MATAMATA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Putaruru Press, Volume V, Issue 176, 17 March 1927, Page 3

MATAMATA COUNTY COUNCIL.

THE MARCH MEETING. The March meeting of the Matamata County Council was held at Tirau on Friday, there being present: Crs. J. W. Anderson (Tirau riding, chairman), H .Rollett (Peria), S. H.' Judd (Maungatautari), J. Bruce (Karapiro), W. S. Wilson (Matamata), E. J. Darby (Putaruru), K. S. Cox (Tokoroa), W. H. Allen (Okoroire) and P. Dee (Te Poi). WELCOME BACK. The chairman formally welcomed

~ tne return to the council oi' Cr. H. Eollett, whom all members considered as a very good friend lost when he failed to return previously. Cr. Rollett, an old member of the council, did not return after the last election, Mr. S. J. Harding succeeding him. However, Mr. Harding resigned owing to leaving the district, and in response to strong representa- I tions from a representative deputa- ) tion, Mr. Rollett agreed to be nomin,l ated for the vacancy in the event of . no other candidate being forthcoming. ? - Ke was therefore returned unopposed. NOXIOUS WEEDS.

Ihe inspector of noxious weeds (Matamata) wrote advising the boundaries of his district (and asking

! a °f property owners who had failed to clear ragwort. The inspector at Cambridge also wrote asking- the council to clear blackberry from some of its reserves. The chairman thought the reference to the council’s reserves was exaggerated. Ci. Allen: Just one to keep you quiet. (Laughter). On the motion of Cr. Judd it was

decided to reply there was no reserve at Lichfield, and that the small quantity of ragwort on the other two rfesei ves mentioned would be cut immediately. BOWSERS AND FOOTPATHS. The District Telegraph Engineer wrote pointing out that the erection

of petrol tanks under footpaths was likely to be a menace to the laying of telephone cable and power lines. While not questioning the of local bodies to give permission fc. the erection of such tanks under . rotpaths, co-operation was asked f„r to

ensure that the Department was given an opportunity of deciding upon its telephone requirements before private firms were given permission to thus encroach on pubii: streets. Cr. Darby thought it only referred to towns.

r T , Tlle chairman held that so far as 2 co-operation was concerned the De- . partment generally did their work } ar id asked for co-operation aft - -1 wards. “They did as they d ’ well liked.” i Laughter). The engineer reported that the ■ problem had arisen in Putaruru. They ; must have known they were* going- to do the work' there a year ago, bat , only consulted the chairman because ■ they noticed him looking into the 1 trench opposite his 'office. It was ridiculous to expect a policy to be ; thus framed in .a few minutes. Cr. Allen thought it was to the interests of private persons to have the tanks on tlieir own property. On the motion of the chairman it was decided to continue to grant permission as formerly, and to point out to, the Department its lack’ of cooperation in regard' to work at Putaruru, PETROL .PUMPS. Mr. Thomas Spear (Arapuni) wrote asking for permission to erect a bowser outside his store on the main road at Arapuni. It was decided to reply that the council had no objection according to usual conditions, but that application Would also have to be made to the Public Works Department, who controlled the road. HELIUM GAS. The Board of Canterbury College wrote pointing out the importance of helium gas to the Empire, and advising that a survey of the natural j gases of New Zealand was being I made to ascertain their helium con- ( tent. The co-operation of the coun- 1 cil in locating natural g-as effusions was requested. « Cr. Cox stated there were gas effu- 1 sions at Wairakei which contained I helium. Cr. Dee: The only gas I know of, | Mr. Chairman, is at political meetings. (Laughter). 1 The letter was received. 1 HEAVY TRAFFIC FEES. 1 The acting-town clerk of' Hamilton t forwarded statements showing the ex- c penditure of moneys ' received from the heavy traffic pool for 1925-26, and , also the amounts due to each local v body in No. 3 traffic district. r It was decided to table the letter for member’s considered examina- * tion.

MAUNGATAUTARI RESERVES

The council’s solicitors wrote statj > hat in connection with the purchase money for the above block that , e council could not raise a loan without a poll of ratepayers. Section ° ° f The Scener y Preservation Act, 1925, gave the council power to take” moneys from its general fund for such purposes, also for the maintenance and improvement of any scenic reserve. It was decided to pay the council’s quota out of general funds, and to make immediate application to the Government for a grant. WAOTU MILL.

The Waotu Timber Co. wrote forwarding- a cheque for its contribution towards the cost of maintaining the Waotu-Putaruru road, and advising that the mill had now cut out. Owing, however, to bad weather all the timber had not been carted within the time arranged with the county’s engineer, and an extension of time was asked for. The engineer reported the mill had closed, but there was still a lot of timber to be carted. The company had been waiting to see if timber was wanted at Arapuni, hence the delay ir getting it to Putaruru. Work had been held up on the Waotu road

through the timber carting, and a problem arose now through heavy lorries causing ruts in the new metal before it was possible to roll it. On the motion of Crs. Darby and Anderson, the matter was left with the engineer to deal with. SCHERER’S ROAD. Mr. A. B. Scherer, Waharoa, wrote stating that he had disposed of part of his farm, but the matter was held up owing to a portion of the road not being legalised. The council was requested to speed the matter up. FIRE PREMIUMS.

The insurance company advised that 2\ per cent, rebate was allowed where two fire extinguishers of not less than two gallons each were provided for each.soo square feet of floor area. In regard to motors 21 per cent was allowed on all comprehensive premiums and ten per cent on fire

premiums. On the motion of Crs. Cox and Allen it yyas decided to secure four

: fire extinguishers for use at the Tirau depot (2), Matamata depot (1), and one with the tar-tspraying outfit. KAIMAI HILL. The Tauranga Chamber of Commerce wrote' asking the council to finish the small portion of the road over the Kaimai within the county, so that there would be a g'ood winter road from the Waikuto to the coast. The engineer reported there was 4} miles on the fiat to be'metalled, half of which would be done before winter. The balance on the hill had no parI ticular claim for expenditure of local | money, but it might be' possible, to do something through the Highways Board if an increased allowance could be secured. It was decided to reply in the terms of the engineer’s statement. PUItETURUA ROAD. Messrs. W. G. Bathe and P. F. Karl, Puketurua, wrote asking that something to be .done to their access road I to Putaruru. One hundred and forty ( cows were being milked, and both settlers had been resident in the district for 15 years. The road was It miles in extent, required culverts, and ten or twelve chains of metalling. Or. Darby stated he looked upon that stretch of road as the biggest problem, in his riding. He felt the road was in' the wrong place. It was in a swampy area and other settlers had offered to give the land for a deviation. If the road couldn’t be moved then the council should concentrate on one road and confine the cream wagon and mail contractor to this road. The riding could not afford to keep up both roads. ... The engineer stated the onus was on the settlers to keep down tha ti~ tree so that the grading eould be done properly. They could. not afford to keep up the two outlets.

On the motion of the chairman, the matter was left in the hands of the riding member and the' engineer to deal with.

j A GENTLE? HINT... Mr. John Riggir, of Overdale, wrote congratulating the council on the really splendid job made of the Overdale road from Morris’ corner to Crickett’s, and concluding that “ a little coat of metal wouid fit the 'bill vpry handsomely.”—Received. ’ TOKOROA ROADS.. The Tokoroa Progress League wrote complaining that no answer had been received., ta-a letter written by the chairman with reference to local roads six mppths'ago. The main road between' Tokdfoa and Leslie’s corner was impassable in winter, and that as the riding had a credit balance of £l2B, it was suggested the worst places be metalled, and the remainder graded. Cr. Cox stated that it was intended to look into the question of the side (Continued in Next Column.)

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roads at an early date. A good deal of metalling had been done on the main road 'between despatch of the letters—Left in hands of riding member and engineer. " ' GATES ON P.OAD. Mr. W, -Thomas, Te Poi, wrote asking the council to remove the gates f r.p.n: the road leading to his property. The clerk stated that unless five ratepayers petitioned the matter was matter was optional. It was decided to leave the matter in the hands of Cr. Dee and the engi- .