EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 11 September 1924, Page 8

EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING

The monthly meeting of the Egmont County Council was held at Opunake on Tuesday. There were present: Ors. W. C. Green (chairman), J. A. Pettigrew, E. A. Collins, G. Gibson, J. S. Tosland, H. Donald, J. Hickey,- junr., and J. Young. REPORTS.

The' report of the overseer of the Egmont County Council (Mr. L. J. Harrop), presented at Tuesday's meeting, stated, inter alia.:—■ Oipua Riding (southern).— Patching has been done on the Main South, Waiteik&. and. Kaweora Roads. IhaiaRoad A. line of twelve-iiicli pipes has been put iir above the Wiremit Road to replace an old wooden culvert- which had j'collapsed:-. Eltham Road- —This road has (been -patched in places from the main : road, -to. the Taungatara bridge and the water-tables Cleaned out where required. Pipes have also been made at the county shed. Oeo Riding (northern). —The crushing plant was set up at the Punehu bridge and a start made crushing maintenance metal for the various roads, 424 yards being crushed, which was carted out by the county lorries ; Eltham Road 202 yards, OpunakeStratford Road 100 yards, Pa-tiki 30 yards, Oeo Road 60 yards, Watino Road 24 yards, • and 8 yards was delivered to the Opua riding. Patching has been done on the Eltham, Opunake-Stratford, Patiki and Oeo Roads. A. Burrows has made a start dumping stone on contract No. 478, Oeo Rdad.

Oeo Road (southern). —Watino Road: The crushing plant was removed from the northern riding and set up on the Watino Road by J. McHardy’s and crushed 102 yards of stone, which was? delivered on various parts of thfei road. : The, crusher was removed to the Main South Road and a start made, crushing maintenance metal on contract No. 472, 242 yards of metal : being crushed, which was carted ..out by the county lorries; Skeet Road 28. yards, Patiki 44 yards, Nopera 16 yards, Puketapu 12 yards, and the remainder was dumped on the Main South Road. Patching has also been done on the Hone Rbad with gravel..-. v,... ... The ''bridge foreman (Mr. H. F. Rountree) reported : During the' month we have been working at the Taungatara bridge, South - Road? As the neCesbary timber for temporary piers, etc., has hot come to, hand, we were tnbstly' engaged filling approaches. This last week we went to the beach, Arawliata Road, to build metal hoppers, a fid have to report that we are delayed, on that work also by material, not. -being to hand. . ’ The reports were adopted. EGMONT NATIONAL PARK.

A letter was received from the N.Z. Forestry League calling attention to the serious position of the Egmont National Park. The chairman considered that thecouncil. should ' do everything in its pbwep. tp ’maintain the reserve. Cri i: Tbslaiid. suggested that Mr, J.: C. Garcia, the council’s representative on the Egmoiit National Park Board, who was present at the: meeting, should be requested to give any available information.

Mr. Garcia, explaining the position at length, said that, the matter had been the subject of- negotiation with the Prime Minister. < The board realised the seriousness of the position; but were, restricted in their operations owing to lack of finance, funds at present being insufficient to maintain the tracks 1 Legislation was pending by which it was hOpec! to constitute the park on similar . lines to the Tongariro Park, and afford borrowing powers. It was known that cattle trespassed on the reserve, but without regular _rangers it was difficult to obtain convictions.

Or. Tosland moved that it b© a recommendation to the Forestry Department that a ranger he appointed. The chairman thought that the correct authority was the Tourist Department. He moved that the attention of the department be drawn to damage done by wandering stock in the park, and that the department be requested to take measures. Mr. Garcia thought this would be in order, but suggested that the Gbjnihi seioner of Crown Lands be also notified. -

The chairman concurred in this and :r t \ r Cr ' Tosland’s suggestion that, the Minister of Forestry be advised, the chairman’s motion heinoadopted. “

A vote of thanks -was accorded Mr, Garcia for bis information on the subject.

. MAIN HIGHWAYS. A circular letter received from the chapman of the No. 7 District . Highways. Council , notified that at the last meeting of the Main Highways Board decided, w-heh: estimating cost -.of 'works,; to include wages at rates which are at, present being paid provided they do not exceed' the Arbitration Court award rates. •The chairman intimated that they had not made muclf advance with the Highway Board regarding proceeding with the county roadihg work. He understood the date front which subsidy would be granted had; been nut forward from March to June: Cr Collins again made an emphatic protest concerning the delay in com-mencing-Operations., Apparently the Highways Board would not he able to give the necessary authority for some time, in view of which it was advisable that the council’s deputation as’, decided upon previously should wait upon the Minister at the earliest opportunity. 11

The chairman further intimated that the deputation’s visit had Been de'Aved pending a possible solution of the difhcultv as the result of the resorv 1 ?” l )a Jt s - afc the; meeting of the District Highways Council. As. however,. nothing had resulted, they had better wait mi the Minister immedfatelv with the object of obtaining authority to commence operations and expend their loan money on the understandmg that when subsidies . were paid they should be made retrospec-

th thb'cduncil’s letter, the chairman of the highways council adised that the Main Highways Board a PPrpyed pf f the council continuing to maintain the main highways bv scarifying and refacing the worst Kl- Ce + board, however, , would ike to know the estimated expendiunder this heading. P The chairman said they could not it present- furnish estimates further those already given. If the council difficuP + Permitt ! d t 0 tar S€al i* was would f t 0 Say },<m ' much scarifying «ould 1,0 necessary. It was resolved t<> reply accordingly. ou motor vehicles bill.

A copy of the Motor Vehicles Bill, 1924, urns received from the office of thp Minister of Internal Affairs. Discussing the. Bill, the chairman explained that owners would have to hold a driver’s license in addition to a license for the vehicle;

Cr Collins disliked the fact that Th&r fees would go to the Highways Board’ and would be lost to the council. In reply to Cr Tosland, the clerk said that so far as* he could .ascertain the, change of ownership of a vehicle involved the transfer of the original" registration number.

Cr Young considered that- it was unfair to make a flat charge irrespective of the power or carrying capacity of the car. They should be taxed according to their power. The more powerful car would necessarily carry heavier loads at a greater speed, with proportionately greater* daniage- to roads. The chairman explained that this point had been discussed at the counties’ conference, and a recommendation had been made that the Bill be redrafted.

Cr Tosland moved that the council recommend to the Taranaki Local Bodies Association that a differential rating, based on weight and horse power, he adopted. Cr Gibson seconded, and the motion was carried. W ’ : NOXIOUS WEEDS.

_Mr C. W. Newport, Inspector of Stock, wrote drawing the attention of the Council to gorse am* blackberry growing on’ the Council’s property hear the Oaonui bridge. . He had been pressing farmers in the locality to clean weeds, particularly gorse, and several had complained of weeds off the Council’s land.

The clerk had replied that some yea re previously the Council had purchased |? n d fqr the deviation of .the road when the bridge was erected. If there was any gorse and blackberry on thb roadside he presumed the adjoining owners would be responsible. *V Explaining to the Council, the'clerk intimated that the land in question (an old roadway) was how Crown property. It was decided to make application to the Commissioner of Crown Lands to have the land re-vested in the Council.

GENERAL. Referring to the gate on the Tdfcahi Road. Pihahia; the removal of which had been discussed at the last meeting of the Council.. Cr. Tosland repotted that the School Committee were* endeavouring to arrange with the Domain. Board for the use of a portion of: the Domain grounds as an enclosure for the school children’s horses. ■

Notification that H. Wiltshire-had been appointed ranger for the town and county roads in terms of the agreement between the. Board .and:the Council was received from the (>pu"n'ake Town' Bord. ‘

It was decided that the ranger, be requested to notify the Council each month of the roads visited and the stock impounded. ' A. circular received from .the Taumarunui County Council requested supEort of the proposal for payment of alf reVOnue' from sales of Croifn timber to counties from within whose areas , the revenue was obtained.—No action fl-as taken.

Resulting upon a discussion regarding the payment of. outstanding rates, owed.By soldier settlers, it was 1 decided tor advise the Commissioner of* Crown Lands., in reply to his letter referring to an extreme case, that the claim' for general rates prior to 1923-24 Would Be waived conditionally on the' settlement of the balance;, as suggested. The resignation of his position as bridge foreman was received from- Mr H. F. Rountree, together with an, application for reinstatement \as bridge carpenter.—lt was decided to accept the resignation and make thb reinstatement when the services of a new foreman were obtained. The General Transport Company wrote enclosing copy of negotiations received from the Opunake Powery Board, advising that Mr A. E. McJfc Donald would do all the Board’s cart—ing until further notice. The Transport Company wished to protest, as no tenders had been called for.—rThebhairlnan thoiiglit the Council had no jurisdiction in the matter.—Cr. Tosland moved that the matter he referred to the Counties 'Association, this cause being decided upon.