MATAMATA COUNTY

Waikato Independent, Volume XXIX, Issue 3160, 12 November 1929, Page 2

MATAMATA COUNTY

COUNCIL'S MONTHLY MEETING. ADDITIONAL BUSINESS. The following business dealt with at the monthly meeting of the Matamata County Council on 'Friday last, was excluded from Saturday's issue:— Universal By-Laws. The secretary, N.Z. Counties' Association, forwarded circular letter advising that it is proposed to publish a model set of by-laws, which, if adopted by each County Council in the Dominion, would make them universal, thus reducing ambiguity and assuring easy understanding to all ratepayers and the public generally. The by-laws would be drafted by the association's counsel, Mr T. F. Martin. The cost to each County Council would not exceed ten guineas. Cr Allen said he was doubtful about the universal application of by-laws, owing to the difference in local conditions. This particularly applied to roads and heavy traffic. After further discussion it was agreed that the council pay its contribution towards the cost, whether it subsequently joined up or not with the scheme to inaugurate universal by-laws. Works Committee. The following recommendations of the Works Committee were adopted:— That the tender of Messrs Bray and Co., of £10,4.82, for the construction, etc., of main highways, at Putaruru be accepted subject to the approval of the Main Highways Board and the Puta- j ruru Town Board. The engineer reported that the money would be provided as follows: —Main Highways Board, £5333; County Council, £3577,- Town Board, £1572. The Town Board had agreed to pay its share as soon as the preliminary negotiations had been completed. It was agreed that Mr Scholcs be paid £3O for metal taken from and across his property, and 3d per yard for metal to be so taken in future, in accordance with his offer to the county solicitor. Riding Statement. In a riding statement, not including plant and other charges for October, the postions of the ridings neighbouring Cambridge were shown as follows: Karapiro: Estimate, £700; expenditure to date, £204 15/3; balance, £495 4/9. Maugatautari: Estimate, £600; expenditure to, date, £l7l 16/7; balance, £428 3/5. General. In connection with the dangerous railway crossing at Tirau the Minister of Railways wrote stating that the council's representations would receive careful consideration. The crossing is a particularly bad one and for some considerable time the council has been urging that it be done away with by the provision of an overhead bridge. In a previous communication the department had intimated that it was not in the position to continue with a general policy of overhead bridges, and was considering new ideas in warning devices. The Under Secretary, Public Works Department, forwarded copy of proclamation of taking of land of Block XVI. in the Maungatautari .Survey District for a Toad and closing of portion of a road. The land concerned is the southern portion of Lawcock's and Henley's and about half a mile southwards. Public Works Grants. The following extracts are from the engineer's special report:— Grants for the current year were made known about a week ago and the amount available to the council is £4325, a good deal of which has already been lifted since last March. Supplementary votes have not yet been published. Those votes which more particularly affect riding accounts at the present moment arc as follows: — Maungatautari Eiding—Stokes' Road and Luck at Last arc not yet finalised, particularly as to local finance. Probable cost to the riding this year will be about £2OO, the remainder coming from special loan or other local contribution from the land served. If reasonable progress is made with the works, and if allowance be made for Waihou bridge, £144, as well as moneys already lifted, the total grants claimable this year will be about £5789, of which all or part of the excess over £4325 will not be refunded until next year. It is not likely that the departmentwill authorise the whole of these works to be put in hand at once. The following now proposals have been or arc about to be submitted, and require the special resolution of the council guaranteeing maintenance:— Buckland: Metal two miles from Robinson's to Libeau's, 10ft x 9in, with xMlport's shingle, £1836. Okoroire-Tapapa: Completion of metalling with Waihou shingle, 12ft x Sin, at inclusive cost of £2452. Lichfield-Putaruru: Metal from town boundary to Dukcson 's road, 10ft x Gin Khyolite and 3in Waihou shingle, at a cost of £1325.