ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 15 August 1921, Page 6

ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING.

The usual monthly meeting, of the Xltham County Council was held at IMtham on Saturday, when there were M. W. Barker. INTEREST AND RATES. The, Bank of New + Zealand advised iartii t i S tion of the increased rate of-interest with which the council was burdened should "he borne in mind by some.ol the ratepayers. The rates were coming in very Slowly, and he wished to make * special appeal to those, ratepayers who had not yet paid their rates to. do so at the first opportunity. The council could not carry on much longer if rates were not forthcoming. The bank's letter was received. ' A letter was received from tJfe Salvation Army headquarters, Wellington, ■asking the^council to reconsider their application for the exemption of the Station Army Boys' Home from the who ft the representative of the south riding, in.which tne ' home is situated, stated that it would be impossible to comply with the lequest. Personally coxmcillors were very much in sympathy with the good work the Army was doing, and some of them gave from their own private funds to- - wards th© home. He thought that, as - a local body, the council should keep to its former decision of equal rights to all and special privileges to none. Gr McWilliam pointed out that they liad "to 4<?t fairly by all their ratepayers, and therefore they could not make .any special favours to any one denomination. v The chairman stated that there was no one who had more admiration for the-Salvation Army than himself, hut lie thought that such an institution should he dependent on private >ndi- , viduals before local bodies. v .! It was decided to reply refusing the . request. . ■ '■ -^ i COUNTIES CONFERENCE. j ' A circular letter was received from 4 the New Zealand Counties' Association ■ stating that it was proposed to hold : the next conference of the association \ • tm September '28. It was also stated ] that remits should be forwarded in duplicate before August 15. The chairman stated that the Main Roads Bill would be discussed at the conference, but, as they did not know, anything definite vet about the proposed Bill, they could not forward any remit on that subject. The chairman was appointed to at- ' tend the conference. BARBERRY. x Advice was received from the Department of Agriculture notifying that the plant known as barberry (barberis vulgaris) had been added to the third schedule of the. Noxious, Weeds-Act. The. effect of this would be that any local authority may now declare by special order the plant to be a noxious weed within its district. ; ~. Cr. McWilliam stated that-the plant, was growing freely in some parts of the district. • Cr. Messana stated that he had over two miles of it In .hedges, but as long as the plant was^|jfcopped from spreading the hedges 'were safe even if desclared noxious weeds. On the motion of Messrs McGuinness »nd Knuckey it was decided that the „—Justification be received. A contrary amendment was lost. ' ) FINNERTY ;• ROAD BRIDGE. The Stratford County Council notified that at the last meeting of the council the following resolution had /■ been passed: "That, as the Finnerty Road bridge is now completed, the lEltham Count> Council be asked to, forward a cheaue for their share of the cost." T^he" Stratford Council also notified that interest at the irate of 7 per cent, would be charged on the JEltham County's share of the cost, as from date. r- The clerk stated that the sub-com-mittee's report had s not yet been endorsed. The sub-committee's report was then endorsed and instructions were issued to forward the report to Stratford. FINNERTY ROAD. Cr. Carter mentioned that the eri4£meer for the Stratford. County h.ad <%old the Mangafokt Riding members that his council was prepared to Hand over the sole control of the Finnerty Road from the Lowgarth factory to the Stuart' Road to the Eltham . council, and, that the Stratford council . would ,pay .half the cost of mainten- - ance^of the road.__. Vv REMIT FOR CONFERENCE. The following remit was decided on 3by the council: "That the Rating Act, 1908, be amended by the addition of the following clause: £A local authority may by resolution (public notice whereof shall be given) authorise a discount «f any amount not exceeding len per cent upon alt general rates rjaid to the said local authority within twerity r •ight days from date of demand.' " GENERAL. Correspondence from \ the Taranaki Progress League was let lie on.^he table. v . The action of the chairman in attending the meeting at Stratford in regard to the toll gate question was «onfirmed. The Eltham Chamber ~6f Commerce wrote , stating that the Chamber had under consideration the question cf the extension of the present telephone service. The service could be made continuous if two-thirds of the business .subscribers and two-thirds of the private subscribers signified their desire for such an extended service and their willingness to pay tne extra cost entailed. This would amount to £1 per annum for each connection, except in the case of subscribers on party lines, who would pay a minimum of £1 up to four parties, with an increase of 5s for each party in excess of four. The Chamber asked for the council's support in the matter. After consideration, the letter was received. ENGINEERS REPORT. The engineer. Mr. M, Fitzgerald, * reported as follows:—"The recent lieavy weather has go far caused comparatively little damage in,, the back country. The roller and portable engine were examined and passed by the inspector of machinery. The "anti- - friction roller of the stone crusher broke, and a new one has been seat for. A good deal of sand and some «aips have been distributed for next season's tar work. The making of concrete posts was continued. The «ngine of the fiv^e ton White lorry was overhauled and practically all iis« vehicles and machinery have had so^ne attention during the month. South Riding: Further progress -ttas made with Skeef Road, but the m?tal Still comes to hand very slowly. Attention lias been given to water-tables, culverts, and road suriaees^ on fS^ofc, Mountain' Fraser, Rotokare. and Campbell Roads. 'Mangaioki: "Watercables' were attended to on Dntlpr. Hunter, Hastings. Stuart, and Ellhnni 3loads. A new culvert was put in near .IKapum bridge. The embankment at -^MartiEt's Dip continues to spread, ancj

willows have been planted to hold it | together, but on the lower side, where the stream is threatening to let down part of the road, some reclamation work, will have -*to ue' done. Part o£ the embankment at Doctor's Drop fell in. owing to the culvert being broken, and at one time there was risk of a wsv'sh-out resulting. Mr.' Cave has undertaken to construct the new Mungatoki bridge, and a start will probably be made within the next fart night. I attended a conference at Lowga-rth re alteration of boundaries. Oimma Riding: The usual work of clearing slips, culverts, and watertables was done on the Rawhitiroa, Mataiwhetu, and Waitsri Roads. At the Patea RiVer end some widening was done and metal* relaid. Thirds money was spent "on improving Rawhitiroa. Road below Moeroa. Progress with the rebuilding of Whenuakura bridge was slow owing to the heavy weather and the presence of water in the excavations. Kaponga Riding: Most of the month's work was devoted to water-tabling on Eltham and llowan .Roads.. Metal, patching was : done on Rowan and Mangawhero Roads. The crushing or\metal at Makaka has ceased owing ten break-down of the machinery. Firewood hauling still continues and the roads carrying this traffic are getting worse. Eltham Riding: Slips were cleared on Mangamingi Ridge, Mangamingi Road, and Tirimoana Road. A further 16 chains of Eawhitiroa Road .was refaced with shell jock. A gate was made for Aorere Road."