MATAMATA COUNTY COUNCIL

Waikato Times, Volume 89, Issue 13888, 14 October 1918, Page 7

MATAMATA COUNTY COUNCIL

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the above County Council was hold at Thau on Friday; preseut—Crs. J. AV. Anderson (chairman), F. C. Barnett, W. C. Rollett, J. Pohlen, C. A. Stopford mid A. Potts. Apologies wore received from Crs. Banks and Kirkby. RAILWAY MATTERS. The District Engineer, Now Zealand Railways, gave permission to the Council to remove the trees growing on the railway line at Putaruru. Hon. \V. H. Hollies, .Minister of Railways, notified that the crossings at Taumangi and Putaruru would receive attention in accordance with the Council's representations.—Received. The matter of accepting responsibility lor the proposed Okoroire crossing at .Mr Meikle's property was again considered, and it was decided to refer it back to the applicant, stating that the Council could not see its way to accept the conditions imposed by the Railway Department—to pay the cost of subway or overhead bridge if these were ever deemed necessary by the Department. The Council would accept dedication of the roads if the condition were deleted. RATES OF PAY.

The county clerk, Thames, wrote as follows:—I have been directed by the Council to communicate with all local Ixxlies with reference to the recent Public circular. It is needless to point oTit the delay that now frequently takes place when plans and specifications are forwarded to the Public Works Department for approval. If, in addition to this, the Council has to submit the tender prico for approval, it will certainly mean further delay and a possibility of the contractor withdrawing his tender. AYith reference to the maximum of lis, including the war bonus, being paid to general labourers, this is a mattei which affects individual councils. In this district, except adjacent to the town, the ruling rates are 12s to 14s, including bonus, and it is often difficult to get suitable labour even at these prices. All contracts are submitted to public tender, and the Council must, if the work is to be proceeded with, pay the ruling rates now existing as the result of abnormal conditions. If, therefore, your Council is affected by the terms or conditions laid down in the circular, it is hoped that you will protest against and ask for *Us withdrawal.—Received. MOTOR LOPPY TRAFFIC.

The Now Zealand Dairy Association wrote asking if an application for permission to continue the use of the heavy motor lorries until the lighter ones came to hand, had been before the last meeting.—The clerk had replied that the Council would not permit of the use of the large lorries, and his action was endorsed.

ROADS AND DEVIATIONS. The District Road Engineer wrote re the deviation, that the Minister did not consider the matter of sufficient urgency to warrant the expenditure until after the war is over.—Cr. Rollett did not think the Minister quite realised the position, and the Council should bring all pressure possible to l>ear upon the Minister to either secure the deviation or put the old road in order. The one would cost almost as much as the other, but the deviation would be the better work. At present the road, which was the main highway between | Waikato and Napier, was in a disgrace-! ful state.—lt was decided to send a strong letter to the Minister on the subject, pointing out the urgent need for the work. Messrs Hill, Atkinsoii and Co., Puioruru, asked the Council to authorise a deviation in the road through sections 20 and 24. They were prepared to form the road where, necessary to get round the top of the swamp at the engineer's estimate.—lt was decided to ask the applicants to send a plan of the road in question, as the councillors were of the opinion that the locality in question is outside the county boundary. The Under-Secretary of Lands and Survey Department notified that the Commissioner of Crown Lands is arranging for another inspection of the Tirau-Kotorua road, and when the report is presented he would again eommunicate with the Council.—Received. The Itotorua Chamber of Commerce intimated that it had decided to support the Council's efforts to effect improvements to the Tirau.Rotorua road. —Received.

The South Taranaki Ruilding and Investment Company requested the Council to proceed with the formation of the road at Te Whitu as speedily as possible, a s the company was handicapped in their Ngatira undertaking. They were prepared, by the loan of employees and otherwise, to push the matter along.—Tt was decided "that the Engineer's services he available in laying out the road.

GENERAL. Mr James C. Smith, Waharoa, drew attention to the state of the road >n front of part of his section, and asked the Council to assist him in having the drain cleaned out.—Hiding member and Engineer to inspecj, with power to act. Cr. Stopford and the Engineer were authorised to confer with an Omahine settler re an account for royalty for gravel. One tender was received for carting in the Maungatautari Riding. It was considered too high, but was referred to the Engineer and Cr. Kirkby. The chairman moved, and Ct. Harnett seconded, that preliminary steps he taken to raise a £SOOO loan for metalling in the Patetere Riding. The Council, in view of the increased cost of living, decided to give the Clerk and Engineer a war bonus of 15 per cent, on their present salaries, and also to take over the Engineer's car at a valuation and run it by the county. —Messrs Lewis (Clerk) "and Shannon (Engineer) expressed their thanks. The Piako County Council asked the Council to send representatives to a meeting to be held at Te Aroha on Wednesday, Kith inst., in connection with the hydro-electric scheme—Received.

The Land Hoard intimated the for. feiture ol the following .sections:—Section (J, Clifford Settlement, 312 a 3r 34p, held by Mr John r ?oss; and section b', Topapn Settlement, 98a, hold by Mr William Lindsay. The State Advances Department intimated that £IOOO had been remitted to the Countv Council an account of the Omahine-Te Poi loan of £2500. Received.

Cr. Harnett suggested that a surfaceman in his district, who lias been railed up t'iir military duty, should be appealed for. The Council would shortly lie taking in hand gome big works in the district, and the man would lie invaluable during the coming summer. They could ask for an extension until the conclusion of the contemplated work, say. April or May.—After the matter had Iwn ventilated, it was agreed tb.ut it was too late to lodge an appeal, and no action will be taken. Accounts to £'llo7 -Is 3d were passed as billow:—General fund. £345 -Is 5d loans and grants, £.'331 8s; interest, £330 lis lOd. ENGINEER'S REPORT. Mr Shannon, the county engineer, reported as follows: In the Matamata riding, in company with Crs. P-ohlen and Banks, 1 mei the settlers at Mangawera. Alter hearing a statement of the revenue and expenditure in this locality for the past three vears, it was agreed that the joining up of {be metal should stand over, and that the ilrst work to ne done should be to grade, re-form and

widen the cutting near the Waihou bridge, and gravel the worst places; also to grade and form the road to Quinlan's. In regard to the application of Mr Moore for a road to give access to his section at Okauia, Mr Moore arrived from Auckland, and, Willi the councillors, we visited the locality. We found that the extension of the new road to give access to Mr Moore's property would be too expensive a proposition, and it was decided to widen and improve the old side track to enable a cart to get through, the cost to be about £125, the Council to provide £25 and Mr Moore £IOO. If any further expenditure were found necessary each party to provide for such on the same basis. The countyteams have been engaged in Idling in the sand pits in Matamata, which are. now completed. The grader is now at work on the Turanga-o-Moana road and will proceed to Quinlan's road at the end of this week. The metal for repairing the road to Waharoa is coming to hand, hut not so fast as 1 would like.

In the Patetere riding Pimpson has made another start with his metalling contract at Te Poi. I have appointed Poria Marsli as surfaceman in this riding and lie started work at Hinuera last week.

In the Taotaoroa riding a grader team is urgently needed on the Cambridge road. In the Maungatautari riding, Mahood has started the plough, grader and scoop work necessary to widen the road, take off points and prepare the road for metal. I prepared specifications and have called for tenders for the metalling of four and a-half miles.

In the Putaruru riding, in regard to the metalling near and in the township, I have arranged for the quarrying of stone in Mr Hudson's place, and hope to start Ihe formation next week. Bissett lias made a start with grader and surface work at Tokoroa, bul has been delayed for want of labour and horse feed. Strong, on the Ngatiri-Okohiaki road has about completed the tirst two miles. 1 have men working further on at the rock, and is opening up the cuttings and preparing for the plough and scoop work. In the meantime I propose to start Strong on the cuttings and fillings at Putaruru. A grader team is urgently needed to lix tip thn road from Pilketurua to the Waikato bridge. As the season advances the scarcity df labour is becoming more apparent, 1 advertised for a grader, team and men, and have arranged for a man to start at once. He is to provide horses and plant. This will only partly :e----liove the situation. The report was adopted.