Meeting of £! County Council

Northland Age, Volume XVI, Issue 78, 25 July 1947, Page 5

Meeting of £! County Council

Machinery Suppliers' Representatives Received Two representatives of a firm of heavy machinery importers were received by the Mangonui County Council at its monthly meeting held in the Council Chambers, Kaitaia, on Wednesday. The County is in need of at least one new grader for maintenance and repair work, and the Council had been advised that a new ten-tor. machine would be available shortly. The sales representative stated that this machine, though actually heavier than others which the Council had considered to date, was far superior to the ones at present being used, and that a reasonable trade-in allowance would be made on one of these if it was not required after a new machine had been purchased. General specifications of three machines were submitted, and the Council decided that the medium and light graders would perform all operations at present required in the County as the main highway, on which the heavy machine would be most suitable, was not now the responsibility of the local body. The delivery date of the lighter machines will be approximately 12 months from now and it was stated by the County Engineer, Mr. A. Maylin Theed, that the present team was in fit condition to more than span this period. It is estimated that the purchase will involve a nett expenditure of £4OOO after allowances for the sale of the present team has been made. Engineer’s Report Business proper was opened with the presentation of the following report covering the period ending .Tuly 18th by the County Engineer, Mr. Maylin Theed : Broken weather obtained for much of the period, but intermittent dry spells have had a good effect in permitting the sub-grades to drain out and in consequence damage was confined to the running surfaces. Houhora Riding : Auto Patrol Grader trued up Great North Road to Motutangi, Roto Kawau Road, Unahi Road, West Coast Road (twice) and Sweetwater-Spains Road. 421 c.yds. of repair metal were delivered on North Road, and 81 c.yds. on Spains Road. On Kaimaumau Road drains were opened, a culvert put in and considerable repair work done. 8 c.yds. of rock and 621 c.yds. of sandstone were delivered on weak places. Tables, culverts and drains were opened or. Roto Kawau and Great North Roads. Awanui Riding : Repair metal was delivered as follows : Oturu 12 c.yds., Church 21 c.yds., Pekerau 71 c.yds., Ohia 12 c.yds., Duncans 56 c.yds., Rileys 421 c.yds., Churtons 10 c.yds , and Parapara 171 c.yds. Graders shaped up Quarry and Oturu Roads twice, and Church Road. Growth was cut on Quarry-Oturu Road. Bridges oi. Gills Road and Quarry Road had deck repair. Oruru Riding : Repair metal amounted to 87 c.yds. on Oruru-Taipa Road and 21 c.yds. on Paranui-Toatoa Road. Graders trimmed up OruruTaipa Road. Old slips on Fern Flat Road will now be cut back. The road over the big slip was blocked when the outer edge was under-cut by the stream. Widening has been done, and extra metal is being put on to enable traffic to again use it. Mangonui Riding : Galion Grader has trued up Mangonui-Oruru, Hihi, Oruaiti and Kohumaru Roads and Mangonui Streets. Old slips were cut back on Kohumaru Road and tables opered. Growth is being cut and culverts opened on Mangonui-Oruru Road. Repair metal was delivered to Kohumaru 69 c.yds., Hihi 24 c.yds.. Sam Fosters 6 c.yds., Barriballs 12 c yds., and Mould Street 9 c.yds. Victoria Valley Riding : Gripers improved surface on Snelgars, Takahue, Peria-Valley, Mangatoetoe, Fishers, Werners, Thompsons and Braithwaites Roads. Repair metal was delivered as follows : Duncans 15 c.yds., Sanders 15 c.yds., Fishers 22 c.yds., Mangatoetoe 5J c.yds., Te Rore 281 c.yds., Werners 111 c.yds., and is in hand or. Diggers Valley Road. Repairs were done on Te Rore and Waiotehue Roads. Kaitaia Riding : Graders worked on Ruaroa, Fryers, Cloughs and Donalds Roads. Metal was delivered to : Cloughs 51 c.yds., Wireless 7i c.yds.. and Donalds 3 c.yds. Drains were extended and improved on Wireless Road. Herekino Riding : Repairs were in hand on Owhata Road, where 15 c. yds. of metal were used. HerekinoWhangape Road received 241 c.yds. and grader trued surface. Ahipara Riding : High tides at end of last period damaged both Epikauri and Ahipara Foreshore Road, necessitating repair in both cases. 2i c. yds. of metal were used on Foreshore Road. Grader shaped up Okahu Road Financial Statement and Accounts Following the reception of this report, attention was turned to the

financial statement, which included large items of expenditure following the reduction of the debit balance :it one stage during the month to the highly satisfactory figure of £SOO/2/8. The first of the large payments was a sum of £ll7B/10/4 to the Public Works Department covering the County’s share of highway repairs for the five-month period ending Jure 30th. Another was £2OIB/3/9 interest on loans to the Public Trustee. All accounts presented were passed for payment. Correspondence Heading the correspondence was an open letter from Mr. J. D. McMillan of Havelock North expounding a plan for semi-universal “Aid for Britain” in which the United States of America and nations of the British Commonwealth would participate financially. The opinions of local bodies are being sought on this matter, and the Council resolved to make its recommendations at the next meeting after members had had an opportunity of studying the plan in detail. A statutory extract from the New Zealand Gazette which had been forwarded to the Clerk revealed that the portion of the Main Highway between Kaitaia and Awanui which had not been included in the official survey, has been finally legalised. A letter from the Secretary of the Mangonui Hospital Board, recommending the payment of the 1947-48 levy of .5d in the £ on the rateable capital value of £1,506,044 of the County to be made in eight equal instalments amounting to £3,126/6/10 total, was received and the suggestions contained therein agreed to. The bad condition of the Waihara-ra-Kaimaumau Road was brought to the attention of the Council by a letter frem the Waiharara Tribal Committee. The only repair work which had beer, carried out on this road during the past three or four years, it stated, was done by local residents. The County Engineer reported that further repairs were now in hand. A copy of the circular letter which has been forwarded to local bodies during the past few months by the Forest and Bird Society of New Zealand dealing with the alleged slaughter of parts of the Waipoua Kauri Forest, was read to the meeting. After brief discussion on the Society’s appeal for support of a movement to have the whole 39,000 acres declared a National Park, the Council declined to take any definite action as a body. Before the luncheon adjournment, the Clerk presented a letter received from the Kaitaia Chamber of Commerce, dealing with the past and present activities of the Department responsible for carrying out the work covered by the Ten Year Plan. With particular reference to the Main Highway between Kaitaia and Whai garei it was stated that no work which had been provided for in the plan had as yet been carried out and it recommended an early meeting with thr Auckland District Engineer to expedite preparations for the commencement of this scheme. Mr. A. Maylin Theed, the County Engineer, stated that the work had commenced as was evidenced by road conditions north of Kawakawa and on the southern extension near Kaitaia, also by preparations now being made on Templeton’s Hill. Mr. Theed made quite clear that immediate completion of the road work was impossible, as certain sections would require 3 to 4 years to consolidate. He informed the meeting that the last portion would probably be under way within five years and that the Auckland District Engineer had agreed to a meeting with the Council at his earliest convenience so that members couid become fully conversant with the details covered by this portion of the plan. Mr. Theed was instructed to place all this information at the disposal of the Chamber of Commerce. In response to a further appeal for oxpidition of the erection of Kitchen’s bridge in Victoria Valley, near the foot of the Mangamukas, the Council instructed its Engineer to approach the Auckland office of the Public Works Department requesting permission to build a two-span bridge, for which material is available, and to commence work in anticipation of the grant to cover construction costs which is included in the 1947-48 estimates. It was considered that this job should be accorded the highest priority as conditions at this point are as bad as they were 60 years ago and several settlers are faced with extreme difficulty when crossing the river during the winter months. The Council received a letter from the Bay of Islands Electric Power Board outlining the increased charges which have been submitted to the Price Investigation Tribunal for approval. P.W.D. Correspondence Approval was registered of the Resident Engineer’s recommendation to proceed with the drafting of plans and specifications for the ParaparaTaumata Road bridge and to call tenders preparatory to proceeding with the construction. In response to a demand for Draft Estimates for

roads for 1947-48 from the head office of the Public Works Department, it was decided that Kitchen’s, Parker’s and Kelsall’s bridges should be given number one priorities on the “New Urgent Items” list. These were incorporated in the original draft which received the Council’s approval. Rates for 1947-48 To be promulgated shortly are the following rates for Mangonui County for the current year, totalling 181 d in the £ on the unimproved value in the majority of districts : General rate 6ld in £ (all districts). Hospital rate—2:]d in £ (all districts). Consolidated Loan Interest and Sinking Fund rate—lid in £ (Oruru and Mangonui) ; 3gd in £ (remainder). Balance of interest and principal on Mangonui Wharf Loan—ld in £ (Oruru and Mangonui). 1939 Bridge and Flood Damage Loan rate—Sd in £ (all districts). Drainage rate—6ld and Sid hi £ (Motutangi Drainage Area). The unimproved value upon which last y T ear’s rates were struck amounted to £354,712. Before the discussion of general business was commenced, the delegates to the twenty-second annual conference of Counties’ Association, Chairman Mr. W. J. Steed and Engin-eer-Clerk, Mr. A. Maylin Theed, gave short accounts of the business covered in Christchurch on the 18th of this month. The printed report on the conference was read by Mr. Theed and councillors were given an opportunity of questioning the delegates regarding their impressions of the accomplishments of the Association during the past year. General Business Councillor Hoskin revived the question of the closing date of the Ambu’ancc Appeal and, in the face of some opposition owing to the fact that certain districts have not yet arrived at their full quotas, the Council resolved to advertise the closing date as August 31st. Councillor Bell drew the attention of the Engineer to the deplorable state of Kumi Road due to the opera.’ons of heavy timber lorries passing to and from the timber yard in that locality and suggested the levying of royalties upon timber passing over this road to defray maintenance costs. The Engineer was instructed to investigate the position and it was resolved to levy a royalty if the timber carrying operations were to continue.