EGMONT COUNTY

Taranaki Daily News, 14 September 1927, Page 10

EGMONT COUNTY

WORK OF THE PAST MONTH MEETING OF THE COUNCIL. CARE OF ROADS AND BRIDGES. The monthly meeting of the Egmont County Council was held yesterday, when there were present: Crs. J. Young, It. C. Watson, J. F. Shepherd, A. E. Collins, G. Gibson, J. S. Toslaud, A. J. Lilley and J. Hickey. In the absence of the chairman (Cr, W. C. Green) through ill-health, Cr. J. Young was voted to the chair. Leave of absence was granted the chairman and a resolution was passed expressing the sympathy of the council with him in his illness, and the hope that he would soon be restored to his usual health. The engineer (Mr. F. M. Corkill) reported as follows: — On main roads reconstruction no work has been done this month. The beams of the Pungaereere stream bridge have been concreted and the decking forms are being replaced. The plans for the Heiniama bridge having been approved, tenders have been called. A mile and a half of the Main South Road near the racecourse has been scarified and re-rolled. The whole length of this road southwards has now been dealt with in the past year, and all except the length near Mr. Stevenson’s is in good order. Patching with the roller has been done from Rahotu' to Pungarehu. The Eltham Road near Awatuna has been patched. Oeo Riding.—The Kiri, Opunake-Strat-ford, Patiki, Oeo and Watino Roads have been patched. Scarifying is now being done on the Patiki Hoad. Opua Itoad.—The Upper and Lower Kina, Opua, Ihaia and Kaweora Roads have been patched. Thirty-eight chains of drains have been cleared On the Upper Waiteika Road. Two hundred and forty yards of stone from the Kina Road pit have been crushed for maintenance, and 40 yards of pit metal have also been put through. The reserve at Oaonui has been fenced.

Rahotu Riding.—The Upper and Lower Kabul. Ngariki and Opourapa Roads liave been patched. Manilii and Witiora Roads have been graded and rolled. The Tipoka Road has been graded. Drains on the Gregory Road have been attended to and pipes have been made. The arrangement of a culvert at the bottom of the Lower Kahui has been improved.

Newail Riding.—The reserve at Inia’s has been fenced, and the fences on the Stent Road depot have been repaired. The Bayley, Stent, Paora and Warea Roads have been patched. “I have presented,” stated the engineer, “a statement showing the amounts expended on by-roads for the first half of the financial year. It will be seen that the demands made on the funds have been very heavy and that little work is now possible on most roads. Instructions have been given that only the most urgent patching is to be done in future, but no improvement in the roads can be looked for on the present expenditure.” Foreman Ward sustained injury by a fall in the pit at Mr. Sinclair's, on the Opua Road. W. Kennard was also injured.

The report was adopted. The engineer was authorised to construct a groyne at the bridge over the Punehu stream, on the Opunake-Strat-ford Road. BY-ROADS FINANCE.

The statement showing the allocation and expenditure on the various by-roads to August 31 was as follows: Oco Riding.—Opunake-Stratford Road, allocated £5O, expended £29 Is Hd; Watino Road, £lOO, £55 14s 4d; Kiri, £75 and £76 0s 6d; Wircinu, £lO and £5 15s: Patiki, £l5O and £lO4 2s 6d; Oeo, £3O and £39 8s Id; Skeet, nil, £32 5s 9<l; Puketapu, £2O and £9 12s lOd; Nbpera, £5O and £B7 5s lid; Weka Street, £5 and £3 2s 4d; total allocated, £422, expended £420 9s 4d. Opua Riding.—Waiteika Upper, allocated £5O, expended £2O 4s; Waiteika Lower, £l2O and £4O 7s 7d; Kaweora, £6O and £6l 8s lid; Ihaia, £3OO and £5l 14s 9<l; Nanni, £5O rnd £55 ISs Id: Opua, £l5O and £l5l 7s 6d; Arawliata Upper, £2OO and £126 5s Id; Wireniu, £lO and £5; Kina Upper, £2OO and £lBB 16s lOd; Kina Lower. £45 and £5 7s lOd; total allocated £llB5, expended £702 10s 7d. Rahotii Riding.—Cape, allocated £4O. expended £4l 5s LOd; Upper Parihaka. £3O and £56 17s 4d; Lower Parihaka, £llO and £156 lls 9d; Tipoka, £BO and £B2 14s 9<l; Opourapa, £4O and £l7 12s sd; Upper Kahui, £l5O and £276 4s sd; Lower Kahui, £2O and £35 17s 7(1; Gregory. £25 and £3 16s sd; Sanders, £5 and £8 15s Idf■ N"ariki, £l2O and £463 5s 4d; Mau?lii, £2OO anil £33 5s 3d; V.’itiora, £5O and £3l Is Til: total allocated £ll7O, spent £1207 10,.

Newail Riding.—Pungarehu, allocated £35, expended £46 9s 3d; Bayly, £55 and £35 9s 9d; Newail, £175 and £ll4 2s 3d; Burgess, £lO and £3 3s 6d; Warea, £lOO and £lOO 6s 7d; Stent. £BO and £62 14s lid; Kuakera and Mirakai. £25 and £7 0s 9d and £1

3s 4<l; Paora, £llO and £2O 13s 2d; Wataroa, £2O and £l4 Is 9d; Carrington. £lO and £lO 16s sd; total allocated £620, expended £422, Is 6d. The engineer stressed the point that urgent economy on the by-roads was necessary, as in some cases more than the whole of the year’s allocation had been expended in six months; FINANCIAL MATTERS.

The Public Works Department, Stratford, notified payment to the council’s account of £344' 14s 7d on account of the Punehu stream bridge.

The Treasury notified payment of a subsidy on rates totalling £1052 Ils fid, being 5s in the £1 on rates collected reduced to 3s 4d. Divided among the ridings, the subsidies were as follows: Oco £360 13j lid; Opua, £247 10s lid; Rahotu, £242 8s 7d; and Newail, £2Ol 18s Id. The Government Insurance Department forwarded £lOOO, being the Okahti Road special loan.

G. 11. Hutton, manager of the Bank of New Zealand, Opunake, notified that the council's overdraft limit for the year ending March 31,, 1928, would be continued at £13,493.

In connection with the loan of £3BO for draining, forming and culverting the Rua Road, notification was received that the Public Trust Office and the State Adranees Department were unable to entertain the application. John Harte wrote offering to lease

grazing rights of the county reserve at Pungarehu and. Warea, whilst C. E. Wells also waited on the council offering to lease the Warea section, which was alongside his residence—The oiler of Mr. Wells vyas accepted, while the matter of the Pungarehu reserve was left in the hands of the chairman and Cr. Lilley with power to act. The Commissioner of Crown Lands notified that the board was considering the question of the disposal of the strip of waste land situated between the Cape Egmont lighthouse and the high water-mark extending from the Cape Road to the Kapoiaia stream, and he asked the opinion of the council as to whether there was any likelihood of the gravel or boulders on the strip being required for road-making purposes. Members were of opinion that it would be better to reserve the area, and it was decided to refer it to a committee consisting of the chairman, Cr. Gibson and the engineer with power to act. The necessary petition was prepared for signature in connection with raising a special loan of £BB5 for the purpose of metalling', when formed, about 69 chains of the Paora Road. C. E. Wells waited on the council and asked that some repairs should be effected to the Paora Road.—The engineer stated that the matter would be attended to as soon as the weather permillted. NATIVE RATING PROBLEM. C. H. Tate, town clerk of Te Kuiti, notified that a conference at which thirty local bodies were represented had been held for the purpose of considering the question of rating and other problems arising from native lands. A committee had been appointed to frame suggested remedies to existing anomalies and to arrange for a deputation to give effect to the decisions 'of the conference, which passed various resolutions for presentation to the Government. It had been decided that, if possible, representatives from each county in the North Island form a deputation to proceed to Wellington during the presejit session, as soon as sufficient data is available. The committee asked that particulars of the average amounts of native rates in arrears for each of the past five years, and the total amount outstanding to the end of March, 1927, be supplied. The clerk submitted the necessary information, showing that the total rates outstanding was £4971 14s Od, as follows: 1923, £765 13s lOd; 1924, £694 19s 8d; 1925, £713 18s 3d; 1926', £lOlB Ils 4<l; 1927, £1748 10s Hd. It was resolved to support the proposal. POSITION C)F INSPECTOR. Mr. H. Wiltshire, county inspector, notified that he had inspected a number of lorries and drays with regard to carting on by-roads and reported, all details to the county engineer. He had also reported the names of owners of wandering stock and had impounded all unclaimed cattle. During the past month he had found the roads much freer from wandering stock. Cr. Lilley said there had been a horse on the Ruakere Road for about a month doing considerable damage. A ratepayer on the Lower Parihaka Road also com- i plained about wandering stock on liis road. C. W. Revell, a ratepayer on the same road, also wrote complaining of the horse nuisance. Cr. Toslaud voiced a complaint on behalf of a settler on the Patiki Road, complaining of the damage from working bullocks. The engineer stated that the inspector had been working well during the past month. Cr. Toslaud said the time had come when they must not allow bullocks to' be used in county contracts. Tn the course of discussion it was stated that the agreement with the Town Board had expired, but that the services of the ranger had been temporarily retained. Cr. Collins said he was convinced the only solution was for the council to apppint an inspector of its own, though he regretted the necessity of having to pay a salary. It was resolved that the finance committee be instructed to meet and discuss the matter from the financial point of view. Meanwhile it was agreed to extend the term of appointment of the present ranger. G. T. Watson. Puniho, notified that the Commissioner of Crown Lands had informed him that the whole of the loading loan in the block wftuld not be available for the lower end of the Mirakau Road. That was contrary to what the council and he had been led to believe, and it would make a big difference. to the amount required. As soon as the commissioner advised him what amount was available he would endeavour 'to have a petition signed.—The matter was held over pending receipt of further information. QUESTION OF DRAINS. Cr. Toslaud slated that Mr. McCann had approached him in connection with the drains on the Opua Road, stating that he was prepared to pay half the cost of clearing the drains on his road frontage provided the council would pay half the cost of clearing the outlets that rail through his property. The engineer stated that a commit tee of the council had inspected the drains and the outlet and had recommended that no action be taken in the matter. Some discussion took place over the principle of clearing drains, amt it was decided that in future cases, where application is made by settlers for road drains to be cleared, the work be not carried out unless the settler writes definitely agreeing to pay half the cost. It was resolved to inform Mr. McCann that as another ratepayer on the same road had paid half the cost of clearing the drain in front of his property, he would be expected to carry out his agreement. The Opunake Town Board submitted a statement showing that to August 18 heavy license fees totalling £238 12s bad been issued. Sam R. Feaver asked the council to deepen 15 or 16 chains of drain on the Arawhata Road so as to prevent the water flooding a property of which he . was trustee. He offered to find the labour and pay half the cost. —The engineer was authorised to inspect the work and report at next meeting. R. Midgway, Kahui Road,* wrote offering to repair the top end of the road, providing satisfactory arrangements could be .made. —No action was taken. The transfer of the billiard room license at Rahotu from Mormona Tamihana to John Sullivan was approved. The Department of Labour asked for particulars as to the unemployed position, pointing out that the Government was prepared to subsidise moneys raised for relief purposes. The clerk had replied that no men had been placed specially for the relief of unemployed end that it was not proposed to commence any special work. G. F. Pownall, Wanganui, asked the I council to have the drain on the main

road at Rahotu cleared to prevent the water flooding his property, where it was doing considerable damage.—The engineer stated that the work was now in hand. Complaint wag made regarding the action of a settler on the Warea Road in sledging turnips down the road, in contravention of the by-laws.—The matter was referred to the engineer. The Eltham County Council submitted a statement showing that the cost of maintaining the Anroa Road for the year ending March 31, 1927, was £4B 7s 2d, of which the Egmont County Council’s share was £24 3s 7d.—The account was passed for payment, members considering that it was very reasonable. The Tauranga County Council asked support to a resolution to the effect that the Government should be asked to introduce legislation providing that the whole of the cost of maintaining the main highways should be paid by the Main Highways Board, leaving the county rates available for the maintenance of by-roads, all of which were deteriorating, and thus increasing the already heavy burden of th- man on the land.—No action was taken. The Taranaki Local Bodies’ Association forwarded a copy of the minutes of its quarterly meeting. It also forwarded a copy of The rules of the Taranaki Employers’ Association with a recommendation that the council should join up. —In the absence of the chairman the question of joining the Employers’ Federation was deferred (ill next meeting.