HAWERA COUNTY COUNCIL

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LIII, Issue LIII, 22 May 1908, Page 5

HAWERA COUNTY COUNCIL

M.QNTHLV^meetjng

The monthly meeting of the Hawer County Council was held on Thursday present — Crs Goodland (Chairman) Duirs, Borrie, Davidson, Tarrant, Has tie, Bridge, and Winks. CORRESPONDENCE. On behalf of Mi J- V. Wyborn, M H. Caplen forwarded A gketcjj plai showing the roads ix| ,the Ha^erft ex tension estate, and asking Council U authorise the execution of certificate.— At the previous meeting the Cbairmai promised to enquire if the Council wai compelled to take over roads in sub divisions. He reported that Mr Welsl thought the Council had no choice bui to take over the roads. Mr Welsh advised a committee being appointed tc grant the request of Mr Caplen upon ascertaining that the Act had been complied with. — Crs Goodland, Hastie and Winks were appointed the committee with power to act. H. Whalen, Okaiawa, was granted permission to erect a guard wire fence on a frontage of his farm. Mr J. Livingston, Ohawe, Hawera, understanding that the foreshore *at tte mouth of the Waingongoro river was now under the County Council' a control, applied for permission to remove some shingling therefrom, and expressed his willingness to pay any reasonable price for it. — The Chairman said that permission could only be given by the Marine Department. — On the Chairman's motion, seconded by Cr Davidson, the request was refused. Wm. Baker, Hawera, wrote drawing the attention of the Council to the bad state of parts of the gorge on the Tiromoana road, it being unsafe for wheel traffic. — The Engineer said he had sent a man out to attend to the road. An account for £28 10s 7A, legal expenses in connection with boundary roads contracts account, was received from Hawera Borough Council, and asking County Council to pay half .'— t>n the .motion of Crs Murdoch and Davidson it wa.% resolved to inform the Borough ejptta^l that this Council repudiate »$ liability in respect of law charges made by Hawera Borough Council, the majority of the councillors contending that they only had to pay half share for construction of the boundary roads, and not legal expenses incurred by the borough.— The Chairman drew the Council's attention to two items in the Borough's account for boundary roads, namely, December 13, Hayward £48 6s, and February 11 Hayward, grading, £49 7s 6d. — The Engineer said the length graded _w.a&, 110 chains, and .there was more money due. — It was resolved to refer the" particular items back .to the Borough .Council for an explanation. ENGINEER'S REPORT. Mr Basham (County, Engineer) reported as follows : — "Main South Road. — Gravelling, is now completed from the Waihi road to the top of the Waingongoro thill, leaving about 12 chains to .be^dane .icumake j the work .complete from, Waihi road ,to ! Riverdale. This should be completed in about four days. The gr,avel put out on this end of the road will not in my i opinion wear as well as that done during the summer, as owing to the lateness of the season the gravel cannot set as hard as it would do if laid in the dry, hot weather. I am getting a few loads of metal delivered on roadside, so as to repair any weak places that may show up. I would recommend that arrangements be made with contractor to crush and paddock about 200 cubic yards of metal from the river pit, so as to have some material available for repairing as reauired. "Waingongoro Bridge. — Contractor has plastered top of parapet wall, and is now making caps for posts, which he will put on as soon as he can spare time. Asphalt has been top-dressed, and is now very hard, with the exception of a small patch on one side of the bridge, which contractor is to^fix up. As there was some dissatisfaction expressed with regard to the bridge, I have at my own expense obtained a report on the bridge by the Taranaki County Engineer, Mr J. Skinner, who has carried out more work of this description than any other engineer in the Dominion. — The Chairman said, after reading the report, he thought it was favorable, and the work was a credit to Mr Basham. "Meremere Road. — Very little progress has been made on this road since last meeting, a total length of 18 chains having been gravelled. I have directed contractor to cease work. "Glover Road. — Contractor has made good progress since last meeting, having a total distance of about 25 chains completed. Another four or five days should see his contract completed. "Loan Expenditure, 1908-9.— 1 have prepared a .schedule of werk which, l consider should be undertaken- next season, and should be glad to receive authority to call for tenders, closing at next meeting, for such work as it i$ necessary to let early. I wouldi suggest the advisability of the Council t having a road roller made that' would be available for the back roads where 4fc iis impossible to take the steam roller.- I have tabled an illustration showing the type of roller, which to import would cost about £300. I have obtained a price for one made locally, which would be about £140. It is unnecessary for me to point out the importance of rolling a road before the traffic cuts it ; this has been proved over and over again. The size of the roller would be 6ft by sft high, and would weigh about 6f tons, and would give a pressure of 2161b per lineal inch. "I should be glad to know if it is the wish of the Council to reduce men's wages as was done from Ist May last year." The report, with the exception of the loan expenditure clauses,' was adopted, they being dealt with separately. Cr Hastie moved, That prices be obtained for roller. — Seconded by Cr Davidson and .carried. With respect to the question of the rpduction of the men's wages, the Chairman contended that in the face of other men's wastes risinc all over the country thpv would lose their best men. Cr Datddson said a notice of motion vconld b» required to rescind the resolution referred to.'- - Mr Basham said he did not think the retrplajr, men would leave, but the esnpciairv ' irood ones, ■which he had picked durinc: the summer might probably co away. resolved not to reduce the wages. *" "

GENERAL. Two tenders were received for the purchase of the old Waingongoro bridge at £5, and one for its removal at £30. — No offer was accepted. The tender of Julian and Muller w«| accepted for crushed metal at 3s IOJd per yard. The Engineer was authorised to report at next meeting on trees overshadowing roads.