WAITOMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume XII, Issue 1221, 7 June 1919, Page 5

WAITOMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

- - ♦ A DEPUTATION'S WANTS. A deputation representee the Tapairu and T« Ahuro* settlers wailed on tbe cooncil on Thursday in reference to tbe Tapairti Detailing loan and subsidy, removal of dangerous corners on Te Ahoroa road, and the matter of providing a roadman's wbare near the junction of the two roads, and also quarry matter*.

i Mr Finnis explained that there 1 would be a large amount of spoil to remove. Mucb of the metalling was blinded with clay, and it was difficult to keep vehicles on tba greasy road. The cooncil cart itself slipped off the road once. A portion near tbe Maori hill (Te Ahoroa road) bad sever been properly metallad. Boulders were put on tbe road and carts kept off it as far as possible. The stones wanted breaking up or blinding. After another winter the metal would all be gone. Perbaps the present quarry site should be secured and a wbare built for a roadman. It waa difficult to get men when no accommodation was provided. Botb of two previous loans would be required if no Government subsidy was received, but if subsidy was given one loan could be dropped.

The Chairman: Tbe works cannot be done out of riding money, and you must be careful of loan money. Mr Finnis: Something must be done as the road is not safe as it is. The large filling ought to have been completed out of loan or subsidy. Mr Andrews said that tba first crossing on tbe Tapairu road was backing the water on to his place and he would like a culvert put in. Did tbe Tapairu loan carry a subsidy? The Cbairaitn: It has not bean promised, but it could be asked for.

Cr W. A. Lee said it ought to be made clear that the hope of getting a subsidy was slight. He thought the culvert ought to be put in. He moved that the engineer be asked to report to next meeting on all other points mentioned. The riding fund could not possibly meet what was asked, though some relief could be afforded. The blackberry should be attended to. In regard to the Te Aburoa road, the conceit had been left in a difficult position as the result of a certain contract. There was sufficient work to warrant the appointment of a permanent roadman, and a whare was essential.

On the motion of Cr Lee, seconded by Cr Wall, it was agreed:— That the engineer be instructed to give an estimate of the cost of improving the Te Ahuroa road as suggested by the deputation from Tapairu and Ahuroa, and aIBO that the council notify owners of property along the Aburoa road to clear gorse and blackberry encroaching on the road. The engineer was asked to report on the best position for a roadman's cottage.

MAPIU CEMETERY. Mr Martin, of Mapiu. waited on tbe council. Be was introduced by Cr Andrew.

Mr Martin said the trustees of the Mapiu cemetery desired him to ask for assistance in keeping it in order. A fence was required to keep cattle out. at a cost of £35 6s 6d. Subscriptions came to £l6, of wbich £6 bad been spent, leaving a deficiency of £26 6s 6d. Cr Andrew said tbe cemetery was of five acres, and it was partly fenced. Only 17 chains of feocing were required. It might cost as moch to fence a small portion.

The Chairman: You should 6rst get the Minister of Internal Affairs to appoint a baard. That bas been done?

Mr Martin: Yes. I am secretary.

Tbe Chairman: You get ground fees. Tbe council bas already granted £5. The Pio Pio people have seven acres, and it wae agreed to fence only a small portion to keep it clean more easily. You want to fence what you require. Cr Andrew suggested that the matter stand over till next meeting and in the meantime be would further investigate the mitter. Tbis was secofided*by tbe chairman and adopted.

APPROPRIATIONS. Tbe Under-Secretary of the Public Works Department advised tbat tbe district engineer estimated tbat an expenditure of £4OO was required on tbe Turitea Valley road. As tbe item on the appropriations was only £IOO, it would be necessary to provide a further £3OO, and not £2OO. as mentioned by the council. Arrangements were being made to transfer tbe £3OO from tbe HauturuOtorohanga Stream road for expenditure by the district engineer, along with tbe item of £IOO on the appropriations for the Turitea load.

Cr Potts: I think it is very satis- J factory. We asked for £2OO and we got £3OO. MOKAUITI BRIDGES. The resident engineer advised, in reply to a letter, that in reference to the two bridues along the Mokauiti road, the Department had the matttr in hand, and it wbb proposed to erect the bridges as soon as possible in rolled steel joists. The letter was received. HANGATIKI-WAITOMO ROAD.

The clerk has written as under to tha Minister in Charge of the Tourist Department:—When visiting the Waitomo Caves recently a deputation consisting of Mr J as. Wall, Cra Johnstone and Lee, waited on you, asking for some asistance from the Tourist Department towards the cost of maintaining and generally improving tbe road from the Hangatiki station to tbe Ruakura Caves. Tbe proposal decided on waa that the council sbould approach tbe ratepayers in the Waitomo riding to raise a loan of £4OOO and that the Department would pay interest and principal on £2OOO of tbe loan until that amount had been fully repaid, meaning that the settlera would have £4OOO for expenditure in generally improving this road, and only be asked to pay interest and principal on half tbe amount. The council proposes to aak the settlers to sanction the loan of £4OOO, but before doing so would like tbe Department to put its offer in writing, so as to submit it to the ratepayers. Cr Lee: I see there is some doubt if the settlers will come into line. The Chairman: A settler told me be thinks it will be voted for. It's nonsense to say that the road is only a tourist road. It goes to tbe COftSt. Other councillors agreed. ROAD ACCESS.

Mr E Tolme, Aria, asked what was the position with regard to road access to Section 3, Block 2, Aria Sarvey District, situated on the abandoned portion of Kiekie road and occupied by Mr G. P. McGregor under L.I.P. The road was practically blotted out of existence by a rainstorm thus isolating the section. The Works Department has been written to.

Cr Tolme moved that the clerk apply to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, New Plymouth, for further information in regard to access to tbe section from the Kiekie road. Tbis waa carried. PIO PIO ROAD. On the motion of Cr Tolme, seconded by tbe chairman, it was resolved:—That the Te Kniti, Paemako and Aria ridings refund to the General account tbe sum of £B3B, the initial cost of maintaining tbe Te Kuiti-Pio Pio road in accordance with the clerk's suggestion, spread over tbren years, as follows: Aria £IOO, Pneraako £IOO, and Te Kuiti £79 6s 8d each year. Money bad been spent in anticipation of loan by a previous council, and the council could not legally raise a proposed loan to reimburse tbe several riding accounts. A MOTOR TRUCK.

It was agreed on the motion of Cr Were, seconded by Cr Willis, that the' council purchase a White Dump truck with steel wheels, and that the chairman and engineer be empowered to procure it It was explained that the cost—about £I6OO nett—was to come from a special loan for main road work, containing a provision for the parcbase of machinery. The truck should take the place of a roller, thus saving £3 a week. AWAKINO ROAD. Advice was received that the State Advances Board bad resolved to grant the council a . lorn of £4245. for rre-forming, culver ting, metalling and generally improving the Ta Kuiti-Awakino road. DRAINAGE WORKS. In regard to the right of Mebana Tuboro to compensation for land taken at Otorohanga and land injuriously affected by the construction of river deviation work*, Messrs Broadfoot and Finlay suggested a consultation with Cr Willis ond the engineer.

The chairman said the question of bridge and drain was involved. The council had entered into new drainage work in Kio Kio, and had started river deviations. In the Kio Kio drainage area the settlers had inadequate drains, and the council bad undertaken a scheme which made no provision for bridging the drains which bad been widened and deepened. The same thing applied to the river cuts and the Kio Kio township. The people bad some sort of access in the past bat one man had to erect steps to his house. Insufficient provision had been mado in the past. The

council could not pull people's propetty to pieces, and the engineer

in making estimates for such work would take notice whether compensation would have to be paid or not. Arrangements could then be i made with the owners beforehand, I and the whole matter explained in a simple and clear way. Cr Hargreaves moved that the chairman, Cr Willis, and the solicitor meet the owner referred to. This was seconded by Cr Were and carried. Cr Potts stated that the idea of a drainage board was to drain the land and the owners erected their own bridges as they were required. If the council undertook the bridging of tbe drains there would be no end of trouble. That should be made clear to the owners. The chairman: That is my point. The whole matter must be defined. Proper arrangements must be made. GENERAL Cr Willis' action in authorising tbe extra two cbain3 of metal on tbe Puketawai road, frem the main road to Reynold's bridge, was approved. Mr J. Belcher, Otorobanga, was granted tbe right to graze stock on tbe gravel reserve near the Waipa bridge, provided he kept noxious weeds clear.

The engineer is to put extra metal on the Miroaboiao hill. The councii Is to ask the Minister for Public Works for a refund of £BOO expended froai the Mairoa loan for forming portion of the Arapae road, which the Department promised to do prior to the work being undertaken. Tbe council authorised the raising of the Kohua road luan for metalling portion of the Kohua, Owen and Houghton's roads. Cr Pitts' action regarding expenditure on four chains of metalling on the Otorohanga-Pirongia road was confirmed.

Mr VV. A. Lee, Waitomo, stated that he had been requested by Messrs Collins Bros , returned soldiers, to ask the council to advocate the opening up and roading of a block of 500 acres in RangitotoTuhua, which was set aside for soldiers' settlement, in order to provide access. —The clerk was instructed to write to the Land and Survey Department supporting Cr Lee's suggestion.

The secretary of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce informed the council that he had been directed to take preliminary steps in the formation of a Hydro-electric Power Board in the Waikato, and invited the council to be represented at a meeting of delegates to be held at an early date.—Cr Potts to act. Mr F D. Danke, Kio Kio, asked for a bridge across a drain.—To be informed settlers must construct tbeir o»n bridges across the drains, which is the usual custom in drainage areas.

Mr C. C. Reade, Kopaki, asked for the use of a small road reserve adjoining the Sooth Mapara road, aa the natural frontage of his Bection was cut off. —Particulars to be obtained. Mr Arthur Edwards, Hangatiki, complained of certain drains on the Mangaorino road, which bad been neglected for more than five years.—The work will be attended to next month. Mr B. Sudden, Honikiwi, drew attention to the state and need of repair to the metalled portions of the Otorohanga, Hautaru, Oamaru and Tapuae roads. have been given to Overseer Lindsay to report on the roads mentioned, with the object of carrying oat necessary repairs as far as funds allow. Messru Broadfoot and Finlay advised having attended the meeting of Mr Rennie'u creditors to watch the interests of the council. A good deal of discussion arose aa to what the council should do by way of meeting the creditors. The feeling seemed general that Rennie bad taken the job too cheaply.—The chairman reported having interviewed the Official Assignee, and the council is taking legal advice.