OTOROHANGA NEWS

Waipa Post, Volume 44, Issue 3182, 26 May 1932, Page 5

OTOROHANGA NEWS

NOTES OF THE WEEK. MEETING OF COUNTY COUNCIL. (Our Resident Representative.) The first meeting of the new Council was held on Wednesday, when .the following Councilors were present: Crs F. Potts (chair-man), W. T. Bowyer, V. W. Simms, W. Thomson, W. Kay, W. Bluck and Crowley. Mr V. W. Sims, the new Waipa Riding member, took his seat for the first time, and was welcomed by the chairman, the new Councillor suitably replying. It was decided that no alteration be made in the Honikiwi Riding boundaries.

The chairman remarked that there are now so many labour schemes placed before them by the Unemployment Board that it was somewhat difficult to keep trace of them all. The latest one was from the Board's Auckland representative, Mr Slaughter, and this appeared to be an improvement. It was resolved that each Councillor apply fori two huts to house a maximum of eight men each, to serve the various ridings. It was considered that, eventually, numbers of these workers could be selected for settlement in the various ridings, under the small farm scheme. The settlers in the Mangaorongo ■Valley will be asked to again meet regarding the clearing of the willow growth from the Mangaorongo stream. Mr D. E. Egan, Otorohanga, was appointed county ranger. Each Councillor was appointed to act as chairman of district committees with the power to appoint two others to act with him and with the Agricultural Department, for the purpose of settling men on small holdings. In his annual report the chairman mentioned that his county had passed the tenth year since its inception—on the 22nd May, 1922. During practically the whole oil that period abnormal conditions have prevailed, yet, nevertheless, the county's financial position ta-day is stronger than at any previous period. Owing to the subsidy of 12?.- per cent on all rates paid by the 31st March, 1932, the proportion of rates collected was only £292 19s 6d below the peak year 1930, when £11,832 2s was collected. This, to a large extent, has been the cause of all the ridings having credit balances on the 31st March, 1932, which is the first time since the inception of the county. It is again gratifying to know that the Council's policy of doing without an overdraft in the past will enable the Council, in spite of extra mileage of metalled roads requiring maintenance, to carry out practically the same amount of work with the rates struck. Only three special rating area loans were raised during the financial year, totalling £B3O, the whole amount being raised privately, free of commission. New metalled roads within the county total thirteen miles.

Seven tenders were received for the hire of a truck, that of Mr A. B. Carter, of Otorohanga, at 4/6 per day, being accepted. The proposal to contribute £2OO towards the cost of metalling Mangati Road, and to maintain the same for three years, has been agreed to by the settlers concerned. NEWS ITEMS. The pleasing operetta, "Sunbonnet Sue," was again produced by the school children on Tuesday night before an enthusiastic audience. Whilst a large mob of grown cattle were en route from Mokau to tbe Waikato, the hungry beasts ate tutu when they were camped on a property on the main highway, between Otorohanga and Hangatiki. Thirty-seven died, whilst others were badly poisoned, and may not recover. A. young native, Porangi Brown, of Honikiwi. was charged at tbe S.M. Court to-day with the theft of a ring and overcoat at Honikiwi. Accused pleaded not guilty. He had signed a statement to the police, saying that he found the rug and coat on a vacant section at Otorohanga. He had worn the coat and left the rag with his sister.—Convicted, and ordered to" come up for sentence within 12 months, and ordered to pay 20s for damage done to the coat.

Civil judgments wove entered as follows:—Otorohanga County Council v. Marian Lloyd, claim £23 18s Sd, costs £4 Is 6d: Otorohanga Motors Ltd., v. R. D. Hamilton, claim £4l 19s 4d. costs £1 10s; W. J. R. Smith v. Ernest Taylor and Annie Taylor, claim £52 12s Sd, costs £4 19s Od; A. Morley v. Ernest Taylor, claim £l7 19s 9d, cotts £2 19s; Otorohanga Motors v. Hall Bros., claim £3 9s Sd and costs £1 s 5 6d. Police v. Frederick John Fiecken. failure to notify change of address when in possession of a registered .303 r jfl e .—Convicted and discharged. Andrew Elof Anderson, charged with making a false claim for refund cf duty under the Motor Spirits Taxation Act. After hearing a mass of evidence the magistrate dismissed the case. Stanley M. Kidd, for operating a motor lorry on the Kakara Road. Arohena, without obtaining a heavy traffic license, was fined 20s and costs. and for having no reflector on his motor lorry he was fined 20s and costs 10s.