EGMONT COUNTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 May 1922, Page 7

EGMONT COUNTY.

THE PAST MONTH’S WORK. MEETING OF THE COUNCIL. The Egmont County Council met at Opunake yesterday. Present: Crs. S. Campbell (chairman), C. A. Trotter, R. Ferguson, A. F. Chapman, W. C. Green, J. S. Tosland, M. O’Brien, R. C. Watson and P. Brophy. OVERSEER’S REPORT. The overseer (Mr. I. W. Campbell) reported that as per instructions he had had the county teams and men on the work asked for by Mr. Kitchingman on the Upper Kahui Road, draining, forming and repairing metal, cutting outlets for culverts, etc., but nothing of any permanent good could be done without a proper supply of good metal. He had arranged that the metalling on Main South Road, south of the Ouri Bridge, should be 16 feet wide, with a suitable surface and canber for tar-sealing. Screenings would be available for top-dressing. The plant was now finished at Opua Road, and as the 200 yards for Arawhata Road have not been delivered, he was sending the outfit to Oeo riding. The drains on Ihaia Road at Mr. D. D. O’Sullivan’s property were practically completed and chains had been cleaned out opposite Mr. M. Hickey’s property. J. M. Hickey’s drains would be done as soon as possible. Tenders had been called for work on Lower Pungarehu Road, giving access to Mr. Greenway, and also for work on the Tauru Road.

Oeo Riding (Northern). —Metal patching and general maintenance work has been carried out between Nopera and W’atino Roads, and pn Skeet Road.

Oeo Riding (Southern). —On the Main South Road metal patching and clay blinding had been done during the month. All the available metal in this riding had been used up. A supply was urgently required for use during the winter. The timber bridge on this road had beeh completed—approaches filled in and metalled. A start had been made on the concrete bridge. He was instructed to replace the wooden bridge near Cr. Watson's place on the Kiri Road with a concrete bridge. The site of the present bridge was a very awkward one. The river was encroaching within, three feet of the metal at a point about chains on the northern side, and it was only a question of time till the river will break through the road, cutting the bridge site out. He suggested diverting the stream at the dangerous point, taking it straight across through a concrete culvert, and removing and filling in the present bridge. A start had been made on the metalling of the Watino Road. Metalpatching had also been done on Watino Road. Opua Riding.—The metalling on the Waiteaka Road was completed during the month. The crushing plant had been set up at Punehu bridge, working on the boulders for Watino Road. The men had been working at general maintenance work on Main South and Eltham Roads, clearing water-tables, culverts and patching metal, cleaning drains, etc. Opua Road: The crushing had been completed on the Opua Road. Four chains on the lower portion of the road, thirteen chains between Cross and Feaver’s, had been metalled and water-aealed. The balance had been deposited between Feaver’s and McNeill's in order to scarify and reface the worst places. Patching had been carried out between McNeill’s and the dairy factory. Munro’s contract on the Arawhata Road was completed early in the month.

Rahotu Riding (Southern).—The riding foreman and three men had been engaged for seven days at general maintenance work on the Main South Road, clay-blinding and patching metal, etc. On the Opourapa Road for six days repairing and patching with pit metal, also water-tabling, clearing drains, culverts, etc., on the Upper portion of the Kina Road, and two days on the lower portion of the Upper Kabul Road.

Rahotu Riding (Northern). —Two men had been employed for nineteen days patching metal, clearing water-tables, drains, etc., on the Main South Road; also one day each on Carrington, Warea and Ruakere Roads.

General.—He asked Instructions in regard to drains through private property, leading from road boundary. Several of these would require to be deepened to allow a fall from the culverts on the Main South Road; also as to width of the formation in the proposed tar-sealing on the Main South Road, Eltham. Skeet and Patiki Roads, to complete the estimate. Such portions of the Main South Road on which work was being done he was having made 16 feet wide. As the crushing for the season was nearing a finish he suggested starting as soon as possible on an overhaul of engines, crushers, etc. The whole plant was more or less in need of attention. The steel and wooden bridges in the county should be painted, especially the bridge across the Waiaua River, which is scaling badly with the salt air, etc.

ANTECEDENT LIABILITIES. The Pahiatua County Council asked support to a resolution requesting the Government to apportion a part of the loan being raised on the London market for payment of local bodies' antecedent liabilities.

The council decided to support the resolution.

Tho chairman stated that they were arranging with their bank.

Cr. Green held that the bank would charge 7 per cent., which was far too high. Cr. Tosland said that he favored the council paying off their overdraft, but as the Government had compelled them to do so, the Government should find the money. The Government should be able to lend them the money at 5% per cent., and make a profit, especial)}’ as they had £10,060,000 applied for the recent loan.

Later, a circular was, received from a firm in connection with financing the payment of the antecedent liability.

Cr. O’Brien thought the position was due to the action of the banks, who had formed a pool with the object of making money scarce and so enabling them to raise the interest. He could not speak in too strong terms of their action.

Cr. Tosland considered that they had better hold the matter over for a few months, when better terms might be obtained. After further discussion the matter was deferred to a future meeting. SOLDIER SETTLERS. J. V. Sullivan, secretary of the Parihaka returned soldiers, wrote stating that the returned soldiers would like to meet some of the councillors to discuss the matter of metalling. It was resolved, on the/ motion of Crs. Tosland. and O’Brien, that the chairman, with the riding members, the engineer and the clerk should meet the settlers and discuss the position.—lt was decided to meet the settlers on May 25 at Parihaka, at 10.30 a.-m. Cr. Brophy said that the settlers understood the council had a grant of £4BOO for metalling these roads. They did not want the county to take over the roads until the Government had metalled them. He considered that it was shameful the way in which the Government had placed the settlers there without roads. GENERAL. C. L. Billing (Rahotu) asked that work should be done on the Gregory Road (Rahotu), as it was In. a bad state. He offered to do the work at half the cost estimated. The road was used as the cattle track through the township, and he considered it should receive special attention. —The engineer i*» to estimate the cost of the drains, which will be carried out on the terms suggested The engineer will report on the otter work necessary. T. M. Ball (resident engineer), notified that the Public Works Department had no jurisdiction regarding cattle droving on ths Okahu (Ngarikl-Newall Road), as the road was a county road, and the council had full power to deal with such unattem.—The clerk stated that the only portion of the road that had been gazetted a county road was tr.at piece between the Newall and Ngarlki Road. It was resolved to reply to this effect. H. N. Chapman, J. A. Meier, C. Sole, G. T. Chapman and VV. Leun, settlers on the Stent Road, \Var®». drew attention to the state of the lower end of the road, and stated thivt there is no maintenance metal available. They suggested that SOO yards of boulder stone should be got out. so that Jt could be crushed as soon as possible. The', also asked that two culverts at the upper end of the road be dbne away with.—Referred to the overseer to report at next meeting. Messrs. Roy, Nicholson, and Bennett forwarded judgment in the case of Snelling r.nd Andrews v. the Egmont County Council and

C. B. Pease, giving judgment against the council for £46 6s 3d, as against £95 8s 6d claimed. The action of the chairman in not appealing was approved

Messrs. E. O’Callaghan (Opunake), Des Forges and Son (Opunake), Parau Taanihana (Opunake), and Momma Tamihana (RaXotu), applied for renewal of billiard-room licenses. —-Granted

The secretary of the Taranaki Hospital Board forwarded notice of the board's intention to strike a levy of 2s 9d In the £lOO on all contributory local authorities.

J. Hunter, secretary of the Rahotu Hall, asked that the culvert in front of the kail should be repaired, offering to pay half the cost.—Granted. The crossing at the Rahotu DOSit. office will also be attended to.

S. T. Cox, Kaweora Road, wrote stating he understood that until the road was fenced <n. both sides the council would not let the contracts for the drains, and te suggested that the council give three months’ notice to three settlers to remove their fences frem octqss th«« road.—Notice to be given.

Notice was received from the State Advances Department that as the work on the Ruakere Road was now being put in hand, n, reasonable extension of time would be allowed for lifting the loan money, £650.-r-T<» be applied for. It was also resolved to apply for the grants on the Kahui and Capo road*.

Tte necessary resolution was passed appointing the overseer an inspector, under the Taranaki counties joint by-laws. The Ihaia Road settlers forwarded a list of properties which it was proposed to constitute as the rating area for the Ihaia Road special loan.— Steps will be taken io raise the loan.

Tenders were accepted as follows: Formation of Ift chains on Pungarehu Road, P. C Smith, £2B 10s; formaSion of 20 chains on Taura Road, Whafff Rang! and F. Kabul. £J? 10s.