PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL

Te Aroha News, Volume XLI, Issue 6601, 19 May 1925, Page 8

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL

(Continued from Page 5.)

Permission was granted Mr Hubert, Waihou Township, to shift a boundary fence fronting the Town Belt. The engineer (Mr W. J. Gibbs) presented the following monthly statement of receipts and expenditure at Hinton’s quarry: Value of metal crushed, £5lO 8/6; expenditure, £390 19/1; surplus, £ll9 9/5. The following is a statement of receipts and expenditure of the Waiorongomai quarry from 13/4/25 to 9/5/25: Receipts, £552 2/3; expenditure, £2BO 3/3; surplus, £271 19/-.

Messrs Jickell and Gilmour wrote stating that in company with Mr Barnett their Mr Gilmour had met the County engineer on the ground at West road near Messrs Barnett Bros, property, and adjacent to the new bridge which it was proposed should span the Piako river. It had been the intention of Messrs Barnett Bros, to construct a stop-bank around their property traversing their western boundary along the right bank of the Piako river. At the southern end of the proposed stop-bank the position of such stop-bank would be, under ordinary circumstances, immediately on the east side of West’s road, from near the bridge site to Messrs Barnett Bros.’ southern boundary. Originally it was intended that the proposed stopbank should traverse the line of West road, as the level of the road generally is higher than the land on either side of the road. If the Council would agree to the road being raised to the top level of the proposed stop-bank they were willing to contribute to the work an amount equivalent to what it would cost to construct such stop-bank.—Left in the hands of the riding member and the engineer.

The Morrinsville Borough Council asked the Council to appoint a subcommittee to meet the Works Committee of the Morrinsville Borough Council to discuss the question of the re-establishment of a pound for the district and a suitable site for the same, such committee to report back to their respective Councils. On the motion of Cr. Kennedy, Crs. Lowry and Stark’ were appointed to represent the Council. Cr. Hughes said the work done by the ranger in his district was very unsatisfactory. He also referred to cases in which cattle were grazed on the road and the law evaded because a man was supposed to be in charge. He moved that the services of the present ranger be dispensed with. It was suggested that riding foremen be appointed rangers. They would be in the best position to know whether cattle were a nuisance. The motion was carried. Mr A. Davey wrote asking if he could come to terms with the Council for the use of waste lands fronting his property on Stanley road.—Left in the hands of Cr. Kennedy and the engineer.

On the motion of Cr. Hughes it was decided to write to the Noxious Weeds Inspector drawing his attention to the presence of blackberries on roadsides throughout the County. Mrs A. Aitken wrote asking if there was any hope of something being done to those parts of the road at the end of the metalling from Morrinsville on the Kereone road to make it passible during the winter.

On the motion of Cr. McLean it was decided to write stating that as the weather was not suitable to go on with the permanent work the road would be made passable for the winter months.

It was decided to again write to the Minister for Public Works requesting a grant for Cowan’s road.

The Finance Committee recommended that the chairman and solicitor proceed to Wellington as soon as possible in connection with the raising of loan money; that E. Jones’ tender of 7£d for dog collars be accepted; that A. L. Bertwistle’s tender of £lO2 16/- for the clerk’s dwellinghouse be accepted; that Cr. Hughes interview the Wairere Quarry Company; that ’Mr Gray’s account of £ls for hire of a horse be held over for the committee to see Mr Gray, further that a horse be purchased for the Waiorongomai quarry, Mr Gray to be offered 10/- a week for the hire of his horse; that the account of Mr G. Manson for repairs to motor cycle, caused by a truck backing into it, be referred to the N.Z. Insurance Company.—The report was adopted. Mr Gilchrist (solicitor) appeared before the Council and discussed several matters. The first was the Maukoro deviation bridge, 50 per cent, of the cost of which was to be borne by the Piako and 50 per cent, by the Hauraki Plains County Council. Though provision had not been made for Tahuna riding only to be rated

for Piako County’s share, a decision in that direction could be arrived at by the Piako County Council. The chairman said that £IOO had been granted by the Government on account for the bridge. Cr. Whitechurch asked if they could not now proceed to invite tenders. The engineer said he had prepared an estimate of the work and that should be sufficient, but the Government had not yet approved of the plans. The fact' that another County Was concerned influenced the position.

Mr Gilchrist said they should call for tenders and after one had been accepted they would know how much money to raise. Cr. Whitechurch: Could we not make it a condition when borrowing that we have the right to refund what we don’t use? The chairman: That might be done if we borrowed from the bank. We must either borrow on the engineer’s estimate or "call for tenders and borrow on the lowest tender. On the motion of Cr. Whitechurch, seconded by Cr. Orr, the engineer was authorised to invite tenders for the bridge as soon as the plans and estimates were approved. Mr Gilchrist advised that it was within the Council’s power to grant a sum within £3O towards work in the Tahuna Cemetery. The money, he thought, could come out of the riding fund.—lt was decided to allot up to £3O.

It was decided to take the land required for the Maukoro deviation under the Public Works Act, action, to be suspended till other means had failed. It was pointed out that certain land required was owned by natives and some difficulty may be experienced in obtaining the whole of their signatures. With regard to the land for Bell’s deviation Mr Gilchrist stated that the signatures of the owners had been obtained but subsequently one of the owners had sold and it was necessary to get the consent of the new owner. —The solicitor was instructed to search titles of the land concerned. Mr Gilchirst was asked to advise the Council later on the question of whether a pound could be jointly held by a Borough and County Council. Discussing finance the chairman said that the Thames Harbour Board had, he understood, obtained their loan at 6 per cent. The Power Board was paying the same "'price and jthe Council would, he thought, have to pay 6 per cent, if it borrowned now. The seven million loan at Home had gone against them. Mr Gilchrist said he did not think the Council would be able to borrow at 5i per cent. On the motion of Cr. Stark it was resolved that an application be made to the Minister for Internal Affairs for permission to raise money required by the Council at 6 per cent., and further that if a favourable reply is received the chairman and solicitor take steps to raise the money.

X The conditions on which the County Council agreed to an - exchange of land with the Morrinsville Borough Council were mentioned by Cr. Lowry, who said the Borough did not wish to comply with the conditions. If they did not do so he pointed out that the land must revert to the County.—lt was decided to meet representatives of the Morrinsville Borough Council and to insist upon compliance with the conditions of the exchange. The engineer placed the following statement of roads metalled during the season before the Council: Kiwitahj riding, 8 miles 1 chain; Waihou, 8 miles 24 chains; Walton, 10 miles 14 chains; Tahuna, 4 miles 62 chains; Morrinsville, 9 miles 57 chains; Manawaru, 7 miles 32 chains; Waitoa, 2 miles 52 chains. Foundation works: Tahuna-Ohine-wai 3 miles, Maukoro deviation 40 chains, Tahuna-Waitakaruru 30 chs., Paeroa-Tahuna road 33 chs., Mangawhara road 1 mile 70 chs., Diagonal road 2 miles 40 chs., Hutchinson’s road 30 chs., Stanley road 1 mile 40 chs., Ottway’s road 1 mile 30 chs., claying Motumaoho to County boundary 53 chs., Tahuna quarry road 52 chs., No. 8 road 1 mile 14 chs. Bridges: Te Aroha riding 1, Manawaru 2, Tahuna 4. Extensive repairs: Montgomeries’ bridge 1, Mangaiti 1. References were made by Crs. Lowry and Stark to the vast amount of work that had been done in the County during the past year. The matter was one for congratulation and there was now an excellent understanding between the County Council, the engineer and the ratepayers. .

A resolution was passed complimenting the engineer and the whole staff on the good work done.

The engineer, in returning thanks, said that they had had serious difficulties to contend with last year, but

notwithstanding this good progress had been made. On the motion of Cr. Hughes the engineer was instructed to invite tenders for cleaning a number of drains, including Cassidy’s and School road west, returnable in a fortnight. Cr. Hughes mentioned the fact that a truck costing £9O, owned by his riding, was used all over the County. If the County wanted the truck it had better buy it. When the loan work was finished, for which the truck was bought, the truck with other machinery necessary to the loan work would be sold. The matter of making a fair charge for the use of the truck was referred to the Finance Committee.