COUNTY AFFAIRS

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 13771, 14 October 1942, Page 2

COUNTY AFFAIRS

MONTHLY MEETING COUNCIL 0P Kospital Taxation Outstanding Native K atf , ' ll>C ™ OIUI,I - v meeting 0 , . K ™ nra Co »"tX Co„ Ild | ' T *L '' n(ia >' Inst, when there «■»' ‘ !l1 H \ Crs C. Hume (cl.a!r n , an)H. brass. J. T. Rein, h 3; J- H. Evans, C H XV. At, wood..

The Local Govern,*,,, noard wrote author!*. „, to divert the unexpended J"* the bridge loan for „**»« hndgo on the Tanran..,!," main highway. lio:^

Advice was received fr 0m partment of Health to the effl an Order in Council * as beJ'" pared to bring the county witJ * scope ol the H a w resser! . #i !

tions

The Department ot Aerie, Msed that an allocation of £>' had been made to the council ragwort eradication and that ■ council could make a start with work when ready.

Soldiers’ Plots

Mr C. T. Dunne, secretary to |> } Kalikati Cemetery Domain Boaforwarded a letter from army W quarters regarding the setting atj of plots for soldiers, and it was cided to write to the various ce t tery trust boards in the county ask ing them to make the necessary J visions.

The Tauranga Co-operative Dslij Company wrote asking that a J tion of the Tauranga-Rotorua ch highway be metalled, and it was J cided to advise that the question wy in hand.

The Mount Maunganui Ton Board asked if the council woi hire a grader to it, and it was agreejl that the engineer be instructed 9 assist the board in this direction a soon as possible. I

The Auckland Suburban Loo! Bodies/Association wrote asking !:• | council for its support for reputations aimed at bringing abut legislation to have amounts spent:: emergency hospitals refunded. It was agreed to support the » The Waikato Hospital Boardit| letter to the council, stressed it | need for an alteration in the splf [ of hospital taxation so as to relies | some of the burden on rural a:* [ The present system, it contends was inequitable in that the on the rural ratepayers was pa? than that on the urban ratepa.ru ■ This burden was increasing. It was decided to write act! lodging the letter. , A circular was received to®*--New Zealand County Councils ttrial Union of Employers > cC h tion with having county work declared essential. j Councillors were position remaining as at pr«&>' no action was taken. , Another circular asked council’s support for a nio the Auckland Engineering raised to full status b) of New Zealand, but no taken. . £}s■■ ' Ac “ unts Id, being i , counts, £987 lOslld^ n^n’ £ 205 Ss 7d grants a ** and *951 1P» Id " '“ were passed for pay**

Rale Collection

In his monthly report the treasurer (Mr H. Lewis) stated that the report at the previous meeting that opportunity would be taken by ratepayers to avail themselves of the rebate allowance was evidenced by the collection of current rates to September 30 amounting to £12,593 14s 9d, provided by the several ridings as follows: Katikati, £ 2363 10s; Te Puna. £ 1223 ISs 6d; Waimapu, £ 3005 11s lOd; Te Puke £2105 14s lid; and Maketu, £ 3894 19s Gd. Further, it was his pleasure to report that evidence will now be forthcoming giving effect to his efforts made in connection with the collection of rates on native-owned lands. Vouchers had gone forward to the Treasury for payment to the county fund of £ 520 0s 7d in respect of arrears and for £854 4s 2d for current period rates. In this respect he desired to acknowledge the co-opera-tion given by the local supervisor of the Native Department, and the assistance and courtesy of officers of that department in Rotorua. A further step in this matter, though one which will doubtless take some time to complete, was to bring the roll entries of Maori-owned lands under their correct ownership and in this direction he hoped to be able to avail himself of assistance from the same department.

A motion expressing the council’s appreciation of the efforts of the treasurer in connection with the outstanding Maori rates, was carried.

• Inspector’s Report

The County Inspector (Mr C. S. O’Neill) reported that during the past month 60 drivers’ licences and 40 heavy traffic licences were issued also 12 building permits and one drainage permit.

The building permits issued included five new dwellings, two motor sheds and five new Maori dwellings. Regarding a complaint in connection with a nuisance from a drain at Katikati, the inspector reported that he had inspected the area concerned and found that drainage, and also effluent from septic tanks, were being discharged directly into the natural water-way, from various shops and residences. This was contrary to Health Act Regulations and also the Katikati river was being polluted from this source, which also was not permissible. He had served notice on the owners of the properties concerned to have the drainage put in order.

Authority had been given for the sinking of a bore to provide water for the Hairini Pa.

Referring to ragwort control the inspector stated that as atlacide was not available, the council had two other methods of dealing with the ragwort—cutting and burning when in flower, or chipping when plants were half grown. As regards chipping, he had found that a lot of farmers did not like this method. They said that the plants grew again all round the chipped part. Also this would be a slow method compared with cutting and it was questionable whether the extra money expended would be worth while. Transport of men to and from the various jobs would be very difficult this year, and this was a very expensive item. The Social Security Department informed him that labour was very scarce. Cutting and burning was the method that appealed to him as being the better one. He would arrange for a gang of workers at each pa beforehand. As soon as the ragwort came into flower, it could be cut and burned. Probably most of these gangs would be made up of women, but from what he had seen of their work at cutting for private farmers the women were just as good as the men. Pie thought by watching the growth closely he should be able to handle this method satisfactorily. However, he would like the council’s direction from its experience, as to which method he was to use this

season. It was decided to adopt the cutting and burning method in dealing with the ragwort. Engineer’s Report In* his report of work carried out during the period from August 31 to September 30, the County Engineer (Mr T. Moorhouse) stated that the weather continued wet for the most part causing a good deal of minor storm damage at many places mostly in the form of small slips. The work of the month consequently consisted mostly of clearing and grading out water scours from surfaces. Other work of note consisted of repairs and renovation of council’s Cameron Hoad house and preparations for carrying out several « ' i nd small bridge culvert replacements.