EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 9 February 1927, Page 6

EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Egniont County Council, held at Opunake yesterday, was attended by Councillors W. C. Green (chairman), J. Young, J. Hickey, junr., A. J. Lilley, J. S. Tosland, G. Gibson, E. A. Collins, J. F. Shepherd, and R. C. Watson. The engineer (Mr F. M. Corkill) submitted the following report oil the work of the month: Main Roads Reconstruction. —The first sealing coat on the Eltham road has been completed from Taungatara to Opunake, and the second coat _ (of bitumen) has been put on 213 chains. Main South road (Puniho) contract: Forty-six and a half chains have been metalled and: grouted. The work on this section has been delayed by the absence of power on two days and then by the burning out of the motor, after which the crusher was run by a tractor for about a fortnight. Eltham road (Te Kiri) contract: Eighty-nine and a half chains were metalled and grouted. This is the best length yet done for a monthly period. Bridges.—Rungaereere bridge (Rahofcu road) : The foundations of this are complete. Punebu bridge (Opu-nake-Stratford road): Work has been started. Waiaua bridge (Wiremu road): All foundations are concreted up to ground level. .Tenders have been called for the Pungaereere bridge on the Main South road. Maintenance. —The main roads have been patched and blinded as needed. Fifty-four chains have been scarified and rolled south of Pungarehu, and the grader has been run over two miles north of that township.. The big wooden culvert just above Te Kiri has been replaced bv 30-inch pipes, and four culverts on the Eltham road have been lengthened. The drainage in Pungarehu village lias been corrected by the relaying of culverts. The 60 chains between the' Nopera road and the Ouri bridge on the Main South road have been given a first sealing coat of resmex. Oeo Riding.—The Nopera and Sheet roads have been attended to. 0. G. Nortbcott has recommenced his boulder deliveries on the Sheet road.

Opua Riding.—The Namu, Upper Arawliata, Ihaia and Waiteika roads have been attended to. Vickery’s pit has been fenced, and the reserve at Oaonui has been cleared of weeds.

Rahotu Riding.—The Cape, Upper and Lower Parihaka, and Lower Kalmi roads have been patched. A lot of work has been done in the pit on the Lower Parihaka road, where the pit has become unworkable owing to the accumulation of stone and rubbish. P. Nortbcott- is at work on his contract on the Unner Knhui road.

Newall Riding.—The Newall and Carrington roads have been patched and drains have been cleared on the Stent road. Ihaia Road Loan. —A further threequarters of a mile, making three miles, has been given a first sealing coat. and the second coat of bitumen has been started. This will probably exnend the available loan balance. General.—The Wataroa road has been taken over, and the Stent road metalling has been completed. The contractor on the Okahn road is at work. Tenders have beon called for the drains on the Mntaikahawai road and for boulders on the Ngariki road. The report was adopted. TENDERS.

Tenders were received for three contracts and the following were accepted : Supply of 250 yards of' boulders on the Ngariki road: P. Nortbcott, 6s 3d per yard. Draining about one mile on the Matailiahawai road: F. West, £126 6s 6d. Pungaereere bridge (Main South road): W. H. James, £779 (labour and certain materials only). HEALTH REPORT. The district health inspector at. New Plymouth advised that for the quarter ended December 31 last three cases of infectious disease were notified within the county. This number was an increase of one over the corresponding period of last year, and was 8.58 per cent of the total cases in the hospital district, and on a popmlation basis one per 1000, which was very satisfactory. For the year there was a decrease of four cases over the nrevious year, the number of cases notified being 13, being 10 per cent- of the total cases in the district and at- a. rate of four per 1000 of population, as against 6.2 for the previous year. HEAVY TRAFFIC FEES. The secretary of the Taranaki Local Bodies’ Association advised that the executive had fully discussed and considered both systems- for allocation of heavy traffic fees, and a motion to the effect that the irresent scheme of distribution would not be accepted for the coming year*, but if insisted upon by a majority the matter would be taken before a magistrate, had been carried. ' The chairman said that at the last conference the executive was given authority to adopt the scheme which was generally considered most suitable. Apparently this had not been done. As far as the Egmont County Council was concerned the system at present in operation was the most favourable, and in view of the fact that the executive of the association had asked for an expression of opinion he considered that the reply should be t-o the effect that the present system was favoured by the council. Cr Tosland considered that several adjustments were necessary before the distribution could be made equitable. He agreed with the chairman that the present system was favoured by the council. On the motion of the chairman, seconded by Cr Lilley, it was decided to advise the executive that the council favoured the present system of distribution. OKAHU ROAD LOAN. The Public Trustee advised that the council’s application for a loan of £IOOO for work on the Okahu Road had been submitted to the investment board, and after giving the- matter full consideration it was regretted that the board could not see its way to grant the desired advance. The chairman regretted that the loan could not be obtained from the Department. He stated that in the first place an application had been made to the Government Life lifomrnnee Denaitrnent. lint- as negotiations had mot been ,successful the Public Trustee had been approached. A contract for the work had been let, the work was being proceeded with and the raising of the money was becoming urgent. On the motion of Crs. Tosland and Watson, the chairman-' and another councillor were- deputed to proceed to Wellington to interview the lending departments: regarding the loan. MISCELLANEOUS. 0 Messrs Jus. Young and T. H. H. Sinclair advised that as requested by the Taranaki Hospital B-oafd, thbiv had obtained estimates for removing what was known as tlie ambulance -shed to the ground,s at the cottage hospital and its adaption as a morgue. The estimate- was based on the .assumption that the iroof be altered, and that a

concrete floor and fittings be provided, the total amount of tlie cost being £37. It was decided that the council would pay £2O towards tile dost, subject- to no charge being made before Marcli 31. Cr. Shepherd said he had been, approached bv a farmer relative-’ to the provision of a side track on the hill on the south side of the Mangahume stream. Before the road had been tarred, this farmer had been able to take 30001bs of milk to the factory with two horses, lyi.fc since the tarring he bad # difficulty in getting up the hid with 20001b,s drawn by three horses. 'The chairman considered that the provision of a side track would be too expensive, and the council could not at the present juncture afford it. He suggested that if the engineer were to arrange for a frequent top-dressing of the road with sand the- trouble would be obviated. The matter then dropped. Permission was granted to Hughson’s, Ltd., to install a second kerbside pump at their Rahotu premises on the Kabui Road, subject to compliance with the Government regulation. Cr. Gibson, and Mr Magnus Hughson were re-appointed the council’® repre•'gnt.ntives on the West Committee- of i.' ~ Egniont National Park Board. .1 1 was decided to- forward a pHeto the hoard urging that particular attention should he paid to the conservation of the forest.