CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, 7 December 1929, Page 13

CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL

REVIEW OF MONTH’S WORK

ROAD AND BRIDGE MAINTENANCE

MEETING OF THE COUNCIL. Mr. H. A. Foreman, presided over the monthly meeting of the Clifton County Council yesterday, others present being Messrs. F. Sarten, C. H. Barnitt, H. A. Bowen, W. H. Watson, J. F. Phillips and E. W. Rogers.

The council inspector (Mr. G. F. Rowe) reported that five heavy traffic licenses and 13 driver’s licenses had been issued during the month. There had been little wandering stock on the roads; he had covered the area extensively. Mr. Kibby’s tender for dog collars had been accepted. He had collected £22 in fees.

It was resolved that the dog taxes for the coming year be 2s. Cd. for working dogs and 10s. for sporting dogs. The report of the works committee stated that the tender of Messrs. Isherwood, Bellam and Co. had been accepted for the bituminous work on the main highway. The committee recommended the council to. provide for metalling on the Otaroao Road, at a cost of £75, and on the Domain Road, Urenui, at £l5. They considered a grader attachment should be purchased for the new tractor. The recommendations were adopted. The Urenui Sports Club and Seaside Society-f or warded a cheque for £lO to assist in the cost of metalling the filling approaching the main highway from the Urenui Domain Road, and stated that the council had agreed to subsidise the cost £1 for £l. Advice was received from the Taranaki. Local. Bodies Association that the local bodies of the district agreed to pay 5 per cent, of the cost of eliminating the Waitara level-crossing from their heavy traffic fees, and limited the cost of the work to £4OOO. The council agreed to pay its share.

Advice was received from the district Public Works engineer that the plans for the reforming and metalling 25 chains of the Mataro Road and the forming and culverting of 40 chains of the Kaka Road had been approved. The Main Highways Board authorised the council to expend £4SIG 10s. 6d. on bitumen surfacing of the main highway.

HIGHWAYS EXPENDITURE.

The representative of the Main Highways Board, Mr. P. Keller, forwarded a list of expenditure approved by the board. For maintenance work the grants on a £1 for £1 subsidy' basis were £3O9G on the main road (Pukearuhe Junction-Waitara) £646 for the Pukearuhe Road (Pukearuhe Junction* township), £636 on the Ngatimaru Road (Waitara-Tikorangi), and £2BO on the Inland North Road (Ngatimaru RoadOhanga Road). The construction grants were: —Waiau deviation £3BB (£2 for £1), Urenui Stream bridge £3BOO (£2 for £1), penetration main road £3422 and £4516 16s. 6d. (£3 for £1), Pukearuhe Road, forming and metalling northern end, £lOO5 (£1 for £1). The Minister of Public Works advised that a subsidy of .£2 for £1 on the amount expended on the Rerekaha and Moki Roads was still available, and the question of authorisation would receive consideration when the applications were made.

The chairman stated that this did not include some of the other tracks which the council had to. maintain.

The engineer considered that the letter provided for applications for all roads and the two roads mentioned had been emphasised in the letter sent by the council.

Conditionally that the council accepted full responsibility for the future maintenance, the district engineer advised that the Public Works Department would provide the funds to put in order Beach Road stock track, via the Parininihi tunnel.

Cr. Barnitt pointed out that the-track was of no benefit to the council. He did not consider the council should take over the full repsonsibility for maintenance in the case of extraordinary damage.

It was left to the clerk and the engineer to reply to the letter.

The successful tenderer for the reformation and gravelling of the Mataro Road, Mr. G. E. Borthwick, regretted that he was unable to. complete the work at his tender of £647 13s. Cd. The work of reformation -was made nearly double what he estimated, cutting of scrub a--1 fern proving a big item. He considered the work was really worth 12s. 6d. a chain. He had also experienced difficulty in procuring metal which, if it could have been secured near Onaero, would have enabled him to struggle through the contract. He judged by the engineer’s remarks in conversation that there was no use in asking for an increased price on the formation and payment per chain for the scrub and fern. He was still working on the contract in the meantime, or until the council could make other arrangements. It was resolved that if the tenderer threw up Ills contract the council would call fresh tenders.

Tenders for bridge building were accepted as follows:—-Boar Creek bridge, W. Dowman, £892 155.; Mangawhero bridge, D. McMillan, £7OB 18s. 9d.; Mangatana bridge, D. McMillan, £716 16s. 6d.

ENGINEER’S REPORT.

The engineer (Mr. N. C. Fookes) reported regarding the Tikorangi riding that the Otaroa Road had been graded, but owing to the heavy rain immediately r/cer, this work had been considerably damaged, and it would be necessary to give it a further run over after Christ-

mas. Blinding and patching had been attended to on the Ngatimaru, Nikorima, Inland North, Bertrand qnd Tikorangi Roads. Arrangements had been made with the Maoris on the Otaraoa Road to quarry the metal necessary for that road, and when they had a sufficient quantity quarried he would make arrangements to have it carted and spread. In the Waihi riding a start had been made with the Mataro Road metalling contract, but little work had been done this month. The Turangi Road grading had been done this month. The Turangi Road grading had been completed, also the backing-up of the metalled portions. Gravel patching and banking had been attended to on the Ohanga, Inland North, Mataro and Turangi Roads. The Pukearuhe Road metalling contract in the Urenui riding was progressing favourably, GO chains of new metalling having been completed, and 221

chains of re-metalling. The contractors had also continued with the hauling of stone from the beach at favourable opportunities. Patching, banking and clearing slips had been attended to on the Pukearuhe, Okoke, Piko, Kaka and Urenui Township Roads. Arrangements had been made to metal portions of the Urenui Domain Road and Ngakoti Street as soon as possible. The engineering survey and plans had been completed for 40 chains of formatiofi on the Kaka Road, and as soon as authority

was received from the Public Works De partment this work would be put ir hand.

In the Uruti riding the Mangahia Road had been trimmed in the worst places and water-tables and culverts had been cleared. He proposed to run the grader over this road later in the summer. General maintenance work and clearing of dips had been attended to on the Uruti, Moki and Ngatoto Roads. The Moki Road metalling contract had been delayed owing to- the unfavourable wea; ther.'

Ploughing and grading had been attended to on the Okau, Makarakia, Mohakatino and Hutawai Roads in the Mokau riding. General maintenance work and clearing slips had been attended to on the Kiwi, Okau and Mangaroa Roads. The Kiwi Road required nine sets of nine-inch pipes and repairs to two large papa cuts. He proposed putting on an extra man with the surfaceman for this ’work. •

On the Auckland-Wellington highway

the laying of the foundation course between 2m. 29chs. and sm. 40chs. had been completed with the exception of the banking and maintenance work. The contractors at the Urenui River bridge had placed 35j cubic yards of concrete in the piers and abutments during the month, and were generally malting fair progress. The contract for the bituminous surfacing of 3 miles 9 chains had been let to Isherwood, Bellam and Co., and they were now making arrange-

ments. The Waitoitoi section had been gravelled during the month, and owing to the bad weather this work had cut up considerably, but a run-over with the grader and a small amount of patching should put the section in good order again.

A new grader attachment had been ordered from the Union Foundries, Stratford, for the second tractor, and this should be delivered about the middle of December. A new camshaft and friction roller had been ordered for the crusher and one new driving pinion for the Austin roller.

Mr. C. M. Knuckey, on behalf of the settlers of the Tikorangi Road, -waited on the council with the request that the council pay a quarter of the cost of metalling a portion of the road, the settlers to find the other quarter, the Government subsidy of £1 for, £1 covering the other half of the cost. The chairman said the council did not consider itself justified in spending money there. In the past it had looked upon obtaining the subsidy as its contribution.

The engineer said the work could not be done this summer in the ordinary course of events, as it -was not on the estimates.

Mr. Knuckey stated that if the council not not see its way to assist the extra cost could not be borne by the settlers. Some had spoken of raising a loan to do the work, and he asked if the Government subsidy would- be available under those conditions. The chairman assured him that the subsidy would still hold good, but the council could not see its way to give any monetary assistance as a matter of principle. The chairman vvas voted the usual honorarium for his services during the year.