CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 144777, 6 September 1915, Page 8

CLIFTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

■MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of Clifton County Council was held at Waitara on Friday, Councillor A. M. Bower (chairman) "presiding. There were also, present: Councillors R. T. Hicks, W. Old, S. J. Kennington, R. H. Pigott, and H. M. Purdie. An apology was received from Councillor Sander, who was unable owing to indisposition to attend. Leave of absence was granted. ENGINEER’S REPORT. Waihi Riding.—Extending drain and removal of pipes at Matthews’ on the inland North Road was receiving attention. On the Ohauga Road the settlers request cutting down the hill opposite Mr. S. Elliott’s to let out accumulated water. This might be done provided the settlers assisted with labour and plant. He expected the crusher to bo operating in this riding almost immediately. Tikorangi Riding.-The inland North Road had received metal repairs, and men were breaking in Freeling’s pit. The Stockman Road culvert would be receiving early attention. Weather permitting, the crusher would visit this ritling shortly and be located at Snell’s Road. Ngatimaru Riding.—On the Autawa Road, one tunnel had been completed, and further attempts in connection with another one were to be tried, whilst two large culverts bad been repaired. On the Mangaopa Road a stock track had been cleared and instructions issued to seek for and secure any--por-tions of wrecked bridge and culvert material. On the Alatau-Kiore Road a party of men were cutting a stock track through slips as instructed. Various other roads were receiving attention in repairing flood damage. It would be advisable to call tenders at next meeting for the usual maintenance gravel for the Junction Road. Urcnui Riding.—Tho major portion of the Onaero Hill had been metalled, rolled and blinded. This road was seriously interfered with on the nignt of Friday, the 28th inst., and he was reporting separately and privately on this matter. The Mataro Road required to bo widened in places, which might bo arranged for out of tho balance of the loan. Arrangements had been made to kerb portions of the Ureuui township streets. On the Bike and Okqke roads, the clearing of slips and-repairs to the Mangabao Bridge nod been attended to. Mokau Hiding.—The Mangamacho Road had been sufficiently cleared for vehicular traffic. The Uruti Road metal was being raked in and blinded. Tho large culvert at Miller's would be put in as soon as’ limber arrived. The progress of the burnt papa contract on the Mokau Road had not been Ultogotber satisfactory. On the Pukearuhe Road levels were taken of 2 miles 10 chains for formation and metalling, and plans and specifications were in course of preparation. Considerable discussion ensued with reference to the present system of laying metal 12ft. wide on tho main roads and the advisability of extending it to 16ft. wide. The chairman contended that the council would never get over its difficulties so long-as it continued the present system, and he strongly advocated-starting at the county boundary and gradually working out until the whole road was reraetalled to the 16ft. width. Tho engineer and several of the councillors agreed that the suggestion was a good one, Hiut argued that if the council could not maintain a good financial position with a 10ft. road it surely could not do so with a 16ft. road. It was contended that the only satisfactory way to overcome tho difficulty would bo by raising a loan for the work. During the discussion, reference was made to the increasing motor traffic over the roads, and it was claimed that these wagons wore doing a great deal of damage to the roads. Councillor Kennington said it was tho speed at which tho motor traffic travelled that created the damage. If the speed was limited they would do very little damage. The Chairman said the motor traffic had come to stay, and there was no doubt about it the council woixtfi hare to face the 1 question of laying down roads that would carry the traffic, and a start would be made in this direction by starting to ‘increase the width of the metal to 16ft. If the council followed the same' system as it was doing now they would be in a very poor position in a couple of years—-they would have neither monev nor roads. The council should face the position. It was ultimately resolved that in future repairs to the main roads the motal be laid down 16ft. The report was adopted..

PUKEABUHE TUNNEL. Mr. W. T. Jennings, M.P., wrote that the Minister of Public Works had promised to obtain a report concerning tho Pukearuhe Tunnel. After some discussion it was decided that tho engineer bo instructed to effect temporary repairs to tho tunnel and road, so that tratfic can be resumed. FLOOD DRAINAGE. Mr. Jennings notified that ho had brought under the notice of. the Minister the question of damage occasioned by the recent floods in the district, and that a report was being obtained on the matter. The Minister of Public Works wrote that the District Engineer was preparing a detailed report, and when this was received he would be in a position to state what assistance he could giro to the council in repairing the damage. The council may rest assured that under the special circumstances he would help them. It was decided to write Mr. J. B. Hine, M.P., asking him to use his influence in the matter. APPLICATION FOB INCREASED WAGES. The employees of the council in the Ngatimaru Riding,, acd several other parte of the county, petitioned the council for an increase of Is per day in wages.—lt was stated that a number of the signatures to the petition were only casual hands. The chairman said there was no doubt that the cost of living had gone up during the past twelve months, ‘but he thought it was only temporary. So far as tho permanent men were concerned he would prefer to let them have their cottages free of rent during the war, as it would'he difficult to reduce the wages once they were raised.—Councillor Hicks thought if tho rent was reduced by one-half it would answer. —Councillor Pigott said there wore only two permanent men concerned in the petition, and he moved that they he informed that the council was not in a position to increase the wages. —The motion was seconded and earned. THIRDS. The Land Board notified that it had

approved of the council’s proposals for the expenditure of thirds amounting to £196 16s sd. NCATAMIRO TELEPHONE OFFICE. The Postql Department forwarded a statement of , the revenue, and expenditure at tho Ngatamiro telephone office, which showed a deficiency of £ll 6s Kid, £3 15s 7d of which had to be paid by the council. ONAERO HILL. Mr. A. R. Greenwood (Urcnui) wrote that the present state of the Onaero Hill was causing a good deal of discussion. and ho went on to say that whilst it had been proved, that the Onaero gravel by itself would not stand heavy traffic in shady situations it would stand for the centre horse track as well or better than broken metal, and if the centre six feet of the broken motal were spread flat and the outside cambered, and the whole treated immediately with a coating of gravel say six inches deep ’in the centre and sufficient to thoroughly blind tho broken metal in the wheel tracks, a road would be formed that would at once be available for traffic. If tho county had a road roller it might be bast to use no blinding and rely on the rolling, but as it was it was unreasonable to ask all users of the road to do the rolling. He also suggested that the gravel be washed before being spread on tho road. The engineer said the' council had tried the experiments that Mr. Greenwood suggested, but the results - had been unsatisfactory. It was decided to acknowledge Mr. Greenwood’s letter, thanking him for his suggestion, but. stating that tho council Had already tried them without result, ‘ • Tlie engineer submitted an independent report, in which he referred to the dissatisfaction which” had arisen among the settlers as to‘the methods'adopted in retnctalling the Onaero Hill and the abuse ho had had to contend with. Councillors said that tho settlers must be prepared to put up with a certain amount of inconvenience whilst such works were in progress and they were of opinion, despite what had and was being’ said by the settlers to tho contrary.’ that the engineer had dope all ho could to minimise any inconvenience. ' • It. was decided that the clerk communicate with the alleged offenders, informing them that should there be any repetition of this interference with the council’s officers it would take steps to protect them, and also to prevent any person from interfering with the road. WANDERING STOCK. Complaints were received as to the nuisance caused by straying stock in the M arau district, and it was decided to communicate with a number of settlers whose names were forwarded to the council informing them that unless thev kept their stock off the roads proceedings would be taken against them. Councillor Kennington remarked that wandering stock had been a nuisance in the Matau district for the past nine or ten years. Only recently a horse belonging to a man who had been out of tho district for twelve months died on the road, and he (Councillor Kennington) engaged a man and paid him to bury it. He hoped to have the money refunded to him by the owner. GENERAL. A cony of a circular letter which is being issued by the Council of Agriculture and incorporating the following resolution was received; That local agricultural committees bo appointed by county councils throughout the Dominion and that the Department of Agriculture be asked to make use of the services of such committees in experimental and other agricultural instructional and development works. The Treasury notified that £648. 10s' 7d. being subsidy on rates collected during the past year, had been remitted to’tlie credit cf the council. ' _ Air. IV. T. Jennings. ALP., wrote that the late Postmaster-General (the Honk Mr. Rhodes) had promised that the amendment required to the • telephone regulations-would be granted in all offices with 30 to 50 subscribers paving 01 per annum each. Air. G. Hanover, Purangi, wrote asking for a lease of about four acres of land lying between his property and the Waitara River. He offered £2 per year for a tyn _ years’' lease.-—lt was pointed out- during a short discussion which ensued that the council could not give a ten years’ lease of the land, and it was decided, on the motion of Councillor Kennington, that Mr. Hanover be granted grazing rights of the section from year to year and subject to certain'conditions as to the removal of weeds. Accounts amounting to £773 2s lid were parsed for payment.