CLIFTON COUNTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 December 1921, Page 8

CLIFTON COUNTY.

MEETING OF THE COUNCILPAST MONTH’S WORK. The monthly meeting of the Clifton County Council was held yesterday. Present: Messrs. R. H-. Pigott (chairman), T. McKenzie, H. A. Foreman, F. C. Jones, S. J. Sutton and R. Mounsey. ENGINEER'S REPORT. Tikorahgi Riding.—The Waipapa Road has been improved with the plough and grader, and is' in a fit condition to receive the metal. Portions ‘-of the Inland North, Waihi, and Nikorima roads have received attention, whilst the formation necessary to complete the Nikorima Road metalling contract is also completed. The formation contract on the Otaraoa Road.should now be proceeded witl:. The contractor operating in Mr. Sarten’s metal pit has less than 50 yards to finish his contract, and carting will proceed when teams Waihi Riding.—Various portions of the Main Road have been scarified, rolled and improved during the month. The old Parihaka bridge was removed :yiil the approaches to the new culvert l:<ve received attention. I intended proceeding with the Mataro Road metalling contract, but there being some doubt as to the subsidy being available, action was deferred. Arrangements are in hand to proceed with the crushing for the Main North and Inland North roads. The county sollc’tor advises as to the particular procedure necessary in acquiring the access road through native lands at Onaero. Ngatimaru Riding.—The documents necessary in connection with the second transfer of territory to Inglewood County have been forwarded to Wellington and returned for attestment of seal. The documents in connection with the transfer of the balance of riding were forwarded to the riding councillor to obtain the necessary signatures. On the Matau-Kiore Road improvements in raising. fillings, sanding bad sections and forming up have been attended to. I suggested the settlers subscribe sufficient funds to metal, say, $ or 10 chains of tte worst portion between the Kiore tunnel and railway station. This would probably ensure the work being done this summer, as it is doubtful whether the loan and subsidy could be arranged this stage. On the Rako Rako Road the original agreement of £ for £ for formation and culverts was again coflfirmed, subject to the drain receiving first attention. The usual maintenance ano repair work have been attended to. and the grader will shortly be in commission. Urenui Riding.—Ti e usual monthly supplies of gravel from the Okoke pit have been quarried and deposited on the Main North and other roads. On the Piko Road repairs to the Black bridge are completed, but further attention will be required in about, twelve months’ time to this ar. 1 other bridges in this locality. On the Mangamaeho Road I received an offer from two responsible settlers to supply timber and re-build the bridge near Mr. Glassford’s at a cost which represented less than a quarter of a concrete structure, and 1 consider its acceptance warranted by the difference in cost, and submitted details of construction. The drain io improve the access road at Wai-itt is under construction by contract, and the pipes fnr this imnroveunent have also gone forward. Tenders close to-day for the supply of 1000 cubic yards of boulders from the foreshore at Urenui. The surveys necessary in acquiring and for Mr. Mouatt’s access at Okoke have been practically completed. A little difficulty was experienced in connecting up with old

work, and when the road is properiy legalised the scheihe of formation will be submitted to Stratford for approval. The grader is now available to commence work in this Riding.—Patching and repairs to the main road have received attention. The work j of widening the road where feroslon has oc- i curved south of King's bridge is now being | attended to. Tenders close to-day for quarrying 1000 cubic yards of shell rock for the road south of Uruti. The department's offer to re-coat gravelled portions of the man road used by their lorries with six inches of shell rock provided the council supplied a spreader, was accepted. I would like to suggest the same procedure be adopted by covering that portion of burnt papa immediately south of Mt. Messenger. Mokau Biding.—Sanding bad portions of the

Okau Road was deferred owing to circumstances not possible to control, but this work will now proceed if assistance can be obtained from another quarter. The repairs to the Rotate bridge have been effected. The Tongaprruiu. Mangaroa, Papaklno, and Kiwi roads have all received attention, and the drains culverting and other improvements on lie Mangaonga Road should be proceeded with thia summer, Tbo report was adopted. NEW BRIDGE LOAN. The Taranaki County Council wrote suggesting that owing to the excessive amount required to pay for the reinstatement of the Tikorangi-Haurapgi suspension bridge, ’.he bridge should be abandoned It was stated In discussion that a number of bridges in the county were in need of repairs or of Renewing, and it was most important that the bridges should be kept, open. Tue chairman said that the cost of renewing bridges In the county would be about £ 14.00 ft. , ~ , Mr. Mounsey proposed that steps should be taken to raise a bridge loan of £14,000 in order to renew bridges mentioned In the engineer's schedule. —Carried. _ The bridges in the schedule are: Wai.iu, Mnncnmahnc. Uruti. Mang't-

h’o, Plko, Okoke; Colsons and Tikorangi. It was Redded to reply to the Taranaki Council emphatically disagreeing with the rioting of the Tikorangi—Haurangi suspension bridge, and stating that an endeavor would be made to raise a loan to meet their portion of expenditure for re-constructlon. general, Mr. ■W. T. Jennings, M.P., wrote that he had again brought the matter of the Mokl am Tongaporutii-Mangaroa roads under the notice of the Minister for Public Works, and the Minister had promised to give full consideration to ihe council’s requests in connection with these roads. In a further letter Mr. feimings stated that l e was taking in the matter of subsidies for the Matara, Kaipikari and Plko roads, itiid lie enclosed a letter from the Minister of Public. Works (Hon ,1. G. Coates) staling that the representations forwarded from the Clifton County through Mr. Jennings would have bis careful consideration. The county solicitor advised that- it j would he necessary to wait until the Government subsidy had been granted before making formal application for ti e loan. The county solicitor was instructed io lake the land required to give access to the Onaero beach under the Public Works Act. 'I he chairman said that during the month (he comnCttec appointed’ to go into the m.it ter of lhe adjustment of accounts between the Clifton and Inglewood County Councils had met ii.ghwpod delegates, and a satisfactory arrangement had been arrived at. —Ti e adjustnu ut •»>’ accounts as arranged by the committee was adopted. A deputation consisting of Messrs. Bayi-y, Batson and P. Cole waited on the council tc, ask that the contract which had been let fc.r the metalling of the Otaraoa Road should be pushed on with, and that the council should met al a furtlcr six or seven chains. -—After discussion it was decided that, the on the road should quarry the metal ! and the council would undertake |o do the , t.img and deliver |hc metal on to |he rna.l.