ELTHAM COUNTY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 14 November 1927, Page 7

ELTHAM COUNTY.

i WORK OF ADMINISTRATION. MEETING OF COUNCIL. At the monthly meeting of the Elthiini County Council, held on Saturday. there were present: Councillors C.'.' J. Belcher (chairman), W. M. I}urker, A. L. Campbell, I\ . E. Carter. E. J. Gifford, R. J. Knuckey, A. V. Mess-ana, C. E. McGuinness, and A. McWilliam. The request of the South Taranaki Automobile Association for .permission to erect mileage posts from King Edward Street (Eltham) to Bird Road (Stratford), five miles, was granted, subject to the engineer’s approval. This survey of the road is- desired lor the purpose of testing motorists speedometers.—Cr. Campbell expressed the/ hope that it would not become a “scorching area.” The- secretary of the Taranaki Employers’ Association notified the council of its. election to membership. A request was received from residents of the locality that steps bo taken to have a high hedge- cut at the corner of Skee-t and Palmer Roads. (The- ranger’s report indicated- that this- work is already in hand.) It was resolved that the sum of £3O per mile- per annum be set aside for maintenance of roads covering Government grants to the Tawhiti (Te Roti) and other roads for the period to March 31, 1928. The secretary of the Taranaki Local Bodies’ Association advised the date of‘next meeting of delegates at. Eltham on 30th ins-t. at 11 a.m.—The chairman (Cr. C. J. Belcher) was appointed to represent the council.

NATIVE RATING CONFERENCE. The Te Kuiti .Borough Council forwarded a. report of proceedings at a recent conference in Wellington in reference to the collection of rates on Maori lands. The chairman said he had attended three conferences at which the s-übject had been fully discussed, but no solution of the difficulty was- arrived at. The unfortunate part of the matter,' so far as the council was concerned, was that all the Maori lands in the area were- in the South Riding. According to the -chairman there was a. lot of sound -sense in the object of these conferences, as the Maoris enjoyed all the privileges of good roads, hospitals, and pensions, and there should be some easier way of collecting Maori rates than the- measures now in vogue. The report was received, and no resolution was passed. POSITION AS TO RATES. In response to a request by the chairman, the clerk stated that the rates are coming in very -slowly. r lhe past two months had been the worst in that respect throughout his experience, and unless the rates came in a little more- freely the council would reach the limit of its overdraft. He had prepa red a list of rates levied, collected and outstanding, which showed that of the total amount levied (£15,000) the sum of £4221 only had been collected, leaving £10,779 outstanding. The position was very bad at this season of the year, more particularly since the discount system had been adopted. It seemed to him that there must be a considerable number who could conveniently pay their rates and relieve the council. Those ratepayers are penalising themselves by forcing the council to- pay interest on the overdraft, which could l>e more profitably spent on the- roads, thus automatically easing their rates in future years. If the ratepayers withheld their payments until February. when the 10 per cent penalty would he enforced, the council would be forced to approach the hank for an increase of overdraft.

The chairman agreed that the rate collection is backward—it is the worst year he had experienced during his long connection with the council. Ever since the council had 1 instituted 1 the 5 per cent rebate they had by this time always collected £SOOO. The council’s overdraft is limited to £6OOO, and after the payment of accounts now before the meeting the council would he 1 over £6OOO behind. There is only one more meeting this year, and something definite will have to be done. He was sure councillors would not care to cut out work on the roads or push the ratepayers for their rates, but unless the latter “came to light” it would be necessary to take drastic steps. For two years the council bad not paid l any interest to the bank—7 per cent was too much to pay in interest. The. money should be spent on the roads—it was no good paying it to the bank.

The clerk said the council’s usual procedure was to review the financial position, instruct him to demand payment of rates by the 20th of the month, and take legal proceedings unless arrangements were made for payment.

Cr. Messana said the present state of affairs was forecasted by the low price of produce last season and the rating on unimproved values. Cr. MeWilliam referred to the back country sheep farmers, who usually had to depend on their wool cheques from the November sales. He (anticipated a considerable improvement after the sale returns came to hand.

On the motion of Crs. McGuinness and Barker, the clerk was instructed to prepare a. list of defaulting ratepayers for presentation at the next meeting.

It was further resolved, on the motion of Cr. Knuckev, that all rates unpaid by December 10 shall be sued for unless arrangements for payment of same are made with the treasurer. EXGINEER’S REPORT. In Ids report on the past mouth’s operations the county engineer (Mr. r . .Muggeridge) stated: South Riding.—Bitumen patching was attended to on the Mountain and Boy lan Roads. Water-tabling was done on the Fraser, Dalziel, and Stuart Roads. About 50 chains of tar-sealing ami 30 chains of bitumen sealing was done on the old Mountain Road. This load is now sealed throughout except lor Liie hill on the Eltham end and about live chains on the southern end, which will need to be re-faced before any .sealing work can he undertaken. 1 would ask the council’s instructions regarding the metalling of the station end of the 'J'e Roti Road.

Mangatoki Riding.—The metalling of side tracks on the Lower Hunter Road has been completed. Watertables and culverts were attended to on the Duthie, Stuart, and Eltham Roads. On the Cornwall Road a certain amount of metal-patching was done, but it is very hard to do anything to this road, as there are two wheel tracks running for* its entire length. It is suggested that the road be kept passable, and next year a sufficient amount be placed on the estimates for re-tacing work. Omoana Riding.—General maintenance work has been attended to throughout the riding. During the month all slips were cleared off the lower Moeawatea Valley track, but the

last rains again brought clown more debris; this will necessitate a further three or four days’ work. Kaponga Hiding.—The cleaning of the Rowan Road drain was continued. Bitumen patching was attended to on the Eltham, Upper Mangawhero, Upper Rowan and Manaia Roads. Metal patching was done on the Palmer Road. A start has been made to rake off loose stones •'and clay-blind the Opu-nake-Stratford Road. On the Eltham Road at Bentley’s filling a small concrete wall was put in at the outlet of the culvert.

Eltham Riding.—On the Anderson Road eleven chains of metal was scarified and re-laid. The remainder of the road was blinded with clay throughout. Two 12-inch concrete pipe culverts were put in on the Wingrove Road, and one eighteen-inch culvert was put in on the Mountain Road. The unmetalled portion of the Maata, Road and the Sangster Road were formed up. Clay-blindiug was done on a portion of the Tirimoana Road, and the remainder will be done as opportunity offers. About four and a half chains of a filling on the tarred portion of the Rawhitiroa'Road were scarified and re-metalled. It is proposed to lay a further coat of metal and grout with bitumen. One corner was also cut hack, and the clay taken out was used to widen the filling, re-meta-lled. General. —During the month repairs were effected to the drays, tar-sprayer, and grader. The crusher has been shifted from the depot and erected on Templar Street. All heavy traffic notice boards have been taken in off the roads and stored. A brick chimney has -been erected in the blacksmith’s shop. Elio report was approved. ELECTRICITY VERSUS STEAM. The engineer submitted a comparison of costs in running the electrics motor and the portable engine for stonecrushing as follows: — By electrics motor. —1791 yards of metal -and chips, cost £3l Bs. 9d. By portable engine.—l79l yard® of metal and chips, cost £55 7®. (Wages, 27 days at 16s, £2l 12s; coal, 111 tons at 60s, £33 155.) One- Day’® Running. Electric motor:

RANGER’S REPORTDuring the month 94 cows, one horse and 8 bullocks were released on the roads. The complaint in reference to a high hedge on the- corner of Skeet -and Palmer Roads has been attended to by the owner of the property. One offender for allowing bullocks to stray was fined £4 and cost® and another offender 10s and cosits. One offender was fined £1 and costs for riding a bicycle without a light.—Adopted. RIDING BALANCES. The clerk (Mr A. Tiplady) presented figures as follows regarding the estimate® an the position as disclosed by the balance-sheet just to hand: —

ACCOUNTS FOR PAYMENT. Accounts totalling £2775 14s 5d weie passed for payment. A DISAPPOINTED DEPUTATION. A deputation of six .settlers, representing the Makaka Domain Boaid, waited upon the council with a request for assistance in metaling Aui Street, in the township of Makaka, for approximately 22 chains. A member of the deputation (Mr .Johns) expressed his willingness to meet, the council half way in the matter of cost, provided the latter did not exceed £3OO. and also undertook to maintain the road. He found it difficult to get to and from his property m the winter, when the existing roadway, which is not formed up and graded, is in a very bad :gtate. The chairman said it had always been the custom of the council to undertake such work out of loan, but at present all the council’s funds, are allotted and there wa« not much hope ot a Government grant until next year. Cr MeWilliam isaid at looked as though the settlers would have to put up with existing conditions for another yC lt'was decided that the engineer .holda prepare an estimate tor the work, and that the council would make application for a 'Government grant on behalf of the settlers concerned.

Maximum demand (33 anms a;t os') indicator £8 5 0 130 units at 3d 1 12 6 £9 17 6 Engine: £2 1 0

Estimates. Balance-sheet. South Riding— £ s d Or. £116 17s 6d Dr. 76 14 0 Mangatoki Riding— „ .. Cr. £2415 Is 5d Cr. lobe O. 11 Omoaoia Riding— _ „ Dr- £607 6s Od Cr. 527 19 u Kii'Pongii Riding— Or. £1529 5 S 9d Cr. 927 1 5 Eltham Riding-- „ Cr. £82 5s 7d Cr- 1/b ic u