MATAMATA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Matamata Record, Volume II, Issue 82, 16 May 1918, Page 4

MATAMATA COUNTY COUNCIL.

IV!ay SVleeting. The monthly meeting of the Matamata County council was held on Friday, the members present being Crs. J. W. Anderson (chairman) and C. A. Stopford (Patetere riding); J. Pohlen and E. C. Banks (Matamata); F. C. Barnett and W. 0. Rollett (Putaruru), A. Potts (Taotaoroa) and R. Kirkby (Maungatautiri). THIRDS. The Department of Lands and Survey forwarded a list of “thirds” subsidies due to the county, the whole totalling £44 5s sd. The chairman stated that the amounts were all applicable to the Putaruru riding. OKOROIRE CROSSING. The Hon. W. H. Herries,' M.P., Minister for Railways, advised that he was investigating the council’s application for a public crossing on to Meikle’s estate at Okoroire. VALUATION. The Valuation Department invited the council to nominate a person as assessor for the council to sit on the Assessment court in connection with appeals against the new valuations. Mr J. McCaw was appointed. A statement of f the valuations, as compared with the valuations of 1911, was presented by the clerk. The figures, with those of 1911 in parentheses, were as followsMatamata riding, £924,105 (£356,161); Patetere, £939,147 (£401,078); Putaruru, £576,864 (£334,878); Taotaoroa, £255,875 (£142,625); Maungatautiri, £202,705 (£108,052); total, £2,898,696 (£1,342,894). A “ SUDDEN ” LETTER, Jas. Wright, Stanley Bay, wrote as follows: “Sir,—Please find enclosed cheque for £9 7s 3d. I will not pay any penalty, as I have been penalised enough already. I have never been brought in contact with so many double-dealing crawlers all my life before as I have since I did business with Government officials and Waikato farmers.” It was decided to enforce the ten per cent, penalty, the chairman remarking that further proceedings in connection with the letter were “ not worth it.” MAERAITAI FARMS, LTD. The secretary of the above company wrote, re the council’s application for certain monies owing, that it was out of funds, the protracted state of the war having militated against it. The cost of various roads had exceeded the estimates by about £3OO. Cr. Rollett said the company was not using the roads, but was cutting up new ones. These had cost more owing to the war, and the company was pinched. If it was pushed the company would possibly go into liquidation, and “ that would be no good to anyone.” Cr. Stopford said it was not fair to other ratepayers to allow the company to owe the council a sum of about £BOO, which the council was practically paying interest on. He would be prepared to push for the amount. He could not say that he had a great deal of time for “land traffickers that was what the company seemed to be. His experience was that when a company such as the one under notice was pushed it generally managed to get the money. In justice to bona fide settlers they should pay up. Cr. Pohlen concurred with Cr. Stopford’s main remarks. Cr. Rollett said he was diffident in speaking on the matter, as he was a shareholder in the company. However, he thought in cutting up the great block of land the company was carrying out work of national benefit, and it should get consideration. Cr. Stopford said in effect that' the company should not get consideration at the expense of the man 'who was spending his life on a farm. It was decided to insist upon payment being made. TAURANGA TELEPHONE. The Post and Telegraph department stated, in reply to council’s representations, that the matter of completing the telephonic communication of Matamata and Tauranga was being kept steadily in view, but that “ as the question of direct communication cannot be looked upon as one of urgent necessity, further consideration will, it is feared, have to stand over until normal conditions are resumed.” —Received. A TELEPHONE LINE. The Ngatira Sawmilling company applied for permission to erect a telephone line on the proposed road from near the Bartholomew siding to within half a mile of the mills at Te Whetu. —Granted.

SLAUGHTERHOUSE LICENSE. It was decided to recommend .the granting of a slaughterhouse license to T. E. Roe, of Hinuera, FRENCH ORPHANS’ FUND. It was decided to donate the sum of £l2 10s per month to the funds of the National Association of French War Orphans. METAL AT MATAMATA. On the suggestion of Mr Banks it was decided that the members of the Matamata riding and the engineer investigate the correctness of a report that there were good metal deposits at Peria. SINGLE REPRESENTATION. In accordance with his notice of motion Cr Stopford raised the question of dividing the county into nine ridings, instead of five as at present. The idea was generally agreed to by the councillors, but the chairman pointed out that an anomaly would occur in part of the county —at Mamaku. This would have to be made a separate riding, and yet it was of such low valuation, that it would be unfair for that district to have a voice, the equal of districts of a higher value.

The engineer, when consulted, said his experience was that the single representation meant greater efficiency, and greater satisfaction to all. It was decided to affirm the principle, a committee to be formed at a future meeting. WAHAROA DRAINAGE. On the motion of Cr Pohlen it was decided that tenders be called for necessary drainage work on the Waharoa land syndicate’s property, for which the money had been paid into the council some two years ago. TENDERS. The engineer reported having accepted the tenders of G M. Fraser, of Huntly, for the erection of the Waitiariki (£754 8s), and Omahine (£850) bridges. ACCOUNTS. Accounts were passed for payment as follows : —General and wages, £513 19s 7d; contracts, £786 4ssd; grants, £135 11s 4d, interest £3 13s 2d; total £1439 8s 6d.