WAIPA COUNTY

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 73, Issue 6284, 18 September 1946, Page 7

WAIPA COUNTY

MONTHLY MEETING OF COUNCIL GENERAL BUSINESS TRANSACTED At the monthly meeting of the Waipa County Council on Monday, j the chairman, Mr S. C. Macky prei sidied and there were also present i Crs J. W. Garland, E. F. Peacocke, , W. S. Germann, R. J. Church, M. V. Cunningham, N. Reid, C. S. Alexander, E. S. Harding, G, S. Hall, F. L. Onion and S- G. Russell. The clerk, Mr T. Grant, engineer Mr W. Graham Macky and inspector Mr G. M. W all were also present. A considerable volume of correspondence was received and ’dealt with after the engineering and other reports had engaged attention. Subdivisional plans were submitted for the Council’s consent. These affected properties mainly around Hamilton and on the main south highway and were deferred until the Highways- Board, the Lands Department and the Hamilton Council can be consulted.

Cr. Peacocke pressed for urgency in one case affecting the Rehabilitation of one ex-serviceman* who could not be subjected' to the delays of prolonged interdepartmental discussions.

The chairman of the Pirongia Beautifying Society wrote w advising that the works arranged' "are well advanced and it seems that a surplus amount will be available. It was asked if any surplus could be expended cn the cemetery.—This was agreed to. An agreement between the Council and F. Quin for the taking of land for the new alignment of the Te Awamutu4Pirongia road was placed before the meeting. It was decided that the agreement be duly signed. Ci. Germann, reporting on the Pirongia reserves and endowments, said an agreement had been drawn by the solicitors. Traversing the past, lie said these lands were originally under the jurisdiction of the Pirongia Town Board, but in the subsequent years they passed under new legislative provisions. The Council now had jurisdiction, and it was sugges ted that any general expenditures at Pirongia could be off-set against the revenues from these reserves- Such charges as street lighting and occasional works could be paid out of the lental revenues. The position had been created by the legislation which varied the jurisdiction over the lands. To a question it was said that, the revenue approximated £7O per annum.

To Cr. Garland it was said that expenditure items would be from time, to time approved by the Council. The chairman remarked on the general aspects but he agreed that special expenditures could be financed out of general fund against the rental revenues. »

It was decided to await expenditure proposals for specific decision by the Council. Requests for remission of penalty on rates were made by two ratepayers. As in both instances hardship was proved, the Council waived the penalties. Cr- Onion asked whether any decision had been announced or indicated by the Government respecting the Waikato Air Port at Rukuhia. It had been said that the area is too-foggy, but when it came to a sanitorium site the fogs seemed to disappear from the official view.

However, the riding member was not ready to admit the advantages of a Government run air, port. Although commercial, the Government would exempt itself from rating and the riding funds would suffer. He argued that an air site of 460 acres surrounded by reads would leave the riding short of revenue with a big roading liability. This led to a discussion on the responsibility of the Government to meet rating charges on commercially used lands. Finally it was decided to inquire into the position and at this moment to see if any portions of the area are being commercially grazed. Cr. Onion urged that the Transport Department be asked to declare the main south highway at Horotiu a poplous area. There are intersecting roads, and also a school and a hall. Many accidents Jiad occurred and it established the need for suitable traffic Warning signs. It was decided to make representations accordingly. Cr. Peacocke raised a similar question regarding the mam south road near the Melville school and it was decided to also ask for suitable action by the Highways Board. Accounts totalling £11,322 were passed for payment. The largest single item was of £3500, being the amount of the Waikato Hospital levy.