ELTHAM COUNTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 February 1922, Page 7

ELTHAM COUNTY.

PAST MONTH’S WORK. MEETING OF THE COUNCIL. The Eltham County Council met on Saturday. Present: Crs. C. J. Belcher (chairman), R. J. Knuckey, A. McWilliam, A. Messana, M. W. Barker, A. Campbell, W. Carter, C. E. McGuinness, and E. J. Gifford. The engineer (Mr. M. E. Fitz Gerald) reported: The past month has been an exceptionally busy one for in addition to the work caused by the cloud-burst of January 12, and one or two exceptionally heavy rainstorms which followed a few days later an effort has been made to catch up with some of the normal work which was delayed by the financial position during last winter and the early part of this summer. A report on last year’s tar has been received from the analyst, and shows that the sample taken from the storage tank was not of high quality, indicating that we probaby received some consignments which were of lower standard.

South Riding.—Metalling of Fraser Road was continued but is held up at present -by the breakdown of the roller and urgent demands upon the lorries in other parts of the county. Work of minor importance was carried out in other parts of the riding. Mangatoki Riding.—Tar patching was done on Lower Hunter and Lower Hastings Roads Tar spraying was done at Martin’s dip and willows have been used to hold the bank. A meeting between representatives of the Waimate West and Eltham Counties fixed the boundary on the Palmer Road —the Waimate West County . .to take charge of a length of about 88 chains from Skeet Road northwards and Eltham County to take charge of a similailength from Neill Road southwards Omoana Riding.—lmmediately after your last meeting I accompanied the local Public Works engineer over the area flooded and damaged by the cloudburst. The latest indications are that the county will have the utmost difficulty in financing a comprehensive scheme for reinstating the roads. During the earlier part of the month some further progress was made with the metalling of Omoana Hill and the township site.

Kaponga Riding.—Work on the Awatuna bridge at Makaka is well in hand and with the approval of the riding members the two abutments are being rebuilt and arranged so that a new concrete deck can be put on at any time. Timber has been obtained for the Mangawhero bridge (Elttham Road) but the work of redecking was delayed by the difficulty of obtaining suitable bridging spikes. A contract has been let for hauling out the Makaka stone and the work is in hand. Tar patching has been done on the Eltham Road and several roads have been blinded and water-tabled.

Eltham Riding.—Stone has been delivered to the far end of Wingrove Road and the bridge at the Mangamingi end of the road has been repaired. Shell rock was got out for Rawhitiroa Road and slips and water-tables were attended to on Tirimoana and Mangawhero Roads. Part of the road over the ridge was resurfaced. The far end of this riding was in the area damaged by the cloudburst.

In Reply to Cr. Messana the engineer said he intended giving some attention to the Palmer Road.

The chairman referred to the condition of the Anderson Road, and the engineer said he would inspect this and gee what work was necessary. The report was adopted. GENERAL. A circular was received from the Minister of Health (Hon C. J. Parr) emphasising the necessity for taking every precaution to exterminate rats. The chairman said that they had done everything they could. —Received. Mr. R. Watson, of Lower Stuart Road, wrote cleaiming the sum of £.3 15s from the council for injuries received and damage done to his motor cycle through his colliding with a horse belonging to the council, which was wandering on the road on the evening of January 1 1. He stated that as he was returning from Eltham a horse wandered on to the middle of the road, and in swerving to avoid it he collided with another horse which was on the road.— It was decided to pay the claim. The Lands and Survey Department wrote stating that the Education Board had no jurisdi'ctTori over section 27, block XII., which had been leased to the council since 1911, the school site being section 9of the same block. The engineer remarked that the .school had been built on the council’s section. It was decided, on the motion of Cr. McWilliam, to write to the Commissioner of Crown Lands stating that the council did not wish, in any way to interfere with the school but desired a readjustment of the sections. The chairman was voted an honorarium of £75 for the twelve months ending last November. Cr. McGuinness moved that a works committee should bo appointed consistrng of the chairman and Crs. Campbell. Messana and McGuinness to advise in the purchase of material and order of work in the various ridings, and to pay periodical visits to roads, depots, etc. Cr. McGuinness moved that a committee consisting of Crs. Belcher, Campbell and McGuinness should be appointed to consider the salaries of officers and councillors and report at the next meeting.