ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 11 August 1924, Page 4

ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. ( The monthly meeting of the Eltham County Council was held on Satui'dav. There were present: Councillors C. J. Belcher (chairman), R. J. Knuckey, A. v. Messana, M. W. Barker, A. Campbell, W. E, Carter, C. E. McGuinness, and E. J. Gifford. LOANS. A telegram was received from Mr. O. Hawken, M.P., advising that the council’s £2OOO loan for the south riding had been granted by the State Advances Board on the 4th inst. A previous communication advised the council to pass resolutions making the others regular and the council would get the money. The council was not debarred from taking up a fresh £SOOO this time, as applications for last year were considered in time. Formal resolutions dealing with striking rates to cover interest and other charges in connection with the Tirimoana Road loan and Omona riding east roads loan were passed, the resolutions and plans to be forwarded immediately. GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE. The Rangitikei count}' engineer advised, in reply to the council’s inquiry concerning supplies of i-oad metal, that as electric power would be available in January, the Rangitikei county expected to have its mill in operation then and would be able to supply metal. The average price would be live shillings on railway waggons. It was expected that a temporary crusher would be working in September, and metal required urgently might be supplied from this. —The chairman stated that, adding 4s 3d freight charges, the cdst at Eltham would be 9s 3d, which showed a favourable comparison with the cost of local supplies.—The quotations were held over for future consideration. An application was received from the Taranaki Electric Power Board requesting that, as the work of reticulation being carried out in the district was in the interest of ratepayers, the council grant a remission of road toll fees on the board’s motor traffic during the progress of the work.—lt was decided to reply that the council could not allow the remission

Advice that the- representations, had been duly noted and would receive careful consideration was received from the Prime Minister (Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey), in reply to the council’s letter forwarding copy of resolution regarding the extension of local bodies loan powers to meet the requirements of the Main Highways Act, and urging that the State Advances Board should be authorised to lend a correspondingly large amount during any financial year. The Public Works Department, Stratford, forwarded deed of delegation under section 106 of the Public Works Act in connection with Highways District No. 7. The letter stated that separate agreements would be prepared in connection with the maintenance of highways as soon as the agreements were completed, and also reminded the council that the various county councils have agreed to carry on maintenance. Acknowledgment of receipt of the council’s letter giving data in connection with the toll-gates was received from the Public Works Department, Wellington. A telegram was received from the secretary of the Tirimoana dairy - factory, urgently requesting that the road in that .locality be put in order, and that special attention be given to the “Devil’s Elbow.”—lt was decided to reply that the council was giving all possible attention. A letter was received from C. E. Betts (Kaponga), pointing out that a car owned by a resident of Kaponga had been inadvertently i-egistered both in Eltham and New Plymouth by himself hud the owner respectively, and applying for a refund of the fee paid to the Eltham county.—lt was resolved to refund the fee. OVERSEER’S REPORT

The report of the county overseer (Mr. Frank Muggeridge) as follows was adopted:—South Riding: Watertables and general maintenance work was carried out on the Fraser, Mountain, and Boylan Roads, and metal patching was done on the 'Rotokare Road. Mangatoki Riding: A fe\v chains of metalling to be dono on the Cornwall Road was not started, but will be gone on with this month if weather permits. Watertables and culverts were attended to on the Eltham, lower Hastings, upper Hastings, and Duthie Roads; two culverts on the upper Hastings Road were renewed with 9in. concrete pipes. Qmona Riding: During the month general maintenance work was carried out on all roads in this riding. £?lips were cleared off the Rawhitiroa, Matemaroke and Mataiwhetu Roads. Metal patching was done on the Rawhitiroa Road. Good progress was being made with the clay filling Matemateaonga, but owing to the weather this work had to be stopped. Kaponga Riding: Metal patching was done and culverts were attended to on most of the roads in this riding/ About 350 yards of crushed metal has been carted out at Riverlea; when the weather permits more crushing will be done. Eltham Riding : Slips were cleared off the Rawhitiroa Road; drains were cleared out on the Pukengahu Road; metal patching was done and watertables attended to on the Hu and Rawhitiroa Roads; culverts were attended to on the Maata and Tirimoana Roads; a cul. vert was put in on the Anderson Road, 9in. concrete pipes being used; about thirty yards of shell rock was hand broken by the riding surfacemen to bS used for patching. General: The erection of the chip-crushing plant is practically completed. The timber ordered for the bins has been very slow in coming along, small parcels arriving at a time; when the balance arrives a day will finish the job A trial run was given during the week to see whether the steam engine would drive the whole plant. With both the Anderson and the chip-crusher crushing, the engine gave every satisfaction, the only trouble experienced being that, the Gin. belt on the engine is not heavy enough for the hard driving to., he done. An Bin. belt has been ordered. I would recommend that the plant be nut under cover, as there are eight belts required for driving the machinery. If much wet weather was experienced these would give a lot of trouble. The council is recommended to procure another horse and spring cart. Speaking to the report, Cr. Campbell drew attention to the state of the Rotokare Road a,s the result of heavy traffic. As the Eltham Dairy Company’s lorries were using the road a great deal it should he reasonable to request them to assist in the necessary repair work.—lt was decided to draw the company’s attention to the matter. Cr. Carter intimated that a portion of the fence bordering a culvert on the Hunter Road required repairing.— The matter was left to the overseer.