PATEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 15 September 1926, Page 6

PATEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY r MEETING,

At the ordinary meeting of the Patea. County . Council held at Paten yesterday there were present: Crs. J. Gibbs (chairman), W. G. Belton, J. R. Taylor, It. 'C. Scown, J. Alexander, W. Back, J. Johnston, W. H. Watkins..

ENGINEER ’S REPORT.

The engineer (Mr G. W. King) reported as below: Main Road and General —The contractor has satisfactorily completed the earthworks on the Whenuakura hill. The bottom course of metal has been spread and left to consolidate. This work also requires fencing on both sides. The metal portions of the main road near Besley’s and Scown’s have been attended to. Plains for Scown’s or Burke’s gorge have been forwarded to the Highways Board, and the contract for the necessary earthworks advertised, closing at to-day’s meeting. The tractor grader has arrived and has been making up the shoulders about Kakaramea. Williamson’s hill has also been attended to as regards the sides. On the Ma.nawapou hill a concrete retaining wall has been put in at the place that recently carried away. As the tractor grader is ready for work it will be necessary ,for the council to consider its policy as regards the horse teams and graders, etc. j Otoia West—ln this district there is little to report/ the surfaceman having been engaged a large portion of his time away from riding works. Otoia East—The length of the Opaku highway has been patched with pit metal; beyond this and general surfaefe w r ork there is nothing to report.

Waverley Biding—The horse grader has been attending - to the beach roads. The Kolii bush road, where it was recently carried away, has been widened out, and extra labour is at present engaged on the same work on the Matnimoana road. The enan-man and se.v eral councillors have recently made an inspection of the riding in connection with the new boundary scheme between this riding and the Moumahaki riding. At the same time an inspection was made of the bottom of the Tower hill, where an improvement has been proposed.

Moumahaki Riding—The culvert on the Waitotara station road near tli ? station carried away again. Repairs hav been effected which should save the necessity of replacing the culvert for some time. The approach to Warner’s bridge (reported upon at last council meeting) has also been attended to. The bridge at the bottom of the Puao road on the Waitotara river side has now completely carried away and it will be necessary for the council to decide what is to be done in this connection at this meeting. It has also befrn reported to me that a culvert on the Weraweraonga road requires early attention and replacement. I will make an early inspection of this . Kapara Riding—The roads are reported to be in fair order. The settlers at Moeawatea have put in a considerable amount of time on their roads. ROAD MATTERS .

A request was received from Mr Johnson in regard - to work on a road near Moumahaki. It was resolved that an endeavour be made to comply with the request before next winter.

The question of clearing roads in the Moumahaki riding %vaa raised by Cr Belton, and the engineer said he "would endeavour to do the work during the present month. The district railway engineer asked that a hedge which obscured the cross arm notice at the Kakaramea crossing be cut back. This' was left to the engineer.

The Public Works Department advised that Waiitotara Valley road leading to the Piraumu bridge was at present impassable and asked that it be attended to as early as possible, otherwise men working on their contract would be liable to leave through inability to get supplies.—The Department is to be advised that nothing could be done until the summer months and that the damage was done by carting for the department. Mr L. A. Taylor wrote advising that in connection with Taumaha road he would still have to deposit the plan showing the closing of a portion of the road, and asked the council to pass the necessary resolution and have the plan duly signed. A request was received from Mr P. Greaves, Hurleyville, asking for alterations to the fence next to the Maben roadi 'so that he could get a good line on which to fence. —-Granted. A letter was received from Mr Daniels asking for repairs to the Omata road, and adding that he would do the remainder of the work front the Lakes’ road at £25. The road:, lie stated, had been impassable in places. —lt was resolved that £lO be paid for the work done, and that the matter of making the best arrangements possible be left to the riding member and the engineer.

Mr M. -B. Murphy, Whenuakura. wrote claiming that ho was justly entitled to access to his place for stock without having to notify his neighbours every time he came off and on his property. He asked for about six chains of fencing along Mr Pearce’s boundary and removal of a gate at present on the road. —Or Back explained that the road used by Mr Murphy went through another man’s property, and he wanted the proper road opened up. —It was resolved that Mr Crawford be instructed to remove the obstruction as early as possible and do what was necessary to give Mr Murphy access.

BKIDGES

The engineer of the Public Works Department advised that the original estimate of £6500 would be considerably exceeded in the construction of the Parewanui bridge over the lower part of the Waitotara river, and that the final cost would be £BOOO. The council’s quota would be on the bassi of £2 for £l, £2666 13s 4d, of which £IBB7 had been paid, leaving £778 still to be paid. ■ The engineer drew attention to the fact that the department had been confident at the outset that the bridge could easily be done within the estimate. The general .practice in such cases was to protest strongly. It was decided to represent to the department that the council had only £2OO available to meet the additional cost and to draw attention to the damage done to' the roads. It was added that advice had repeatedly .been given that the work could be done within the estimates. LOAD SIGNS.

The South Taranaki Automobile Association wrote asking if it might undertake a. standard style of notice board throughout the county, and that the arrangement with a private firm be terminated. « ■Or Taylor referred to the advantages gained by the operations of the Automobile Association and the value of the signs on roads to tourists. He considered -that the request should be granted. On the motion of the chairman, it was agreed to give the permission

asked for, subject to the approval of the engineer and to the arrangement made previously with the private firm.

RIDING BOUNDARIES.

Cr. Watkins gave notice of a motion asking for an alteration of tke boundaries between Waverley and Moumahaki ridings. He’ said that he wanted a reasonable arrangement, and suggested Waverley taking over 6J miles of read up to the provincial line. Cr Belton entered a protest, because he considered it would not be a fair arrangement. He wanted slight modifications, if any, to leave valuations as at present. He moved, and it was agreed that the matter be held over for a month. The chairman approved and said he believed that, being reasonable people, the members could effect a good deal at a round .table conference. He added that the original arrangement had been that each riding should take over a certain portion of open and also of back country. MOEAWATEA SETTLERS. A spirited appeal for work to the Ahuroa hill in the Moeawatea was made iby Mr Mason, who appeared for the' settlers of that way-back district. He said that the road was very bad, due to the want of water-tables, and at a meeting of settlers a resolution had been carried asking for an amount sufficient to do the work and complete the original lob. The present trouble was due, he added, to two bad ■wash-outs. He understood that the Public Works Department had granted £IOO for the removal of slips and debris. To make culverts .seventy-two four-inch pipes were on the road, and (he considered £6O would complete the whole work. If that wore done the settlers would relieve the council of any further responsibility. The chairman said that originally the matter was left to Mr Hughes to act for the council, and now another man had come with new requests. The chairman said that he could not admit the amount being charged to the general account. The engineer had a difficult job, and had done the very best under the circumstances. Mr Mason said the settlers were paying .the piper and not getting satisfaction.

The chairman repeated that Mr Hughes was practically agent for the council.

Mr Mason said all they wanted was justice. The engineer said there was no necessity for him to visit the locality again. Mr Hughes had been told what to do and had got one man and expected another. He was not certain the £IOO had been granted for flood damage, and would have to get authority to proceed. He believed everything would come out right, and the Public Works Department had granted money up to £BOO for building the bridge. Cr. Belton said Mr Mason must remember that his was not the only case the' council had to consider.

The engineer said the pipes had been left at the top of the hill to be carted down by a settler, and this had not been done. Or Belton said a mistake had been made by the contractor, but now an understanding had been reached. Mr Hughes had boon appointed to do the job, and said a w r eek ago he was satisfied, and now the council was told it was as bad as could be. The engineer said if the £IOO had been granted for the hill it must be devoted, to that part.

Mr Mason said the road was absolutely blocked, and the slips -were being cleared so that they could get their w r ool packs in to their farms. The council finally decided that Mr Mason be advised that the council could not see its way it o grant any money out of general funds towards'the Ahuroa hill.