ELTHAM COUNTY AFFAIRS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 17 October 1928, Page 4

ELTHAM COUNTY AFFAIRS.

MEETING- OF COUNCIL. | There wore present ot the- monthly meeting of the Elthani County Council, I held on Saturday last : C-rs. C. ,T. Belcher j (chairman), R. J. Knuckey, A. McWil- j limn, A. V. Mess-ana, A. L. Campbell, V.b E.' Carter, C. E. AlcGuinness and E. j. Gifford. Leave of absence was granted to Cr At. W. Barker. NEW SCALE OF SUBSIDIES. The Minister of Agriculture (Hon. O. J. Ifa when) Wrote advising that in connection with the proposed new scale of subsidies from the Main Highways Board, the Minister of Public Works had informed him that the, proposed alterations would not become operative until after the passage through the House of the Main Highways Amendment Bill and the Board has passed the necessary resolution. —Received. TRAFFIC SIGNS. The Taranaki Local Bodies’ Association wrote to the effect that to enable tin: executive to consider the- matter oi the erection of traffic signs- under 'the new regulations it would require a statement of the number of signs of each class required bv the council, •together with a schedule -indicating the situations for the erection of signs. This would allow of complete tenders being called for supply and erection.—-The matter was left iu the li an d s of the chairman and engineer. CULVERT ON NEAL ROAD. | Mr J. L. Chamberlain requested the I lowering, by about two feet, of a culI vert across the Neal Road, about a i quarter of a. mile east of the Manana I Road corner, to permit of the draining j of a blind creek inside bis property, i The matter was referred ,to the riding I member and the engineer, with power to act. GENERAL. The Local Government Loans Board wrote sanctioning the iT-ata Road loan. Of £3OO for the purpose of reforming and metalling 35 chains of the Mata Read.

Iu regard to the necessity of new health by-laws, the Taranaki Local Bodies’ Association advised that it was apparently essential that uniform bylaws should be enacted in these respects, and in order t-o enable the association’s executive to consider the position and report to the association, an expression of the views of the council thereon is desirable. —It was decided that the chairman discuss the question with the executive -of-the Local Bodies’ Association. Or Ol E. AlcGuinness was appointed deputy-chairman to act in absence of C-r" C. J- Belcher, who stated-’that lie would be away from Elthani for a few weeks-.

Accounts amounting to, £2310 5s 6d were passed for payment. The clerk, Mr A. Tiplady, reported on the conference of county clerks recently 1 1 cl cl in Wellington, at which there were about seventy delegates present. Among other important matters brought under review, superannuation was discussed at length,’ -and it appeared highly probable t lmf >a fund would be established.

ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer (Air F. Muggeridge) reported as follows on the past month’s operations: South Riding—Water-tables and culverts were cleaned out on the Boylan and Sheet roads. Bitumen patching was attended to an the Mountain Road. Sand was spread on the hill near the Fraser Road factory. Alangatoki Riding —General maintenance, consisting of -water-tabling, metal patching on side tracks and repairing the decking on flic small wooden bridge, was attended to on the Stuart Road. The metalling of the side track at. Doctor ’s- Drop Was completed. Wafertables were cleaned out on the. Lower Hastings, Elthani and Hunter roads. One nine-inch concrete pipe culvert was put in on the Upper Stuart Road in front of Air ’Humphrey’s property. A start has been made to scarify and break all large stones, and re-roll the Sheet Road.

Omeiia Hiding—Slips were cleared off the Kawlritkoa, Wadtiri, &ud Mafce'marokc roads. Corners- were cut. ibtwsk at Takau. General Tnaintenaaice "maw attended to on other, portions? of the riding. Kapouga Hiding—Metal patching wa.s attended to on the Alangawhcro ynd Palmer jo-ads. On the Eltham Hoad bitumen patching was done and wafertables were cleaned out. The metalling of side-tracks on the Upper Auroa Hoad was completed, all the work -being rolled and -blinded. Fifty yards of maintenance metal were carted to the roads as follows: Alangawhcro, IS yards, Palmer 42 yards, Neil,l2 yards, and Eltham 8 yards. While this job was in progress one of the horses fell over a. bank and was killed. The crusher and plant has now been brought into the depot. Eltham Hiding —Alctal patching was done on the Rn-whitiroa, Ala at a, Alangawlioro, Anderson and Hu Hoads, and Alabcy (Street. Slips were cjeared off the Tiriniaana and Alangawhero- roads and the Ala.ngamingi ridge. On the Alountaiu Hoad the eastern side of -che formation was trimmed up and the clay taken out, was used to fill up on the western side. Willows were planted at the foot of an underslip on the Tirimoana road.

General —Aiino.r repairs were carried out -on all lorries. Half of .the season’s bitumen supplies have co/ne to hand in good condition. The Ford son tractor is now being overhauled. INSPECTOR ’S ACTIVITIES. Ai r H. E. Williams (county inspector) reported the release of 43 cows and impounding of one cow and seven horses during the month. A number of waggons had been tested for weight, but no cases of overloading had been disclosed. Prosecutions would shortly bo taken against motorists who had .failed to shift the tail lights of their cars to- the right side -or Iva-cl not observed the regulations in regard to provision of mir-rors-and red rear reflectors. The health inspector reported several cases of infectious diseases.