie) reported as follows:
East Riding.—The contractors for the Autawa Road metalling have been able to make but little progress during the past month. In December only four days’ work was done. Since my last report a much better metal pit has been found on Mr. McCrea’s property, and should this turn out to be as good as first indications point it will be possible to get on with the metalling of the last mile of the Motukawa Road. I suggest that men be put on to quarry a few hundred yards, and when this has been done tenders should be called for carting out. At the present an experienced man is available to take charge of the quarrying. The contractor for the Toi Toi Rx>ad is waiting for - the road to dry before completing the work of metalling, and he should be able to start this week. In company with Cr. Topping I inspected most of the roads in the riding. The Otaroa Road needs considerable attention during the summer, most of the watertables being along the centre of the road. The steel bridge also requires painting with anti-corrosive paint. Some of the smaller bracing rods have already rusted right through. Complaints having been made regarding the Pukeho Road, this was inspected, and I found that this road is in splendid order, and certainly does not need any money spent on it. North Riding.—The contractor for metalling the Mangaone Road is making a start, and as he intends to put on four teams he should not take long to finish the work. Mr. Paul has completed 21 chains of formation work on the Richmond Road, and he is commencing work on the big hill; most of this work should be completed before next meeting, weather conditions being favorable. Temporary men have been employed blinding the Lincoln and Wortley Roads. Roads carrying much traffic suffered considerably during the wet spell. Surfacemen have had instructions to do nothing else but patch all bad places. South Riding.—A small gang has been started on the Kohete Road to prepare the formation in readiness for metalling, which work it is hoped to start on Thursday morning. Given fine weather this work should be completed before next meeting, when the crushing plant will be set up at the Mangaone pit, on the Tariki Road. A gang under Mr. Grigg has been working the Ratapiko Road, and the first hill is now practically completed. From here these men will be shifted'to the Mana Road. The questions of “lengths” for each surfaceman should be considered at this meeting. Personally I think it very poor policy to give men too many miles of road, for I consider a pound properly spent at this season will save ten pounds being spent in the winter. A smail bridge in the Derby Road, near the junction of Surrey Road, is in a very bad state, and it will be necessary for the settlers interested to either consider the question of a small loan or a Government grant, as I do not see how it can be renewed out of revenue. The roads in this riding are in a much better condition than most other ridings. Mr. Jacobsen leaves his in very good order. West Riding.—The work of re-coattng part of the Junction Road is completed. A schedule showing total cost will be laid on the table. The average for the last ten days’ worked has been much higher than for the first month. The highest tally in this ten days was 104 cubic yards, and the average 90 cubic yards per day, and provided metal can be carted away, it is hoped to maintain this average through the summer. I am still waiting the arrival of wire mesh for the groyne in the Waiwakaiho river, at Lepper-Carrington Road bridge. The work will be commenced as soon as this material arrives. The decking of the Chain bridge, Junction Rood, badly needs renewing. The' necessary timber has been lying on the road for the past three years, and providing the Taranaki County is agreeable I think work should be done at once. Temporary men have been employed patching side roads in this riding. Dudley and Durham roads so far have been receiving attention. Plant and General. —The crushing plant will be shifted as soon as all stone dumped at the Bacon Factory has been crushed. A site for crusher and a road out have been made at the MaketawaJunction Road, and everything is prepared for making a quick start with the Kohete Road metalling. A considerable portion of the timber for this is being obtained from the old Makara bridge, Bristol Road. Heavy timber, for use with the crusher is also being got out of this bridge. As the roller will not be required 1 suggest the following programme of work: When new work on the Junction Road is completed roller be used to scarify, rake in, and roll the remaining portion of road to Chain bridge. From here it will go to the Mountain Road, and some work be done on that portion between Dudley and Norfolk roads. While there an old promise to scarify portion of the Bedford Road can be kept. Afterwards either the Mountain Road Nojth or the Junction Road to the Ngatoro bridge can be done first. I have arranged with Mr, L. Old to cart enough shingle to coat five chains of the tarred portions of the Mountain Road, and if this proves a success it will be necessary to do the whole length of Dudley Road. Mr. Thomason has offered to supply 60 cubic yards of metal from his pit at a cost of 8s loaded on trucks, and I advise that this offer be accepted. The trucks can be used to cart this when plant is being moved.
THE FINANCES. A statement of expenditure presented' by the clerk (Mr. S. E Neilson) show-' ed that the allocation for roads had been overspent to the extent of £8 16s sd. The total spent was £5936 is lid, which had been distributed as follows: Main roads £4979 13s lid, North riding £358 17s 4d, South riding £159 Is 3d, East riding £lO5 5s 6d, West riding £455 18s sd. Each riding showed credit balances, but these, were more than offset by the sum of £799 13s lid over-spent on ma/in roads. The clerk reported that the council’s total debit balance was £B6lll Ils lid, and that the limit of the overdraft was £9970. There was, however, a sum. 01
£l5OO. in loan. DJQiiey.B .which were due to the council, and would be paid into general account. The State Advances Office advised that the following amounts had bee« remitted to the post office to be lodged at the bank to the credit of the council: Toi Toi Road loan £550, Everett Road loan £230. It was also stated that the Mana Road, Norfolk Road West, and Ngatoro-iti bridge loans were granted, and work could be proceeded with. Other loans would be considered by the board in January.
UNPAID RATES. The following letter was received from Lumsden and Sisley, Waitui: — With reference to the summons issued against us for rates unpaid, we beg to apply that the summons be withdrawn. No doubt you are aware that the Government settled as on this property, and as the price of produce has fallen so low the Government have taken 50 per cent, of our milk cheques, leaving us with hardly sufficient to pay our store account, let alone settle any other accounts. If you can see your way to withdraw this summons we will make every endeavor to secure an order for posts and firewood and, if successful, we will give you authority to draw for the amount due, as we have no assets we could realise to pay the rates. We would be more than grateful if you could withdraw the summons. The council did not think that the circumstances warranted the withdrawal of the summons. CAMPAIGN AGAINST RATS. The medical officer of health, Wanganui, wrote intimating that he was required by the held office to seq.d a monthly return of the number of rats caught, and he desired the council to forward information, concerning the work in their district. “I cannot point out too forcibly (the letter continued), how necessary this anti-rat campaign is at the present time, and more especially in sea coast towns. The clean-up w r eek held throughout the Wanganui-Taranaki district has done away with much harborage, and the inspection of the rubbish tips lately made showed, with one exception, they were carefully attended to. Please make an urgent move to get as many rats destroyed as possible.” It was decided, on the motion of the chairman, to ask the health inspector to make a report to the council as to the condition of the district. DUTY ON CEMENT. It was decided to endorse the following resolution, for which the Stratford County Council sought support: “That the Government be asked to remit the duty on cement for local bodies, as their work, being principally bridges and culverts, is really national work, and that the support of other New Zealand counties be invited.” THE WORKS COMMITTEE. A report from the works committee stated that J. Rowan’s offer of 250 cubic yards of boulders at the Bacon Factory depot at 6s fid per yard was ‘ accepted. This was necessary to complete the work. The engineer had been instructed to shift the crusher immediately the stone at the depot was crushed, even if the road was not finished, the next crushing depot to be at the Maketawa Junction Road. GENERAL. Mr. J. Jacobsen, surfaceman at Ratapiko, wrote intimating that owing to the growth of the rural mail service he had found it necessary to resign his position with the council.—lUwas decided that the resignation be accepted with regret. The secretary to the Department of Labor wrote intimating that the fixing of the weekly half-holiday should be dealt with by the council at a special meeting in January, or would be fixed by the Minister.—The council decided to leave the matter to the Minister.
Permission was given to E. J. Press to erect a gate over the Lepper Road North near his property, the road being an unformed one. x
With a view to getting an approx’imate idea of the amount of taxation to be collected under the Motor Vehicles Act, Mr. R. Masters, M.P., wrote asking for particulars of the numbers of motor vehicles registered in the county.—The elerk reported that the information had been supplied. The committee appointed to secure a ear for the engineer reported having purchased a Ford machine for £290. It was reported that the chairman and engineer, acting on the authority of a special meeting of the council, had purchased a five-ton White dump truck, the price being £BOOO. Tenders are to be called for the supply of metal for the Richmond Road, as mentioned in the engineer’s report. The tender of J. Jacobsen at 4s per yard for breaking 250 yards of boulders for the Ratapiko Road was accepted. Subject to the work of the council permitting, the engineer was granted leave to attend the annual conference of civil engineers in Wellington, commencing on February 21. The chairman reported that as the result of representations made through Mr. R. Masters, M.P., the Defence Department had agreed to allot two more machine-guns as war trophies for the county, one for Egmont Village, and one for Ratapiko.
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Taranaki Daily News, 11 January 1922, Page 7
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1,983INGLEWOOD COUNTY. Taranaki Daily News, 11 January 1922, Page 7
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