CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1919, Page 3

CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The ordinary monthly meeting of the Clifton County Council was held nt Wnltara yesterday, when there were present: Messrs. It. H. Plgott (chairman). H. A. Foreman, T. McKenzle, F. C. •loncs, C. Musker, H. Walto and S. J. Kennington. ENGINEER'S ItEPORT. Tho engineer (Mr. C. F. Dowsett) reported: Waihl Riding.—Further repairs havo been carried out to the beach road, and the contractor has already started to cart his stone to the depot. The culvert near the old pound site, Waihl, does not show any Immediate necessity of removal, but should In tho near future oe substituted by a 3ft. concrete pipe. This would cost about £2O, and to straighten the creek on tho lower side for about four chains would cost a further £lB. The timber at the Walau bridge is being sold by tender. Tikorangi Hiding.—The foreman has been engaged with assistance In quarrying n few yards of stono for urgent repairs, and I recommend that a further fifty yards be procured from any j accessible place to be crushed and put down from the library northwards. Duplicate plans and specifications are in course of preparation for submission to the resident road engineer for the otaraoa Hoad improvements. Ngatlmaru Riding.—Arrangements have been made whereby the foremen nt Purangl and Tarata will assist each other In quarrying sufficient gravel for urgent repairs on the Junction Road Work still continues on the Pita and Pukemahoo Roads. The erection of the Mangaoapa bridge Is proceeding satisfactorily, and the present month should see Its completion, when tho two smaller bridges, arrangements ft which were made on the ground, will be proceeded with. The road party are pushing ahead and with promise of Increased assistance should soon make a substantial showing. A small tunnel on the Mangnmalro Road I was unable to let, but propose calling tenders locally to close at tho next meeting. The timber for the South Matau bridge Is now coming to hand. Urcnul Riding.—A start linn been made with the boulder supply contract, a few yards having been recovered from the foreshore. Further small supplies of gravel have been carted out from the native reserve, and the contractor verifies my statement In connection with tho owners' consent in reference to the access thereto. On tho Kalpikari Road a small sum was authorised for repairs to bo carried out by the settlers. A further inspection on tho Okoke Road indicated that a good seam of gravel existed near the old workings, and It Is proposed to expend a sum of about £25 to give access to tho face, the gravel to be used for general maintenance and repairs. Mokau Riding.—The lack of labor at Urutl has prevented even ordinary maintenance work being carried nut, and the roads In consequence are showing tho want of necessary attention. Last week I engaged men for both the Okau and Urutl districts. The former eventually declined It. and the latter Is due this week. I again urge tho council to make provision for renewal of the gravelled portions of the Main Road with broken stone, also the reconstruction of the old wooden bridge In permanent materials further stone has geen recovered from the foreshore at Wal-ltl. Genoral The crushing plant Is being overhauled, and will be ready for commission in the near future I have applied for the following grants: Mimi-Moknu, £3000; Otaraoa Road, £230; Matau-Klore, £SO; also for the following subsidies on a £ for £ basis: Mataro, £1000; Nlkorlina, £350; Okoke. £1000; Kaka, £800; Piko, £2000; Urutl, £425: Pukearuhe, £400; Kalpikari, £000; Paraninilil. £225; Mangaoapa, £500; Turangi, £900; total, £ll,500. URUTI ROAD. ! Cr. C. Musker, on behalf of several settlers of tho Urutl Road, asked the council's support to a petition they were forwarding to the Minister of Public Works, asking for a grant to metal half a mile of the Urutl Road. Tlwy had already metalled two miles, and were prepared to rate themselves for another two miles, but were in tho unfortunate position of having half a mile of road to metal from which they could derive no rates towards the work. The complete metalling of the road would be of immense benefit to the local dairy factory, and be a boon to the back settlers in tho Tangltu district. They were already paying heavy rates towards metalling and road formntlon Cr. Musker said that the ratepayers Interested would send a representative at their own expenso to Wellington, and would like the council to send Its chairman In order to give weight to the deputation Tho council had received considerable revenue from this valley, and not a penny of rates bad been expended en the road, and In addition the settlers were In the unique position of paying a special rate to a portion of the main road. On the motion of Cr. Jones It was resolved to accedo to the petition of the Urutl Bettlers and that the chairman approach the Government In Wellington on the subject, as a matter for favorable consideration PROPOSED INGLEWOOD COUNTY. Hon. G. W. Russell forwarded a copy of a letter from the Commissioner of Crown Lands and District Valuer, suggesting certain amendments of the suggested boundaries of tho proposed Moa County. The letter stated that tho commissioners had slnco beon Informed that there would probably be some objection on the part or the ratepayers at the eastern side of the proposed addition. As they were only about six or seven miles from the railway, to which roads were being completed or being put in order, there was reason for their contention that their cartage would tend to come from the railway. Tho commissioners expected that It would ultimately lead to that portion being absorbed into the Stratford and Whangamomona Counties, and accordingly they recommended an alteration of the boundaries, so Hint the eastern boundary would be a natural boundary along the top of a high range, and would obviate tho proposed Inglewood County having to send machinery over It. Tho boundary now proposed Is tho Purangl saddle. Cr. Waito considered the idea was a good one. Cr. Kennlngton characterised It as a so-called natural boundary. As far as Purangl people were concerned, It did not matter whether they went to Kloro or Inglewood, as the little extra distance In the latter case was balanced by the lesser freight. The position regarding Matau was different. They were closer to Klore, but It appeared that If'they did not join Inglewood they would have to Join Stratford, as they were too far from the Clifton centre. He had had no opportunity of consulting tho settlers, but personally favored joining Inglewood, as there were other considerations besides railway. The road to Inglewood was a better road than to Stratford. The chairman stated that If a portion of tho Ngatlmaru Riding was severed from Clifton the whole would have to be, as thero would be no community of interest with the balance and Waltara. He favored the matter being left to ratepayers to decide. Cr. Walte understood that Stratford County did not favor taking over the Matau portion. Cr. Jones said that the first thing the Local Bills Committee would ask was: "Are the settlors willing?" Cr. Foreman favored the council asking the opinion of ratepayers, and If they favored remaining in the Clifton County the council should urge this . Decreasing the area would increase tho management expenses over the remaining" portion. Cr Kennlngton considered that Tarata settlers would be willing to join Inglewood, but he thought If a portion of the Ngatlmaru Hiding was severed the lot should be. The unmetalled roads in that portion of the Clifton County were well looked . after, and compared more than favorably with the Stratford County unmetalled roads. Cr. Walte considered that they should first find out whether Stratford or Whangamomona County would take over the Matau portion. Cr. Kennlngton said that with the exception of three or four settlors, whose outlet was nt Ngatlmaru, the settlers In that district had no community of Interest with the Whangamomona County. It was resolved that the Ngatlmaru Hiding members should call meetings of ratepayers In the Ngatlmaru Riding to ascertain whether the ratepayers desire to secede from the Clifton County. Meetings will be held at Matau and Tarata. METAL SUPPLIES. A circular letter was received from the Eltham County Council stating that In view cf the Increasing difficulty of acquiring supplies of suitable metal for roads at a reasonable cost, the Eltham County Council was of opinion that it was desirable that an effort should be made to open up quarries on the Mountain reserve near Walpuku, whore, It was claimed, unlimited supplies wer'o available. It was suggested that the local authorities In the district should combine in approaching the Government with a view to having the Walpuku mountain line re-opened, and quarrying authorised. It was claimed that the result would be a considerable saving In the cost of metal. They forwarded a resolution asking that the Government be approached with a view to getting supplies of suitable metal for roads In Taranaki from Mount Egmont Reserve, near Waipuku, and that tho adjoining authorities be asked to co-operate In tho matter. The letter also asked that representatives of the council be appointed to meet representatives from other local bodies to decide upon the course of action to be taken. The council resolved to support the Eltham County Council in tho matter, though possibly they would not be able to make use of the supplies of metal owing to distance from railway. MAIN ROAD MAINTENANCE. On the chairman giving a report of the proceedings at the recent conferences In connection I with tu« proposed wtnel tax and gaoml road