Otamatea County Affairs

Northern Advocate, 26 February 1940, Page 2

Otamatea County Affairs

Mr Rodney Coates presided at the usual monthly meeting of the Otamatea County Council in Paparoa on Wednesday. A request from the Ruawai Plunket Society for a remission of rates amounting to 16/11 was met with a donation of 15/-. Mr Coates said it was against the policy of the council to wipe off rates, but a yearly donation would amount to the same thing'. The Ruawai Dairy Company wrote offering to pay the cost of the light on the Raupo wharf, and asking that the top row of piles be left in. The question of leaving the piles in position was left to the engineer (Mr Baff) and Cr. Preston. Various requests from practically every riding in the county, asking for minor repairs to county roads, were left to the councillors concerned and the engineer. The Public Works Department wrote asking whether the council would contribute £2O towards the cost of a footpath on the post office corner at Maungaturoto. The footpath would extend 25 yards on each side of the corner, and the scheme also embraced the construction of a pedestrian crossing one chain on the railway side of idle post office. A long discussion ended in a decision to leave the whole matter in the hands of Cr. T. H. C. Snelling and the engineer, with power to act. To complete the formation and earthwork on the new Porter’s-Ararua Road, a proposal by Mr Baff to transfer several Public Works Department grants, totalling £6OO, from other reads to this one was agreed to by the council. Mr Baff said he was anxious for the work to be completed while it was possible to take advantage of the schedule of rates at present procurable from Mr Robson, the contractor, who had completed the first part of the work.