HAWERA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXVII, Issue LXXVII, 3 August 1918, Page 7

HAWERA COUNTY COUNCIL.

TO-DAY'S MEETING

The monthly meeting of the Hawera County Council was held this morning. Present: Crs J. B. Murdoch (chairman), C. C. Tarrant, C. J. Hawken, Williams, B. C. Lysaght, Washer, R. J. Lmn, and T. A. Winks.

TAR SUPPLIES. The Gisborne Gas Co., Ltd., wrote offering to supply the Council with tar for three years at'okl per gallon. The chairman stated that the Council had previously bought 10.000 gallons from the company at od'per gallon, and he understood that the price for future supplies was not to be more than od per gallon. He thought if the Council stuck gut for the 'od they would get it. No action. A BAD CUTTING.

T. W. Evans, Austin road, wrote asking if the Council would 'grade a cutting on the south end of the" Austin road.

The chairman said the foreman had told him that it would cost about £150 to grade it.

Cr Tarrant moved that the foreman report on the road and Mr Evans' outlets.

Seconded by Cr Williams and carried.

BOUNDARY ROADS COMMITTEE

The Boundary Roads Committee forwarded the following resolution: "That the Railway Department's attention be drawn to the fact that when roads crossed by railway lines are made with material other than metal the Department should connect up work." The chairman said that where a road is tarred the Railway Department should tar the portion of the road over the railway line. Other councillors present agreed. ; The report was adopted. REGULATION OF MOTOR TRAFFIC

The Hawera Chamber of Commerce forwarded the following resolution: "It was resolved that your Council be requested, in view of recent events, to take the necessary steps for the more efficient regulation of motor traffic." The chairman said that, as he had previously intimated, a conference of local authorities would take place shortly to discuss the question of the regulation of the motor tarffic in Taranaki, when the question raised by the Chamber would be brought forward. Cr Williams remarked that there were some bad corners which were obscured by hedges. The chairman explained that if any councillor reported such cases the clerk would send a notice to the owner or occupier to have the hedge trimmed. Cr Tarrant: Have we no regulations regarding the speed of cars? The clerk: No.

Cr Tarrant: We want a uniform bylaw or regulation for the whole of Taranaki.

The chairman: That is the idea. No action was taken, but the matter will be discussed at the conference. AMENDMENT OF COUNTIES ACT

URGED. The Waitomo County Council wrote aslcing the Council's co-operation and support of the following resolution:— "That th 6 County Council ar e of an opinion that the Counties Act should be amended to provide that, in e< unties where the native ratepayers exceed a certain number, they be allowed to elect one or more exclusive representatives to the Council, such, representatives to be elected for the whole of tlie county. The Council also suggested that the portion of the. Act dealing with, electors' roll should be amended so ns to give power to the county clerk to compile two electors' rolls, one containing the names of all European electors in each riding, and one containing the names of all native electors within ii-e county. The chairman was not in wvor of the proposed alteration in *he Act. He was supported by the t*yimei]lors.

The letter was received. SCHOOL COMMITTEE'S REQUEST,

Th« Okaiawa. School Committee wi ote drawing the. attention of the Council to the state of the footpath for :>bout five chains from the school to '.he C'kaiawa township. Owing to so much wet weather footpath was almost impassable. It was decided to have the work attended to.

TECHNICAL SCHOOL SUBSIDY. The Taranaki Education Hoard wrote asking for* the Council's contribution of £20 towards the upkeep of thy. Technical classes. at Hawera m order that a claim may be forwarded to the Education Department. In reply to Cr. Tan-ant, the chairman said it was nob intended that this grant would become a permanent one. Ho said that the school was making good headway, and was serving a u;-:eful purpose in the district. Some of the classes were not yet recognised by ihe Department, and until they were the school would require a little assistance. Under the circumstances he favored the Council giving a contribution io.». this year. He moved in this direction.

This was seconded by Cr. Linn and carried.

ALIEN QUESTION

A resolution was received from the Gisborne Borough Council asking that the Government, should intern all •enemy aliens and to utilise the services of such in a manner which will return value to the State.

The councillors were of the opinion that this was a very difficult question for the Council to deal with, and it was one which could safely he left, in ' the hands of the Government.

The chairman moved as follows: —• "That this Council fully trusts in the action of the Government in dealing with the question, and considers the resolution of the Gisborne Borough Council to be too drastic.

Cr. Winks seconded. —Carried

THE PUKETI DEVIATION. A lengthy letter was received from A. Cocker, Ararata, with reference to the proposed Puketi road deviation. It was decided to inform the writer that the Council cannot see their way clear to depart from th c deviation. TAWHITI ROAD DRAINAGE. A letter was received from the Hawera Borough Council asking the Council to do the necessary work in connection with the Tawbiti Ro;id drainage (storm water), and that the borough was prepared to pay half cost. The chairman pointed out that according to the agreement between the County Council and the Borough Coun-

cil all storm water for the county side of the boundary roads should be" dealt with by the county, and from the borough side by the borough. It was resoived to draw the Borough. Council's attention to this par-j ticular clause in the agreement, which I was read at the meeting. FOREMAN'S REPORT. Mr A. Muggeridge reported as follows :

Main South Road—Since the weather has improved the metalling of this road has been proceeded with, and good progress is being made. It is taking considerably m-ur.e metal than was anticipated, as the hill is very hollow in the centre; it will take 600 yards to finish the hill alone. There were several totaras amongst the driftwood at the Tongahoe, which have been split up and 400 sleepers have been secured. These will cost Is 3d each delivered at the beach ready for laying the tram. The temporary bridge over the Tongahoe on the Tongahoe valiev road is proceeding satisfactorily, and will be I finished during the coming week if the i weather permits. A good portion of j the timber for the Kiritae is at the foot of the hill ready to go pver as soon as the bridge is finished. ' A large culvert 60ft long caved in on the hill leading to the Tongahoe; it is a trench cut in the papa and has a wooden top. It would be better to replace this with concrete slabs rather than timber, as it is a considerable depth down. The report was adopted. a: suggestion.

Cr Lysaght referred to the- fact that the Telegraph Department were replacing some poles along the South road, and were- erecting them some distance out from the fences. He suggested that it would be a good thing to ask the Department to paint the poles white, so as they could be seen at night, as otherwise they would be dangerous to persons riding along the grass.

It was decided to act upon Cr Lysaght's suggestion.