PLAINS COUNTY.

Thames Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 17660, 10 August 1929, Page 5

PLAINS COUNTY.

MONTHLY MEETING.

INSPECTOR RESIGNS,

REDUCTION IN FERRY FEES.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the above Council was held on Thursday, August 8, when there were present: The chairman (Cr .Harris), Crs Motion, Madgwick,. Reid, Fisher, Mayn and McDuff. The County Clerk, Mr E. A. Mahoney, the County engineer, Mr F. Basham, and the County inspector, Mr W. White, als’o attended.

Apologies were received for the non-attedance of Crs Parfitt and Hale.

County inspectorship.

Mr William White, County inspector, tendered his resignation from the Council, with one month’s notice from August 1. The clerk, following instructions from the last meeting, submitted a lengthy report on inspectorship and the duties thereof.

Cr Madgwick said he wished to make his position plain in this mattei\ He had opposed the appointment of an inspector as being unnecessary, and in asking that a report should be furnished he was seeking information only and was not in any way prejudiced against the present inspector.

The chairman said that in view of the figures contained in the clerk’s report, which were extracts from balance sheets, the non-existence of an inspector would result in a serious loss of revenue to the Council. Cr McDuff questioned whether the whole of the revenue from licenses could not be collected from the office with the exception of the dog tax, which he considered was unnecessary and should not be collected. Crs Reid and Fisher considered that an inspector was essential to the County.

After further discussion it was resolved that Mr White be asked to defer termination of his appointment for one month, and the matter will be further discussed at the next ordinary meeting of the Council.

Heavy Traffic Loads. Cr Madgwick pointed out that motor lorries were frequently carrying loads far in excess of those allowed on the Hauraki Plains County roads. It was resolved that the inspector should inspect loadometers in use in some other Counties, and if they are giving satisfaction to purchase a pair for the purpose of checking weights of motor vehicles.

Abattoirs.

A deed of delegation of the Council’s powers under the .Slaughtering and Inspection Act, 1908, was submitted by the Council’s solicitor by which the Council delegates its powers for a term of 21 years to the Hauraki plains Meat Company, Ltd. This was approved by the Council, and the chairman, Cr Madgwick and the Clerk, were authorised to sign and seal the document.

Charges for. slaughtering were also approved and this, with the deed of delegation, will be submitted £y the Company to the Department of Agriculture for its approval.

Pipiroa Ferry. The committee appointed to consider revision of ferry charges submitted a new scale of charges on the Pipiroa for the Council’s consideration.

After a full discussion it was decided that the charges be approved, but that ordinary fares be charged between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. on all days except Fridays and Saturdays.

Penalty on Rates.

It was resolved that penalty on current year’s rates will accrue after the last day of February, 1930. Power Board.

Mr Madgwick stressed the desirability of greater representation on the Thames Valley Power Board. He moved that in view of the suggestion that the Hauraki Plains County was entitled to more representation, the Board be requested to supply the Council with a statement showing the approximate total amounts received from electricity sales during the last financial year from customers in each constituent district. This was carried..