TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 261, 5 November 1901, Page 2

TARANAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

j « . i The Taranaki County Council met on I Monday. Present: Mr H. Okey I (chairman), Cm. Wareham, McDonald , Brown, Hopson, Gr.iy, Tats and Lep-' par. | Mr. W. Wrighv, elected to the Coun-' cil in place of Mr. Phillips, was introduced by Mr. Gray and took bis ssat. The Moa Foreman, ,T. P. Kennedy, reported that the was trouble-i-ome.to keep in ordef/tliera being about 10 culv.-rts to Iseop op:n as well as water tables. Ha drew attention to the contractor for the Moa Koad Board drawing metal over the road at Tarata, whereby damages would be done to the rend. The Junction-road Fore mar, G. Walker, reported on work done and

that there was a broken eu'vert between Ingle wood and tho Bacon Factory, 42ft of 15-inch pipe bnng required to macd i\ Plunks ware required for two or three bridges, Tho Chairman explained that the

firemen bad beon informed that they must not employ extra labour without porm'ssion as it was necessary to keep down expans". Or. Brown advocated employment of more labour instead of lfss. The Chairman pointed out that the

work should b; controlled by the Council and this could not b i done unless the Foreman reported what was necessary to be done and the Council could decide »s to what extra labour should be providr-d. Aufchoiity was given for the culvert pipes asked for and for the planting. The Waitar* Fort-man reported that the Mongonika bridgn requiied repairs

to decking. He asked to be provided with some notices p inted in Maori re furze on the roar). Authority was given for the timber required for the j j bridge. On the motion of Or. Wright it was decided to notify the Stock Inspector relative to the growth of furze in front of Maori sections on tha road. Or. Lite drew attention to the danger of the railway crosting on tha road near Waitara. He moved that this Oouncil regrets very much tbat the Railway Department does not| recognise the serious risks now being run in connection with the railway crossing on the main north road near Waitara, of late there having been what might have terminated in two serious accidents, which undoubtedly would be more costly to tha department than ths cost of an overhead bridge, and that this Oouncil strongly urges the deparfcmnnt to take the work in hand without delay, the Oounci! to mate the approaches.— Carried. The Omata Foreman leporfced that he had repaired the worst holes in the Breakwater-road, The portion between the Freezing Works and the main road should be well done as it was mostly warn out. Pipes ware required to be put across the roid near Mr J. Honeyfield's. Ha estimated the amount of stone required for the coming season at 1800 yards. The Chairman advocated that steps ba taken to get the £IOO promised by tha department for the Breakwaterroid. A letter was read from the Road Surveyor relative to the expenditure of the money under his snparvision. He stid if the work was to be d>-ni by contract ho would hand the £IOO over to the C-iuncil subject to bis approving

the specification, but if done by day work it would have to be superintended by Mr Caddy, The matter was left in the chairman's hands to deal with. The question of stons for the riding was h Jil over till meeting in order to ascertain wbat was to be done with the crusher. Cr. Wright drew attention to tha necessity <>f move thoroughly blinding metal. The foremui is to be notified on the matter. The Paribaka Foreman reported that he received a tender from J. Cblesby of £8 10s for shifting stone crusher, and another from T. Julian of £7 and that be accepted the latter. Toe EUham-road was getting into a bad srate, and he asked permission to put a man on for two or three months to do up the road in general. He estimated co-t of m iking track and repairing hole near Post Office at Rohotu at £l2 10s. There would also be required thirteen 12-inch pipes. Cr. Gray deprecated further expense, on the Eltbam-road. Or. Wright pointsd out that the Eltham-roid settlers wore in a peculiar position, inasmuch as they paid a special rate for the County road and therefore should receive if anything exceptionally favourable treatment. He explained what was required at Rahotu. Cr. Gray suggested that the filling at Rahotu be attended to. He drew attention to the contemplated severance of th« northern and southern end of the riding, and therefore urged that further work at the northern end should not ba undertaken. The Cha'rman's action in accepting tender for carting stone to and from crusher in Parihaka Riding, and for supply of fiiew od to the crusher was confirmed. Cr. Gray movsd that the foreman be j instructed to keep the centre of the road higher, and to obtain the blinding where possible from the side of the road instead of carting clay.—Carried. The bridge cirpeuter's report was read. He suggested the Council should purchase moulds fur concrete pipes for culverts, whereby there would be a saving of 25 per cent. | It was decided to obtain an esiimatej [of the expense of moulds; the qutstim i |of where tha pipes should ba made was' left over. ) The Moa Foreman advised that the j Council should have nothing further to do with tbe gravel reserve on the j Junct'on-rpad, as it was n<jt only ■ covered with blackberry but the gravel was useless. i Af'or some discussion as to the terms on which the Council h id the reserve, it was decided to communictte with the Lands Department and point out ill it it was of no use for a gravel njte ve, and that as it was not vested in the Council the Board be requested either to muke it over tithe oounty or to take stops to have the reserve cloned. The Junction-road foreman asked for a supply of tools. * At Cr. Hopson's suggestion it was decided that a report on the condition of the Council's reserves be furtished by the foremen with a view to nscei''aiuing whether the leases were being complied with. On the motion of Cr. Wright, it was ■ecided that any tenant who was 12 months in amar with rent receive notice that his holding will bi forfeited if the lent be not paid within 30 diys. Mr Tarry quoted 25s for the supply of 2ft. 6in. pipes. Mr O'Sullivan wrote claiming Is 6d per )ard on 204j yards of metal carted

over the Oaonui river, and intimated that unless the amount was paid the Council would be sued lor the same.

Or. Wright moved that the matter be left in the Chairman's hands to deal with.

Or. Gray strongly advocated that the matter be de/\lt with by the Council. He considered Mr O'Sullivan made a just claim. The Chairman explained the matter. GV. Brown moved that the mat'er be loft to the Chairman an 1 the *vvo members o : the riding to deal with.

The Secretary ot' t he Knimate branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union forwarded copy of resolution urging that the second schedule of the Noxious Weeds Act be enforced. Mr Trimble waited on the Council to ask for repatis on the Tiriki-road at] the entrance from th' l Junction-road.— Jt was resolved to authorise the Moil Road Board to have the work done. Mr Trimble al j o drew attention to j four sections on the upper end of Surrey-road (17. 18, 19, 20, block 16, Egmont), which were in the Stratford t'ounty, but from which the settlers could only get out through the Taranaki County. They now wished to have tho sections transferred to the Taranaki Couty for loan purposes.—lt was resolved to sea what could be done. Mr Trimble also asked that the Council grant some assistance in repairs for a bridge on the Hursthousaroad,—A sum of £l2 10s was voted. (Brown- Hopson). Mr Cjlesby waited on the Council and asked for some compensation for loss of time while working the stonecrusher at Opunake the winter before last. He had been delayed through the earthwork being behind hand, which was tho fault of the Council.— It was tesolved to ask the foreman to supply an approximate estimate of the amount of crushed stone carted over the contract distance by Mr Colesby, the same to be dealt with at next meeting. Mr Colesby also asked for extra payment for work done on the Pungarehu c intract.—Also left for consideration at next meeting

The Chairman's action in accepting the tender of Bayly for supplying 200 yards on the Fitone-hill was cinfirmed. Rev. J. H. White wrote asking that the Wesleyan Church property at Rahotu should not be rated. It bad been exempt up to the last year, and he thought it should continue so.—lt was resolved to reply that the church was free, but the valuation' was made on tha parsonage.

The Stratford Council forwarded a copy of a r?solution to ask the Minis ter for Railways to prospect Mount Egmont for metal.—Agreed to cooperate as asked. The Inglewood Town Board forwarded au account for £3O 4s 4d for work done on Junction-road.—To be paid. The Waiwakaiho Road Board asked the Council to take over tin following bridges in that district: —Kaiwaewae, on Alfred-road; Mangowherowhero b-idges (2), on the Kent and Hill-roads. -It was resolved that the Council could not take the bridges over at present. The Orown Lands Commissioner wrote drawing attention to unexpended " thirds," which should not be left unspent where roads could be improved. He a'so notified payment of " thirds," amounting to ,£32 4s lOd, to the Oouncil's account. The Postal Department forwarded a claim in connection with the Leppertou telephone exchange.—lt was resolved to call upon Mr Brown to pay the balance for this year. ' The question of ordering a Gates' crusher again came up for consideration, and it was resolved to amend the order authorised at last mooting to a " No. 3" michine.

Mr F. T. Bellringer wrote stating tbat the executors of the estate were prepared to accept £l6O for land for street-widening, 600 yards of earth to be also placed in the gully adjoining.— Offer accepted. It was suggested that the Henui Road Board be approached to make a footpUh. A resolution was then carried thit the Council offer the Beard some of the spoil on condition that it provide kerbing, etc., and carry out the work.

A number of settlers on the Rich-mond-road asked that the road be remetalled, The road had been a county load for years, and nothing done. 1 Or. Tate urged that the settlers were entitled to some work being done, about 25 or 30 chains at the worst end. He moved tbat tenders be called for 20 chains. Seconded by Or, Leppsr, and carried.

Cr. Gray asked if the Opunake Town Board bad paid the amount due to the Council in connection with town improvements.

The Chairman said the Boird would send some money as soon as it was in hand.

Ee Juno ion-road, it was resolved to inquire from Mr Symes, M.H.R., what part of the amount phced on the estirnats for this road applied to the portion within the Taranaki Oounty. Cr. Tate urged that in collecting rates the clerk should, for the convenience of settlers, go to Waitara on one day. If the rates came in well there, the sama might be done elsewhere.

Aco.iun's were parsed amounting to. £585 15s 2d.

Cr. Brown that the Mop, foreman should spend a week prospecting for gravel on the Junction-road.

The Chairman and Or. Tate wore appointed to s ; gn the deed for the Onnra toll-gate, and the Council adjourned.