EGMONT COUNTY AFFAIRS

Taranaki Daily News, 14 January 1931, Page 5

EGMONT COUNTY AFFAIRS

THE BURDEN OF TAXATION.

MONTH’S OPERATIONS REVIEWED The monthly meeting of the Egmont County Council was held yesterday, when there were present Messre. W. C. Green (chairman), J. Young, E. G. Holmes, A. J. Lilley, J. S. Tosland, J. F. Shepherd, R. C- Watson and E. A. Collins. The engineer (Mr. J. G. Mclvor) reported for the month ending January 10 as follows: On the Oeo stream bridge the beams, deck elab and handrails have been concreted, and a bituminous running surface put on. Work on the Oco deviation has been almost at a standstill but should proceed steadily now that the bridge is practically complete. A fair amount of banking with crushed metal has been done and asphalt gritted on Eltham Road. On Skeet Road the new metal has been blinded and 20 chains of second coat sealing has been done. Oeo Riding.—On the Patiki Road 30 chains of the 12ft. road has been remetalled and water-bound, using 274 yards of metal, and a further 30 chains scarified, strengthened and rolled. Metal has been dumped for maintenance on all roads, about 800 yards being crushed for the month. Forty chains of second coat sealing has been done on the Patiki and 20 chains on the Nopera Road. Opua Riding.—Patching has been done on the Upper Arawhata and Namu Roads and 14 chains of re-metalling on the Kaweora Road. Maintenance metal has been dumped on the Kaweora and Young Roads. Rahotu Riding.—Manihi and Kahui Main Roads have been patched and rolled throughout. Grading, patching and rolling are being done on the Ngariki Road and a little patching has been done on the Rahotu and Upper Kahui Newall Riding.—Wataroa, Ruakere, Stent, Paora, Bayly. and . Pungarehu Roads have been trimmed with the grader and patched. Warea and Newall Roads have been patched. The; contractors are making fair progress on the Newall Road. Replying to Mr. Young the engineer explained that owing to the. unsettled weather the men had not had a chance to get going properly at the Oeo deviation. They would be making good progress at the cutting in a few days. Mr. Holmes asked whether it was intended to surface-seal any more of the Thai a Road this season. The road was beginning to go to pieces and the ratepayers, .who were heavily rated for the loan, considered they were not getting & fair deal. • The chairman said that the . council had the money available to find its share of the cost of sealing a portion of the road but it was a secondary highway and there was no subsidy available for tar-sealing secondary highways this year. The engineer pointed, out that the Highways Board was finding £2 for £1 for the maintenance work on the Toad ’ Hr. Shepherd said that he would like to see the road sealed right through so that the money could be diverted to other roads. ... ~ The chairman said that until the subsidy was available the council could not do the work, unless the councillors were prepared to divert money from other roads. Mr. Young thought roads like the Arawhata should receive grants from the general fund. HEAVY TRAFFIC FEES. i The committee comprising Messrs. Green, Shepherd, the county clerk and engineer reported having met a committee from the Opunake Town. Board comprising Messrs. A. J. Brennan, F. Hammond and A. Raynor, to consider the collection and allocation of heavy traffic licenses. During the discussion it was stated that since the last settlement in February the Town Board had collected £315 13s lOd, which was considered more satisfactory than the previous collection. It was finally decided to continue the previous arrangement whereby the Town Board retained £7O per annum of the fees collected by it, the balance to be paid to the wmnw.il every quarter, together with a detailed return of all the fees collected. The action of the committee was confirmed. The clerk to the Opunake Town Board forwarded a statement of heavy traffic fees collected, from March to November totalling £248 16s 2d. After deducting 5 per cent, cost of collection (£l2 8s lOd) and £35, the Town Board’s proportion for the half-year, there was a balance of £2Ol 7# 4d available for the county. BURDEN OF TAXATION. Circular letters already published were received from the Waitomo County Council urging the need for relief from the burden of primary taxation, also from the Auckland provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union in regard to the de-rating of rural land. The chairman said • the Highways Board could not possibly take over the whole of the roads. There was not sufficient money to go round. Mr. Lilley said the cost of upkeep of roads would; come from the producer in any case. The simplest way of collecting the money was by direct taxation on the land. A councillor said that it might be more satisfactory if the Highways Board was abolished and each county allowed to retain the benzine tax collected within its area. The special order in connection with the raising of a loan of £350 on the Mirikau Road was passed. This loan bears interest at the rate of 5f per cent, and sinking fund 3 per. cent. The health inspector notified a case of diphtheria on the Eltham Road. The Public Works Department notified payment to the council’s account of £B3B 7s 8d on account of the Oeo stream bridge and £969 15s 6d on account of the Oaoiti stream bridge. The Public Works Department forwarded a copy of a proclamation closing the portion of the main road recently deviated at Rahotu. The county ranger reported that he had impounded one cow at Rahotu. The roads had been very clear of stock durin f the holidays. The tender of E. J. Wallis for the supply of dog collars at 9d each was accepted.