CLIFTON COUNTY AFFAIRS

Taranaki Daily News, 7 May 1932, Page 2

CLIFTON COUNTY AFFAIRS

final meeting of council MAINTENANCE OF THE ROADS. REQUESTS FROM RATEPAYERS. The last meeting of the Clifton County Council prior to the triennial election was held at Waitara yesterday, there being present Crs. H. A. Foreman (chairman 1 ), G. W. Rogers, J. F. Phillips, W. H. Watson, F. Sarten, CL H. Barnitt and H. A. Bower. The engineer (Mr. N. C. Fookes) reported that in the Tikorangi riding the grader has been occupied grading watertables on the Otaraoa Road, grading and banking on the Bertrand Road, banking and countersinking for metal on the Faull Road, and grading the unmetalled portions of the Epiha Road. A small amount of metalling was done on the Otaraoa Road, but owing to the drays damaging the unmetalled portion unduly, this work was stopped and would be recommenced next summer. Metal patching, water-tabling and scrub-cut-ting had been attended to on various roads as required. In the Waihi Riding scrub-cutting, trading, water-tabling and clearing slips had been attended to on the Mataro and Ohanga roads, and in addition the regravelling and patching of weak places had been completed. The last flood in the .district caused damage to the Mangapoua stream bridge by completely submerging the old structure and washing away parts of the bridge. The damage had been repaired, but as the old bridge was in a very dangerous state, besides being too low, he recommended that the bridge be replaced as soon as possible. The small bridge at the foot of the Kakapo Road hill was also in need of repairs. He recommended the purchase of the necessary materials at once in order that this work could be proceeded with when the Mangatoro bridge was finished. On the Allen Road the 18in. diameter culvert at McKenzie’s was taken up and lowered. The contractor on the Kaipikari Road had done a further 72chains of widening, culverting and gravelling, this completing his contract with the exception of maintenance. As the weather had broken, the engineer would not recommend the letting of any additional work on this road until next summer. Grading, patching, water-tabling and scrub-cut-ting had been attended to on the Okoke, Kaka and Piko roads. The repairs to the Bull Creek bridge on the Piko Road had been completed. The gravelling of the Uruti Road from the Moki Road junction back to the main road had been commenced, and approximately 40 chains had been completed. Metal patching had been attended to on the Uruti Road and Moki Road. Water-tabling, trimming up, cutting scrub and clearing slips had been attended to on the Rerekino, Moki, Uruti and Ngatoto roads. One 2ft. diameter by 32ft. concrete culvert was installed on the Mangahia Road to replace an old wooden one which had collaped. The Public Works Department had handed over the balance of the newly-formed. Rerekino Road from the Mahino Road junction to the county boundary. The contractor on the Okau Road metalling had. completed 284 chains of metalling for the month. The small amount done was due to the necessity for further stripping in the pit. The repairs to the Tongaporutu River bridge, Mangatoro Road, were almost completed with the exception of the northern anchorage. It would be necessary for the council to decide whether it w’ould provide permanent anchors by way of concrete anchor blocks and suitable anchor rods or make a temporary repair with cables on hand. His recommendation was that the former method be adopted. New decking had been sent up the Hutiwai Road to repair the first small bridge near Mr. Lovell’s. Water-tabling, scrubcutting and clearing slips had been attended to on the Mohakatino, Okau, Mangatoro, Mangaroa and Kiwi roads. The gravel wearing course on the first two miles 30 chains of the Okau Road had set down satisfactorily, and had been graded and patched as required. The county inspector reported that during April he had issued three heavy traffic licenses. Fees totalling £53 10s had been collected.

SETTLERS’ REQUESTS. It was resolved to subsidise Mr. R. W. Larsen £3 towards the cost of constructing a wire rope bridge to carry a cage over the Waitara River on the Waitara Valley Road to give access to his property. Cr. Barnitt stated that Mr. Larsen had expended £l2 in erecting the wire rope to give access to his property. A low level bridge had been destroyed. There was no road in the Clifton county giving access to the property though Mr. Larsen paid £lB in rates to the Clifton council, his access being via the Stratford county. He considered that it was certainly a case deserving consideration, though the subsidy was not to be regarded as a precedent. Mr. N. V. Jones, Pehu, applied for a section of road reserve of approximately three acres adjoining his section on the Ngatoto Road as an access for his section. Grazing rights were grantee! on payment of £1 10s per annum. Mr. E. A. Jones, Uruti Road, wrote asking that the culvert on the road at the top of his property be lowered. — Left in the hands of the engineer. Mr. L. G. Newton, chairman of the Kaipikari school committee, stated that the contractors on the road had cut down the approach to the school. The engineer stated that previously the gate had been on a bank above the road but by leaving the road a little lower down and driving along the top the gate could be used satisfactorily. The road had since been slightly deviated but the removal of the gate to another position would overcome the difficulty. He recognised that the committee had no funds. Cr. Barnitt considered the committee should be asked to send a man to assist. It was resolved to send the surfaceman, on the understanding that the committee would also send a man. It was resolved to supply the necessary pipes on the old Okoke Road to give access to Mr. Hicks’ property, also on the Kaka track to give access to Mr. A. Jones’ property. In connection with his request that a culvert should be moved Mr. M. E. Waterson, Mohakatino, notified- that the county chairman and engineer had visited the site. He was prepared to put the drain through to the road at a depth sufficient to give a two-foot covering. He was also willing to help the surfaceman move the pipes. The engineer was authorised to remove the pipes when the drain was dug. Mr. R. W. Larsen was granted the v>e of about 3J acres of the Ngatoto Road reserve for three years free of rent, provided he clears and fences it. The district engineer (Mr. P. Keller) notified that widening operations on the Rerekino Road had been completed and maintenance would devolve on the Clifton council. It was decided to purchase a small tar sprayer, the engineer stating that it would be good policy for the council if it had the money available to tar-sea.!

a five or ten chain of secondary highway each year. The engineer was authorised to, efleet repairs to the Okau surfacemen s cotIhe engineer pointed out that £2O had been promised towards the inetalling of the unmetalled portion of the Turangi .Road, but the chairman did not consider it would be possible to procure a subsidy at present. The engineer reported that a slip had occurred on the Okau Road. Unless somethin*? were done there would be further slips during the winter, hour chains of road was affected, and he estimated the work could be carried out by means of a tractor and scoop and a gan" of men in from ten days to a fortnight. The engineer was authorised to do°the necessary widening, it being pointed out that there was every probability of the unemployed being placed on the road. It was resolved to utilise the balance of the Okau £2OOO loan for metalling a further 30 chain of the Okau Road. It was stated that there was an impression about that the loan had been raised for the purpose of metalling the Okau Road as far as the Mangatoro Road junction, but the petition showed that there was no such restriction. It was also pointed out that there were more Okau Road settlers above the Mangatoro Road rated for the loan than there were on the Mangatoro Road. The engineer suggested the present contract should be extended to include the 30 chains at an increased price, subject to the stipulation that the contractor strips the metal during the winter in readiness for an early start next season. The necessity for renewing the Mangatoro suspension bridge over the Tongaporutu River was stressed by the engineer and it was resolved that the chairman and engineer discuss the matter with the district engineer. The engineer stated that the council would be put to considerable expense in repairs through no fault of its own.