CLIFTON COUNTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 March 1924, Page 8

CLIFTON COUNTY.

PAST MONTH’S WORK. . MEETING OF THE COUNCIL.'" The Clifton County Council met at Waitara yesterday. Present: Crs. R. H. Pigott (chairman), J. Wallace, F. W. Matthews, F. E. Astwood, F. A. Foreman, and C. H. Barnitt. The engineer (Mr. C. F. Dowsett) rejKirted as follbws:— Tikorangi Riding.—The work of widening and improving the hills on the Tikorangi Road is nearing completion. The wooden culvert hereabouts is decayed beyond repair, and it will be renewed with concrete pipes. The grader has been forming up and improving the Otaraoa Road to the county boundary, at an average cost of Is 8d per chain. No further progress is reported in connection with the boulder contract or Warren’s Road metalling. Tikorangi Bridge.—My report was incomplete ■ last month, with a view of inspecting the piles i and towers, which has now been done. The , piles (12in. by 12in. totara) for a depth of two to three feet, are somewhat decayed from dne to one and a half inches at and below the ground surface, but are apparently sound above and below this point. They could be spliced and do duty for a number of years yet. If new cables are decided upon, I would recommend eight in number, four on each side, of best selected plough steel, of circumference, or 1 7-16 in. in diameter, and with a factor of safety of four. The present truss and land span is of rimu, the piles of totara, and the towers of Australian hardwood. My estimate for renewals is as -follows: Hard-, wood truss and beam span. 27,000 ft. at 90s, £1215; new ironwork and forking up old metal as required, £300; new cables (£440) and fitting (£6O) £500; supplying and fitting new clips, etc., thereto, £*s; adjusting hew system to anchors, etc., £6O; painting throughout, £7O; dismantling old bridge, £160; splicing piles, £7O. Total, £2450. Towers to remain. The cost may be considered excessive when compared with the volume of traffic "using this bridge, but at a recent hint of cutting out the route, Urenui via Tikorangi to Inglewood, numerous protests were made. Should the respective counties consider that the public could be served by a less expensive scheme. I would suggest making the bridge about 9ft. wide and retaining the existing cables and towers. This width appears narrow, but reduces the stock that could crowd on to it. It would be wide enough to take any car or ordinary milk cart, and relieves the strain. on cables and towers, and confines the renewals to the truss and beam span. The cables on the south-western comer could be cleaned, repaired and painted. The piles, with about a 15 per cent, reduction, in a .quarter of a century could either be spliced or left for a further period. If this is adopted, my estimate would be as follows: Hardwood truss and beam span, £1030; new Ironwork and working up old nfaterial, £300; cleaning and repairing cables. £100; painting, £7O; dismantling old bridge. £160; contingencies, say. £5O. Total £l7lO. Waihi Riding.—The grader has been employed on the Ohanga Road, forming up the unmetalled portions. I have had a number of yards of broken metal carted from Motunui to Onaero. and further gravel will also be sent down. The Onaero bridge is now practically completed, and as the time allowed for maturity has expired, the work of making the approaches is being proceeded with. Nothing has been done in connection with the Turangi Road metal, and the contractor is liable to forfeiture or penalties.

Ngatimaru Riding.—On the North Matau Road a partially collapsed tunnel has received attention. The contract for the metalling has been signed, and everything was ready to proceed. following my inspection. The two bridges Matsu required more repairs than was at kflrtt apparent, but the additional work will ‘shortly be completed. The contract for the widening of the Matau-Klore Road has been signed, and the work Is to start Immediately. The grader has improved various roads in this locality, which will allow a reduction in labour to be made shortly.

Urenui Riding.—The usual maintenance gravel has been quarried from the Okoke pit for repairs, snine going as far afield as the Pukearuhe Road. On the Piko Road the metalling contracts are now practically completed, and the contractors are engaged in trimming up preparatory to the council taking the work over. A fatality occurred during this month on the Hogan Road face. The deceased was reputed to be an experienced quarryman, .and the face did not exceed 12ft. in height. Contract No. 375 has been wisely declined by the contractors owing to th/lr tender being so much below my estimate, and decision is sought for future action thereon. Crushing is now proceeding on the Pukearuhe Road, and the Papatiki and Factory hills are being rccoated. and as time permits other portions of the road are being scarified and rolled. The new culvert nt Wai-iti has been put In, thereby lowering the fall by over 2ft. The improvements to the Walkaramarara bridge have been attended to, and pipes have been ordered for Carr’s Road.

i Uruti Riding.—The work of metalling portions of the Unit! Road were completed early In the month, and the application for the Government grant has already gone forward. An effort was made to grade up the Mangahla Road, but owing to its nature and Ils baked condition little progress could be made. The contract for quarrying in Jones’ and Burkett's pit has been signed, and the contractors are now busy stripping the face. The completion of the Main Road metalling releases the roadman and allows him to attend to various duties which accumulated during hls absence. Mokau Riding.—On the Jkau Road there remains a distance of about 8 chains to sandstone, and on completion this class of work will cease. On the Kiwi Road the roadman’s time has been considerably occupied procuring squaring timber for bridge repairs west of the tunnel. Thia being completed, tbe formation Will be attended to, Shaw's bridge, on the Mungatora Road, was inspected, and timber being obtained for repairs. A limited amount of work was authorised on the Mungaonga Road, and arrangements made to complete tbe improvements at its junction with the Main Road. At the Paranlnihi tunnel the grade has been lowered sft. for about half its length, and the access from tha beach is now made without any difficulty. Commenting on work in the Uruti riding. Cr. Barnitt contended that something should he done to improve the Tangitu tunnel before the winter. Failing that, the tunnel would be impassable when the wet season sets in. At present the drainage was defective, as all the water accumulated in the middle. The matter was left in the hands of Cr. Barnitt and the engineer. On behalf of settlers on the Otaraoa Road, Cr. Foreman asked if it would be possible to obtain 70 yards of metal to improve a bend on the road, the settlers being prepared to pay for the extra cartage. It was decided that the engineer be authorised to obtain the amount of metal required. OHANGA SPECIAL LOAN.

Notice that legal proceedings were being taken by him on account of his name being included in a special roll, prepared in connection with a proposed loan on the security of certain properties in the vicinity of the Ohanga Road, was given by James Hine. In regard to the objection, the county solicitor (Mr. C. R. Stead) wrote asking that the county instruct the county engineer to prepare a report showing the reasons advanced why Hine’s property should be included in the roll as drawn up. The general opinion of the council was that the fact of a metalled road being brought nearer Hine’s property must add to the value of the property, and that the section shouold be included in the loan. It was decided to reply to Mr. Stead, stating that any information required would be given when the case came up for hearing. RATEPAYERS’ REQUESTS. A request was made by W. W. Davies, Uruti, that something be done on the Mangahia Road before the wet season sets in.—Cr. Barnitt reported it

was impossible to grade the road, as | the ground was too hard, but he sug- j gested that two men might be put on it for about a fortnight, as there was no doubt that the road became very bad during the winter. The matter was left to the engineer and Cr. Barnitt to decide as to what could be done to improve the road. A request was made by the Uruti church building fund committee that the drain in front of a section they had recently purchased on the Uruti Road be opened up. Cr. Barnitt reported that the work of opening up the drain opposite the section would be of lit He use unless the whole length of the drain, was treated in the same manner. The Jiearest outlet for the water would probably be about six or seven chains away. It was decided that no action would be taken. • GENERAL. The contractors on the Piko Road wrote asking the council to grant & further £l5O towards their tender to inetal and form a portion of the road, as they claimed that it would be impossible to complete at the present price.—The council could not see its way clear to accede to the contractors’ request, and the matter of accepting another tender was left in the hands of the chairman and engineer. A tyre company forwarded a specimen of a danger sign, which Jt was proposed to erect at dangerous portions of the main road, free of charge to the county. Certain danger points were suggested where the signs could be erected to advantage.—Permission was granted. Mr. C. R. Stead, solicitor, Waitara, reported that the legal formalities involving the closing of part of the Tangitu Road and the vesting of a portion of the closed road to Mr. R. J. Nicholls and Mr. S. W. Shaw had not yet been completed. The only owner whose signature had-not been received was Mr. A. F. Larsen, and it was suggested that the riding councillors interview Mr. Larsen on the matter, for without Mr. Careen’s consent no further could be made. —It was resolved that Or. Barnitt should interview Mr. Larsen to point out the position and endeavour to come to some agreement so that his signature could be obtained. In November, 1923, a request was made to the Government for a grant to deviate and form the Piko Road through to the Junction Road. A reply was received from the Minister for Public Workri (Hon. J. G. Coates), stating that at present no grant would be forthcoming. as the formation would probably be a fairly expensive work, and after careful consideration it was doubtful whether the proposal warranted it at present. Communication was received from the Public Works Department stating that the portion of the Stockman Road adjoining or passim through sections 57 and Bfi in block N Waitara survey dia- ! trict, had been closed.

The council had applied to the Government for a quarter acre >at Kotare for the purpose of erecting a surfaceman’s cottage. The Commissioner of Crown Lands and the county engineer had made an inspection, and a certain section "had been decided on. Mr. F. C. •Tones, of Kotare. waited on the council and complained that if the section was acquired by the council, it would mean that he would be put to great inconvenience in the herding of his cows. Suggestions were put forward to acquire other land in the vicinity, which Jones claimed would be more suitable for the I council’s requirements. As no further communication had been received from the Commissioner of Crown Lands, the council decided to take no action, but, failing a satisfactory reply from the commissioner, Crs. Astwood, Barnitt and the engineer will act as a committee to investigate the matter of a site for the cottage.