WAIKATO COUNTY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21233, 13 July 1932, Page 11

WAIKATO COUNTY.

FARMERS AND THEIR RATES.

SUGGESTION FOR REMISSION. [from our own correspondent.] HAMILTON, Tuesday. The Waikato County Council at its meeting to-day received a letter from the Matamata County Council asking the council to support a request to the Government that rural ratepayers be assisted to the extent of 30 per cent, in remission

of rates. Mr. G. Smith moved that the council support the request, with a recommendation that the money be made up from a further increase in the benzine tax. He said that the position of farmers was very serious. Many of them were unable to pay their rates. The county's finances were £IO,OOO behind and unless money came from somewhere the council would not be able to maintain the roads. The resolution was carried.

The council agreed to pay the Waikato Hospital Board £9OO on account of its share of the local body levy.

The engineer, Mr. A. A. Woodward, reported that with the exception of a short length in the Tiyupiri Gorge the Great South Road was in good order and had required no maintenance. All the concrete piles for the new bridge over the Mangawara River had been made and would be ready for driving as soon as the water was low enough. Heavy maintenance had been required on the HamiltonPaeroa main highway during the wet weather. Proposals for sealing the road under a new system of period maintenance were recommended for adoption. A scheme for securing metal for use on the Paeroa-Waihi main highway was submitted. The Te Kauwhata-Waitakaruru main highway had been re-surfaced with chips and had been greatly improved. Regrading had been carried out on the Ohinewai-Tahuna main highway. A small bridge had been lifted and flooding preA'ented, while another bridge had been widened and made safer. The CambridgeMorrinsville main highway was in fair order, having been graded several times. Good progress .was being made in removing the willows from the Mangaonua stream, and the work should bo finished within a mojit^i.