INGLEWOOD COUNTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 February 1922, Page 7

INGLEWOOD COUNTY.

meeting of the council. PAST MONTH'S WORK. The Inglewood County Council met at Inglewood yesterday. Present: Crs. A. Corkiil (chairman), J. M. Hair, A. Cowley, H. Jones, E. A. Lawrence, W. J. Topping, G. M. Capper, J. Hunter and R. Stuart. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer (Mr. R. D. Climie) reported: East Riding.—The wet weather during the month lias greatly Interfered with the progress of all contracts. Timber has been sent out for repairing the bridge over the Mangamoeahu Stream, so there should be nothing to hold up the teams when the third mile is commenced. When not engaged spreading metal roadmen in this riding have been employed clearing watertables and general maintenance work. North Riding.—ln regard to the contract for metalling Mangaone North, I found that 242 cubic yards had to be shifted. In company with the chairman I inspected an outcrop of gravel only a few chains from the end of the road, and we came to an agreement with Mr. Schrleber to use this and spread it at the rate of 14 cubic yards per chain, he to charge 10s per yard for work. That will effect a saving of about £l5O, and it has been suggested that this money be used to cut a tunnel, and afterwards make a filling to take the place of the old and dangerous bridge at present across the stream where contract commences. Mr. Lambert has made a start with metal contract on Toi Toi Road, and during the wet spell a fair quantity of shingle was quarried in tunnels. As a very good sample of metal is being obtained from a reef on the roadside, permission has been granted to use this. The tunnel put into the hill on Mr. Metcalfe’s property shows very suitable metal for the total distance, 36 feet. A good deal of work has been done on the Lincoln and Wortley Roads. Hursthouse Road badly needs attention, but there is no maintenance metal available.

South Riding.—-Last week a small gang started to get stone out of Mrs. McCrea’s property for metalling Motukawa Road. Mr. Jacobsen has 'made satisfactory progress with his metal-breaking contract; and a start will be made carting this when opportunity offers. Work was commenced on the Kohete Road. All Mr. Hatcher’s time has been employed patching since the carting started. While waiting for the Kohete Road to dry the men have been employed putting Tariki Road In order, rounding formation, etc. I understand that the question of wooden bridges on main roads is to be discussed at this meeting. I wish to impress on you that the wooden bridges on the Junction Road are all in a very bud state. The Ngatoro is, perhaps, the worst of them. Neither this bridge nor the Maketawa is safe to carry our lorries loaded. Two wooden bridges on the Derby Road In the West Riding are very bad. The smallest one. near the Surrey Road, has been undermined during the last wet spell, and is now quite unsafe for any traffic. If the short length on the Surrey Road from the end of the present metal to the Derby Road was formed and metalled there would be no need for the above-men-tioned bridges. To renew these bridges in concrete will cost about £BOO, and to form and metal the length of road about £2OO. I therefore suggest to the sealers Interested that they try and get this latter work done, and the council could then close that portion of the Derby Road against traffic. Another bridge on the Bedford, near Mr. Hastie's house, is also very unsafe, and will require renewing in the near future. Probably '.f application were made for a Government grant some money would be available. The whole of Junction Road to the chain bridge should be scarified in another three days, when the roller will be shifted to Mountain Road South, and if the weather is at all normal this length should be completed-before next meeting. Bedford Road will then be done, and afterwards the Junction Road to the Ngatoro Bridge. During the month plans and specifications for' the following works have been completed and are now ready for the approval of the district engineer: Richmond, Mana, Ratapiko and Norfolk Roads. Mr. Geb. Morton waited on the council to see what progress was being made on the Kohete Road metalling. On hearing the engineer’s report he expressed himself as satisfied. Or. Jones expressed himself as dissatisfied with the progress made, and he made suggestions for Improved working. It was resolved to dump 200 yards of maintenance between the Mangaone and Tariki Roads on the Junction Road. It. was resolved to draw the attention of the contractors on the Autawa Road to the nccesr sity for keeping the formation ahead of the metalling. Arrangements will be made for the provision of maintenance metal if possible. The chairman stressed the necessity for keeping the plant going, even if it were necessary to dump the metal.

It was resolved that the engineer should visit the Surrey Road district and interview 'the settlers on the lines suggested, and furnish a report at next meeting. The report was adopted. THE PUKEHO ROAD. Mr. John Greaves waited on the council regarding the state of the Pukeho Road, which, he stated, required urgent attention. The road had paid rates totalling £lOO during the past two years, and nothing had been spent on it. The most economical method was to send up the grader. The engineer stated that when he went up the road in his car with Cr. Topping, he kept asking when they were coming to the bad road. They came to the end • of the road before they saw any bad road. The road was absolutely the best .claj road in Taranaki, and other roads required attention Mr. Greaves said that this was a compliment to the way in which he had kept the road in order. The engineer should visit the road in the winter, when it was all slush. The chairman said that it was good po’icy to put the road in order during the fine weather. The engineer and the chairman will visit the road and inspect. AUTAWA ROAD. Tlie Hon. J. G. Coates wrote In regard to representations made regarding the balance of money available for the work on the Autawa Road, estimated to cost £4BOO, that the council had already authority for £5OO (£ for £). On the current year’s estimates provision for £550 new money was proposed to be made, and as the work was already in hand, he had agreed to the issue of authority for that £550 in anticipation. The clerk stated that this meant that they had altogether -£ 1600 available foi the Autawa Road. The chairman said that it would therefore not be possible to complete the road this year. The engineer must see that the contractor did not go beyond the available money, which, with the loan money, amounted to about £4OOO. LOAN MONEY. Mr. R. Masters, M.P., wrote stating that he had taken the opportunity of asking the Prime Minister a question in the House to see whether it was the intention of the Government to lift the restriction from £5OOO at present in operation to £lO,OOO per annum, as previously advanced to local bodies from the State Advances Department. He had pointed out the conditions under which the smaller councils were working, and enlarged upon the disadvantages they were put to through not being able to lift the subsidies provided by the Government under the Public Works estimates. He also pointea out that the local bodies were restricted to a further extent by reason of the fact that the Public Trust Office was not advancing in anything like the proportion they had in previous years. The Prime Minister stated that he regretted that owing to the financial stringency the Government find it impossible to lift the restriction. However, he would give the matter serious consideration, as he realised its importance from the point view of those concerned. BOUNDARY ROADS AND BRIDG/S. The clerk to the Taranaki County Council wrote asking what the council intended to do regarding boundary roads and bridges. Nothing had been done, he said, though the Taranaki County had endeavored w have tfw

matter dealt with by agreement. Under the Act it was imperative that the matter should be settled, as it was verj’ questionable whether any expenditure could be Incurred on boundary roads or bridges until the Act had been complied with. The boundary rbads and bridges were at present under the control of no local authority. Later he wrote that It was impossible to hold the conference on the day selected owing to two of the ccHQimittee having previous engagements. MONTHLY STATEMENT. The monthly statement of expenditure and the amount available showed that with tire accounts passed that day £5354 had been expended on the main roads, as against £4lBO estimated, an over expenditure of £1174. In the North Riding £446 8a 40 had been expended, as against £4lO estimated, leaving £36 3s 5d over expended. In the South Riding £193 Us 4d had been expended and £676 estimated, leaving £483 Is 7d available. In the East Riding £lO9 13s nad been expended out of £147 19s 9d, leaving £3B 6s 9d available. In the West Riding £467 10s lid had been expended out of £635 Is lid estimated, leaving £167 10s 5d available. Of the total amount estimated £521 4s 8d had been over-expended. The bank balance showed a debit of £7900 17s. TENDERS. Tenders were accepted as follows: Clearing, forming *and draining 100 chains of Norfolk Road West, E. A. Chard and Co., £431 2s; Richmond Road metal, 2500 yards, quarrying and delivering stone to crusher site, J. Foreman and D. Gane, 7s per yard, or for quarrying and carting on the road small metal. Us lOd per yard, the council to allow £5O towards opening pit. GENERAL. A county employee who had been appointed foreman asked for additional wages.—lt was decided that the council could not accede to the request, pointing out that tte Counties’ Association had decided that all wages were to be reduced. A. Rusby wrote stating that it had been cMilated that a foreman In his district was dismissed. He asked the council to reconsider the matter, as the man was undoubtedly the best man they had had in the riding. The Bristol and Kaimata Road North were in a deplorable condition when the foreman took them over eighteen months ago, and now, by hard work and good management., the Bristol Road was one of the best In the county, and was a credit to him.— After hearing the explanation of the engineer, it was unanimously resolved to support his action.

S. C. Hastie wrote drawing attention to the Bedford Road bridge, south of Norfolk Road, which he said was in r very critical condition, being “on the point of collapse.’’ He asked that the council give' the matter its earliest attention to save a serious accident, as he had no other means of getting out. —The chairman said tha* the council could not afford to re-build the bridge out of revenue, and the settlers would tavg to raise a loan.

The State Advances Department notified payment to the council’s account of £l5OO, being on account of £2500 for the AutawaPita. Road loan.

A. Harris wrote objecting to the deduction of Is per day on his wages during such time as he was in the hospital.—The chairman pointed out that Harris had been given Is per day extra to keep the time. The council had paid him his ordinary wages during the time he was in hospital, but had deducted the extra Is per day for keeping time.—it was resolved to take no action. Mr. R. Ellis, clerk to the Taranaki County Council, notified that a deviation made by the Waitara Road Board on the Richmond Road had not been legalised. If the council wished to legalise it the necessary tracings, etc., would be forwarded.—To be attended to.