OTOROHANGA COUNTY

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 56, Issue 4053, 27 May 1938, Page 7

OTOROHANGA COUNTY

ANNUAL MEETING OF COUNCIL. MR BLUCK RE-ELECTED TO THE CHAIRMANSHIP. (Our Resident Reporter.) The ordinary monthly and the annual meetings of the Otorohanga County Council were held on Wednesday, Cr W. Bluck presiding. There were also present Crs V. W. Simms, P. T. Crawley, H. G. Grierson, W. Thomson. F. Potts, A. Jamieson and S. J. Fortescue (clerk) and G. Jackson (engineer). MOTOR LICENSER - The clerk reported that only 20 per cent of the motor licenses had, so far, been taken out, and these should all be.issued by the end of the month. TENDERS. Three tenders were received for the formation of new approaches to the Mangiti stream bridge in the Te Rau--a-moa riding, namely, those, of W. Smale £174.1 4s 9d, H. Vincent £lB6B 16s 6d, and E. C. Beet C 2348 7s 6d. The tender of W. Smale was accepted. Other tenders were left to a special committee to deal with. FINANCIAL STATEMENT. The rates coileded to date show an increase of £26 10s in comparison with last year. Licenses, etc., are also coming in well, the only exception being motor drivers’ licenses. With only four days on which the county office is open before the end of the month, there are 1150 licenses yet. to be taken out.

Mangaorongo, Te Rau-a-moa and Waipa ridings have excellent credit balances, the Honikiwi riding showing a debit balance for the first time for many years, mainly on account of an item of £256 7s 5d for timber for the Waitomo river bridge.

The Wharepapa riding’s low credit, balance of £6 Os Id is partly caused by an item of £lO2 7s 6d for the Waikeria bridge. The following are the balances of the respective ridings: Honikiwi, debit £97 8s 3d; Mangaorongo, £1612 12s lid; Te Rau-a-moa, £521 Ils 4d; Waipa, £504 Os lOd, and Wharepapa £6 Os Id credit.

The expenditure out of the ridingaccounts was: Honikiwi £379 Os 6d, Mangaorongo £244 4s Id, Te Rau-a-moa £143 7s lOd, Waipa £95 5s 9d and Wharepapa £276 16s 4d. SALARIES OF STAFF The salaries of the county staff came up for revision. It was decided to increase the salary of the clerk and treasurer to £5OO per annum, the engineer’s to remain at £4OO per annum. The various members of the office staff had their salaries increased by 5s weekly. THE CHAIRMANSHIP. The clerk read the chairman’s report, which was published in the Courier on Wednesday last. Nominations were called for the position of chairman. There were two candidates proposed at the table, Crs W. Bluck and V. W. Simms. Cr Bluck stated that although he had said a year ago that he would not again be a candidate, he felt that he again could serve the county as chairman. Cr Simms was of the opinion that the position should be a rotating one. He thought, that new blood was a very good thing in public bodies. He thought that Cr Bluck should stick to his statement of a year ago. In view of the position, however, Cr Simms withdrew his nomination, and Cr Bluck was duly elected chairman for a further term. Cr Bluck returned thanks for the Council’s further support, and assured the members of energetic and faithful service during his renewed term of office. The recently elected councillor for Wharepapa, Cr Jamieson, was welcomed to the council table. SECON DARY HIGH WAY. By resolution of the county, moved by Cr Simms, it was decided to declare the Otewa-Otorohanga Road a secondary highway, in place of the old Te Kuiti-Otorohanga secondary highway. MANGAWHERO RIVER BRIDGE. It was decided to apply for a more generous subsidy to erect a new bridge over the Mangawhero stream to replace the present damaged and unsate structure. It has been decided to have the new structure erected in reinforced concrete, and of a strength and width to take two way traffic. DRAINAGE AREA. It was decided to appoint Mr 11. Rothery as valuer for the Mangaurongo drainage area. < 'ONGR ATULATIONS. The chairman congratulated Cr F. Potts on his re-election as the Council’s representative on the Waikato Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, and Cr Potts suitably replied. LOADING OF SHINGLE. Tim matter of the loading of shingle from the i arious dumps was fully considered. It was felt that more modern methods should be employed, either by ramps, hoppers or scoops to load the material on to tlie metal trucks. It was decided that the committee set up for the purpose should reorganise the methods to be employed for the future. SANITARY INSPECTOR. It was decided that Mr A. J. Jamieson be appointed sanitary inspector to the county. SODIUM CHLORATE. An offer of 15 tons of sodium chlorate at .C 32 per ton, by the local branch manager of the N.Z. Loan and Mercantile Co. Ltd. was considered. Crs Simms, Grierson and tlie chairman were appointed to inspect the material and act as they thought fit. HONIKIWI SCHOOL. The Honikiwi School Committee re-

quested the Council to assist, them in their endeavours to have the road from Te Raumauku school corner to the Honikiwi school made safer for traffic by the removal of the many dangerous corners. The Council decided to act as desired, with a view to getting a public works grant for the completion of the work. INSURANCE. Regarding the insurances of the county employees against accident, it was decided that the present cover should be increased, and it was left to the clerk to act. accordingly.