THE INGLEWOOD COUNTY

Taranaki Daily News, 8 July 1931, Page 2

THE INGLEWOOD COUNTY

' maintenance of roads WORK OF THE MONTH REVIEWED. WET WEATHER CAUSES DELAYS. The monthly meeting of the Inglewood County Council was held yesterday, when there were present Cfs. A. Corkill (chairman), R. Stuart, J. Hunter, J. Grieve, W. N. Willans, H. R. Jones, J. Stachurski and A. E. Cowley. The engineer (Mr. S. C. Judd) reported that during June the weather had been anything but advantageous for the work, and results had been affected by a great deal of broken time. The following roads had received attention, having been graded and rolled, culverts or water tables having been cleaned and weak portions patched and strengthened:—North riding: Lincoln, Wortley, Richmond, Bristol, Everett, York, Mangaone and Toe Toe Roads, Everett Road (surfaced for another halfmile). West riding: Dudley, Durham, Norfolk, Surrey, Derby, south of Surrey, Johns, Upland, King, Lepper north, Ross, Mana, Ratapiko, Rugby, Tariki, Mangaotia and. Motukawa. On Kaimate south Road a pipe culvert was constructed to replace an old tiled culvert. One and a half miles had been covered with crushed chips, and the metal edges turfed to prevent the chips from being scfl/tiXyrod* In the east riding Otaraoa and Wiri Roads had received attention. Autawa Road had been graded and partly patched. Further strengthening and patchin*Y would have to wait until the weather permitted carting. Water-tables and culverts had been cleaned and a pipe culvert constructed four and a- half miles up the road. Ngatoto Road, including Schrieber’s Road formation, had been completed early in the month, and would be of great benefit to the settlers. The clay roads had not been graded during June. The permanent men spent a good portion of the month on wet days in attending to culverts and blockages caused by excess storm water, and a good number had to be lifted and replaced. MAIN COUNTY ROADS WORK. Dudley Road east* had been surfaced with chips and screenings for practically its full length. The corner leading on to the Junction Road west had been countersunk and metalled. Lepper Road had been graded and water-tables and culverts cleared. When the weather had permitted carting the banking of the bitumen with pit metal had been continued on Mountain Road south. On Mountain Road north two miles and a half had been turfed with grass sods ■along the edges of the bitumen. Turnoffs had been metalled and narrow places widened. Water-tables and culverts had been cleared and the over-growth cut from the Waiongona bridge. On Junction Road west 900 cubic yards of metal had been crushed for banking the bitumen shoulders which previously had been clay banked. A permanent job was being made of the length and boulder benches had been countersunk to hold the metal in nairow places. The metal used was being procured cheaply. On Junction Bo ad east surfacing had been stopped on account of the weather. The road had been graded from Purangi to Kaimata and the metal banked where necessary. It was in good order except for a section at the Tarata factory. The wet weather had caused a dangerous road slip on the Tarata Saddle and the unemployed were now widening the road there. The Purangi unemployed were taking back bad corners on the last three-mile section. 1 . Egmont Road had been graded and had a first-class surface for motoring. The land transfer for Coldrick’s corner deviation had been approved by the Commissioner, and as soon a-s the Ilighw y Board’s authority was received a commencement could be made with the during the month had put ■a truck out of action, but repairs were being effected economically. _ During the month 15 nine-inch, two 12-inch and 18 18-inch pipes had been used on county works. Ratepayers requests had been attended to to date with the exception of Mrs. Hod es metalling. That had been attempted, but would have to wait until the formation hardened a little to prevent, the metal from being trodden out of sight. Reporting as ranger, the engineer stated that a good number of the county roads were traversed during the J® 0111 - 1 and wandering stock was attended to. A good deal of cleaning had been done on road frontages, but there were still settlers who had made little or n progress in that direction. Action would be taken after notice had been given. HIGHWAYS MATTERS. The chairman of the Main Highways Board (Mr. F. W. Furkett) notified that the board was prepared to subsidise the marking of black road pavements with white centre lines on the basis of £2 for £1 subsidy. The boaid suo-o-ested that a. commencement should be = made by marking the surfaces only at horizontal and vertical curves wbeie the visibility was at all limited, the case of horizontal curves the lines should extend at least a chain along the straight at each end of the cur . Lines on hill crests should extend down the hills far enough to discourage attempting to pass when it could not ue accomplished before traffic apP roac J“ J ’S over the hill might block the way. The lines should be at Tast four inches "The Transport Department forwarded a draft of a portion of the heavy motor vehicle regulations, 1931, with which it was proposed to replace the motor-lorry regulations, 19'-i, and amendments. The Main Highways Boards representative (Mr. P. Keller) notified that the No. 7 District Highway Council had decided to recommend the Main Highways Board to declare 3 7-8 miles of Bristol and Everett Roads to be a main highway. . 7 The financial statement as i t .July i showed that £ll had been expended on main county roads, leaving £'B9 available. On the main highways expenditure totalled £1739, leaving £2Oll available. In the north riding £333 had been expended, leaving £244 available; 6 ° u th riding, £215 and £625; cast riding, £lO2 and £124; west riding, £263 and £697. The total spent was £2663, leaving £3790 available. The bank overdraft was £7194 Is 7d. SETTLERS’ REQUESTS. Mr. A. J. Webb, Purangi, wrote asking some work be done on the worst portions of the Pukemahoe track between the end of the 12-'foot road and the Peta track. No work had been done on the road for some years, and it was very dangerous and difficult for 6 . Councillor Stuart considered that work of that value should be done by "unemployed” labour, as it would not only assist back-country settlers, but would also be more useful than some of the work already done. Councillor Wiilau? considered that

the Stratford County Council .should assist, as the petitioner resided in that C °The’‘engineer stated that Mr. Webb paid rates to the Stratford . County. Council, but at its last meeting that body had turned down his request for assistance. . , It, was decided to comniumcate .with the Stratford Council and ascertain if that body had any funds available. If so, the Inglewood Count; C,O , UI ’“ I would supervise the expenditure of the money as the work required was in t e Inglewood County. Messrs. G. Petch and V. Rusling applied for a chain of metalling to be done from the end of the Rugby Road to the Ross Road. They offered to do the formation and spreading if _ the council found the metal. The engineer was authorised to have the work done. Letters were received from Mr. John Dobson offering to pay £llO, and from the Farmers’ Co-op Organisation Society offering to pay £5O towards the cost of forming and metalling Suffolk Road south. The works committee recommended that the Council contribute £5O towards the cost and that the Public Works Department be asked to place the work on the list as an unemployed relief work. The recommendation was adopted. DANGER SIGNS. The Taranaki Automobile Association notified that prior to the coming into force of the regulations of the Motor Vehicles Act automobile associations had assumed the responsibility for the provision and erection of danger signs. The regulations had, however, placed the onus for the provision and erection of danger signs on local bodies. The automobile association still provided" road and direction signs. The Taranaki Automobile Association notified that it was prepared to undertake the erection of danger as well as direction signs. It undertook to prepare the danger signs ready for erection and to erect them subject to the approval of the county engineer, the county to pay the costs of the signs themselves, which they estimated at an average of £1 each. It was stated that a few additional danger signs were necessary, and the council agreed to the proposal. The district engineer notified that authority had now been issued for the construction of two bridges on Bedford Road, subject to the receipt of the council’s contribution of £lOO prior to the commencement of the work. It was stated that the contribution of £lO6 had been received from Mr. Chapman and had been lodged in the bank.

At a special meeting the council adopted the Taranaki county councils’ joint by-laws, and decided to hold the next meeting of the council a week later for the purpose of confirming them.