OHINEMURI COUNTY COUNCIL

Te Aroha News, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5473, 11 April 1917, Page 2

OHINEMURI COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING.

The usual monthly meeting of the above council was held in the County Chambers on Wednesday afternoon. The chairman (Mr. P. Grace) presided, and the following councillors were present: F. Strange, G. H. Keeling, A. R. Robinson, A. McGuire, T. Morgan, A. Morgan, S. J. Laughlin, and the clerk (Mr. R. W. Evans.)

ELSTOW DRAINAGE BOARD. The engineer of the Elsow Drainage Board wrote offering to supply to the County the spoil from the drain at 6d per yard. The chairman said that he was satisfied that the offer was a good one and should be taken advantage of by the County. They had refused many requests that day but this is one that should be granted. Cr. Strange said that beyond the sixpence per yard and finding one man to work grader there would be no further cost involved on the County as the settlers were finding the teams and a driver for the grader. It was resolved that the councillors who visit the district be a committee to authorise the acceptance ol the offer for sanding the road if they considered the work necessary. EASTPORT ROAD. A petition from settlers asking for improvement to the road before the the road was almost impassable. Cr. Strange said that last wintei winter months.

The engineer said Ithat this road was the roughest in the Waitoa riding.

Cr. Robinson said that there was more important work than this that had been turned down.

Cr. Strange moved that the work be done up to the cost of £4O. Seconded by Cr. Laughlin. Cr. Keeling said that the matter should be deferred for a fortnight and that the Councillors see the district. It was resolved that the mattei of calling tenders be deferred for a fortnight and that the councillors who visit the district be a committee to authorise the engineer to call foi tenders. The expenditure not to ’exceed £4O. RENTS ON MINING CLAIMS.

The Mines Department wrote stating in reply to a letter from the Council re the reduction of rents on mining claims, that the reductions are recommended after evidence has been heard by the Warden, and it appeared that the proper course foi the Council to have taken was to bring evidence before the Warden to show that the reduction would be inimical to the interests of the min-

ing industry. In practically all cases it has been stated by claim holders that they are unable to raise capital to work the claims and in many cases it it stated that experienced miners

are not procurable. In any case in which reduction in rent or protection has begn granted without due cause is known to your Council, the Council should communicate its knowledge to the' Minister of Mines. ANZAC DAY.

Notice that the date for observing Anzac Day was put down as 23rd instant, was read from the Minister. The chairman and councillors Strange and Keeling spoke in sympathy with the soldiers and those, who supported the matter of holding the anniversary on the correct day namely April 25. It was decided to leave matters in the hands of chairman. BOROUGH OF TE AROHA. The order in council altering the boundaries of the Te Aroha Borough was received. COUNTY ASSESSOR. Mr Ben Gwilliam was appointed assessor to the County. MANGAWHARA CREEK. The Waikato County'Council'wrote asking the Council to notify property owners to remove willows on this

creek. The matter be deferred for a month for the engineer’s report. MOTOR TRAFFIC.

Mr. H. Poland wrote stating that he would support the proposals re taxation of motor cars as passed at last meeting. COLD STORAGE.

Eketahuna County Council ed the following, resolution: That the Government be requested to eiect cold storage at the four main centres or in conjunction with present works,, so as to be able to store all surplus meat and dairy produce, so that our produce can be shipped regularly all the year round. Cr. Strange said that before they support such a resolution they could require to have some particulars in support of such a scheme.

It was dcided the letter be re ceived.

AGE LIMIT OF FIRST DIVISION, The Waipa County Clerk forward-

ed the following resolution passed by his Council. “That in the opinion of the Waipu County Council the age limit of men in the First Divison be raised to 50 years before the Second Division is called on.” It was decided that the County Council not support this proposition. CONDOLENCE. A vote of condolence and sympathy was passed, to Councillot Lloyd on the death of his brother. DRAINS. The chairman said that the engineer had prepared a list of those drains only which he considered would benefit the roads by being cleared out. However, at the present time he considered the Council not justified owing to the financial position of the Council in doing - any work excepting that which might be classed as urgent. He would like to have them all cleared out but finances would not permit of it. Cr. Laughlin said that if the work cannot be done now, it would have

to be abandoned this year. They will have to be done however sooner oi later and he thought that they should face the position now. The settlers wanted them all done. The chairman: We have not got

he funds so it is no good talking.

Cr. I|aughlin: Some of the drains should be dragged even if we can’t clean them out.

Cr. Keeling said that he was a believer in having the drains cleaned out every year if possible if finances will permit. The time was to do them now. It was an urgent matter and if the water cannot get away the roads must suffer, ar.d the cost to the Council in the end w.mld be far greater than at present. Foui years ago the County had agreed with Mrs. Thorp to do the Te Aroha old road dxain and they should keep the promite.

Cr. Laughlin: We ought to go on with all the drains. Cr. Robinson said that if the county could not do the drains the

settlers would be faced with doing the work themselves which he ccnsiiered was not fair. For the engineer to say that the cleaning of the drains was not urgent was simply absurd.

The chairman said vthe engineer had not said the drains should not be done, but had taken those he considered most urgent, the others could stand over.

Cr. Robinson said he differed from the engineer. He considered it absolutely absurd and would like to see contracts called for all the drains to be cleaned out.

The chairman said in any case all the money must be in the hands of the County before the County would touch any drains.

Cr. Keeling said that the lower Te Aroha Road drain was as urgent as any and that had not been mentioned by the engineer. Cr. McGuire said that he sympathised with the farmers, but the Councillors had all agreed to retrench, and while some of the Councillors, although they had works in their district that needed urgent attention,, refrained from asking for anything it seemed to him that others had forgotten their promise.. He would vote against doing any of the work until funds were available. Cr. Strange said that they must recognise that some were more urgent than others and would like the engineer to state the ones that really affected the roads.

Cr. T. Morgan said that if all the drains assisted to drain the land why should the Council pay? The question is, do the farmers drain into the road drains and benefit by it? If so, they are the ones that should pay. To do all the work would cost at least about £l5O.

The chairman said that the County had to find a lot of money to do urgent work caused by the floods and the County was not in a position to do the drains this year. The engineer, upon being asked, said that the Komata North drain, Alexander’s outfall drain, and Robinson’s Road drain were the most urgent in his opinion. After some further discussion it was eventually decided to call for tenders to do the cleaning out of these three and also to expend the sum of £ls in cleaning out the drain on the old Te Aroha Road. Cr. Laughlin said that when the County put the drain through this place they promised to keep it clean He had been forced to do it himself. The drain affected a very large area and moved that the work be done. This was seconded by Cr. Robin-

son and carried. All the others were held over for consideration until the next meeting. ROTOKUHU BRIDGE.

The engineer was empowered to carry out the work of constructing a new bridge at the Rotokohu gorge mentioned in his report. WAWMAN’S FENCE.

On the motion of Cr. Keeling, seconded by Cr. Laughlin, it was decided thdt the fencing of the road through this property be deferred until the fencing material is cheaper. RIDING BOUNDARIES.

Owing to the unavoidable absence of Cr. Lloyd, Cr. McGuire moved the notice of motion: “That the resolution passed at last meeting re the alteration of the boundaries of the ridings be rescinded and that a committee be set up to review the position.” He said that he did not consider that the boundaries decided up; on were fair, and that the population had not been considered. The Karangahake, Waikino, and Waitekauri ridings had 1000 ratepayers as against 500 in all the rest of the County, and further the value of the mining property had not been taken into consideration. He agreed with, having one member for each riding! but they should go further and give equal representation on the number of electors. The present pci portion was not equal or just. Cr. Morgan seconded the resolution and supported the contentions of Cr McGuire.

Cr. Strange said that the matter had been gone into fairly, and the objection should have come earlier So far as the valuations were concerned he thought that with the,' new valuation the Waitoa, Mangaiti, and other farming districts will pretty well be doubled. The chairman said he was satisfied full justice had been done to all the ridings. Councillors Robinson, Laughlin, and Keeling also spoke against the motion. Cr. McGuire in-replying said that they had granted one democratic principle,, namely, one member one ■riding, and should extend it further by giving the people a voice, in the same manner as Borough Councils. The motion on being put was lost only the mover and seconder supporting it. - RIDING ACCOUNTS AND RATING.

Cr. Strange asked if the next rate that was struck would be for the current year’s expenditure. The Clerk replied that it would be, In that case, continued Cr. Strange the riding accounts should be kept

n detail and a rate struck to cover

the requirements for each riding separately. Councillors would then know what money they were entitled t ohave spent in their respective ridings. He thought that it would be a - , much fairer basis to work upon andi intended to move at the next meeting to this effect. Cr. Robinson spoke in a similar manner and said that ever since be had been a councillor he thought that that would be a fairer way of rating.