MOA ROAD BOARD.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 306, 19 May 1913, Page 7

MOA ROAD BOARD.

MONTHLY MEETING. > The usual meeting of the Moa Road , Board was held at the Board's office, . i Inglewood, on Saturday, when there ; were present Messrs. H. Trimble, G. A. [ Bridgeman, W. (i. Shoemark, 0. Boldt, t F. J. Virgin, M. Hopson, W. B. Bishop, . J. Williams, and A. E. Laurence The clerk notified the result of the , recent election, and asked the members , to elect their chairman. : On the motion of Messrs. Williams and Laurence, Mr. Trimble was unanimously ■•c-elected. In returning thanks the chairman "tared that without the assistance of the Board he could do nothing. He had always been fortunate in having the support of the members, .and felt assured that the same would be forthcoming during the coining year. Lots were drawn to decide who should retire at the end of the first year, and the lot fell on Messrs. Laurence, Trimble. Bishop, Virgin, and Hopson. ' The chairman and Messrs. Laurences, Boldt and Hopson, were appointed to sign cheques. MOTUKAWA TUNNEL. At last meeting of the Board, it was decided, on the recommendation of Mr. C. E. Robinson (engineer) to drive a tunnel, under the Motukawa road to ro- ( place a bridge which required renewal. At Saturday's meeting, when tenders were opened, some discussion ensued as to the advisability of driving a tunnel. Tenders were opened as follows:—Needham Bros., fO9 6s; Rowan and Tliomason, £7O; W. Corney, £.38 10s; and Schieber, £64 10s. It was moved that the tender of W. Corney, being the lowest, 6hould be accepted, when Mr. F. J. Virgin stated that in his opinion and that of many old settlers of the district, a tunnel would be dangerous. He did not think the country was solid enough. He would have to vote against tenders being accepted without a trial being made to see whether they would strike papa enough for the tunnel. The chairman said that they had gone into the matter with the engineer closely last meeting. The engineer, who was present, stated that he was satisfied the country was Bolid enough.. Mr. Boldt stated that he would not vote against the tender being accepted, because he was confident the engineer knew his work. From his experience of the country, however, he advised that they be cautious lest the money should be thrown away. The chairman considered that they should have sufficient confidence in the engineer to go on with the workotherwise why employ him? | The tender of W. Corney was accept- T ed. WANDERING- CATTLE NUISANCE. [ The chairman stated that there had I been numerous complaints made re the straying cattle nuisance. The foreman evidently objected to impound the cattle, so he had issued a circular notifying all , foremen that with reference to all cattle, horses, sheep, or pigs which they' might find straying on the roads, and which it might be inconvenient at the time to impound, Ihey were at once to notify the owner tha(; stock must be kept from wandering on the road, and in the case of a second offence the clerk was to be at once notified, giving a description of the cattle and the date on which thev wandered. In the case of bulls, the first offence was to be so notified, unless satisfied that it was caused by accident. , Special note was to be taken of horses turned out to graze on the roads at night, for constant complaints were made about that practice, and all cases must be reported at once without fear or favor. These instructions were expected to be carried out, and no excuse for not doing so would be accepted. Members were of opinion that the circular should deal with the difficulty. Foremen certainly did not like to imi pound the cattle, when verv often the settlers that owned the cattle would bring them out a cup of tea, or perhaps a hot dinner when l thev were working on the road. The straying horse nuisance was particularly emphasised, and it was resolved to insert advertisements in the papers drawing attention to the matter. Mr. Boldt remarked that he had no objection to grazing the roads in moderation, but the continual scheming adopted by some settlers to outwit the foremen must be stopped. FOREMEN'S REPORTS. Foremen W. Bennett reported that he had been attending to various maintenance work on the Motukawa, Ratapiko, Mana, and Kohete roads. Work was re- i quired on the Mangatoea and Kaimata ■roads. Foreman I). Jones had been engaged , on the Johns road, Durham West, Norfolk East and West, Rugby and Surrey roads. He had put in two days at the Bedford load pit, where Messrs. Perrott, Duckett, and Kelly assisted in getting metal ready for tlie top of Norfolk West. He hail also put in a day on the unmetalled portion of the Surrey road, on which Mr. Savwell had also done two days' work. The Rugby road metal had all been broken, being 24 yards over tlie contract amount. It was resolved to pay the contractor 1 only half price for tlie extra M yards supplied over the 10 per cent allowed. Foreman Ward notified- that the pipe works had manufactured during the month 62 nine inch pipes, 157 twelve inch pipes, 1) thirty inch pipes, and' 7 3 foot pipes, - - ; - FjreiVnul Tvnofftock had been engaged at various work on ithe York, Bristol, Lincoln, Everett, Davis, and Wortlev roads. Tie had had the assistance of a man during most of the month. Foreman Wilmshurst reported that 5 chains of metal had been put on the Windsor road, and 0 chains on the Lepper road north, from the factory to the Mountain road. A log bridge had been completed on the Egmont road south, across.the stream, for conveyance of boulders from the Waiongono river. Various metal contracts were completed. He asked for 60 yards of gravel on the Egmont road north, as a. portion below -Price's was very bare. The wooden bridge on the Bedford road south was getting very dangerous for heavy traffic, and he suggeested that half of it could be replaced by a filling, as the half crossing the river was alright. TcnI ders will be called for the 60 yards of gravel, closing on tlie 31st inst. The chairman and Messrs. Bridgeman and Laurence were appointed a committee to inspect the bridge with powfcr to act. NORFOLK ROAD LOAN. ■ Messrs. Officer and Honore asked to be informed of the cost of metalling the. Norfolk road, from the end of the present metal to Eaton's property, and ulso the steps necessary for the settlers to take in order to' raise the loan. It was resolved to reply that at present the Board was unable to raise any loans, but might be able to do so later. GENERAL. It was resolved that one fourth of the cost of repairs to the Bedford road ' bridge should be charged to the district bridge fund. Eves, ijjkgl permission to

1 be allowed to erect a gateway on the ' Derby road, which was not being used, , as their cattle were getting out, find i the neighbours were growling. They , only required tile gate until such time as they could complete their fence.— Gate may be erected at hi 3 own risk. ,;W. B. Fussell, clerk of the Waitara West Road lioard, asked to be informed of the price at which the Road Board were supplying pipes.—Price to be supplied. The Kaimiro Sports Club asked permission to be allowed to remove a few loads of earth from a side bank on the Egmont road; in order to fill up a fewhollows on the Sports Ground—Granted, subject to the supervision of the foreman. It was resolved to write to a settler at Miro re pigs straying on the roads, and rooting up drains. ; The monthly statement showed that receipts had amounted to £OB 2s 7d (rates £Ol 18s 7d). The expenditure had been £4lio 4s 3d. The bank balance showed a credit to general account of £1505 5s lid, and loans account £11.7 18s 9d. Accounts wore passed for payment amounting to £275 7s.