ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, 15 May 1916, Page 6

ELTHAM COUNTY COUNCIL

THE MONTHLY MEETING. The Eltliam County Council met on Saturday. Present: Crs. A. C. Pease (in the chair), C. E. McGuimiess, E. J. Gilford, J. Granville, C. J. Belcher, A. McWilliam D. Black, A. Tait. and A. Campbell. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The Engineer (Mr. F. Basham) reported:— South Riding.—Owing to the lateness of the season and the broken weather it would 'be advisable to hold over the balance of the metalling on the Boylan Road (30 chains), until next summer. It is impossible to do good work when the road bed is saturated with wet. General maintenance is being done and metal is being delivered on various roads. Eltlham Riding.—l propose sending a roller into the Mangamingi valley next week, when shell rock on roadside will be spread and portions of the road resheeted. No steps have, so far, been taken towards cleaning the Mangamingi creek.

Kaponga Riding.—The work done during the month consists of general maintenance work, completing the filling over new culvert on Mangaw'hcro Road and repairs to other small culverts, etc. Mangatoki Riding.—A small amount of maintenance work was done during the month. Roads generally are in good order.

Omona Riding.—All the flood damage has now aeen made good and portions of road re-metalled. General maintenance work is being done. Batea Bridge.—Both the cylinders are now well into papa, but on account of the soft nature of the papa I am lengthening the cylinders and sinking them a further four feet, rather than run any risk of future scour. Considerable difficulty was experienced in sinking the first cylinder, 4ft. Cin. of solid rock having to be cut through. Given favorable weather I expect to complete the whole pier in three weeks. The a i available, £I3OO, should be sufficie 11 fc to complete the work. Owing to the severe stresses to which the beams have been subjected, I am endeavoring to arrange with the Public Works Department to abandon the idea of lifting the whole bridge 3ft., and merely raise the beams to the original level.

General.—From a point of economy it will he necessary to carry out certain improvements to the tar boiling plant before next season. At present we are using four 400-gallon tanks and one 1000-gallon tank. The 400-gallon tanks are set in brickwork, but they are worn out and are leaking badly. This is a source of danger from fire. Owing to the loss of tar in transit during hot weather it would pay to obtain all su-p- - the cool season. We have the necessary storage capacity in the big concrete tank. After considerable delay, I am in hopes of coming to some satisfactory arrangement with the makers of the tyres on the Daimler when supplied to us. lam in direct communication with them, and they appear willing to treat us fairly. Mr. Henning writes me that everything possible is being done to obtain delivery of the new lorry by next season. - The report was adopted. SERBIAN RELTEf' FUNDS. The Minister for Internal Affairs thanked the Council for their generous contribution to the above funds. The Serbian Relief Committee (Auckland) also thanked the Council for their donation, and stated that all the money collected was being forwarded as quickly as possible. They had that day received a cable from the Serbian Minister in London, thanking the people of New Zealand for £750 collected last March, which amount, he said, had immediately been sent forward for the relief of Serbian refugees.

HOSPITAL LEVY. A formal notification was received from the Hawera Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, intimating that the county contribution for the coming year would be £823 9s 2d. It was resolved that request should be made for a list of all ■persons receiving charitable aid, such list to 'bo sent to all contributing bodies. UPPER AUROA ROAD. Communications were received from the Egmont County Council, giving a precis of a meeting of ratepayers held recently at Awatuna to consider the advisability of going in for a loan, and enclosing copy of a resolution passed 'by them deciding against a loan and requesting the Council to give the road the attention it was entitled to now that the main road had had its full quota of expenditure.—A letter was also received from Mr. H. C. Duckett reviewing the whole position, and asking the Council to do what it could to afford tliein some relief.—lt was resolved, after discussion, to refer the matter to the Kaponga representatives and the chairman to deal with. A DEPUTATION. A deputation waited on the Council in reference to the Vaile Road, asking the Council to do something to the road and cuttings, which were in very bad order. This was practically a boundary road, but the properties of the deputationists were not in Eltham County, and although their boundary line came up to the southern fence line of the road there were no line 3 coming in from the southern line properties to the Eltham County. The chairman said that two years ago the Eltham County subsidised the Waimate County to do work on this read, but the position was that the Waimate County received all the rates, and it was scarcely fair to ask the Eltham County to spend money 011 this road whilst Waimate received all the revenue, The best way would be to try and bring about an alteration of boundaries. The position was evidently very unsatisfactory.—lt was resolved that the Waimate County Council be asked to receive a deputation from this Council on the matter. Crs. Black and Tate were appointed to represent the Eltham County Council. general; The State Advances Office notified the Council that a loan of £250 had been approved for the Kareoa Road. The Stratford County Council forwarded a resolution approving of the alteration of boundaries suggested by the Eltham County Council, so as to include Mr. Boddie's property. Mr. Crump, on behalf of Mr. J. A, Shaw, the occupier of Sec. 20, Block 4, Ngaere S.D., asked the Council ±0 compel an adjoining owner to clear out a 'drain, crossing a common boundary, sc as to prevent damage by flooding on Shaw's land.—lt was resolved, subject to inspection by the chairman,"Cr. Campbell, and the engineer, that the necessary notice be served as requested. In regard to Mr. Wilkinson's Bill for the abolition of toll gates, it was resolved that a copy of the Bill be procured and consideration foe held over till next awtiaft