INGLEWOOD COUNTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 September 1922, Page 7

INGLEWOOD COUNTY.

MEETING OF THE COUNCIL. THE MONTH’S WORK. The monthly meeting of the Inglewood County Council was held yesterday. Present: Crs. A. Corklll (chairman), G. Capper, R. Stewart, J. Hunter, E. A. Laurence, H. Jones, A. E. Cowley, J. M. Hair, and J. Grieve. In his monthly summary of the council's work, the chairman stated, inter alia: Maketawa Crushing Depot, Junction Road East.—Four hundred and ten cubic yards of metal and 55 of screenings have been crushed at this depot. Swanston’s flat has been recoated and a fen of the worst places between there and the Manganui have been repaired and a little metaJi has been dumped at the depot. A contract for supply of 1000 cdbic yards of boulders at this depot was let to Thomason last summer. He has reported several times the-boulders..had been delivered.- Hovertar, the tally from the crusher is a total of 692: cubic yards, or 308 cubic yards short. Contractors usually deliver 10 per cent. more. This would make a shortage of 408 cubic yardk There ia -a great deal of trouble and expense *n getting the plant to this depot, on account of the old wodoen bridges on the Junction Road, and does not warrant sending the plant there to crush small quantities of boulders. Most of this metal was carted five and a half miles. The cost works out at 15/5 per cubic yard landed on the road, and rolled. If the full tally of 1100 cubic yards had been crushed, the whole work could have been done at approximately 12s per cubic yard. Egmont Road.—This road, from Kalmiro to the mountain gate, is now the worst piece of metalled road in the county; it is worn out. This four miles of road carries the whole of the tourist traffic to and from the North Taranaki Mountain House. The Government gives annually £lOO towards the cost of maintenance of the Egmont Road, which is very acceptable, but it is hardly fair to ask the settlers to maintain a road for tourist traffic. However, I think that we should do our best to keep the road in good repair, and at the same time endeavour to get further assistance. The proposed Main Roads Bill might relieve the situation. There is about 3350 cubic yards of boulders at Kaimiro, but it would be wasteful to send the plant there for anything less than 1000 cubic yards. The further work of the council was covered in detail. THE HIGHWAYS BILL. Mr. R. Masters, M.P., wrote asking the council to give its opinions of the Main Highways Bill, in view of its early presentation to the House. It would be helpful to him to know the views of the county councils when the Bill came before the House. The chairman said they would hammer away at a main roads policy for years without making It perfect, but he was in favor of some sort of highway policy being put on the Statutes. They could improve it as they went along. He believed they would eventually have national highways defined throughout the country. Cr. Capper: To the detriment of the railways. The chairman said he did not think Inglewood had any special grievance to air. It was decided to inform Mr. Masters that the questions submitted by Mr. O. J. Hawken, M.P., to the Counties’ Conference, and adopted, covered the counties’ opinions on the proposed Bill, as far as present information allowed. ANTECEDENT LIABILITY. A memorandum submitted jo the council by the clerk stated that the council’s requirements for the extinguishment of its antecedent liability approximated £5OOO. Various offers of loans for the purpose were detailed, with interest payable, etc., and the memorandum concluded: "It is obvious, however, that while waiting for the rate to come down to the low<-»-figures, heavier interest is being paid on th-’ overdraft.’’ The clerk explained that an offer to raise a loan by the Bank of New Zealand was as cheap a proposition as they could expect, even if the rate came down to 5 per cent within, say, 12 months, on account of the necessity of paying heavy charges on the overdraft in the meantime. Information had been received from the Prime Minister that there was a strong possibility of the rate being reduced in three months’ time.

The opinion was expressed that there was small probability of the rate being reduced to 5 per cent, in the near future, and after further discussion it was decided to accept the Bank of New Zealand’s offer of a loan at Griper cent., to be reduced by 10 annual instalments, interest payable on the reducing balance each year, the commission being 1 net cent. The total payment to settle the liability of £5OOO will be £0837. THE CHAIN BRIDGE. With reference to the Chain Bridge, on the Junction Road, the consulting engineer reported as follows: As instructed, I inspected this work, on the Junction Road, with the result that I endorse the Taranaki County’s proposals as far as they go. and And, upon enquiry, that the prices for the work are average current costs. I enlarged somewhat the scope of my inspection and found that two «-f the main braces are visibly impaired at their seating, and that two others are proceeding the same way, and that all require early attention. In addition, some straining blocks, fillers and other members require some attention. It is possible, when the new decking is put down, to get another foot of width, the present width, 10 ft. 3 in., between guards, being little enough for the class of traffic using the road. One new king post is required and one truss is quite out of alignment. I should like to make a further inspection when the decks are stripped, in company with the Taranarki bridge foreman, with a view of making suggestions for the preservation of the bridge. —The engineer was instructed to make a further inspection of the bridge. DERBY ROAD BRIDGE. A petition signed by eight settiers, requesting the council to take the necessary steps for the raising of a loan of £312 10s for the purpose of re-erccting a concrete bridge over the Waipuku stream, on the Derby Road, was received. The clerk replied that a sufficient number of signatures had not been obtained. The settlers further wrote stating that only two more si' natures had been secured. The council then suggested that if the settlers provided a reasonable amount of free labor a small bridge could be erected on the Inglewood side of the boundary at a small cost. The settlers replied that it was thought the small bridge would stand for two years with decking repairs. It was pointed’ out that one more signature was required. It was decided to inform the settlers that the council could do nothing until the required number of signatures was received. AUTAWA AND PITA ROADS. The consulting engineer reported as follows, with reference to the Autawa and Pita Roads: "I interviewed Mr. Cameron and explained the council’s attitude in respect of taking over the second and third miles of this work and also communicated with the resident engineer. The present position is that the second mile, and 20 chains of the third mile, making 100 chains in all, are completed, and have been inspected by the resident engineer, and I see no outstanding reason why this should not be taken over. The department’s contribution towards the half of the cost of £1591 16s 6d would be £797 8s 3d, of which £664 8s 6d has been paid, leaving a deficiency of £132 19s 9d, which, I understand, will not be forthcoming until the new estimates are authorised. I would recommend, therefore, that, provided no carting of gravel, sand, stone, earth, etc., in connection with this contract is permitted over the portion as taken over, the contractors could be relieved of its maintenance and that they could be paid the sum of, say, £ 175, to rank against the general expenses of the contract.” The report was adopted. CORRESPONDENCE. In reply to the council's correspondence with regard to a loan for the settlement of accounts between the Inglewood and Taranaki councils, the Government Insurance Department wrote stating that the half-yearly instalment on a loan of £2450 under a 20 years’ instalment table would be £lO5 19s 3d. Mr. R. Masters, M.P., telegraphed that the department was quite agreeable to the council taking up the loan for 20 years.—Mr. Masters was accorded a vote of thanks for his help in obtaining the loan. Mr. R. Masters, M.P., wrote stating that the Minister had decided to authorise the expenditure of £275 on the Mangaoraka Bridge, on

the basis of £1 to £2 subsidy. This would enable the council to proceed with the work forthwith.—The chairman said he expected to get £1 for £l. and Cr. Capper remarked: "We are not doing badly.” It was decided to mention this work in the vote of thanks to Mr. Masters. The State Advances Office notified the precedent consent of the Governor-General had heen obtained to the raising of the following loans: Kaipi Road, £550: Norfolk Road East. £250; Otaroa Road, £1500; Hursthouse Road. £5OO.