EGMONT COUNTY AFFAIRS

Taranaki Daily News, 13 January 1932, Page 2

EGMONT COUNTY AFFAIRS

MONTHLY COUNCIL MEETING COMPLETION OF WIREMU ROAD. WATINO ROAD UNDER DISCUSSION The monthly meeting of the Egmont County Council was held at Opunake yesterday when there were present Crs. W. C. Green ((chairman), J. Young, E. G. Holmes, A. J. Lilley, J. S. Tosland, E. A. Collins, J. F. Shepherd and R. C. Watson. Leave of absence was granted to Cr. G. Gibson. The county engineer (Mr. J. G. McIvor) reported: The approaches to the Oaoiti stream bridge have been metalled, grouted and sealed. Banking and water-tabling have been attended to on Main South Road. Asphalt has been gritted throughout and maintenance shingle dumped between Rahotu and Puniho. Draining, fencing, coldpatching and bridge repairs have been done. On Eltham Road banking, watertabling and draining have been done, and asphalt gritted where necessary. Skeet Road lias been blinded throughout and on Ihaia Road draining and banking have been done.

In Oeo riding watertabling and blinding have been done on Stratford, Oeo and Nopera Roads, and grading on Watino Road. Patching and watertabling is being done on the upper portion of the Kiri Road and boulders removed. In Opua riding the bridge on lower Waiteika Road has been re-erected with used timber and stone walls. One hundred and twenty chains have been cleaned and eight chains of new drain dug on Upper Kina Road. Groynes have been placed to check erosion at the Otahi bridge on Wiremu Road and some draining on Opua] Road. In Rahotu riding Kahui and Upper Parihaka Roads have 'been patched, watertabled and blinded. Drains have been cleared on Ngariki and Tipoka Roods. .Seventy yards of shingle were used for a running surface on Ngariki Road and 50 yards dumped. In Newall riding Newall and Carrington Roads have been watertabled, patched, blinded and rolled. The grader has been at work on Paora, Ruakere, Warea and Okahu Roads, watertabling and blinding. Bridges on Newall and Carrington Roads have been repaired. GRADER FOR TRANSPORT. Cr. Tosland took exception to the work of the grader on Watino Road. The grader, he stated, had been used as a means of transport to and from work. He did not consider the grader was required on Watino Road, which had been put in order previously.

The chairman said the onus was on the engineer to use the grader where it was required. The grader had done good work on the county roads. The engineer said the grader was under the control of the riding foremen. 'Part of Watino Road required the grader and part did not. Cr. Holmes agreed, that the grader did good work. He considered that at times there was a ’ tendency for the county men to make work instead of doing it. The chairman pointed out that the responsibility was placed on the riding foremen. If any men were making work for other men to do then the sooner- that riding foreman was got rid of the better.

Cr. Collins did not think any foreman would deliberately carry out his work in that way. The chairman considered councillors should assist the council by notifying the engineer if they thBught unessential work was being carried out. On the motion of the chairman and Cr. Watson it was resolved to draw the engineer’s attention to the complaint. The ranger (W. Weaver) reported that during the month the roads had been fairly clear of wandering stock. He had seized 13 cows, 14 yearlings, two bulls, six working bullocks and six horses, a total of 41 head, all of which had. been released.

Cr. Tosland complained of the damage caused to property on the Watino Road through a contractor’s horses being permitted to wander there. They had damaged grass seed and had also broken through fences. He considered the person who received the royalty from the metal that was carted should be held responsible for providing paddocking for the horses if the contractor could not obtain it elsewhere. The attention of the ranger is to be drawn to the matter. TRANSPORT LICENSING. The Commissioner of Transport (Mr. J. W. Hunter) notified that in order to bring into operation the provisions of the Transport Licensing Act, 1931, licensing authorities would shortly ba established for the purpose of regulating commercial road transport. Among other things those authorities would •fix time-tables for services and the types of vehicles to be used. He asked that a copy of all legal restrictions as regards both speed and weight should be forwarded, pointing out that although the first business of the licensing authorities would be to deal with passenger services only, it was also proposed to apply the principle to goods services as necessity arose. Cr. Tosland drew attention to the fact that a contractor was carting shingle from the Punehu beach to the Punehu station for consignment to the Stratford Borough Council. That extraordinary traffic was liable to damage Watino Road, which had recently been put in repair. While he did not wish to interfere with any other local body he considered that the interests of the riding ratepayers should be safeguarded. The county made sawmillers pay for extraordinary damagp to the roads, and he considered the contractors should meet it.

Th'e chairman agreed that it was likely to inflict a hardship on the riding ratepayers but as long as the contractor abided by the by-laws and motor regulations in regard to weight of load, speed, etc., he did not see that the council could take any action. Cr. Collins recognised it was a hardship for the ratepayers as the road had not been metalled for such traffic. The inspector is to be given, instructions to see that the regulations are strictly complied with. COMPLETION OF WIREMU ROAD. In connection with the proposal to complete the work on 'Wiremu Road from Kahui Road to Auroa. Mr. C. A. 'Wilkinson, M.'P., notified that he had received, a communication from the Minister of Public Works that the council had been in communication with the Unemployment Board in regard to putting in hand works such as that, and that the board would favourably consider granting assistance. Mr. Wilkinson asked to be advised as to what steps had been taken to do the work, promising to do what he could to facilitate matters.

The chairman said he had waited on the Minister, pointing out that the metalling of the road was an essential work that might well be carried out by

the unemployed. Mr. Coates said it was the intention as far as possible to engage unemployed on farm work. He would keep the matter in view. So far, the chairman, stated, he had received no reply from the Minister. He did not know whether it would be possible to place unemployed on the farms as there were difficulties in the way. It was resolved to inform Mr. Wilkinson that the council so far had no information on the matter but would be pleased, if ha could render any assistance. The Unemployment Board forwarded a circular drawing attention to the necessity for relief workers cultivating in their own time areas of ground they were occupying. They also suggested that local bodies should endeavour to secure vacant plots for the use of workers, stressing the beneficial effects of the scheme put into operation by the 'Stratford 'Self-Help Club. The chairman pointed out that some of the unemployed were moving about a great deal. Cr. Shepherd stated that he was prepared to allow the use of a section. Cr. Tosland said that he was prepared to 'allow the use of a plot on his farm for the purpose and he thought the majority of farmers would do likewise. The Secretary of the Treasury forwarded a copy of special order authorising the council to borrow £4OO for tho Upper Puniho special loan at per cent. In connection with tho work the Taranaki County Council notified that the tender of Mr. R. Zimmerman at £1548 had been accepted. Mr. C. A. Wilkinson notified that- he had received advice that the authority for a Government grant had been made for Upper Puniho Road. At a special meeting the council passed the special order raising the loan of £4OO, the term to be over a period of 20 years, the interest 5£ per cent, and the sinking fund 3 per cent. In regard to giving access to Mr. PFleming from the Turn Road, the chairman said he understood one of the gates across the road had not been removedCr. Young understood a hedge would have to be removed to give the access required. The matter was left in the hands of the engineer. The Main Highways Board gave approval of expenditure amounting to £l2O '7s 6d on a £2 for £1 subsidy basis for maintenance work m Skeet Road (Oeo River to Pihama).