ELTHAM COUNTY MATTERS

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 10 December 1928, Page 7

ELTHAM COUNTY MATTERS

MEETING OF THE COUNCIL. At the monthly meeting of the Eltham County Council, head on {Saturday, there were present: Councilors <J. J. Belcher (chairman), A. McW-iMam, A. U. Mess-ant, M. W. Barker, A. L. Campbell, \V. E A Carter, O. E. Mo--1 lines, and E. J, Gifford. Leave of absence was granted to Cl*. R. J. Knuckey. HEAVY TRAFFIC FEES.

The Piako County Clerk wrote requesting the council’s .support in opposing the proposal to abolish heavy traffic fees. Representation of the lilt-ham County Council -at a conference to be held in the New Year to diisouss the matter was -also asked. The Public Works Department, Wellington, advised that a movement has been on foot for some time, promoted by owners of heavy vehicles, -having for its object an attempt to induce the Government to discontinue the regulation authorising local authorities to impose heavy traffic fees. In order to assist the deliberations of a- conference to be, held in the New Year to discuss the subject, the Department requested a statement showing the amount the council had received in heavy traffic fees since the’ regulation came into force, with a brier outline, of the uses to- which the money had been put, and any information as to the oondiusions the council or staff had come to in reference to the damage caused to the roads by -heavy traffic vehicles in comparison "with that caused by motor cars using the same amount Of petrol. Or. Mess ana expressed the opinion that it would be disastrous to meddle with the regulations. The general view was that a number of cars would not cause a-s much damage to roads as would heavy traffic using the same amount, of petro-1. The clerk was instructed (to- advise that tlie council was not in favour of discontinuance of the regulation, and to furnish the Departemnt wiith the information asked for. AN APPRECIATION.

The secretary or the Taranaki Antonio One Association (ivur Vat Dun; wrote m expression or appreciation or rue work done oy tne various local todies in >taie district, .and by fine Aram Highways, Board, in regard to improvement or loads. Tne association was aware or tne local bodies’ anticipation of the summer montiis in which to carry out a gioat deal of work, and while it did not presume to make suggestions that wound hamper the prosecution of this work, it was thought that the local bodies mignt request their engineers to see that, as far as possible, tne diversion of traffic by erection of barriers miglit be reduced to a minimum, particularly through the Christmas holiday season, when motor traffic was at its height. It was hoped that the suggestion would be accepted in the soirit m which it was tendered. —Received. GATE TO BE REMOVED.

In reference to the council’s decision to remove, a .gate, and ienoe on the track, Mr Otto Buckman, Aloeroa, wrote stating that he was unaware that the' gate wag on a public road. Tne gate was se-doni shut. if the gate gad to be removed, he held that in rairneas to all, every gate on county roads and tracks should also be done away with. He, however, awaited (the I councils decision on tins matter. ' It was resolved to notify Mr Buckman that, failing removal!, of the gate within seven days, legal proceedings wodld lie taken to compel, him to do so. GENERAL. Mr B. Larsen, dierk to the. Itg-e----wood County Council, conveyed the thanks of his council to Mr F. Muggeridge for his courtesy and attention to members of the Ingiewood Council on the occasion of a recent visit of inspection of Eltharn roads.—Received. The Egmont County Council requested that the outlet to a culvert on Auroa Road, serving drains in both the Eltharn and Egmont counties, should be kept clear; also that as the Eltharn County Council had jurisdiction over Auroa Road, it should maintain the small portion lying between the west boundary and. the tarred surface.—Referred to the engineer. Mr. John Routley, Kaikolie, wrote agreeing to the council taking land required lor road improvements, on condition that fences were made good.— Received. It was resolved that the council s offices should be closed for business from December .22 to January 8, and

that the outside staff be allowed three extra days’ holiday during Christmas. THE MONTH’S WORK. Mr. F. Muggeridge, engineer, reported as follows on the operations of the staff during the past month: South Riding.—General maintenance (consisting of cutting scrub, filling in wheel ruts, lowering culverts, and water-tabling) was attended to on the old Rotokare Road. On the Fraser Road one side track was metalled and clay blinded. Bitumen patching was also attended to on this road. Mangatoki Riding. Water-tables and culverts were cleaned out on the Skeet and Hastings Roads. On the Hunter Road one side track was filled in and water-tables cleaned out. Omona Riding.—The tractor and grader were used to cean up the sides of the Rawhitiroa Road and the metalled portion of the Mataiwketu Road. Eighty-five yards of maintenance metal were carted out from the Mangatoromiro stream. On the Rawhitiroa Road slips were cleared off, metal patching was done, and water-tables and culverts attended to. A considerable amount of work has been done in clearing up the Moeawatea track and the Valley Road. The work of clearing up the Moeawatea Ridge Road will now be attended to.

Kaponga Riding.—Bitumen patching was done on the Auroa, Eltharn, and Mangawliero Roads. Metal patching was attended, to on the Palmer Road. One set of 12-inch concrete pipes were put in on the Neil Road. Olay blinding was done on the Opunake-Stratford Road. Timber had been ordered for repairs to the Mangawliero stream bridge on the Opunake Road. Eltharn Riding.—A start had been made to widen out the third mile of the -Rawhitiroa Road to 15ft.; aboiit 80 chains on one side has been completed to date. Slips were cleared off the Maata, Mangawliero, and Tirimoa'na Roads. Metal patching was done on the Rawhitiroa and Rotokare Roads. PAYMENT OF RATES. The chairman drew the attention of councillors to the fact that the bank overdraft was close upon £SOOO, due chiefly to disregard of the appeal for payment of rates. The position, lie said, was unfair to those who paid at due date, owing to their having to bear their share of the. interest account created by non-payment of. rates. It was resolved, on the motion of the chairman and Cr. McGuinness, to sue for all rates not paid on or before December 21. , At the conclusion of the meeting the chairman extended to councillors, the staff, and the Press his best wishes for the new year, and referred to the cordial relations which had existed between them throughout the past year.