EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL

Opunake Times, 19 January 1934, Page 2

EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING ENGINEER'S REPORT The monthly meeting of the Egmont County Council was held on Tuesday, when there were present Messrs W. C Green (chairman, 'l. Wilcox, S. R. Farquhar, E. A. Collins, G Gibson, J. S. Tosland, A. J. Lilley, and E. G. Holmes. The engineer (Mr J. G. McIvor) reported on the month's work as follows: In the construction of Punehu stream bridge the north pier has heen concreted up to the girdei seat and north abutment completed except for one wing wall. Excavation lor the south pier is proceeding. On Main South Road asphalt has been kept gritted and Punehu blinded and hanking attended to. On Eltham Road the decking of the Ouri bridge has been partly renewed. On Skeet Road water-tabling and blinding have been done. Patiki Road, south riding, has been water-tabled and blinded and patching done on the sealed length. Draining and blinding have been done on Kiri Road, Weka Street and Stratford Road. In central riding patching and blinding have been done on Namu and Kina Roads, and Upper Kahui Road was blinded. In north riding Cape and Warea Roads have been patched. Extensive repairs, amounting almost to renewal, are being made to the "YYaiwcranui bridge on Okahu Road. The crushing plant is being set up at the Punehu stream for metalling the Ueo-Kiri section of Wiremu Road. The New Zealand Counties' Association forwarded a legal opinion regarding the maintenance of bridges on local body boundaries.

(Jr. Tosland asked if the principle applied to tiie construction ol bridge's, lie referred to tiie Otahi budge, which was on tiie boundary oi the Opuuake Town Board. The county was in a position to rehuild the bridge but the town board had not the money. A poll of ratepayers would have to be taken to raise tiie town's portion and that would hold the matter up. Cr. Wilcox: Could the county build the bridge and call on the town board for its share? Leans Conversion.

The Taranaki Local Bodies' Association advised that the Minister of Finance was unfavourable to the granting of 12-j per cent, subsidy on county rates. The chairman said one reduction in interest had been given, and the Minister hoped local bodies would convert their loans and obtain a still lower rate. The original saving had been one per cent., and if they converted it might be made permanent.

(Jr. Tosland considered it was advisable to have the position stabilised. Cr "Wilcox said the Government had not the money to give as a subsidy. General. That the council should try the system known as armourcoating ot bitumen adopted by the Ingieood county was suggested by Cr. Tosland, who thought it would be a great- saving if the method were successful. lie advocated a testing on a country road.

The engineer stated that tlie system had been tried in America for iive years. It wasnecessary to have a special plant, and it would be possible to treat Iliaia Itoad if they had the plant. The chairman: The best thing is to keep it in view and try it when we have the money available.

A request was made by settlers at the top of Ihaia Ixoad to have improvements made as early as possible. One of the settlers still had to sledge milk, and the men had been taken off the work. It was considered an urgent case. The engineer explained that relief workers had been transferred in the meantime, but he had the position in hand and would have the work continued as soon as possible.

In reply to another request for improvement to Carrington lioad the engineer said the driving of settlers* cows was keeping the surface in poor condition.

The chairman thought it would be wise to get the engineer to look iiito the position and see if the settlers had means of driving the stock over their own farms instead of over the road. The engineer and clerk were instructed accordingly. Mr J. If. Francis waited on the council regaring the conversion of county loans, and it was decided to hold a special meeting. Mr W. Weaver was appointed dog tax collector. The ranger rejioried that 28 head of stock had been impounded during the month. In reply to Cr. Wilcox the engineer said all heavy traffic fee's had been paid. Straying Bull. The ranger (Mr Weaver) reported that he had seized a bull at large on the Patiki Eoad. Surmising that it was Mr W. A. Sheat's he drove the animal up the road opposite Mr Sheat's farm and interviewed him if he would accept ownership and pay 7/driving fee. Mr Sheat would not release the bull and told him to take it to the pound and he would release it. As the ranger was in his car he could not drive it and after an argument allowed it to go without payment of fees. The ranger claimed driving fees, 7'-. Cr J. S. Tosland said that Mr Sheat's bull was certainly on the

road and the council would have: to insist on the driving fee. The chairman (Mr W. d Green) said that it was most unfortunate that they got into this kind of trouble, but they could do nothing else but support the ranger. They did not want to prosecute anyone but he thought the least a settler could do when his beast was released was to thank the ranger and pay the fee. He considered the council should advise Mr Sheat that it expected him to pay the driving fee. The ranger was in his car because his , boy was ill and he had to hurry • home, so he made his inspection: of the roads in the vehicle. Cr. Farquhar referred to thjv difficulties of owners in their bulls in the paddocks andf pointed out that the animal might have been on the road onlyC a few minutes before being dis- 1 covered. He suggested that the incident should be allowed to pass if Mr Sheat paid the driving fees. Cr. Lilley considered it was worth something to a settler to be saved a long trip to the pound and back.

The chairman said the Taranaki County Council did not unround but orosecuted where driving fees were not paid. A motion was carried that the council uphold the ranger in his. action.