EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL

Taranaki Daily News, 9 July 1930, Page 13

EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL

PROGRESS OF THE MONTH WORK FOR THE UNEMJ’LOYED. MINISTER ANSWERS INQUIRY. The monthly meeting of the Egmont County Council was held yesterday, when there wore present: Crs. AV. C. Green (chairman), J. Young, E. G. Holmes, A. J. Lilley, J. S. Toslaud, E. A. Collins, J. F. Shepherd and R. C. Watson. The engineer (Mr. J. G. Mclvor) reported as follows on work done during the month ending July 5: — At the Oaoiti stream bridge both abutments have been concreted up to the level of the haunches. Boxing is being erected for the beams and the north filling is partly completed. At the Oeo stream bridge excavation for the south abutment has been completed and concreting will be started shortly. Fair progless has been made with the Oeo deviation. Seams of sand are causing some trouble and there is very little material that can be used as pit metal. Oeo Riding.—A fair amount of patching, water-tabling and blinding have been done on Patiki, Oeo and Kiri roads. Fifteen chains of drain were cleared on the Watino and patching done. Opua Riding.—Opua, Upper Arawhata, Lower Waiteika and Kaweora roads have been patched. A little work has been done on the Wiremu Road which has cut up badly. Ridjiig. —A further 27 chains of.®fe Kahui Main Road has been metal-, led and waterbound, wet weather delay--completion of the job. The reinsiiider of the road has been graded. Opourapa Road has been patched and shoulders have been graded on the Ngariki and Rahbtu roads. A fence : has been erected 6n the Upper Parihaka Road where the stream has encroached. ■ Newall Riding.—Okahu, Carrington and Bayly roads have been raked, blinded and rolled,.;and further draining has. been done on.; the Newall Road. The • Teikaparua bridge has been repaired. The old main road at Pungarchu has been torn up and 140 yards of the material used for remetalling about 20 chains of the Pungarehu Road. The remainder of the road is being patched and rolled. Taurn Road has been completed except for trimming. The contractor has made a start on Rua Road. PUBLIC WORKS GRANTS. The Public Works Department notified payment to the council’s account of £689 12s 2d, being main highways subsidy— £4Bl 2s 2d on the Puniho-Opu-nake section, £lO3 4s on the Rautini bridge at Rahotu and £lO5 6s on the Opunake-Oeo section. The Public Works Department notified approval of works proposed on the .Rua Road, for which a grant up to £2OO on a £1 for £1 basis was available. . The Commissioner of Crown Lands (Mr. W. D. Armit) forwarded a cheque for £3O 13s 3d as thirds accruing to March 30, 1930. With regard to tho application of the council for a grant for the Upper Kahui Road Mr. C. A. Wilkinson, M.P., suggested that in making its application for grants the council should indicate the positron of the road in respect to other grants. It was resolved to submit a schedule of the grants applied for to Mr. Wilkinson.

UNEYfPLOYED RELIEF WORK. With further reference to tho council’s application that relief .workers should bo' employed on extending and improving the Arawhata upper, Ihaia upper and Kaweora upper roads the Hon. W. B. Taverner, Minister of Public Works, advised that inquiries had been made and from the information received there appeared to be no doubt that as a considerable area of land was now being developed beyond the already constructed portions of the road further work was necessary in order to provide the settlers with reasonable access. The work was of a nature which would be suitable for unemployed labour, and in order that it might be further considered he notified that arrangements were being made to have the three roads surveyed to permit of definite estimates •being prepared. When these were available, if it was then found necessary to provide further work for unemployed, consideration will be given to these roads. In any case the three items had been noted and consideration would be given to the provision of funds to cover the cost of construction work when the estimates were under review. The council considered the reply was very satisfactory and it was resolved to fonvard a letter of thanks to the Minister. LOWER PARIHAKA ROAD. Mr. E, E. Chapman, Warea, wrote pointing out that he had no motor lorry access to a section he had recently purchased on tho Lower Parihaka Road, and he asked that the road be metalled to his gate. •Mrs. M. Barrett and Mr. Janies Ruth-, erford wrote asking that the lower portion of the Lower Parihaka Road be graded and metalled to give access to their properties. , The engineer was authorised to submit a report at the next meeting. Messrs. Tcsland and Holmes, with the engineer, reported having met Mr. D. , O’Sullivan amj. inspected the swampy place on the Upper Ihaia Road. The trouble was due to a swamp in a set- ] tier’s place preventing a free How with ; consequent silting of the drain and culverts. They recommended that the drain be opened through the swamp < for about five chains, tho cost not to exceed £5. A portion of the Wiremu Road where water backed up on to Mr. O’Sullivan’s property was also inspected and it was decided to see if deepening 1 and extending the present drain would cope with the difficulty, The report was adopted.

Tite chairman reported that with Messrs. Lilley and Holmes and the engineer they had met Alessrs. Connett (■’lairman), Carey and Thomas and the Taranaki county engineer and inspected the Puniho Road from the lower end to the Carrington Road. Mr. Connett invited any suggestions regarding the road of mutual benefit and a general discussion of maintenance methods ensued. Egmont county favoured the patrol system instead of the present method of employing a surfaceman most of the yea 7 The possibility of bitumenising the road cither by a loan or from revenue was discussed and the suggestion was left open pending fuller details being made available.

The chairman said the Taranaki coun- ' oil wished to work with the Egmont ' County Council as harmoniously as possible. They felt that the road was ■difficult to maintain in good order, and they had done the work as economically as possible. He recognised that it would be difficult for the settlers to raise a loan to. tar seai the road from end to end, but possibly it might be feasible to lay down, say, half a mile each year out >f revenue. The report was adopted. The Taranaki County Council forwarded an account for £340 3s 6d as cost of formation and metalling the Lower Puniho Road, towards which the Egmont council was to contribute half —£.170 Is 9d. The account was approved. RATES ON SOLDIERS’ LAND. In connection with the- non-payment of rates on lands occupied by returned soldiers the Hon. E. A. Ransom, Minister of Lands, suggested that individual cases should be brought before the Commissioner of Crown Lands, who would, if possible, arrange payment on behalf of the occupiers out of moneys coming Into his hands. The clerk state*! that, application had been, made but there bad been no response. He ’ recognised that if the land was leased the Commissioner of Crown L.rnds would honour the rates as far as the money would go, but the difficulty was that the council could not get thenames of those to whom the land was leased. Mr. Tosland brought up the question of completing the metalling of ibe Lower Patiki Road and the engineer into submit a report. The appointment or Mr. S. Donnell as assistant engineer was approved. The county ranger (Mr. F. Williams) reported that he had found eight bullocks and 20 cows wandering on the Main South Road at Rahotu and two cows on the Pungarchu Main South Road, making a total of 30. He claimed Court expenses of 355. Accounts amounting to £l4<9 8s lid were passed for payment.