ELTHAM COUNTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 February 1916, Page 6

ELTHAM COUNTY.

THE PAST MONTH'S WORK, DAMAGE BY FLOODS. The Elthain County Council met on Saturday. Present: Crs. A. C. Pease (chairman), C. E. McGuinness, D. Black, A. Campbell, A. Tait, E. J. Gifford, M. Granville, C. E. Belcher, and A. McWilliam. The engineer (Mr. C. Bushman) reported:— ( Patea Bridge.—Process on this work has been satisfactory, but of necessity, slow. Cleaning of the river bed was much delayed by repeated freshes. The scaffolding is erected and everything is in readiness to commence drilling on Monday next. Mangamingi Creek.—ln company with Crs. Belcher and Granville I inspected the length of this creek between the Pukengahu and Wingrove roads. Something must be done to lower the water level on the above length. It will be a fairly expensive matter but is one which should not be delayed.

General. —Tarring on the Eltham road is completed as far as Palmer Road. Work has been commenced on the Mountain Road, and good progress is being made. The last two consignments of tar have been far from satisfactory and I have countermanded the current order. I propose going to Wanganui and making an analysis in conjunction with the company's officials and hope to be able to make satisfactory arrangements for future supplies. The recent heavy floods did -no very extensive damage in this county. The small concrete culvert at the north end of the Mangawhero Road, Kaponga, was entirely washed away. It will cost about £SO to replace it.

The foundation!) of the concrete arch at Awatuna were scoured to some extent, and will cost about £ls to repair. The rest of the damage was confined to scoured water tables and fillings. Satisfactory progress is being made with the few contracts that are existing. Tarring on the Hunter Road lias been completed. Painting on the Omoana cottage I will be commenced next week. The report was adopted. RECRUITING. The new recruiting scheme as outlined by the Recruiting Board was read. The chairman said that this was a most important matter and was worthy of the heartiest support. It meant whether voluntaryism would prevail or conscription, and they knew that one volunteer was worth two of the other. After some discussion, the following resolution was passed, on the motion of the chairman, seconded by Cr. Tnit: "That the whole Council be a committee to co-operate with other organisations to assist and stimulate recruiting, and in accordance with the Recruiting Board's circular."

MOREOA ROAD. Mr. Flyger waited on the Council to ask why the Moreoa Road had not been completed and was not being pushed along. The chairman: Have you fenced your nlace. —Xo. What lias that to do with it? Chairman: Because cattle wander all !over the road and there is no use in fixing up the road till you do.—There are no cattle about there that I have ever seen. Mr. Basliam said that they hail endeavored to complete the road at convergent points.- The only really bad place that he knew was the big slip. The matter was left in the engineer's hands GENERAL In connection with the blocking of the Mangamingi creek it was resolved that the owners adjacent to the creek be given notice to clear the stream. The new motor lorry was discussed, and it was decided to indent a Daimler six-ton lorry, without tyres, at a cost of £I2OO. —Abridged from Argus. ■,