TAUTANA COUNCIL AFFAIRS

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LIII, Issue 8686, 13 September 1924, Page 5

TAUTANA COUNCIL AFFAIRS

DEALT WITH AT OR din. AKV MONTHLY MEETING.

Tin . oidinaiv monthly meeting of jjit* Tauranga C* only Council was in lb* Coe nation Hall yea;,>i(!;iv. Present ; Councillors R. King (Chairman), .1. Hume. S'. SP* le. E Merriman, .1. M. Darr ;g)o A- B Morion. ('. Laity, W. p Murid! ami L. G. Hai •risI’aymeiiis t * Council. Tim TreaMiiy wrote notifying N ineiif <1 X 3 15 in accr rTTance Iviih the band Act, 1908. The Public Works Office, Tanlaiiga. notified payim-nts in respect to work done under 1 lie following grants: Kahuna Road, free, X 250 ; [»vc s Pa 5 Tanranga-Cambridge Roah. Xhod ; Tanranga-Waihi. Judea Bridge to Waiioa Bridge, XI for XL X 286 8/3; TV Puke Gold Mines, XI for XI, X 323 1 /2; Whakatanr - Tauranga Highway. Tauraitga-Te Puke Road, X 4 73 12; G. Loan Mailers. Mr C- E. Macmillan, M.P-. telegraplied concerning attention given jjy him to the Greertcn and Makejn Biding loans(V Mnndt moved That the Cliairman and Clerk be authorised fo take any steps deemed necessary to raise the above loans. Seconded ()V Cr Merriman and carried. Maungarangi Hoad. Mr I 4 '- E. Dvson, district enginwr *T the Public Works DepartTiirnt, wrote advising that, authority for Xl5O, free grant for the Maungarangi Road, has been received for forming, widening and improving of grades. He considered that the proper method fer carrying out this work is by contractRc asked that a specification be forwarded for approval. Mr Woodward said he would call fenders as soon as the specification , was approved. Main‘Highways. Matters.

Mr F. Si. Dyson, Chairman of the Dislriot Highways Council. No. 3, forwarded communications bearing on estimating the cost of works .11 main highways- Received.

Mr F. S. Dyson, Chairman of tlie District Highways Council No. 3., wrote as follows: '‘Owing to several inquiries having berm made as C the date on which- the Main Highways Board will be in a position to issue monetary authorities for expenditure of grants cn main highways. I have to advise that in regard lot items taken over from tiie Pubic Works Fund, the Board lias power to issue authorities immediately, but in the case of new works which will have to be provided for cut of loan moneys to be raised under Section 12, of- the Main Highways. Act, the Board will he unable to issue monetary authorities until the-estimates have been passed by Parliament-” - Received.

Cr Muudt uicvf'd That the clerk make application for all moneys that may be available for main highways. Seconded by Cr Hume and carried unanimously. Mr F. S. Dyson' 1 Chairman of the District Highways Council No 3, forwarded a communication in regard to- the proportion of cost of engineering surveys, fencing, etc-, which the Main Highways Board will pay in connection with improvement, deviations, etc., of main (vigil ways. The- following principles laid down by the Main Highways Board: (1) That the board carry out at its* own cost all engineering and land plan surveys of deviations in alignment that are wholly outside the existing road reserves; (2) that the board will contribute £. for£ towards the cost of all engineering and land plan surveys of deviations practically wholly within the existing road reHrves. the agreement as to* such work to be first approved by the Ward; (3) that the board ? will contribute £ for £ towards the cost f) f conipensatioji for land, new tenciug, shifting, fences, severances, and other expenses of a like nature pieerdeuf fe the legalisation of any deviation not declared a Government toad, the agreement in re street thereof and such work to be first approved of by the board: (4) the beard reserves the right to (,u----tr-r Into negotiations concerning the ( ‘ r mnonsa( ion direct. Tim remrn unicat ion was leo'-iv-d.

Tiu j eountv dork in a r ’ dated August 12. to the AuditrrGonmab Wellington. stated; Main Highways Act : I are instructed bv rv u , lf . ;i t 0 as k for vmir ndine on fi> ( . fcllowine Questions; (11 struction of Main Highways: Is f b'S t-- be dTarml general account of tbe oenntv r dben tc tbe Ridings in which work

is carried out? (Note: No mads in the county are new main roads in terms of the- Counties Art, 1908, Section 131 c- (2) Loans for Main , Highways Con struct ion ; Council is considering raising a loan for roust ruction and metalling all main highways within Ihe county funn.cfalled }>ortions) and for ‘he purchase < f plant and machinery. Is the amount required annually to provide interest and sinking fund on a new loan for main highways construction a charge against the whole countv or must each Riding raise a loan and rate separately? (3) Existing Loans; In the past loans have been raised ever Ridings and in some cases over special rating areas for the const met ion of roads which have now been declared main highways. IT main highways expenditure is to be charged to tin;* general account will the interest and sinking fund < n these existing loans be a charge on the whole county? (In one instance a special ratine area loan has been raised. but. the money lias iml yet been expended and no interest has been paid). Mr G. F. C. Campbell, Controller and Auditor-General, wrote- under dale August 16, as follows; “With reference to your letter of the ,12th instant, T have to stair* a> follows : (1) As the law now stands, it is held that all expenditure on main highways is a charge on the county as a whole. (2) There is not at present any statutory authority for local bodies to raise loans for highway purposes, but it h understood that empowering legislation wdl lx* passed this session, the terms of which should supply the answer to your question. (3) The reply to (2) substantially covers this and Audit suggests that where the expoudituife of-the special area lean moneys has not yet been commenced, the operations should be further held in abeyance till the new legislation is enacted. Oliiiiepanea Station Crossing*.

Mr F- S. Dyson, District Engineer of the Public Works Department, forwarded plan regarding Ohinepanea station yard. He stated that a public crossing is to be

provided at the wvstern end eft lie yard, a pci to this end it will be necessary to allocate 32 perches of railway reserve for road purposes, lie asked for the consent of the Council to b? endorsed on the plan. Cr Mundt moved - That the plan he signed and sealed.- Seconded by Cr Merriman and carried. Tovey Street. Mr P. Lumley. Secretary of the Tauranga Hospital Board, wrote regarding drainage and improvement cf Tovey Street. The Council waa asked to forward an estimate of the cost of the work, and th’e Board will then consider what they are prepared to contribute as subsidy. The engineer had forwarded t<§ the Board an estimate, £3OO, of the cost of the work. The Chairman-- who is also a member of the Hospital Board

stated that the latter was agreeable to pay four-fifths of the cost provided tile County Council made a contribution of cue-fifth. As regards tlie latter contribution it was a question for the Waimapu Riding. The cost was estimated at £3,00.

Cr Darragh said, ~t he Hospital Board collected its funds from various local bodies. The Waimapu Riding could not contribute £6O. The Council had given a road of an acre tc the hospital. The Hospital Board should find til© money. Cr Merriman : They want us to give t hem land and then make a road.

Cr Hume said it had been stated at the Hospital Board meeting that, the work would benefit ether land besides that owned by the Hospital Board.

Cr Darragh' said that an adjoining properly -owner intended to take legal action if file water were turned on to his property. He (Cr Darragh') suggested a different scheme altogether for taking (he water, awtav.

Cr Ballv moved That the matter be deferred till next meeting.— Lapsed, no seconder. C r Da r rag h move d Th at the Council regrets it cannot see its wav to make .any contribution to Hv workThe motion was s--venue;! ny or Merriman and carried. Contract Moneys.

Mr G. C. Maltbv, solicitor. wrote cn behalf of Mr B. Guy, applying for the payment <'f certain nicneys on comvacts on Boll's Road and Tauran&ra-To Puko Road. Mr Woodward explained that the mc npv for Bell’s Road was available for pavment for some time. Tb/Ccuncll decided to inform Mr Mali by in forms of Mr Woodward s explanation. An explanation regarding the (Continual on Pago 6.1