WAIPA COUNTY COUNCIL

Waikato Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5341, 23 June 1913, Page 2

WAIPA COUNTY COUNCIL

APPLICATIONS FOR GOVERNMENT GRANTS.

The following is a copy of the report prepared by the county engineer, Mr W. H. Mandeno, and handed to Messrs R. F. Bollard and J. A. Young, M.P.’s, at the last meeting of the Waipa Couny Council: At the present time there are two existing votes under which money is still to be received from the Treasury, viz., Waipa river bridge (Pirongia), £1497, and. Walker’s Gully improvements £330. Regarding the latter vote, on complete surveys being made it was found that to do the work in a satisfactory manner would involve the expenditure of at least £2300. The manner of dealing with the work has been examined on the

ground by two engineers of the Public Works Department, and no more satisfactory method of dealing with . it can be suggested by them within the limits of the above estimate. ( This gully is a deep ravine on the main road between the town of Cambridge and Ohaupo where the principal stock sales of the district take place. These sales are not only used by local residents but also by the inhabitants of Matamata, Rotorua, East and West Taupo Counties, as well as all the Bay of Plenty and even the Hawke’s Bay districts. The ratepayers of Waipa County have recognised the necessity of the proposed work and have authorised a loan at a recent poll. The amount authorised, however, will not nearly cover the cost of the work, and the Council asks that the Government should increase their contribution to a sum equal to half the cost of the ■ work, viz., £llsO, instead of only £330 as at present. Whatawhata Swamp Road: The Waipa Council considers that there is a specially strong claim to be urged in favour of Government assistance in the case of this road, inasmuch as it is essentially a national road. It is the principal outlet for the residents in the Raglan County to reach the railway, and the traffic of Raglan ratepayers exceeds that of our own. while they of course contribute nothing towards its upkeep. The road was originally thrust upon the Waipa County by the Government of the day in an absolutely unmade condition and very much against the will of the council. It traverses deep swamps for a considerable part of its length and is a much more expensive road to maintain than the original one, which although longer, was on solid ground. With the aid of some Government assistance in the way of £ for £ subsidies the council has already metalled some portions of the road, and we ask for further assistance to the extent of £6OO to enable us to complete the work.

Hamilton-Tuhikaramea road: This road is the connecting link between the farming district of Tuhikaramea and the town of Hamilton, a distance of about twelve miles. For the greater part of its length it runs over clay hills which when wet are all but impassable for wheel traffic. There is no stone whatever in the district, consequently the metal has to be brought many miles by rail and then carted from Frankton, making the average cost of metal laid upon the road anything from 15s to 20s per cubic yard, according to distance from the railway station. The ratepayers immediately interested recently held a meeting, when it was agreed that a special rating district should be formed and a loan of £ISOO raised provided that the Government would subsidise the amount to the extent of £ for £.

Kihikihi-Waotu road (within the Waipa County): The portion of this road within the Waipa County is three miles in length and practically all the traffic from West Taupo converges on it. There is an immense area of Government and native land as well as large areas of land already settled by Europeans, including the special settlement of Tautari, all of which pays no road rates whatever to any local body, and yet this length of road which carries all their traffic has to be maintained solely by the ratepayers of Waipa. The £250 granted in the session of 1911 has been the only Government assistance ever given towards the road. Traffic on the road is so great that it cannot be maintained in decent order without metal, and metalling costs £6OO per mile, which is quite beyond the capacity of local revenue. The council asks for a sum of £6OO.

Puniu bridge road: This road gives access to the whole of the Crown and Native land situated to the south of the Puniu river, comprising the Pokuru, Kawa, Kakepuku and Kio Kio districts. There is also a considerable area in European occupation. The road has been superficially constructed by the council at its own cost, but it is in a condition that is deplorable during the wet season. In consideration of the circumstances that but for the chance that an old dedicated, but unopened, line of road running through what is known as the Mission property was in existence the onus of constructing the road is thrown upon the council; also, that the road is practically useless to county ratepayers, we ask for a substantial contribution from Government of £SOO.

Pirongia-Te Awamutu road: This road is in a similar position to the Whatawhata swamp road between Whatawhata and Hamilton, inasmuch as it is part of the main road by which the rseidents of Kawhia reach the railway at Te Awamutu. The distance between Pirongia and the railway station is seven miles, and out of this about two miles are already metalled. The traffic is large and rapidly increasing, and the road in its unmetalled condition is quite unfit to carry it. On the occasion of the Prime Minister’s visit to Te Awamutu the claims of this road were brought under his notice by a deputation of Pirongia ratepayers. Their proposal was that a special loan should be raised of, say, £ISOO, and that the Govenment should subsidise the amount with a similar sum. Mr Massey practically said that he would support the proposal, and the council hopes to see it eventuate

Pirongia Town District Roads: Application was made a short time ago by residents of the Pirongia town district asking that the necessary steps shonld be taken to raise a loan of £SOO for improving the streets of the township. There is a lot of Crown land and much undeveloped country lying to the south and west of Pirongia, and this is being settled and brought into profitable use. At the same time Pirongia will not derive any benefit from it as it lies in Raglan and Waitomo Counties, On application being made to the Department for conditional approval of the loan, it was declined on the ground that there was no money available, ! and, further, that the council had already exceeded the £SOOO limit. The council is anxious to see this restriction abolished entirely in the case of purely country districts, and is of opinion that when bona fide settlers are willing to tax themselves the money ought to be available, at the lowest possible rate of interest. It is intended to make a further etfort to raise the loan, and we would ask that a sum of £SOO be granted as a subsidy of £ for £ on the loan.

To Rapa-Te Kowhai road: This road, which is about three miles in length is the principal means of access to the Te Rapa railway station for the settlers in the Te Kowhai and Waipa Valley districts. 11 runs through what was but a very few years ago an impassable swamp. With the aid of several small grants from Government the council has expended upwards of £IOOO upon the road, and it is still in a very unfinished state. If the Government would give another grant of £2OO on a £2 for £1 basis as was done on a former occasion it would go fir towards making the road satisfactory. Freight on road metal: When first the council began getting their metal by rail there was much friction with the Railway Department over the matter of freight, their charges running up to as high as 28s per cubic yard. As a result of repeated remonstrancse we ultimately obtained the [Jondaded on fourth page.]