LITTLE BUSINESS FOR MAY MEETING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22951, 20 May 1949, Page 3

LITTLE BUSINESS FOR MAY MEETING

Waiapu County Council

(S.R.) TOKOMARU BAY, May 19. The Waiapu County Council met yesterday in Te Puia with a short agenda and soon completed the business, even though some matters of which notice had not been received were tabled. Members present were the chairman, Mr. D. W. W. Williams, Messrs. P. Ngata, W. H. Jackson. O. T. Williams, J. Oates, and H. Dudfield. Leave of absence was granted to Messrs. V. G. H. Rickard. F. R. JefTerd. S. McCosh, and ,H. Te Rapu. Councillors stood in silence as _ a tribute to the late Mrs. H. H. Fairlie, whose husband, the late Mr. H. H. Fairlie, was a member of-the council for many' years. The clerMs action in forwarding a wreath on behalf of the council was confirmed and on the motion of the chairman it was resolved to forward a letter of sympathy to the family. Control of Tokomaru Bay Park A further step towards handing over full control of Hatea-Arangi Park, commonly known as the Tokomaru Bay Domain, to the residents of Tokomaru Bay, was taken when a letter was received • from the deputy commissioner of Crown lands. The letter outlined the procedure for resignation of the Waiapu council as board and appointment of a board of local citizens. "It will first be necessary to hold a special meeting of the residents of Tokomaru Bay for the purpose of receiving nominations for the new board,’’ ■read the letter, which suggested that it would be most appropriate if the chairman of the Waiapu council acted as convener. It was resolved to call a meeting of Tokomaru Bay citizens on June 11. Classification of Highway The resident engineer, Works Department, Gisborne, wrote advising that the Main Highways Board had fully considered the council’s request to have the portion of the Mangakino-Wai-o-matatini main highway, from Mangakino to Tuparoa intersection reclassified to State highway, but was maru riding members, Messrs. Oates letter was received.

"We seem to be getting somewhere,” remarked the chairman, commenting on a letter from the acting district supervisor of the Department of Housing Construction. The letter asked for details of land available for building purposes in Tokomaru Bay, together with details of the services available. The chairman’s motion that the Tokomaru riding members, Messras. Oates and Dudfield, investigate ■ the position and report back to the next meeting of the council was carried. Offer For Waima Section

A returned serviceman wrote asking for permission to purchase a section at Waima owned by the council. The clerk, Mr. J. H. Sutherland, explained that the section, known as the landing reserve, was acquired from Maori owners in 1907 for £35. It was afterwards leased to the Farmers’ Cooperative Company for 21 years and at one time a jetty and wharf shed were on 'the site.

Remarking that while the council had no further use for the section, it was not good policy for a local body to sell land without calling tenders, the chairman moved that tenders be called for this land. The motion was carried. Shortages Delay Work in Ruatoria

“It is most difficult for us to give, a commencing date under present conditions of desperate shortages of cement and reinforcing steel,” said the chairman when a letter was received from the Ruatoria Chamber of Commerce. The chamber sought an assurance from the council that work on the proposed public conveniences at Ruatoria would be commenced at an early date and promised that if this could tie given every endeavour would be made to raise £3OO towards the cost of the conveniences..

It was resolved, on the motion of Mr. O. T. Williams, to write to the chamber advising that the work would be commenced as soon as materials became available. » Work on Roads and Bridges The county engineer, Mr. O. N. Winter, in his report stated that on the Tapuaeroa road bridge gangs are making steady progress with the Kamako and Mangatiti bridges. Wet weather has retarded the work of filling the approaches to the bridges. Construction work o.i the RangitukiaEast Cape road was closed down on April 28 owing to wet weather. The formation and culverting has reached the sj-mile peg at the end of the Haha fiats and a further two miles of formation would take the road to the county boundary. Owing to the late start and the necessary cleaning up of slips on last year’s formation only 1$ miles of new road was completed. The re-formation and re-sealing of 100 chains of the Tokomaru Bay wharf highway between Te Hotel and Waima bridge has been included in this year’s highway estimates. “Bitumen for the re-sealing of footpaths in Tokomaru and Ruatoria townships is on hand,” reported the engineer, "and the work will be commenced at an early date.”