CLIFTON COUNTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 June 1922, Page 8

CLIFTON COUNTY.

MEETING OF THE COUNCIL. THE MONTH’S WORK. The monthly meeting of the Clifton County Council was held yesterday. Present: Councillors H. R. Pigott (chairman), T. McKenzie, H. A. Foreman, F. C. Jones, C. H. Barnitt, S. Sutton, and R. Maunsey. The engineer (Mr. C. F. Dowsett) reported for the month as follows: Tikorangi Riding.—On the Epiha road a side-track has been cut and chipped where necessary, and has given a measure of relief to those using the road. The usual maintenance and repairs have received attention. The newly-appointed toll-collector has entered upon his duties at the gate. Waihi Riding.—Owing to deepening the drains on the Ohanga road and collecting more water, it became necessary to put in a larger pipe on the Main road at Onaero. The roadman, when time permitted, has attended to the cutting of noxious weeds on the gravel reserve, and the usual maintenance and repair duties have been earried out. Ngatimaru Riding.—No sum has been placed on the county estimates for any metalling in this district, and should the ratepayers decide to thus improve their roads, there still remains a margin of time sufficient to make the application. No dew works are at present, in vogue. The usual jnam tenance work has received attention. W. Dowman will shortly attend to the low level and Evans’ bridges. Urenui Riding—The Kaipikari road metalling has been pushed ahead when the weather permitted, and the major portion of the road has been completed. The kerbing in the township has been attended to. The usual gravel supplies from the Okoke pit have been distributed where most required. The boulder supply contract is more than half completed, and attention has been given to Wai-iti, where the access road has been covered with shingle. At Pukearuhe the stone at the northern end has been obtained, and the breaking is also well ahead. The grader has been used in the same locality, also on Mr. Rowe’s road. Pipes have been sent forward for the latter. The Mangamaeho bridge plans and specifications have been forwarded to Stratford for approval, but have not yet been returned. The nietalling contracts on the Okoke and Piko roads were advanced a stage, but the weather again stopped progress. I do not anticipate any substantial advance until the summer. On the Mimi hill, opposite Mr. Phillips’ section, the boulder supply contract -will be commenced forthwith. Uruti Riding.—The widening near the 29-mile peg is metalled and completed. At the Uruti road wash-out the water has been put back into its original channel by a cut and induced to remain there by a dam. I am opposed by the majority of lay opinion on this matter, but regret I am unable to change my views, and I stand firm in my conviction that my action has been the correct one. Every inspection proves to me that if the water had not been shifted, further portions of the road would have scoured. I regret that my full instructions have not been carried out, for to perform only one half of the work jeopardises the success of the other half, and is detrimental to the whole scheme. The contractors for the supplies of shell rock are making satisfactory progress at the Uruti road pit. Mokau Riding—The council’s first and second selection of roadman for the Okau district both declined the engagement, and a man used to the outback conditions was suggested for the position. The Public Works Department, recommend improving the grade at the junction of the Main and Mangaonga roads, stating they can get the work done right away at a cost of £3O, to be borne by the council. The crusher plant should be housed for protection from the weather, as depreciation increases largely with neglect. MANGAMAEHO BRIDGE GRANT. The Public Works Department wrote stating that the council’s request for permission to be allowed to temporarily transfer £9OO from loan moneys held by the council, in anticipation of the raising of a new loan, to include the Mangamaeho Bridge work, would be an irregular procedure. After careful consideration, the department had agreed to issue a Government contribution towards the cost of this work as a free grant, provided that the council gave a written undertaking to find the balance of whatever sum by which the cost of the bridge exceeds the amount of the Government contribution of £9OO. The council agreed to give the required undertaking. GENERAL MATTERS.

Percy Darke asked the council to do something to improve the Okoke Road. He understood the council considered that there was an arrangement by which Darke was to maintain the road, but this was not the case Wandering stock caused a great nuisance on the road. W. H. Gibson endorsed the complaints regarding wandering stock.—The chairman said the owners of wandering stock had been notified, and it was decided to inform Mr. Darke that the council would do what it could to help him with Okoke Road. The Inglewood County Council wrote stating that a committee of that council had been set up to go into the matter of the adjustment of accounts as a result of the Pufangi merger. With certain particulars forwarded, an agreement could be arrived at without a meeting.—Particulars to be forwarded.

D. S. Musker and A. R. Alpe forwarded a copy of a petition to the Minister of Public Works asking for a loan for metalling work on the Upper Uriti and Tangitu roads.—On the motion of Councillor Barnitt, it was decided to support the petition. R. B. Townely asked the council to do certain work on the Mangaonga Road, Ohititi, at a cost of approximately £3o. It was decided to inform the applicant that the council could not grant this expenditure on that portion of the road, except where urgently required.

On the motion of the chairman, it was decided to inform the metalling contractors on the Kaipikari road that all metalling with heavy motor lorries must cease until further notice, in view of the damage being done to the road by heavy carting.

On the motion of Councillor Maunsey, the engineer was instructed to prepare estimates for the metalling of the MatauKione Road, the estimate to be submitted to the next meeting of the Matau Ratepayers’ Association.

The secretary of the Taranaki Hospital Board advised that the Clifton County’s liability to the board before March 20, 1923, was £1157 10s, or £96 9s 2d per month.