EGMONT COUNTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 May 1922, Page 8

EGMONT COUNTY.

* A SPECIAL MEETING, Js? c , ANTECEDENT LIABILITY, A special meeting of the Egmont County Council was held at Opunake yesterday. Present: Councillors 8. Campbell (chairman), C. A. Trotter, R. Ferguson, J. S. Tosland, M. O'Brien, R. C. Watson, W. C. Green, A. F. Chapman, and P. Brophy. The question of the antecedent liability was discussed. The circular letter from the Pahiatua County Council, urging that local bodies should combine and ask the Government to raise a loan on the London market, was briefly discussed, and on the motion of Councillors Tosland and O’Brien, It was resolved to support the resolution. The question of making arrangements to pay off the council’s antecedent liability was then discussed, and it was resolved to defer this till the next ordinary meeting of the council. WIREMU ROAD. The overseer reported that, with Councillor O’Brien he had Inspected the Wiremu Road, between the Arawhata and Kina Roads. Works required consisted of a suitable crossing at the Heimama River, at an estimated cost of £165, also side-draining, redecking and repairing culverts, filling in over swamps, cleaning out existing drains, etc. This comprised a distance of approximately 120 chains back from the junction with the 'Kina Road, and would cost approximately £35. Councillor O’Brien strongly advocated the latter portion of the work being done. Councillor Chapman did not consider that, in view of the state of the county finances they could expend money on roads that were not county roads. Councillor O’Brien pleaded for sympathy on i behalf of the bush settlers. The council, he j said, was not willing to expend money on this i road, to give settlers access, but it would j take rates from those settlers to place on the , main roads. He moved that the overseer be i authorised'to expend up to £35 as suggested, ' but the motion lapsed for want of a seconder, j OAOITI BRIDGE. The overseer (Mr. lan W. Campbell) submitted a special report on the bridge over the Oaoiti Creek, by the Oaonui factory, which, he stated, was in a very dangerous condition. As the bridge was on the main road and carrying heavy traffic, he asked that it should be treated as urgent. He detailed the work necessary to make the bridge temporarily safe, and stated that a new concrete bridge could be built without the necessity of erecting a temporary bridge. The chairman moved that steps should be taken to repair the bridge at once. This was seconded by Councillor Ferguson. Councillor Green asked whether repair work could be charged against the loan account, and the clerk replied that maintenance work could not. Councillor Tosland moved -that another bridge gang be put on to erect a new bridge as soon as possible, but Councillor Green did not favor the appointment of another bridge foreman. As the overseer stated that the bridge would stand another couple of years, unless there was excessive overloading, it was resolved, on the motion of Councillor Tosland and seconded by the chairman, that a couple of extra men be employed in the present bridge gang, so as to expedite the work now in hand, and that the Oaoiti bridge be placed next in order of preference, the overseer to have any necessary preliminary work carried out. GOVERNMENT GRANTS. Councillor O’Brien moved and Councillor Tosland seconded that application be made for grants totalling £8260 on the Wirenui Road, viz., £l2O for the ‘‘canal,” and £l4O for an arched culvert over the Heimama Stream on the Ihara-Arawhata Road section; £2OOO (renewed application) and £4OOO for Waiau bridge on the Ihaira-Arawhata Road section; also £2OOO (renewed application) on the Ara-whata-Ngariki section. The two first items are to be considered as most urgent. The chairman pointed out that this amounted to £8260, and he considered that it would be advisable to confine the application to what was absolutely essential instead of such a large amount. Councillor O’Brien considered that if the Government could not supply the needs of the country as voiced by the people and the county councils, it was time they gave way to some one that would. He was not antagonistic to the Government, but held that it was absolutely essential, in the interests of the people of the backblocks of the county, that the road should be put through. He pointed out that if was advisable to ask for what was required. The resolution was carried. Regarding the Okahu Road (Ngarikl-Newall Road), there is already £4OO on the estimates.