EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 12 March 1925, Page 6

EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

MAINTENANCE PAYMENTS

Belo-w is given the- concluding portion of the report of the Figment County Council.A oirculiar letter received from the Main Highways Board stated the attention, of the board had been drawn to the very small, amount of money so far paid out in. some districts for mai ntenaince. J.t appeared that although approximately ±1175,000 had been made available quite a number of local authorities had not. thought it worth while to make application for maintenance payments. • In. view H the 1 ,approach!iig close of the financial year it was requested that claims should be rendered as early as possible, m order that there should not. be a large unexpended balance at the end l of the year.

The chairman said the circular was rather peculiar, as the council had made claims respecting all main tenoncc work, but had received no fifty me nt s.

Giving details of subsidies applied for to cover work from .Tune to October, the clerk .said he had rendered claims! to the Accountant, Public Works Department, Wellington, for £521 2s Id on £1563 6s scl expended on the Leppenton Junction —Ha.wera road and £166 3s 7d on £498 10s 10-1 expended on the Kilt ham —Opunake road. After considerable delay he had been ,subsequently advised to make the claim to- the District Engineer at Stratford and bad clone so, but they had been returned together with an intimation that they could not be acted upon unless all particulia,ns re location, width, formation and. mature of surfacing was given. As it had been, stated in the claims that the work was general maintenance, scarifying, refaciug, rolling, water-tabling, etc.. and particulars concerning materials had been given, it- was difficult - , to understand what more was required. Apparently particulars concern ing width formation were required; bill such could not be supplied as the work was mainly done Lit filling in, pot-holes, etc., -a-ncl was not extended over any definite, width. The- locality extended over the whole county ,so far .as the particular road went. Or. Gibson, offered the opinion that perhaps some counties may have defaulted, but emphasised that the Egmont Council had not been, at ali backward in forwarding its claims, up to date.

■After further discussion. it was left to the dork to conifer with. Mi*. Ball. "District Engineer, Public Works Department. Later in the. day Mr. ’Ball: was presi ent at the meeting and intimated that the particulars asked for eomcteniing till© width, of the rands maintained and the lodality, etc., was required for compiling; data, for the guidance of the Highways Board in' dealing; with different classes of roadways. MOTOR. DRIVERS’ LICENSES.

A copy of the draft regulations dealing with the licensing of motor drivers was received from the >Minister of Internal Affairs.

The clerk was authorised to issue licenses and to act as inspector.

Replying to. Or. Gibson, the o]e.rk intimated that the matter of issuing licenses to drivers not resident in the area- administrated by the council to which application, 'was, made rested with, the local body concerned. Such application would naturally be referred to the, proper quarter. DISTRICT ENGINEER’S VISIT.

By request Mr T. M. Ball, district engineer Public Works Department, who was in Opunake on business, waited on the council.

Mr Ball congratulated the council on its action in appointing an engineer to supervise the county work, particularly with regard to the added facilities which would he afforded for directing highways construction. Taking the length of main highway already constructed as a first attempt, Mr Ball stated it could be regarded as a fairly good piece of work. He pointed out, however, that some of the barrels of bitumen on the roadside were showing signs of breaking, and advised that such lie removed and their contents hsed for sealing lengths of road which would not require reformation. Replying to Cr Gibson, he said roads of 16ft width were generally desired throughout the country, and were preferable to a lesser width. Provided the respective councils could undertake thp cost, the Highways Board was quite prepared to subside that width on construction work. GENERAL.

Messrs E. G. Holmes and H. E. Eield (Oaonui) wrote requesting compensation in respect of expense incurred and labour expended on the Lower Arawlmta road prior to receipt of council’s instructions to discontinue the work.—The chairman said the contract respecting which the claim was made had been closed, and the matter could not now he reopened.—No action was taken. ' • Mr W. B. Smith (Newall road) wrote asking if the council would sell a three feet concrete pipe which had been lying; unused on the road.—The matter was left to the clerk to arrange. The ranger (Mr II; Wiltshire) reported that 62 head of cattle had been found straying on the county roads during the month.