EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LVII, 18 August 1910, Page 2

EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL

The ordinary monthly meeting was , held on Friday, August 12. Present: Crs. Dudley (chairman), Campbell, '. Hurst, Farquhar, Macßeynolds, Har- '. vey, Willeox and Young. CORRESPONDENCE. The following firms forwarded particulars and catalogue prices of stone crushers and other road-making, implements: Whittaker and Co., Blake, Marsden and Co., England; Donald and Donald, Glasgow. From the Department informing the .Council that Canadian thistle (or stink weed) and Cape weed were brought under schedule 9 of the Noxious Weeds Act. COMPLAINT. Mr G. T. Mason wrote : ' 'Re Opunake Sawmilling Company: As a ratepayer, I should be pleased if your Council could do something to make the above company send lighter loads of timber over the roads at this time of the year. On July 11 I noticed that a very large load of timber left the mill, and upon my looking at the waggoner's waybill, 1 saw that he had 4015 feet of timber loaded on the waggon. Such loads of timber as that will soon cut the Kiri road to pieces. . Then I would like to know how we are going to get our milk I out to the factory. lam surprised that your foreman did not complain about it. Trusting that your Council will Cive this matter some attention. Cr. Farquhar understood that the waggon had on a double load, and got r stuck in Kelly's creek. The Chairman said that on receipt of the complaint he authorised the clerk to write to the company drawing their attention to the by-laws; and had also instructed the foreman to see that the by-laws were not being transgressed. Cr. Macßeynolds considered it an ungenerous proceeding to cut up the settlers' > roads at this time of the year. The clerk stated that the mill manager had called at the office and said it would not occur again. The general manager was absent at the time. Cr. Young considered there was no use framing by-laws and allowing them to be transgressed. The Council had a good case ; the next infringement might no be so easily proven. He moved that the company be prosecuted. The Chairman said he felt half inclined to second Cr. Young's motion. It was the very worst time of the year, dead of winter, to cut up the roads, and offenders deserve -to suffer, but as the manager was absent, and an assurance had been given by the mill manager that such will not occur again, it m7ght meet the case. Gr. Young's motion lapsed for want of a seconder. Crs. Farquliar did not like prosecuting under the circumstances, seeing that an assurance had been given that it will not occur again. He moved, "That the foreman be instructed to keep a watchful eye for any further transgressors and inform the Council with a view of taking proceedings against infringements of the by-laws. Seconded by Cr. Campbell and carried. ' PUBLIC WORKS. , Mr Dive, M.P., wrote enquiring for names of roads and amounts required for public roads, so that he can place such information before the Minister with a view of getting . same on the Estimates. Cr. Willcox stated the Parihaka Road Board had 4sked for £5000 for the Wiremu road. ' On the motion of the Chairman and Cr. Willcox. it was decided to inform Mr Dive that the completion of the Wiremu-Carrington road was an urgent work; also the bridge on the StratfordOpunake road, over the Punehu stream was entitled to a Government grant. It was decided to ask for £7000 for the Wiremu road, and an amount similar to the cost of the bridge across the same stream (Punehu) on the Eltham road for the Stratford-Opunake road bridge. RATE SUBSIDY. The Treasury forwarded a voucher for £471 17s 6d, subsidy. The Clerk said it was a decided increase on last year's subsidy. CONTRACTS FORFEITED. J From Z. Wells, Kawhia, stating tharfr he had left the district, and would not be able to carry out his con- ' tracts, and asking that the contracts be transferred to Mr Dewar. I On the motion of Crs Macßeynolds ' and Campbell/ it was decided that Mr Wells be informed that the works must be gone on with, failing which the Council will cancel contracts. NOTICE OF MOTION. The Chairman stated that the notice of motion of intention to strike I a rate could be discussed, but the | amount of rate must be agreed upon ' at> this meeting, as it was necessary for the clerk to have his books in I order, and there must be no going ! back on to-day's agreement at next meeting. Cr Campbell asked if the Chairman would agree to amend the reading of . his motion, to be one penny in the ! Oeo riding, with a proportionate allocation to main and side roads as 6 to 2. What with the higlier valua- ' tion, which would give them something like £500 more— £2oo for Patiki and £80 for Watino — he thought they could get through very well. The Chairman said he would be quite prepared to make the reduction. It was the settler, not him, who had to go through the mud. His motion fixed the rate for the purpose of discussion. But do not let it go out to tho settlers that the Council fixed the rate at a penny as quite sufficient for Oeo requirements. Three farthings would bo practically useless even on the Pafciki road. There was nothing else for it, he thought^ but a loan or a thumping big rate to put the Jatiki road in proper order. Cr Campbell said he intended to get the settlers to go in for a special rate. They could not go in for a loan as there were too many absentees on the road. The Chairman: You Know, Cr Campbell, that time after time deputations have come here, and it has always been :Patiki road, Patiki road. Cr Campbell: Well, if the settlers will not go in for a special rate they doscrve to go through the mud. Cr Young said he would certainly oppose any lower rate than threefarthings to the main road. The same rate should be struck right through. If it is lowered in the Oeo district, then the northern rate should be lowered to the same level. Cr Campbell was of opinion that each riding hud a right to settle the rate, and Oeo riding, with the higher valuation, had a right to say what rate should be struck. He would not be one to dictate to other ridings. Cr Young: Tlin land in the souths em end is 30 por cent, hotter than in tho northern oud, and they get the larger return back by a greater value of produce olf the laud.

Cr Willcox: Yes, it should be three-farthings for main road rigat through. The Chairman: Cr Campbell, are you willing to let the contribution to the main road he three-farthings? Cr Campbell: Very well, then, let it stand at that, with the general rate one penny. The general rate will be struck as follows: Three-farthings in Opunake, three-farthings in Rahotu, one penny in Oeo, three-farthings to main road, and one farthing to side roads. FOREMEN'S REPORTS. Oeo Southern. Foreman W. Harris reported on work done: — The timber previously ordered tor the Oeo bridge, Skeet road, has not arrived yet, and is urgently needed. I recommend obtaining twenty-four 4xß ritnu decking, 16ft long, for Oeo bridge, Main South road.^ Contract 155. — The contractor was notified to start last month, and has failed to do so. Oeo bridge. — The timber to be procured. Contract No. 155. — Cr Willcox moved, That the deposit be forfeited, and the contract cancelled. — Seconded by Cr Farquhur and carried. Oeo Northern. Foreman Munro reported on main- ; tenance work. All metalled roads are in fairly god order for the season of the year. | Re cases of non-compliance with the by-laws, one which I have been instructed to report. I have not noticed i any very_ serious infringements of the by-laws in this division during the winter. The Opunake Sawmilling Company, during the time I was laid up, hauled one big load with two teams attached, which, no doubt, caused the complaint. On making enquiries I found it consisted of 4000 ft of % rough lining. However, they are carrying very light loads fit present, and judging by the condition of their horses are not likely to do much damage this winter. The carriers' waggons no doubt at times are rather heavily loaded, but without a weighbridge it is a hard matter to arrive at a correct estimate of what they are carrying, as their stuff is lifted from many sources and consigned to different people, and they are not likely to give you more information than they can help. There is practically no firewood traffic at present. The heavy traffic trouble is not nearly so acute this winter as it has been for several previous ones, probably because there are not so many large buildings bein gerected. COMMISSION. Mr Murray wrote that the cost of the commission ori Oeo boundary road ; dispute amounted to £9 15s; Opunake's share of cost, £4 17s 6d. — Opunako Times.