HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4987, 14 June 1926, Page 4

HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

MONTHLY COUNCIL MEETING. The Hauraki Plains County Council met at Ngatea on Thursday, Or. E. L. Walton (chairman) presiding over the following : Crs. C. W. Harris, J. C. Miller, W. Madgwick, C. Parfitt, H. H. Hicks, J. A. Reid, A. S. Fisher, J. F. Mayn, and the clerk ( Mr E. A. Mahoney) and the engineer (Mr F. Basham). FINANCE. Accounts totalling £3584 4's 9d were passed for payment, and the payment of accounts totalling £lOl3 'ss 7d was confirmed. Or. Walton was elected chairman of the Finance Committee. FERRYMAN. In accordance with his notice of motion Cr. Nicholson moved the resolution giving preference to the appointment of C. W. Nicholson as ferryman at the Nethertcn ferry. Seconded by Cr. Hicks. Cr. Madgwick thought th.a.t the position should be advertised openly, as had been done in regard to the Pipiroa ferry. The motion was carried, Cr. Mayii dissenting. The chairman 'reported on the conference with the. Thames County Council in regard to the closing of the Wharepoa ferry and the opening df a service at Netherton. This service would probably commence' on the 14,th. It was decided to call, tenders for the right to run the ferry. These would be considered at the next meeting, the engineer ip the meantime employing a fer 'yman. Mr S. Smith, junr., Hikutaia, wrote asking for the position, and it was decided to inform him that tenders would be called.

REMISSION OF RATES. W. J. Priest, owner of a section of land fronting Puhanga Canal Road, wrote advising that the Minister of Lands ha.d approved the remission of portion of his drainage rates on account of that portion of his land taken for a road in July, 1925. He asked that the county rates be remitted in the same way. The chairman said that there were eight others in the same position. Steps ha,d never been taken by landowners or the department to have the valuation made. The council could not remit rates or rectify the position 'until the valuation roll had been altered. It was agreed that a reply be sent on these lines. KAI HERE OUTLET.

Mr A. M. Samuel, ALP., forwarded a communication from the Minister of Lands in connection with the metalling of the Puhanga, Canal road and the construction of a. bridge over the Piako River at Kaihere Landing. It was stated that the matter was being considered by the Public Works Department, and a report was being received from the chief drainage engineer. The writer understood that the County Council hah had these matters under consideration in its county reading scheme, and he suggested that the department should be advised of the progress of the proposal. Similar letters were received through Mr Rhodes, M.P., and direct from the Minister.

The chairman explained that the Prime Minister ajid the Minister of Lands had been addressed on these subjects at Paeroa., recently. It was agreed to .await the reply to the deputation before dealing with the matter.

TURUA SUBSIDY. Mr T. W. Rhodes, M.P., Thames, wrote advising that he had interviewed tlie Public Works Department in regard to the ma,tter of 5s in the £ subsidy on the Turua Town Board’s loading scheme, but finality had not been reached. There did not seem to be a complete record of the interview between the Minister, the county chairman and county clerk, and the writer, but the contention of the deputation had not been gainsaid. As an appropriation was not made for the full amount, it would be necessary for the council to include the

balance due in this year’s application for grafts, and there was every prospect of it being approved. When in Wellington quite recently he inquired about the matter, and was informed that a report, on the work was awaited.

The clerk said that the writer intended to refer to the> Turuai-Nether-ton Roa,d work. It was decided that Mr Rhodes be thanked for what he had done.

HIGHWAYS COUNCIL. The Majn Highways Board wrote reminding tire- council of the necessity of appointing representatives to the District Highways Council. Cr. J. C. Miller was reappointed. METALLING OF A ROAD. Cr. Mayn introduced Mr Mitchell, a settler of the Patetonga South road, who spoke to the council on a, project to raise a loan of £4OO-odd for the metalling of 54 chains of the road to connect with the present metalled road. Gravel coud be obtained cheaply from nearby creeks, and this would be preferable to expensive broken metal. There were only six settlers in the proposed rating area, aiid all of them were agreeable to the proposal. After some discussion it was decided to proceed with the proposal to borrow £550.

HOPAI WEST ROAD. Mr J. W. Neate forwarded a letter from the chief drainage engineer in connection with the proposal to widen the Hopai West Road, stating that a- report was being received from the local drainage, engineer as to the cost. He was prepared to recommend that the Government should assist, and when the estimate was received he would recommend accordingly. The County Council was the responsible authority, and if it would accept dedication there was little doubt but that a reasonable subsidy would be forthcoming.

The chairman said that the point was whether the council should accept dedication of the road in its present state. Members agreed that the road should not' be accepted until metalled. Crs. Walton and Parfitt were deputed to interview Mr Neat.e a,nd report to the council. PUHANGA ROAD.

The chief drainage engineer, Auckland, wrote advising that the cost of metalling the road from the end of the metal to the Puha,nga Canal bridge would be £220. Owing to the muddy condition of the roa,d metalling at the present time was. not, recommended. If it was undertaken now the cost would be heavy—probably £275. He regretted that, his proposal of April 26 could not be amended.

The chairman at a later stage moved, in accordance with his notice, that a. resolution passed on May 4 declining the department’s offer of a £ for £ subsidy and asking the department to do the work be rescinded, in accordance with the council’s policy of 'reconciliation with the Lands Department. The motion was carried unanimously. GENERAL BUSINESS. The clerk was empowered to employ a typiste. In view of the fact that the engineer proposed bringing his family to reside in Ngatea, it was decided to have an engineer’s residence erected. The cost would be recovered in rent. The engineer was instructed to report on the advisability of shifting the .Wharepoa ferry house to a position suitable 'for the county supervisor. The lease of the Puriri hopper site wa.s surrendered, and the engineer was instructed to dismantle the hopper. Adams Bros., Waitakaruru, were granted a slaughterhouse license subject to the approval of the Government departments concerned. The atuhority to effect protective works at the Devil’s Elbow bend, Patetonga Road, was granted. In reply to Or. Fisher the engineer said that repairs to the Kerepeehi riding roads would be commenced next week, w’hen the work in Netherton was completed. Or. Hicks urged the expedition of the repairs to the road from the Nga-

tea bridge to the Keropeehi riding. Cr. Madgwick advocated the erection of a signboard at the Orchard East-Hauraki road corner, and the matter was promised attention, as also was the condition of a, culvert on Huirau Road. In reply to Cr. Miller the chairman stated that he had instructed the clerk to cease activities on the defining of a rating area for the Ngarua bridge, as such an area would never he favourably received by the ratepayers therein, a,nd the loan would be turned down. The matter was to come forward in the county reading scheme. The critical state, of the bridges over the Waitakai'uru stream canal was again mentioned by Cr. Harris, and Cr. Miller, the council’s representative on the Ma,in Highways Council, was instructed to push the matter of a free grant. The posting of a danger notice on the bridge was outhorised. On the motion of Cr. Parfitt the engineer was instructed to call tenders for the carting of maintenance metal from Piako River wharves to the Waitakaruru-Ngateai road.