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INGLEWOOD COUNTY.

MONTHLY MEETING OF COUNCIL. THE ENGINEER’S BEPOBT. The Inglewood County Council met Testerday. Present: Mr. A. Corklll (chairman), and Crs. J. Hunter, R. Stewart, G. Capper, -V Grieves, A. E. Laurence, and H. .Tones. The engineer (Mr. C. Dowsett) reported that the work on the Norfolk Road drains, etc., was proceeding satisfactorily. The bush clearing was practically completed, the new drains cut, with the exception of boulders on the floor, and a number of chains of formation were already in use. The Mangaone. filling and tunnel wad at last completed, and complies generally with the oimenslons and requirements shown on the plans and specifications. The contractors for the Richmond Road metalling had commenced quarrying in Mr. Crowe’s pit and had a number of yards ready for removal. Arrangements were made to employ the permanent man in this district, and owing to .the responsibility of the work and the distance from, his home, it was decided to offer him 14s’ per day during the spreading. Tn connection with the Autawa Road metalling, the- resident engineer had notified him that the amount recommended on the estimates amounted to £2115. The contractors were Informed that provided the weather was good and the road in a fit condition to cart they could proceed with their work. The plans of the reinforced concrete bridge over the Mangarakau river submitted were returned with a suggestion that a mass arch be constructed. This Idea was acted upon and fresh plans submitted for approval. An appointment was made by post for a joint inspection of the Chain bridge, Lepper Road, with the two counties, but unfortunately the Taranaki representative was away on other business, and a further appointment has been suggested. Mountain Road: Further proposals, amounting to £3OO, had been applied for in connection with work on the Mountain Road. The chairman pointed out that the work on the Norfolk Road could not be carried on until more money was available, as the council must not over-expend. A resolution to this effect was carried. Cr. Capper declared that the bridges on the Junction Road were in a dilapidated condition, particularly the Manganui bridge. He considered the engineer should be asked to report on the advisability of erecting a concrete pier under the centre of the bridge. The chairman said the council could net undertake the work this year. Two or three years ago he endeavored to obtain a loan for bridge construction, but the proposal was turned down, and the money was probably not now available. Cr. Capper moved that the engineer report on the state of the bridge at next meeting.— Carried. The report was then adopted. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. The chairman reported that the permanent surfacemen had been employed a good deal of their time working with the crusher and grader. Drains had been cleaned on the Tariki, Mana, Bedford and Norfolk West roads. At the Manganui depot, Bristol Road, 750 cubic yards of boulders had been crushed, laid and rolled on Bristol Road East at a cost of 10s lOd per cubic yard finished road. This completed both Old's and Lyon’s contracts. Mr. Kerrlsk had now completed his earthwork contract on the Kohete Road. On the 13th the grader had made a start on the Norfolk Road, and was again doing very satisfactory work. In all 1686 chains had been dealt with on the Norfolk West, Norfolk East, Johns, Rugby, Mountain. Surrey. Salisbury, Mangatea, Tariki, Ratapiko and Kaiimata South roads at a cost of Is 6%d per chain. As soon as Kaimnta and Bristol West roads were finished the engine and both dumps would be stripped for Government inspection. The two crushers would then be overhauled in readiness for this season’s crushing. Mana P.oad would be the first job. The roller and scarifier had put In a few days on the Mountain Road North, doing good work. The road, though rather rutty, had a faff amount of metal, and the roller could be used to advantage when not otherwise engaged. The roller had been inspected and found in good order by the Government machinery expert. Mrs. Rangltaniwha should be notified to clean out drains on her property, which were backing the flood water on the meta! on Tariki Road.

Their order for 200 barrels of bitumen had come to hand. Thirtv barrels had been sent to the Mountain Road depot. 132 barrels to the Junction Road, and 38 barrels to the Wafongona Road. The tanks were set up at Maketawa depot in readiness for a start as soon fis satisfactory arrangements for the sunplv of shingle or chips could be made. Mr. S’ritrop was free now td supervise the work, and a start would be made nt an early date. A little maintenance metal nn the Hursthouse Road had been carted out. but was too coarse and imust be napped down to the council's standard before ant’ more was carted out. Cr. Hunter and he had inspected the Waitui nit metal. They had condemned it and refused to take, delivery, as it was not broken <Sown to the size specified. With Cr. Cowley he had, inspected the Mana Road metalling There was 8% chains unmetallpfi between the Raiapiko Road and the present metal. Sufficient metal had been hand napped in the Tariki Road nit to comp'pte this, and would be carted out in a few’ days, provided t) le rO ad was dry enough. Tenders had been called for the supply of maintenance metal for the Past riding. T'mber. etc., had been sent out for repairing Hair’s bridge, on the Ratapiko Road, and timber had been sent to the Makino stream bridge, Makara Road. The benzine store was now completed at a cost of £77 IBs 6d, and it would serve their requirements for all tli/re. The consulting engineer should now be instructed to prepare plans and specifications for all works where the loans were in order with a view to pushing on with the formation work in readiness for the metal. The settlers on these roads were all dairying, and they we.-e anxious to have the work done before another winter. As there was very little metal on portions of the Junction Road East he thought it would be a mistake to send the scarifier there. It would be better to wait till next year, when they would he in g position to get out sufficient boulders to make a permanent joh of several miles.

The engineer was instructed to prepare plans. °tc., for work on the roads mentioned. Cr. Hmter stated that he had later been able to arrange with the contractor to take the stone, as the roller driver did not wish to leave the district completing the work, and he was assured that men were available to hand nap the metal. The chairman stated that it was Impossible for the only available man to nap the metal. He. had given instructions after inspecting the metal with Cr. Hunter, and these instructions should have been carried out. The council had laid down a policy that the metal must not be mote than 2% inches, and he was determined to carry out that policy. If the council were not satisfied they could put some one else in his position. Cr. Hunter said that a good deal of the metal did not require re-breaking. The report was adopted. The matter again cropped up when the accounts were being passed. Cr. Hunter moved that the account be passed, but the chairman stated that he could not agree to that, as the metal was not up to specifications. He was only prepared to pay what it was worth. Finally a committee consisting of Crs. Capper, Jones and Laurence was set up to inspect, with powet to act. A SETTLER’S COMPLAINT. A. L. Long, a soldier settler at Tariki, complained of damage done by men in the employ of the Inglewood County Council to his property. He stated that as a result of setting fire to the rushes ten acres of rough feed was burnt and would require re-sowing, whilst 40 posts and two inera on the road fence had been destroyed. Cr. Cowley stated that he had visited the locality and that damage had been done by fires; He did not think the grass had been damaged much, but the fence had been destroyed. The matter was left in the hands of the chairman and Cr. Cowley. GRANTS AND LOANS. The State Advances Department notified that the precedent consent of the Governor-General-

in-council had been received y connection with the Norfolk Road West loan vy £6OO, and the adjustment loan of £2400.

Mr. R. Masters, M.P., forwarded a. copy of a letter from the Minister of Public Works in regard to the expenditure of certain subsidies, and added that he had no doubt the council would take up the two mentioned as early as possible. The Minister’s letter approved of the expenditure of the subsidy of £3OO on the Kohete Road, for which the council was asked to submit proposals. He also agreed to authorise the expenditure of £l5O (£ for £) on the Bristol Road. He regretted that he could not favorably consider applications for the expenditure of grants for the Motukawa Road, Mountain Road, Norfolk Road, and for the Bedford Road bridges. The clerk stated that the engineer had submitted fresh proposals regarding the Mountain Road to the district engineer.

It was resolved that the work be held in abeyance until grants are approved. Mr. A. T. Keiirick (manager of the Bank of New Zealand at. Inglewood) notified that his head office could place a Joan of £5OOO for the council’s antecedent liability account at 6% Per cent, for a term of ten years, one debenture of £5OO to mature each year. SPECIAL ORDERS. A special meeting of the council was held, when special orders were confirmed in connection with the loans for the Otaoroa, Hursthouse, Kaipi, and Norfolk Road East special loans. The council also passed a resolution striking rates to cover interest, etc., on the loans as follows: —6d in the £ on the Otaoroa Road, 1 82-100 d Hurstfypuse Road, 2%d Kaipi Road, and 18-10 d Norfolk Road East. The chairman considered that the rate on the Otaoroa Road was very heavy and that It would be advisable to defer the preparation of the plans, etc., until it was ascertained if the nine settlers interested were prepared to go on with the loan at that rate. DECLARATION OF MAIN ROADS. The chairman then moved, in accordance with notice of motion, that the special order passed in July, 1920, declaring certain roads main roads be revoked.—Carried. He then moved that a special order be made, declaring the following roads main roads Mountain Road, from north boundary to south boundary; Junction Road, from east boundary l to west . boundary; Egmont Road, from the Junction Road to Mt. Egmont reserve; and Lepper Road from Junction Road to Kaimlro. The chairman explained that the object in making the alteration was to bring the ridings down to a more equitable basis o’ working. If the resolution was carried each riding could be run separately and riding members could strike a rate that they estimated would suit the requirements of that riding. This would make riding members more directly responsible to their ratepayers. JTe pointed out that in 1921-22 £4lBO had been allocated to the main roads. The north riding had £ll 14s left per mile to maintain its by-roads, the east riding £6 ss, south £2O and west £9 2s 6d. As, however, they overspent the main road allocation by £l9OO, owing to the main road being in such bad order when they became a county, the by-roads could only have about two-thirds of that amount per mile. In 1922-23 £3OOO was allocated to the main* roads, leaving £25 9s per mile for the 28 miles of by-roads In the north riding, £l5 14s for the 15% miles of th? east riding, £4O 8s per mile, for the 28% miles of the south riding, and £2l 7s per mile for the 50% miles of the west riding. This included all roads, both metalled and unmetalled, actually In use. With his amendment the north riding would have 32 miles and £22 6s 6d per mile to maintain them. There would be no alteration in the east rid- ■ ing. The south riding would have 40 miles : and £2B per mile to maintain them, and the west riding with 54 miles would have £lB 2s. i If the Lepper Road was a main road, there ' would be 50% miles and £2l 7s per mile. This provided for the main roads getting the same allocation, but as they improved the al- | location could be reduced, and this would improve the position of the by-roads. Tn reply to Cr. Jones, the chairman stated that at the present time there were 62 miles of main road in the county, but his proposed an idment would reduce the main roads to 45 miles. The west riding even then would be worse off, as It contained all small holdings and naturally had heavy traffic. The chairman finally moved the motion.

Cr. Hunter seconded pro forma. He considered the proposals would be a great hardship to the people in the south and north ridings. Dairying was the only payable proposition at present and there was land in both these ridings that would have to be cut up into smaller areas, necessitating additional mileage of roads. In the west riding there was no prospect of further subdivision, as it was all small holdings and no further roads would be necessary. In the south riding there were existing roads that required opening up. The Lepper Road and Egmont. Road, if declared main roads, would he kept up at the expense of all the ridings, and the west riding would then obtain thff benefit, even admitting that half the traffic was tourist traffic. The chairman pnlned out that the main roads were maintained by the whole county and the west riding would have to- pay its share on a valuation basis.

Cr. Hunter did not see why the Tariki, Ratapiko. Kaimata South, Bristol and Wortley Roads should be left out. and the Lepper and Egmont Roads included. He pointed out that it had always been argued that the Wortley, Rlchffiond and York Roads contributed heavily to the Taranaki county, and got no benefit, and the same argument should apply to-day.

A petition signed by Jas. Tuck and several ratepayers on the Lincoln Road asked the council to defer the matter.

Cr. Jones favored cutting out all other roads and merely declaring the Mountain and Junction Roads main roads. He considered the Government should contribute more than half the maintenance of the Egmont Road, which was used by very few county ratepayers.

Cr. Cowley did not favor the Egmont Road being included ns n main road. The New Plymouth tourist traffic was using that road more than the ratepayers. He would favor the Lepper Road being declared a main road. Cr. Stewart said that had the proposal been brought forward when the county was mooted it would have been adopted, but now that some ridings had had more than they were entitled to they were not inclined to give it up. He thought it was only fair that they should start off on some fair and equitable basis, and the mileage basis seemed the best. Cr. Capper did not favor the Idea of cutting the Tariki Road out. It was n long road with many by-roads, taking a great deal of maintenance. Possibly, however, it might be better to declare only the Junction and Mountain Ronds main roads. Cr. Lawrence also favored the Egmont Rond as far as the Lepper Road junction being cut out. Cr. Grieve favored declaring the Mountain and Junction Roads as main roads. Cr. Jones would support the motion if either the Egmont or Lepper Roads were cut out. The county should maintain one road to the mountain. The chairman said that if this proposal were not adopted some other scheme would have to be found, as the west riding would be unable to maintain the Lepper and Egmont roads, which would have to carry a lot of tourist traffic during the summer. At present Lepper Road settlers were paying 5/- per acre special rates for the metalling of that road. The west riding, he said, was still £7 worse off per mile. Cr. Jones said the matter could be overcome by each riding having n different rate. He then moxed, ■ as an amendment, that the Egmont Road from the Junction Road to Kaimiro be deleted and the Lepper Road from Junction Road to Kaimairo be substitute! This was seconded by Cr. Cowley and carried. Cr. Hunter then moved, hr a further amendment, that the Yortley Road from the borough boundary to the Lincoln Road be included as a main road, but this lapsed for want of a seconder. GENERAL. F. A. Roeshy was granted permission to erect a private telephone lino on the Kaimata Road North. It was resolved to inform the Taranaki Circular Road Race Committee that the council has no objection to the road hoi ng used for the race on October 14. The statement of expenditure Hiowed that £2876 10s 3d had been expended o« the main roads, leaving £123 9s 9d available. In the ridings, the position was: North, £6l? 4s 7d expended. £lOl 5s lOd available; south, -366 15s lOd expended, £764 8s lid available; eaet. £5B 10s 7d expended, £192 15s lOd availablewest, £255 18s 3d expended, £122 10s availThe Treasury forwarded voucher for subsidy on rates (£480), which had been paid to the county's account. ' H. C. Andersen wrote offering to crush, cart

out. and place, on Mana Road the shellrock nowbeing delivered, at 5/- per yard, the council to supply plant and driver.-—Accepted. Messrs. Clifford Bros, and Cameron, of Tarata, contractors for metalling the AutawaPlta Road, notified that a bridge on the Pita Road was unsafe for heavy traffic, and as they proposed recommencing carting shortly, they asked the council to have the matter attended to.—Left to the engineer. T. Clarke, surfaceman at Tarata, wrote resigning his position.—Accepted. Mr, R. Masters, M.P., notified that, in response to his representations, provision was now’ being made in the Bill now being brought before Parliament, in reference to the control of the Egmont National Park, for the council to receive representation to the extent of one member.—lt was resolved to forward Mr. Masters a letter of thanks.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19221004.2.67

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Taranaki Daily News, 4 October 1922, Page 7

Word count
Tapeke kupu
3,096

INGLEWOOD COUNTY. Taranaki Daily News, 4 October 1922, Page 7

INGLEWOOD COUNTY. Taranaki Daily News, 4 October 1922, Page 7

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