EGMONT COUNTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 October 1922, Page 7

EGMONT COUNTY.

Oeo Riding (Northern). —The work in connection with bridge 33 had been completed. This completed the work in connection with No. 3 bridge loan. .Metal patching and general repairs were done on the Eltham, Watino, Stratford-Opunake, Wiremu, Patlki and Oeo roads.

Oeo Riding (Southern) .-- The temporary repairs on the Taungatara timber bridge had been completed. On the Main South Road water-tabling uad metal patching had been

done on Oeo hill, and blinding done frqm Lamble’s comer to Puketapu hill. On the Watino Road 1% miles of water-tables had been cleared and new ones cut where required, Work was also done on the Fatiki Road.

Opua Riding (Southern). —The portion of the Main South Road had been scarified and refaced between the Farmers’ Baleyards and the Waiaua bridge; also 5 days were spent scarifying and relaying Eltham Road. Maintenance work had been done on Lower Waitefka Road. The riding staff and county team were also engaged for two days crushing metal for the floor of the plant shed. Opua Riding (Northern). —Scarifying, blinding and| refaclng the Main South Road, between' the Town Board boundary and the Opunake dairy factory,, a distance of 80 chains approximately, had been carried out. Work had also been done in the shed making and stripping concrete pipes; on Opua Road repairing bridge and patching metal, cleaning out drain and putting in culvert; on Namu Road repairing decking of bridge.

Rahotu Riding (Southern).—-Metal patching and general maintenance work had been done on the Upper Kina, Ngarikl and Upper Kahui roads, and also in Rahotu township. Clay blinding was carried out on the Main South Road; also repairs to culverts, clearing drains, cutting gorse, etc. The scarifying plant started work on Main South Road on September 28, and 25 chains of road were done during the month. This had been scarified, faced up with new metal, water-sealed, blinded and rolled. The portion between Oaonui school and the store turned out to be badly worn. This was faced up with 8 yards to the chain. The rest was being done with what metal it required to make a strong job. He had inspected the work in connection with the soldiers’ memorial at Rahotu in company with one of the committee. They agreed to wait till the contractor had got further on with the I work before setting out the council’s part. He had arranged for a man to attend to the upper end of Kahul Road and other roads. Rahotu Riding (Northern). —Two days’ work had been done at Walweranui bridge straightening channel and carting filling for approaches, which were getting narrow in places. Two days' work had also been done on .Newall Road Lower cleaning portions of drains where required, eight days' metal patching, etc., on Ruakere Road, nine days’ patching and blinding on the Main South Road, also Cape and Warea roads. In connection with boulder stone oontractg, he had arranged that the 150 yards for Carrington Road and 250 for Newall Road be deposited pn the crusher site near Mr. Luckin's gate on Newall Road, and 400 yards for Warea Road be deposited, at crusher site at the lower end of the Warea bridge. General.—The overhaul of machinery and plant was practically complete. A certain amount of delay was caused at the plant by the non-arrival of reinforcing steel, but to obviate this he had the benzine shed proceeded with. 1 GENERAL. i The Treasury Department notified payment . to the council’s account of £1077 9s sd, being subsidy on rates. The Waimate County Council forwarded a cheque for £231 18s 7d in settlement of accounts in connection with the recent merger of a portion of the Egmont county into the Waimate county. The Opunake Co-ofl. Dairy Company asked permission to carry a line of water pipes acroo the Ihaia Road in connection with the scheme for an improved water supply to the Ihaia Road creamery. They would do the work to the satisfaction of tho engineer.—Granted. The council passed a special order in connection with the raising of a loan of £BOO for the erection of a. residence for the overseer. A. R. Cuthbertson (county ranger) offered to act as inspector under the by-laws and Public Works Act on payment of £25 per annum together with all fines inflicted through his instrumentality. At present there was hardly any stock straying.—Held over. The tender of Tai Coffey of 2s per yard for the supply of 350 yards of boulder stone for ’the Upper Kahui Road was accepted. The overseer reported that a foreman had left the council’s employ owing, so he said, to interference by the chairman.—The chairman explained the alleged interference. Mr. A. S. Crocker was appointed to the vacancy.

MONTHLY MEETING OF COUNCIL

APPLICATIONS FOB GOVERNMENT GRANTS. The ordinary monthly meeting of. the Egmont County Council was held at the county office, Opunake, yesterday. There were present: Mr. M. O’Brien (chairman), and Crs. C. A. Trotter, R. Ferguson, H. Young, J. S. Tosland, A. Luckin, W. C. Watson, S. Campbell. Leave of absence was granted Cr. Gibson. The Minister of Public Works, in acknowledging receipt of the council’s resolution with respect to the matter of increasing the Government grant for the bridge over the Walaua river on the Wiremu Road, notified that the representations would have his most careful consideration, as would also the council’s representations with respect to metalling the upper portion of the Parihaka Road and the Newall Road. Mr. 0. J. Hawken, M.P. for Egmont, also enclosed a copy of a letter from the Minister of Public Works stating that he had discussed the three matters mentioned, and also a grant for the road In the Mataikahawal block, with the district engineer during the preparation of the estimates. Mr. Hawken asked the council what they considered should be done to give access to the settlers on the Parihaka block. There seemed some difference of opinion as to which of the roads was the more Important, and he was anxious to place the matter before the Minister. On the motion of the chairman and Cr. A. Luckin, it was resolved to inform Mr. Hawken that it was hard to differentiate between the roads, all of which were bad and in need of repair. Settlers resided on each road. QUESTION OF HOLIDAYS. Twenty-one employees of the council asked to be granted a weekly half-holiday, stating their willingness to commence work at 7.30 a.m. instead of 8 a.m., so as to complete their 47 hours weekly. The matter was dealt with in committee, when It was decided to accede |to the request. It was also decided that the I half-day which the men have received after ; pay day each month should be deleted. It was > also decided that the annual holidays on full i pay should be Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Easter Monday and Labor Day. RAHOTU RIDING REQUESTS. The secretary of the* Rahotu Hall Committee (J. Hunter) drew attention to the state of the • approach to the hall, and suggested that pipes j should be laid from the culvert at the gate 1 entrance. Mr. T. P. Hughson also wrote simi- ; larly. I The chairman stated that he was at a meeting in the hall the other evening, and the entrance was certainly dangerous. As it was a ratepayers' hall he did not think they should ask a contribution from the hall committee. He moved that the overseer be Instructed to carry out the work. This was seconded by Cr. Trotter and carried. ' Messrs. H. N. Chapman, J. A. Mercer, G. •T. Hopkins, Chas. Sole, W. Lawn (settlers on | the Stent Road, Warea) asked the council to ! crush at least 500 yards of stone, and after scarifying the road to reface it, continuing the present metal to Mr. Chapman’s gate. They pointed out that the road now had to carry extraordinary traffic. The chainman stated that with the overseer he had visited this road, which went through excellent country. The top and bottom ends of the road were metalled, but about threequarters of a mile In the centre required attention. In addition to this year’s rates the ■road was £lOB tn credit. He thought the council should grant the request, which was a reasonable one, as the road had been neglected in the past. With this work done the settlers would not ask for anything for the next five or ten years. Cr. Tosland thought that the riding members and the overseer should be a committee to go over the roads and see which required most attention. Other roads might be in more urgent need. The chairman thought this would only be needless delay, as he and the overseer had been over the road. The machinery was in » the district and must he kept In work. The county had provided for the Warea and Carrington road?. The Ruakere was a new one, whilst the Bayly was in first-class order. The Main South was also fairly good. He moved that the council give the overseer authority to obtain 500 yards of metal. This was seconded by Cr. Trotter and carried. Tenders will be called for the imetal immediately. Mr. C. L. Billing (Rahotu) asked the council to form and metal the Gregory Road, from the Kahul Road.—The engineer is to Inspect and report at next meeting. Representatives of the Rahotu Hall Committee, Rahotu School Committee, and Rahotu Memorial Committee asked the council to continue the present footpath eight chains. The chairman said that he was not familiar with the position, but Rahotu, as a township, paid high rates, and he intended to ask the council to effect some improvements. He considered they might tar-seal some additional road, and as the road through the township required renewal, he considered that the council might go to the little additional expense of tar-sealing it. He moved that the council be to purchase sufficient tar to recoat the’present tar surface and to extend it three chains on either side of the main road, and also three chains up the Kahul Road. This was seconded by Cr. Young and carried. Mr. Hughson applied for pipes for a crossing in front of his section at Rahotu.—To be supplied at cost price. The chairman stated that with the overseer he had visited Ruakere Road and met the settlers, who still maintained that they had a credit of £3OO to their road, after paying all permanent charges. Finally, they agreed to waive all claim to this provided the council agrees to expend £lOO in patching and refund the balance of the loan to the Treasury. This would lighten their rate. He was prepared to recommend this as a reasonable request, though he had made the settlers no promise. He moved in this direction. Cr. Tosland seconded the motion, which was carried. Kaitepapa Rangitawa again drew attention to the state of the Tauru Road. This he had prepared ready for formation, and he asked that further work be done. Cr. Young and the overseer were authorised to inspect the road, and tenders will be called at next meeting. THE RECENT BOUNDARY COMMISSION. The Department of Internal Affairs forwarded a copy of tile report of the commission rc- j garding the alteration of boundaries between I the Egrnont and Taranaki counties (as already ! published), stating that in view of the report it was not proposed to make any alteration. The chairman remarked that this was very satisfactory. OVERSEER’S REPORT. The overseer (Mr. lan Campbell) reported i that he had called tenders for repair work on the Okahu Road (Ngarlki to Newall) and the contract had since been let. The metal pit on Ruakere Road complained of by Mr. E. Johns as being left in an unsafe condition had been fenced off in a satisfactory manner by the contractor. He had Inspected the gravel reserve written about by Mr. Fowler at Heimaima bridge, Main South Road. This would require approximately two chains of fencing. Tenders 'had been accepted for boulder stone on Carrington, Newall and Warea roads; also for expenditure of £2OO Government grant on Kabul Road. He had engaged an enginedriver with a first grade certificate. The scarifying plant was now at work in the Rahotu riding. The contractor had been given notice to deliver the balance of his boulder stone on Warea. Road. H. Hockley had started work on his second contract. Fresh tenders were called for Kaweora Road work.