EGMONT COUNTY AFFAIRS

Taranaki Daily News, 12 July 1933, Page 5

EGMONT COUNTY AFFAIRS

CONVERSION OF THE LOANS. UPKEEP OF ROADS AND BRIDGES. The necessity for taking steps in regard to -the conversion of its loans was stressed at the monthly meeting of the Egmont County Council yesterday, when there were present Crs. W. C. Green (chairman), J. Young, E. G. Holmes, A. J. Lilley, J. S. Tosland, E. A.. Collins. S, F. Farquhar and T. Willcox. In reply to the council’s question whether he would be prepared to consider a voluntary conversion of the loans the council had obtained from him, the Public Trustee notified that the interest had already been reduced by 20 per cent, through legislation and the duty of the Public Trustee to the beneficiaries whose funds Were invested in the loans did not permit him to agree voluntarily to an' extension of the loans beyond the present maturity dates at a still further reduced interest rate. It was open to the board to seek authority from the Local Government Loans Board for conversion in terms of the Act The superintendent of the State Advances Department notified that no objection would be raised to the conversion provided that the terms were satisfactory to the board. ' Members considered that in the interests of the ratepayers the council should take, steps to convert its loans on favourable terms as the present reduction in interest was only temporary and might be lifted if matters improved. . The .clerk was authorised to procure the - necessary information. The council applied to the Minister of Finance for permission to. transfer to the county fund account at the bank with a view to reducing interest on overdraft a portion of its fixed deposit at the bank, which was partly loan money and partly highways subsidy in connection with the county bridge loan No. 4. It was pointed out that at present the council could not obtain the consent of the Main Highways Board to expend any of the money.. The Minister replied that the. request could not be acceded to as in view of a decision of the Supreme Court no approvals to transfers were now being issued by the Govemor-&eneral-in-Council. The chairman said that finalised the matter. The Bank of New Zealand notified that arrangements had been made whereby payment of the debenture of the £825 antecedent repayment debenture maturing on March 31, 1934, could be deferred until March 31, 1937, with the right of payment at any time between those dates. It was resolved to thank the bank for its action in the matter. ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer (Mr. J. G. Mclvor) reported that on Main South Road bridge approaches had been cleared, of weeds and guard fences repaired. Extensive cold-patching had been done, watertables and drains cleared and banking attended to. Approach fillings at . Moutoci Stream had been built up and pack-

ed with stone. An unnecessary drain at Puniho had been filled with rubble. On Eltham Hoad water-tables and outlets had been cleared..andbanking done.

Lower Waiteika Road had been patched, inlets and outlets of culverts cleared and one culvert lengthened. Wiremu, Patiki and Oeo Roads had been patched, and Kiri Road blinded. On OpunakeStratford Road grass ridges had been removed, a cutting widened,,, and some banking done. A further 40 chains of Opua.Road had been reshaped and strengthened. A little patching had been done on Rahotij Road and blinding and water-tabling on Kahili Road.

. Eleven chains of .the lower end of Warea Road had been remetalled. The remainder of the road had been graded arid patched. Grading and patching had been. done on Newall, Mi'rikau, Bayly, Paora and Stent Rbads ? Purigarehu and Cape Roads had been patqhed. Patching, water-tabling and draining,., had been attended to ■ on Okahu. Road. ■ . Metalling on Wiremu Road had been completed to the Mapgahume stream and was being extended' toward Kiri Road. Extensive repairs had been necessary to plant. Cr.' Tosland drew attention to the necessity for repairs to Kaweora Road. The . engineer said he visited the road recently and it was in fair order. On. the suggestion of Cr. Farquhar the engineer was instructed to provide a side track on Eltham Road hear Awatuna.

Cr. Willcox asked that repairs be,effect-ed-to Ngariki Road, where damage was being caused by storm water. The engineer said the road required scarifying but the council’s funds for’ expenditure on by-roads was limited. Cr. Willcox suggested that a couple of relief workers should be sent, though he recollected there was the difficulty of transport. The matter was referred to the engineer. Cr. Young said the Kina Road was in good order except for about half a mile where the boulders were coming through. The engineer was instructed to inspect and report on the condition of the bridge over the Punehu river on Wiremu Road. On the motion of Cr. Tosland it was resolved to ask the district ’ engineer to inspect the Oaonui, Oaiti and Punehu bridges on Wiremu Road. EROSION OF WAIAU RIVER. " The Opunake Town Board drew attention to the damage being done to property in the vicinity of South Road by the encroachment of the Waiau River and the serious position that would arise if some steps were not taken. As the county council, harbour board and power board were all directly concerned, it was suggested that representatives from those bodies and the town board should confer with a view to taking some reme- . dial measures. '' Cr. ■ Tosland said he had looked at the’'site of the erosion that morning and it was certainly serious. < The last flod had carried away a-lot of the bank and if it were allowed to continue the council’s buildings would.be in danger. It would ’be necessary to build groynes. As the damage was on the town board side of the river, Cr. Young said, the council would not be justified in expending money there. The chairman: Excepting insofar as the expenditure will protect the council’s own property on the section it leased from the harbour board. The chairman said that with some oi the councillors he had inspected the damage some time ago. The question at the time was whether the council would be justified in expending the necessary money for protective work in view of the possible damage erosion might do to th? council’s property. He favoured setting up a committee to confer with theotfier'bodies interested and to report back to the council. A committee comprising Crs. J. Young, E. G. Holmes and J. S. Tosland was appointed. . marking dangerous curves. The secretary of the Taranaki Automobile Association (Mr. V. Duff) asxeu whether the council would renew th natot on some of the white lines placed at Curves bn the roadway for the guidance of motorists. Some of the lines, which were much appreciated by motorists had become very indistinct. The Sciation would, be prepared to cooperate by notify the council of any

ihg, or by suggesting places where a line would be desirable. Cr. Young said there were no white lines in the county.

Cr. Tosland said that there were some places where it would be an advantage. He instanced one or two bad curves. The engineer was instructed to place white lines at those places. The chairman reported that the committee had met Messrs. Doyle and Kelly in connection with the proposal to construct a bridge on Beach Road near Fungarehu Road., The settlers had agreed to the bridge being erected on tne present road line and had agreed to subsidise the cost to the extent of £25. The engineer had estimated the cost at £SV. Cr Green considered the council should accept the offer and proceed with the construction of the bridge. _ The committee’s report was adopted and the engineer was authorised to proceed with the construction of the bridge.