THE MONTHLY MEETING

Taranaki Herald, Volume LV, Issue 14478, 4 December 1909, Page 4

THE MONTHLY MEETING

The monthly meeting of the Chiton County Council was held at tlio <>lfices yesterday. Present: Messrs. Foreman, M'Kenzie, O'Siillivan, Hunter, Kennington, Sander. Mr. Julian was granted leave of absence. , BURNT PAPA. Mr. F. Belfehaw, Tongaporutu, wrote offering to burn papa on Mount Messenger at about 10s 6d per yard for 200 yards or 10s 3d for 300 or over, including carting and spreading, providing the cartage did not exceed 20 chains along the county road. It was decided in view of the urgency of the work to accept the offer to provide 300 yards at 10s 3d per yard. An amendment proposed by Mr. Kennington that the council should make arrangement* to procure the burnt papa by day labour, lapsed for want of s seconder. MONGAMAEHQ ROAD BRIDGES. Mr. R. N. Wilson wrote asking if there was any money available for expenditure on the Mongamaeho Road. The bridges were in a bad .state of repair and required renewing. He had effected repairs to the decking of one of the bridges for which he enclosed an account amounting to 17s 6d. The account is to be paid, but it was decided to inform Mr. Wilson that the council would not hold itself responsible for work done without its authority. The bridges will be attended to. URENUI POST OFFICE. Mr. W. J. Chancy, chief postmaster, New Plymouth, wrote that the Public Works Department did not consider it necessary or desirable to lower the Urenui Post Office as proposed by the council, but had decided to place a flight of concrete steps at the front and back entrances, and to grade and metal the slope to the boundary. A COMPLETE DENIAL. Mr. H. M. Thomson, on behalf of Mr. A. Corkill, Tarata, wrote with reference to the culvert erected recently over the Waikakureo Stream, on the Junction Road, opposite his property; also with reference to the dam recently erected over the stream on his property. Mr. Corkill claimed .that the works had the effect of backing the water in the stream on his property to a height of Approximately three feet above the normal level. Mr. Corkill requested the council to take such steps as might be necessary to present the backing up of the water and the consequent damage to his property. The engineer said he had replied stating that he had tried unsuccessfully to meet Mr. Corkill on the ground. With reference to water backing up on Mr. Corkill's property as the result of the construction of the culvert, he gave this statement a complete denial, and was prepared to meet a competent engineer at any time to be mutually arranged and prove to him that the water was at present taking the culvert at fully one inch below the normal level, the normal level being the level of water after a selected period of dry weather in April last, when the original Web were taken. He was also satisfied after a recent careful examination that Mr. Corkill was suffering no dantnge in any shape or form as the result of any works executed by the council. Quite a number of people in th» vicinity were prepared to corroborate this statement. The reply of the engineer was approved. PUKEARUHE DEVIATION. Mr. Davies, Pukearuhe, waited on the council on behalf of the settlers pledging themselves to raise a loan of £600 for a deviation of the main road and for metalling the same. He asked that tenders be called at once so that tbo work could be done this summer. The settlers were now practically unanimous concerning the proposals. The engineer said it was impossible for him to frame estimates and specifications before the end of the year. TENDERS. The following tenders were accepted: —Metal, Junction Road, C. F. Anderson, 8s lOd; Main North Road, W. J. Coleman, 8s 7d: Urenui earthwork, T. O. Waite, £52 14s 7d ; timber supplies for the North Matau, W. T. Dowman's 26s per 100 ft. Fresh tenders will be Called for metalling Opui Road. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The engineer reported that the balance of the stone at Wsipapa, in the Waihi Riding, baa been crushed and laid down, the total amount being 1185 yards, and the total distance- covered being about 50 chains, at an average cost of about 7s per yard. The whole staff was now engaged at Onaero, and it was anticipated that everything would be cleared up in about three !?«eks time. Darw had formed up the Ohanga Road with the grader. He (the engineer), however, would hare preferred to have seen more attention given to this road. 1 25& t SS 1 $ d L bee , n « iven to form up West's Hill, in the Tikorangi Riding, and it was hoped later to have this section metalled. Tenders should also be called for expending Otaraoa Road balance in metalling cutting. Crosier had about completed his metalling contract at Tarata (Ngatimaru Hiding), and Pennington was proceetf'"K »jth h« metalling at Purangi. On the Otaraoa Road, Baxter had a fair •njoontpf stone broken ready for use. The Waitara bridge at Purangi should be cleaned an/I overhauled for repairs and painted, it having received no attention of consequence since its erection. Tenders were called for the township earthwork in the Urenui Riding, and the postal authorities would be notified when it was advisable to proceed with their alterations. The bulk of the timber was now upon the ground for the Okoke brkl K o protective work, and Clare would be proceeding with the repairs at an early . Ekdahl and Henwood were progrcsslu g 2-i h « eir . form at«on contract on *w slko5 lko - lload ' and ««* *> f" completed about 30 chains. Telfar would be shortly laying down the metal on the top of the Onaero Hill. Clare had about completed deanine and painting the Mimi bridge. The quantity of gravel quarried from the Mokau Riding was 700 yards. He proposed appeasing the Natives by fencing off the gravel pits for protection. He also proposed starting woA at OxenteV TL","' T** according to ™^V ubn Vu ted ' transferring the men from the metal pit for this pura.,^"* \ as JRrogrewJng with Jordan and Co.'s. boulders and had about half the required amount quarried. Th© contractors had commenced work at the fillings, but their strength should be largely reinforced. ¥i Th ? g rad , er h ad been working on the L'ruti Road, and George's engagement terminated this week.Tresh Authority was therefore requested for him to proceed. An inspection of the Uruti Valley bridges was made, and some further repairs would be necessary to safeguard the engine and crusher in transit. Last week it was definitely decided, , upon the loan money being granted that the Papatiki and Factory Hills should be metalled. This week it had been decided that the Council again m ? e t all the ratepayers and proceed with the deviation. These repeated alterations were not appreciated. The best allocation of the expenditure for all concerned would be to adhere to the metalling of the existing hills. X It was decided to call for tenders for metalling the Papatiki and factory hills, tenders to close at the next meeting. The engineer was instructed in 'preparing specifications to stipulate for metalling 10ft wide and lOin deep, instead of Bft by Bin as suggested by the settlers. The report was approved. MISCELLANEOUS. The Council agreed to allow Henry James to withdraw from the contract to metal 72 chains on the Mimi-Mokau Road, undertaken by him in conjunction with J. H. Magee, E. Jordan and F. Waslmg, whom, it was said, would complete the contract. On the motion of Messrs. O'Stillivan and Sander, the chairman was roted a sum of £25 towards his expenses during, the past year. The chairman briefly replied. It was decided on the suggestion of Mr. Hunter to offer the timber in the old chute at Uruti for private sale. The salary of the Waihi pound keeper was increased to £2 .per week. A motion that tenders be called for the gate was lost. ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £761 0s 4d were 'passed for payment.