CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 February 1919, Page 3

CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary meeting of the Clifton County Council was held at Waitara yesterday. Present: Crs. R. H. Pigott (in the chair), 'H. A. Foreman, F. 0. Jones and C. Musker. ENGINEER'S REPORT. Mr. C. F. Dowaett (eagfneer) reported as follows: Waihi Riding.—The gravelling at Onaero has been satisfactorily completed. The Nikorima formation and metalling have been laid off, contracts prepared, and the work ready for letting wlien money is available. The gap required to be metalled on the Ohanga Road'amounts to about 14 chains, and the cost is estimated at £lls without earthwork. Some further gravelling is required at the upper end of the road. Tikorangi Riding.—The repairs for which timber i 3 provided have been effected to the suspension bridge, and the anchors on the Huirangi side cleared of silt and vegetation. Within twelve months considerable further repairs will be necessary. Ngatiinaru Riding.—The repairs to the Purangi bridge are nearing completion The contract for the erection of the Mangaoapa bridge has been signed, and the timber for the South Matau bridge is expected in the near future. Urenui Riding.—A request has been made to metal the cutting in Nikorima Street, Urenui township, at an estimated cost of £25. Negotiations have again been entered into in respect to carting the Okoke gravel, which, it is hoped, will prove successful. Arrangements have been made to lay off the Okoke Road formation and metalling to make the work continuous to the Piko junction, and while this is in progress to lay oil' a portion of the Piko Road, up to the limit of the available funds. Circumstances have militated against an arrangement to proceed with the repairs to the liaipikari Road. Mokau Riding—The temporary bridge and track for new concrete structure near the thu-ty-five-mile peg i 6 about completed, and the piles will shortly be driven. Negotiations are in progress for the supply of timber for the Okau bridge, but the prices are extremely high. Arrangements have been made to procure legs to temporarily repair the faulty tower on the Kotare suspension bridge. The whole of the money now being available for the Wai-iti metalling contract places this work in a position to be carried to its entire completion. The report was adopted, with the exception of the metalling at Ohanga, Urenui. OKQKE LOAN. Win. Jones wrote requesting the council (as no definite understanding had been arrived at regarding the area of the Okoke loan) to postpone considera--tion of the matter until next meeting, on the ground that it would be preferable to combine and raise a larger sum, which, with Government subsidy, would enable the Kaka Road to be metalled as well. He also stated that he considered the present area unfair, as it included land which would derive no beneiit. A petition was also received from P. Daike and other Okoke settlers, asking the council to raise a loan of £IOOO for metalling Okoke Road. The matter was referred back to settlers, as a fresh scheme for a combined Okoke-Kaka loan is being arranged. ONAERO AND MATARO ROADS. A. H. Haleombe and sixteen other ratepayer;. of the Onaero and Mataro Roads special rating area petitioned the council to raise a loan of £1250 for the purpose of metalling about two miles of the Onaero and Mataro Roads between Moerangi Hill and C. Rum ball's gate, £IOOO and the Government subsidy to be spent on this work, and £'2oo to be utilised in erecting a bridge over the Onaei .. Uiver, giving access to the Ohanga Road, and metalling the block cutting on the Mataro Road beyond RunibaU'a, such loan to carrv a Government subsidy of £ for £. It was resolved, on the motion of the chairman and Cr. Jones, that the council take the necessary steps. GENERAL. L. N. Jones, surfaceman at Uruti, applied for compensation for time lost through the influenza epidemic.—Half pay is to be allowed. As there was a reduction in the amount of the loan required for metalling the Piko Road, the State Advances Department notified that the preliminary application nould need to be re-submitted. The Riecarton Borough Council forwarded circular letter asking support to resolution requesting the Government to permit local bodies to administer the influenza relief funds, instead of the charitable aid boards,—Received. The Acting-Prime Minister notified receipt of council's resolution urging an extension of the powers and functions of the Public Health Department. Blackburn Bros., Tarata, applied for permission to alter their fence line on the Otaraoa Road. Held over pending enquiry. Mr. W. J. Clare asked the council to erect two danger notices at eacli side of Nikorima Road, as the existing banks hid the view from the main road, and he had witnessed several narrow escapes Irom accident with school children.—The boards will be erected. The council accepted Jones Bros.' offer of £1 per annum for the use of the Okau Road reserve. On the motion of Crs. Masker and j Jones the revenue for the year ending Match 31, 1919, was allocated equally between the Urenui, Waihi and Mokau Ridings, an amendment by Crs. Foreman and the chairman—that it be on the basis of two-fifths each to Urenui and Waihi Ridings, and one-fifth to Mokau Riding—being defeated. Messrs Greig and P. and H. Wells waited on the council in connection with the position of the Pukearuhe metalling.— Left in the hands of the engineer to arrange. Accounts amounting to £637 4a 5d were passed for payment.