CLIFTON COUNTY AFFAIRS

Taranaki Daily News, 6 August 1932, Page 11

CLIFTON COUNTY AFFAIRS

. MAINTENANCE OF ROADS. ■ .. , \ _, ... .. . . . - ■ . ... . REQUESTS BY RATEPAYERS. Th© monthly meeting of th© Clifton County 1 Council was held yesterday, when there were present Crs. H. A. Foreman (chairman), G. W. Rogers, J. F. Phillips, E. A. Shaw, C. H. Barnitt and F. Sarten. , The engineer (Mr. N. C. Fookes.) reported that in the Tikorangi riding the bridge foreman had made a start with the screwing up, painting and tarring of the Waitara River suspension bridge on the Bertrand Road, and weather permitting, this work should be completed about the end of August. Maintenance work has been carried out In the Waihi riding the repairs to the Kakapo stream bridge on the Mataro Road had been completed. A survey had been made of the site and approaches of th© proposed new bridge over the Mangapoua stream on th© same road, and the plans were being prepared. The plans and specifications for widening and metalling the upper end of the Matapo Road have been completed and forwarded to the Public Works Department for approval. In the Uruti riding slips have been cleared, water-tables cleaned and culverts attended to on the Moki, Rerekino, Ngntoto, Uruti and Mangahia Roads. Th© opening up of the old drains on the lower end of the Uruti Road was being proceeded with. The fencing of the balance of the Okau Road deviation had been completed, and willows had been planted round the to© of the bridge approach fillings. The metalling contractor had done a small amount of stripping nt the pit in preparation for this season’s metalJin" programme and would be concentrating on this work during August and September. INSPECTOR’S REPORT. The county inspector (Mt. G. Rowe) reported that three heavy- traffic licenses and 57 driving licenses were issued dur-ing-tljo month. Having travelled over the main roads frequently he had seen a fair amount of the traffic but had no prosecutions for breaches of the by-laws. Fees totalling £26 TOs. had been cob leeted. ~ « On behalf of the Urenui Seaside Committee Mr. A. H. Halcomb© waited on the council and asked for assistance, in securing gravel for metalling a portion of the road leading to the Urenui beach camp site. The road was a public one and if the council would provide, the gravel the residents of the district would arrange for the carting and the spreading of the gravel. He said the beach was the most popular in Taranaki, attracting campers from as far as Napier. Cr. Barnitt said that the ratepayers used th© beach a good deal so that any work done there would benefit the ratepayers. The council decided to allow the committee to take some metal from the Onai'ro pit when quarried. Mr. A. IL Halcombe asked that a few chains of the Hickman Road be metalled. He had been paying rates on that road for 47 years without having any metal. lu.addition, to general rate he was also paying special rates on several other roads. His son would be willing to assist with the work. Crs. sarten and, Barnitt agreed that

Mr. Halcomb© had been more than generous in paying special rates to assist other settlers to obtain metal, and Cr. Sarten stated that in the event of a small loan being raised to metal the Hickman Road ho would willingly join

Subsequently the chairman stated that he had in'view the placing of unemployed in th© Onaero pit to quarry metal to complete about 25 chains of metalling on. the Turaugi Road,- as well' as to provide metal for the Hickman Road and a little also for the Urenui Beach Road. If the settlers on the Purangi Road were prepared to find £25 he thought the balance of the cartage could be found from thet riding, ■ Councillors were all favourable- .to carrying out some -metalling on the Hickman Road and it ,was finally decided that when finished at the Onaero .Hill the unemployed men would, be put into th© pit stripping the metal. MeanwhileCr. Sarten' will interview the settder-s with a view to obtaining -■■contributions to enable an additional length of--the Hickman Road to be metalled. The Public Works Department notified payment to the council’s account' of £659 Bs., being £423 9s, Id. on account of the Okau Road and' £235 18s. lid. on account of the Kaipikari Road. The secretary of-the Wellington Harbour Board wrote asking' whether the 12J per cent, rebate was being allowed on rates this year. The chairman stated that so far there had been.no notifica-. tion regarding any rebate for the current year. Mr. J. F. Howell, Okau, applied. for permission to utilise about half aii acre of road reserve opposite his section. Th© matter was referred to the engineer and Cr, Shaw.