PATEA COUNTY COUNCIL

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 14 September 1921, Page 6

PATEA COUNTY COUNCIL

pVi MONTHLY MEETING.

j??I!ha monthl ymeeting of the Patea 'County Council was held yesterday, present: Crs J. Gibbs (chairman), W. Q^Beiton, Taylor, R. fe. Scown, F. ifeoper, W. H. Watkins, E. Hurley, F. McDonald and D. Sutherland.

The chairman, before commencing the business, welcomed Or Sutherland, aC new councillor. Or Sutherland was £returned soldier, and no doubt would do good work for the ratepayers. 'The welcome was brietly acknowftM&ed by Cr Sutherland. Mr Leahey waited on the Council #Ith regard to the metalling contract by Mr Nicholson on the llangitatau road, which had not been completed. The engineer said that Mr Nicholson did not wish to continue and had been paid up. The thirds had been exhausted and there was not sufficient money in the riding account to proceed farther with the work.

Mi Leahey said a loan had been nosed and the thirds were to be used in paying interest. Cr Belton said he had no knoweldge of such an arrangement. The engineer said the Land Board Itad approved of the thirds being expended on metalling and road maintenance. The thirds account was over drawn at the present time. Mr Leahey complained that more attetnion was given to the upper length of-the road than to the lower end. The engineer said that the thirds i'or tke upper end amounted to £967 and *■•. the lower (Mr Leahey'a end) to jK9. so that the labour employed awjhud be about equally divided. The ranger had agreed that the expenditure had been fairly distributed. , The chairman said that a good deal of money was spent in employing rate- . payers to do urgent work. He had a recollection of a certain Mr Leahoy lumng been very well paid to do some work for the Council. As other councillors became more experienced they would see for themselves how much money went in this way. . Mr Leahey: You mean me H The chairman: I had no idea it was you." (Laughter.) He did nojt see how •ay further work could be done till the new rates came in. Mr Leahey would be presented with a statement later showing how the money had been spent. Mr T. J. Davis, representing the Wairoa Domain Board, waited on the Council with a request that it would provide one set of two sets of pipes necessary to provide a watercourse through the Domain.—lt was decided to provide the water pipes and deliver them at the railway station, the Domain Board to do the carting and lay the drain. v . An application for the position o* surfaceman in Upper Waitotara was received from Mr P. G. Grog&n.—Referred to the engineer. The Taranaki Local Bodies' Association wrote forwarding its constitution and asking the Council to send a dele-, gate to the annual meeting on September 2.—Received. Letters were received in reference to the destruction of Paritutu, and seeking the Council's co-operation in an effort to prevent this by having the Mt. Egmont quarry opened up.—The chairman said he was in sympathy with the Preservation League, but he did not see that they could do anything.—The letter was received. - Mr F. Train wrote asking that the slip at Taumatatahi be removed so as to make the road passable for a sledge. He also asked what amount of thirds were available for the hridge at the junction of Rawhitiroa and Waitotara Valley roads.—The engineer said there was about £100 available.for.the bridge now. : Wittr regard tor'theVsfips the road could very soon be made fit for " sledging:—lt was left in the hands of "the engineer to have the slips cleared? si^fet^ff was received from the MiniJ« r'OTf Public Works stating that in; view of -the cost of opening up Mount Egmont Quarry, on account of "the financial etrtngency, it was intended t» •open vp r the limestone deposits at Te Wera, and asking the. Counul if it was willing to take the same quantity , of metal annually from Te Wera as it had been prepared to take from Mount • Egmont. The price of the metal would be '9s' 6d per yard on trucks at Te Wera. The letter was accompanied by a sample of the stone.—On the motion of the chairman, seconded by Cr. Belton, it was decided to reply stating that the Council could not commit itself to any quantity, but would be prepared to give the metal a trial if the quarry, at Te Wera was opened up. Mr. W. Hicks wrote asking that the <- fence on block £ hill, which had been pulled up in order to remove mud from the roadj be put in repair.—On the motion of Cr. Belton the matter was left in the hands of the engineer-. A' letter was received from the Eketahuna County Council in reference to ' the difficulty in collecting rates from assisted returned soldiers who may not wish to pay. The Eketahuna Council lad_ lost £750 in this way, and the Patea Council was asked to assist in having a, remit dealing with the matter carried at the Counties Conference. It was also asked to bring the matter before the member for the district.—On the motion of Cr. Belton, seconded' by Cr. Hooper, it was decided to endorse the.action of the Eketahuna. Council. Correspondence was received from the Auckland Provincial Hydro-Electric League setting out the objects of the League. The subscription was fixed at an open amount.—Received.

" Advice was received that the Counties' Association would' hold its annual conference at- Wellington on Septem"ber 28. The Patea County Council was entitled to one delegate only. . The chairman said it was regrettable that they had so little information about Main Roads Bill. Subject to any information yet to come to liand he would, throw -in his lot with -the other Taranaki. representatives and oppose the Bill as it stood. It would he better for the Taranaki Councils to go on and complete their own roads than to submit- to" a double tax and pay for roads in some other part of the Dominion. .. -

Cr. Btlton said the Government, if it took over the main arterial roads, would also have to take over the loans.

Cr. Sutherland thought the Government should take over the main roads at a valuation.

The chairman- thought the members of the.present Government would die of old age before the Main Roads Bill could be carried into..effect. t - , On the motion at Cr. Belton it was. decided to take step's,.to amend the ov-lawT relating to wandering; stock,; -with'a view' to, enlarging the powers' 6f r the Council: r;' '•" " '-*' : ' " ENGINEER'S REPORT.

The engineer (Mr McLaughlan) reported as follows: Main Road and General.—Metal has Been arriving steadily during the month, a total of 277 tons of metal and screenings being to hand since last meeting from Lower HuEt. Screenings *re in short supply and application has ieen made for larger quantities. The retailing north of Patea com-, pleted the week of last meeting, and thft_ rolTer, etc., shifted to below TTaverley. Good progress has been made with this work, 1§ chains of new -metal being Taid* down' and tarred and about 10 chains, now ready for tarring.

JL& time permitted the roller was used

for scarifying the racecourse frontage, I the bulk or this section being re- > shaped, blinded and rolled. General re-1 pairs have been eitected throughout the MaTn road, the Manutahi Gorge filling and cutting being overhauled, and the road in this locality patched where nietal was available. The decking of the Patea bridge has also been patched, the tar coating being removed from the southern end to enable this to be done. The side rails along the iron ' truss have also been renewed, the steel rafts being in many places rusted through, leaving dangerous gaps. The repairs to the dock are only ot a temporary nature, and it is very evident that the redecking of this bridge will have to b« laced beioro long. Tho deck oi this bridge will receive a coat of tar and chips as soon as possible. As tho expenditure on the general account is now over £3000, it is evident that the work on the Main road will have to be curtailed to keep below the £5000 authorised, and 1 propose to divert the Bolmont metal to tho Lower Ball road as soon as the £1000 loan is to hand. The above amount does not include to-day's payments.

Patea West District.—Tho work oi rograding the Taumaba gorge has been completed. The grader team was then shifted to Manutahi road and a start made with the regrading of Burke*.s gorge, and this work should be completed this week. An inspection of the Wilt'ord road was made after last meeting, and except for a tew chains on what is known as Caseley's hill this road was in very good order. When the work at .Burkes gorge is finished it is proposed to reduce the grade of a short hill on the same road, put in n small filling on the Kursthouse road towards Tauiuaha, and then proceed with regrading work on the HursthouseKakaramea road. Some improvement has been made on the Clifford road and also on the Peteh road corner. Th« metal authorised for the Hurley roaJ has been carted on by settlers and spread _ where required. The Makino filling is in need of some repair, and this should be metalled this season v possible. The metalling on the Hursthouse road requires a' further expenditure of about £25 to complete tho most necessary part; this work was stopped by wet weather in the autumn. Patea East District.—The roads in the Patea East district are in very good order for the season. The Otauto road washed out with the heavy rain, but has since been repaired on tlie now formation. The section graded last season cut up very badly during the winter, and though the worst holes have been filled, it is still in a rough state. Some repairs are also needed ion Nicholson road. The bridge on this road has been inspected and necessary repairs will be put in hand at an early date. The settlers have ploughed and graded a cutting on the Niagara road, which was in a bad state. The Opaku road metal is badly in need of patching. An inspection of the intersection of the Opaku and Rakaupiko roads was made recently, the chairman and Mr Back being present, and it is evident that an expenditure of close on £200 is required Jt,o make a satisfactory job at this place. This includes metal tor, say, 8 chains of road. Waverley Riding.—The Waverley riding roads are improving steadily with the dry weather, and now require a trim up with the grader. Thtf sanding of Grantham's frontage is now completed, and Cave's hill will be sanded this week. This work was held over as Sinclair was required on the Main road. Two new culverts have been put in on the Oturi road towards the beach, and the road cleared of slips and patched. Moumahaki Riding.—The roads in this riding are still in a rough state, but are steadily improving. The con-

tractor for Langdown's read is making good progress with the work. An inspection of the Weraweraonga road and track was made recently, and arrangements have been made to expend up to £15 in overhauling this track, which is in a rather dangerous condition. The Motoroa bridge shomd bo attended to, and as SVarner is available it may bo advisable to have the new stringers put in position und tho oridgo redecked, as the material is on the gr6und and the grant will probably not be rovoted. Tho roller is at work on the State Farm road, and the metal is being blinded and rolle"cl as time allows. An inspection was made after lust meeting of the encroachments ol the Waitotara river near the school, but no action was taken in tho matter. Tho expenditure on the Main road, etc., and the various ridings up to August 30 is as follows: General account, £3010 10s 4d; Kapara riding, £573 0s 7d; Wavorley riding, £918 2s; Patea West, £1792 13s; Patea East, £978 17s 7d; Moumahaki riding, £1016 5s sd; total, £8295 8s lid. Sept. payments: General account, £464 7s 7d; Kapara, £84 14s; Waverley, £30 11s; Patea West, £121 13s 9d: Patea East, £19 15s 6d; Moumahaki, £84 17s; total, £810 18s Id.

The chairman moved, and Cr Taylor seconded, that the Lower Ball road work be put in hand as feooh as tho loan money is available. This was carried.

The report was adopted. It was suggested By both Cr Belton and the chairman that the engineer should include in his monthly reports figures showing the financial position of each riding.