OTORONAMGA COUNTY

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 53, Issue 3822, 16 October 1936, Page 12

OTORONAMGA COUNTY

MONTHLY MEETING OF COUNCIL. (Our Resident Representative.) The ordinary monthly meeting of the Otorohanga County Council was held on Wednesday, when the following Councillors were in attendance: Crs W. Bluck (chairman), F. Potts, V. W. Simms, P. T. Crowley, W. Thomson, St. M. Dymore-Brown, H. E. Grierson, with Messrs S. J. Fortescue (clerk) and G. Jackson (engineer). M.P’s. VALUABLE ASSISTANCE. After some discussion the Council unanimously decided to instruct the clerk to write a letter of hearty appreciation to the M.P. for Waitomo, Mr W. J. Broadfoot, for his untiring energy and efforts in procuring State loans throughout the area under the Council’s control and for assistance to the Council generally. As an instance of Mr Broadfoot’s persistent endeavours for several years past, a grant for a large sum now appears on the Estimates for forming and metalling the Turitea Road, in the Honikiwi Riding. STRAYING DOGS. The engineer reported that he had, as per instructions, visited the Maori pas in the Otewa district and ordered that a number of dogs that were unregistered must be destroyed. The dog tax collector accompanied him, and although he did not actually see any dogs destroyed he thought that this was done. As a result of the visit to the pas he thought that the flocks of the settlers of the district would be fairly secure, as regards unregistered Maori dogs, for the future. RIGHT-OF-WAY. It was decided to sign the deed conceding Mr S. A. August a right-of-way for all time, alongside the county offices, to the back of the bakehouse, for which right Mr August had paid £4O. DEPUTATION. A deputation representing the settlers along the Owairuka Road (in the Te Rau-a-mba Riding) waited upon the Council asking that they be assisted to obtain a grant to reform and metal the road for a distance ot about three miles. The engineer thought the cost would be about £3,00(1. It was explained that it was now too early to apply for a Government, grant for the work, and it was decided to use the grader on the road in the meantime. The deputation was assured that the Council will render the necessary assistance to enable the settlers to have a grant placed on next year's estimates. ST. JOHN AMBULANCE. An application for the Council’s support of the St. John Ambulance Brigade was considered. As the county passed the sum of £389 5s 8d for payment tp the Waikato Hospital Board (at this day) as their quarterly levy (£1,557 2s 8d for the year,) no l further action was taken. It was decided to support the health stamp campaign to the same extent as the previous year. FINANCIAL STATEMENT. Since the previous ordinary meeting of the Council rates collected show an increase of £426, in comparison with the same date of last year. The Government subsidy of £897 on general rates has been lodged to the Council’s credit at the bank. Consequently each riding has an excellent credit balance. The financial position of each riding, in comparison with the same date of last year, is approximately as follows, the credits for the previous year (1935) being shown in parenthesis: Honikiwi £494 13s 3d (£356 Is 7d), Mangaorongo £l7lB 13s Id (£895 5s lOd), Te Rau-a-moa £567 10s lOd (£ll6 18s 6d), Waipa £507 15s 2d (£175 8s), Wharepapa £333 17s 2d (£302 10s 2d); totals of £3622 9s 6d and (£1844 4s Id) respectively. The expenditure out of the riding accounts, with the annual limits shown in parenthesis, is as follows: Honikiwi £396 5s (£500), Mangaorongo £436 10s 8d (£800), Te Rau-a-moa £289 3s 5d (£650), Waipa £250 7s 6d (£450), and Wharepapa £423 12s 3d (£800). PUKETARATA ROAD LOAN. It was decided to appoint the Public Trustee as sole commissioner for the Puketarata Road loan. HEAVY SLIPS IN BACK COUNTRY. Heavy slips on the Kaimanga and Oamarau roads were reported, as the result of recent rains. Although some of the slips are of huge dimensions the ■ Council considered it imperative to have them cleared forthwith. REBATE ON RATES. It was decided to ask the Government to follow the practice of the previous administration by allowing 121 per cent rebate on rates collected. REDUCING DANGEROUS CORNERS. The matter of reducing the dangerous angles on the roads in the Ngahape district, where the school buses run to and from Otorohanga, was considered.—lt was. thought that, the Council would have difficulty in obtaining men under the labour schemes to do this work, therefore it was left ir abeyance. A large amount of the usual routine business was transacted, and a long list of accounts passed for payment.