County Council

Northland Age, Volume 3, Issue 12, 22 December 1933, Page 10

County Council

Abstract of Business The usual monthly meeting of the Mangonui County Council was held at Kaitaiaon Wednesday the 20th December, when there were present Cr 3. W. Vickers (Chairman), C. J. E. Barriball, J. N. Berghan, J. Garton, F. Holder, L. J. Matthews, VV. J. Steed and H. H, Thompson. Roadworks A letter was received from the High, ways Board, stating that the lowering of the culvert at Johnson’s Corner, on the main road near Kaitaia, was purely a matter for the Council and the settlers concerned as it did not effect the Highway. The Clerk was instructed to write to the Public Works Department again ( placing the full particulars regarding the need for the lowering ot the culvert, or placing a new culvert on a lower level at Johnson’s Corner. The P i ilic Works Department, re plying to the Council, stated that it was intended to complete Champion’s access road to his boundary. Regarding a letter from Mr. W. A, Wrathall to the Public Works Department, asking that the road being constructed to open a Crown Land Block between Mangonui and Taipa, be extended to give access to a section of bis at tlio back of tliis block, and forwarded by the Department to the Council for their consideration. Cr. Garton stated that Mr. WrathaU's request was a most reasonable one, but that the Council’s finances would not permit of the Council undertaking the work. It was decided that application be made for a Government grant on this road next year. Letters were received from the Public Works Department regarding the legalisation of various roads and deviations in the County. An application from the Native Land Development Farm Director to the Public Works Department tor the transfer of the free Government grant for the. Parapa'ra-Utukai (Cave’s access) Road to the Paraparn-To Ahu Road was objected to by the Council and the Department is to be notified accordingly. The matter of the alteration to the road giving access to Miss Povey’s property at Peria was left in the hands of the Engineer to deal with. The Public Works Department are to be asked for an additional grant of £SO on the Fekerau Road, Lake Ohia, for immediate expenditure to he a charge on the nex„ year’s allocation. There is at present a grant of £IOO on this road hut as Cr. Matthews explained an extra £SO with free labour that the settlers were prepared to give, would improve the road considerably. Already about 50,000 lbs. of cream a month came down the road which was worthy of consideration and improvement. Mr. Hooper is to be instructed to carry QUt the necessary survey of road deviations through Messrs Sulenta’s and Greenfield’s properties on the Waipapa-kauri-Waiharara Road. The resident engineer, Mr. Jenkins, was present at the Council by invitation, to go into various matters regarding the legalisation of various roads and deviations of roads. After discussion with the Council various matters were satisfactorily cleared up and Councillors expressed appreciation of Mr. Jenkins’ attendance anl of his explanation of various matters. A letter was received from the Minister of Public Works, through the Member for the District, stating that the Council’s request tor further road grants to be placed on the Supplimentary Estimates, was received too late for these to be included, this year. Mr. J. O. Keene wrote asking that an unformed''road leading to a section of the Matthews’ Estate on Larmer’s Road that he intended to purchase, be formed’ 8) that he would have access when he took over tie section. Crs. Holder and Matthews supported the request, but they pointed out that this particular read was a deviation and had net been legalised. Owing to the state of the Council’s finance, no action would be taken. No action was taken in regard to a latter from Marko Pivac, regarding access to bis section at Kaingaroa, as tile matter had been thoroughly gone into at a previous meeting when the Engineer had reported on the matter. The matter of deepening the drains alongside the road at Lake Ohia as a<ked for by Mr. Mead, was left in the hands of Cr. Matthews and the Engineer. Tenders are to he called for the cutting of the gorse on the Paranui Road. The Public Works Department are to be asked to have the WaipapukauriTangoake Road metalled as formation is completed. The Council agreeded to fence the deviation through Sturmfel’s property on Fryers’ Road, when funds were available.

Formal resolution in regard to the taking and closing of roads in various localities, were passed. The Engineer was instructed to have repairs carried out to the three bridges on the Takahue Road. Mr. F. Reynolds, ofCliurch Road, waited on tlie Council with the request that tlie metal already quarried, be placed on Church Road. Or. Holder supported the request and it was decided that the matter of continuing the metalling be held over until Relief labour was availableGeneral In his report the Traffic Inspector, Mr. MacKenzie, stated that lie had collected fifty heavy traffic licenses during the current quarter. A letter was received from the Medi" cal Officer of Health, drawing the Council’s attention to numerous -complaints received regarding the nuisance caused by pigs being kept on Mr. Sankey’s farm at Awamii. The Council decided to ask the Department to take action in the matter. A letter was received from the Hospital Board regarding the sale of the boiler belonging to the Council and now at Awamii. The Board desired to purchase same for use as a water reservoii for the Kaitaia Hospital. Cr. Berghan considered that the Council should give the boiler to the Board free of charge. In these views he was supported by Cr Thompson. Crs. Steed and Garton considered that the Council should charge the Board £lO (the figure appearing on the Council’s books) for the boiler. On being-put to the vote Crs. Steed, Garton, Barriball and the Chairman voted for £lO being charged and Crs. Berghan, Thompson, Matthews and Holder against. On the casting vote of the Chairman the Board is to be offered the boiler for £lO. It was pointed out that the boiler cost the Council about £2OO, 12 jjears or more ago and bad not been used by the Council. For the Council’s property of 2 acres and a five-roomed cottage at Awanui, the following offers were received.— J. Erceg—£6o. N. Grbich—£42. Neither offer was accepted ns the Council considered the offers too low. The Council paid £7OO for the property some years ago. The Riding members witli the Clerk were authorised to deal with the disposal of funds from Art Unions for the relief of distress in the County. Seasonal Greetings At the termination of the usual business of the Council, Cr. Matthews, on behalf of members of the Council, conveyed seasonal greetings to the Chairman, Cr. Vickers, and expressed appreciation for the tactful and .impartial manner in which the Chairman had conducted the Council meetings during the past year. These grejetiugs were accorded the Chairman with acclamation. In response, Cr. Vickers reciprocated the greeting to Councillors and trusted that the harmonious feeling that had existed in the past year at the Council table, would continue for the balance of the term of the present Councillors.