WAITEMATA COUNTY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21520, 17 June 1933, Page 14

WAITEMATA COUNTY

YEAR'S RATES STRUCK ROAD AND BRIDGE WORKS Apart from reductions of id and £d in the loan rates for Takapuna and Mairctahi respectively, rates struck yesterday for the 11 ridings in the Waitemata County are the same as last year. In the following details of the general and loan rates, the general rate is given first: —Birkenhead, Id, Id; Kaukapakapa, IJd, ljd; Kumeu, fd, lid; Mairetahi, Id, &d; Pukeatua, 12d, Id; Takapuna, lid, ljd; Titirangi, lid. ljd; "Waikumete, lid, lid; Wainui, l£d, lid; Waipareira, 2d, id; Waitakere, lAd, lid. A general hospital rate of id and small special rates in certain ridings also were struck. In his report, the chairman of the council, Mr. W. A. Bishop, said the total validation of the county was £4,429,427. The amount of rates struck last year was £47,947, which was £ISOO lower than in the previous > year. The rates outstanding totalled £25,317, the current arrears being £15,073. Expenditure last year amounted to £157,053, au increase of £IO,OOO on the previous year. Administration costs were 2.9 per cent of the total. Considerable progress had been made in metalling clay roads, Mr._ Bishop said. In the past two years 72 miles of new metalling had been done, 14 miles being in the Pukeatua Riding and 13 miles in the Kaukapakapa, Riding. There wore 933 miles of dedicated roads in the county, 686 being formed, including 14-5 miles of main highways. "It is my conviction that money for hospital upkeep should come out of the consolidated fund and should not bo levied as a rate," said Mr. Bishop. "Tho present method is inequitable. In the past 10 years this council has paid £43,260 in hospital rate—enough to pa.v interest and sinking fund on its public debt for almost two years." Progress by tho contractor in the construction of the l£aukapakapa Bridge was reported by tho engineer, Mr. L. P. Faram. Piers on the northern side of the structure had been sunk, and piles were being driven for the northern abutment. Becher's Bridge, on the Helensville-Waiwera main highway, had been completed. The erection of a retaining wall at French Bay, Titirangi, would be put in hand shortly, tho residents having agreed to contribute £45 toward tho cost. "The maintenance of tho approaches of the Oratia Stream Bridge has not been satisfactory," said tho engineer. The matter had been pointed out to tho Henderson Town Board and certain repairs had since been carried out.