MATAMATA COUNTY.

Waikato Times, Volume 97, Issue 15272, 23 June 1923, Page 7

MATAMATA COUNTY.

MEETING OF COUNCIL. The Matamata County Council met yesterday, there being present the chairman (Mr J. W. .Anderson), Crs. H. Rollett, S. 11. Judd, W. H. Allen, J. Pohlen, E. J. Darby, G. A. Stopford, J. P. Keeley, K. S. Cox, and Messrs H. Lewis (clerk) and F. Shannon (engineer) . Kaimai Road. In reply to the Council’s request that the Government continue the grant of £4O for maintenance of the above road, the Minister of Public Works was advised that this matter has been considered and he regretted he was unable to see his way to approve of the grant being continued. Parliament, he concluded, recently indicated that the Public Works Department was undertaking too much in the way of road maintenance, and it has become necessary, therefore, for the department to considerably restrict its operations in this direction. —Received. Alterations of Assessments. Acknowledging the Council’s letter re probable alterations of assessments, the officer in charge Valuation Department regretted that there is no authority in the Statute that will enable the Gouncil to take action to oonsider the values as being too low. —Received. P. and T. Line. In 'connection with the rebuilding of the Post and Telegraph Department’s line between Cambridge and Karapiro, the district telegraph engineer advised that there are a number of trees growing on the road fronting the Council's property at the top of Rifle Range gully which require to he felled. There is also a large bluegum on the road fronting either Morgan’s or Keeiey’s property which required to be similarly treated. As the work of reconstructing the line is proceeding the writer asked that attention be given to this as early as possible.—Cr. Keeley reported that he had had this mailer attended to, and his action was approved by the CounciL Llchfield-Atiamuri Deviation. In response to the Council’s application for the vote for the above to be made available, the Minister of Public Works advised that he would be pleased to have enquiries made into the matter and at the same time give the Council's representations every consideration. —Received. Bridge over Waikato. In connection with the choice of sites for the construction of a bridge over the Waikato River to give access between Te Awamutu and Putaruru, the Minister of Public Works informed the Council that he had noted that the Council supports the erection of a high-level structure. —Received. Soldiers’ Settlement Rates. The Piako County Council advised that it was of opinion that the soldierg could now be placed on an equal footing with the rest of the ratepayers as regards paying rates and that they should be sued like any ordinary ratepayer (except in cases of dire poverty). The Council further considered all rales should be written off up to a certain date, but did not decide whether to make the date 31st March, 1922, or 1923. The Council also considered that soldiers arc now either able to pay their way like any ordinary settler or must be considered unfit to be on land and should take up some other 'calling. Councillors considered that the writing off of outstanding rates would cause ...a hardship,-on those who had already paid their liabilities in the past. Every case should he considered on its merits. Cr. Stopford reminded the Gouncil that soldiers had assigned 33 1-3 per cent, over to the Government, and after purchasing the necessities of life had nothing left with which to pay their liabilities. Cr. Judd said the basis of all the trouble was valuation. The clerk was instructed to write the Piako County Council advising that the Council could not see its way to support the recommendation, the Council considering every man should be treated on his merits, Maraetai Roads. The chairman Tokoroa Progress League respectfully asked the Council that when the Maraetai roads are being formed that they shall be formed at least 20ft wide. The engineer said some were 16ft, and he considered this width sufficient for the amount of traffic carried. To construct these to 20ft the cost would be an additional £3oo.—Left to Cr. Cox to report at a later meeting. Thames Harbour Improvement. '

Mr W. C. Cargill, Morrinsville, drew the Council’s attention to the petition in circulation in the Thames Borough asking the Harbour Board to take such steps as are necessary to permit of the Thames Borough guaranteeing a loan of £60,000 for the above purpose, which the ratepayers of the harbour district recently rejected. “It seems to me in connection with this, whilst the opposition would have no objection to the Thames Borough accepting the liability for what is obviously a local work, yet at the same time there should be a definite policy,” said the writer. He took it that to give effect to the wishes of the people of the .Thames, assuming that the board Is agreeable, that legislative power must be sought. Two courses appear open—one to repeal the existing Act and to put through another local bill giving effect to the petition; the second to amend the present Bill. The first aim of the opposition should be io obtain exclusion, and it is probable that the Thames people would sanction this to get their new measure through without any opposition. The writer suggested that a meeting of the opposition be called to wind up the campaign and to discuss the greater problem of what action it should take in regard to the new proposal. Cr. Judd moved that the chairman and clerk attend any conference with power to act. —This was seconded and carried. Noxious Weeds. In regard to the growth of noxious weeds on certain Education reserves, the Department of Lands and Survey advised that in regard to the reserve near Tokoroa it was impossible, if the noxious weeds thereon consist mainly of gorsc, for the Department with the limited funds which are available for the purpose to undertake any work in regard to the destruction thereof. As regards the reserve near Puketurua, the Commissioner. stated that the lessees thereof must be held responsible both in regard to the noxious weeds and rabbits, and suggested, therefore, that probably the best course for the Council to take would be to draw the attention of the stockinspector to the matter in order that he may take the necessary action. In respect to the former, Cr. Cox said if the gorse was cleared now it would only occupy a day’s labour. —- It was resolved to request the Department to remove the gorse or authorise the Council to do the work. In respect to the latter it was resolved to act upon the recommendation as contained therein. Waharoa Affairs, The lion, secretary Waharoa Progressive League drow the Gouncil’a

attention to the number of stray-' horses and cattle on the roads in and around Waharoa. He also advised that his league had decided to move in the matter of having something done to that portion of the Matamata-Waitoa road, commencing at the Wardvflle turn-off in the county, to the Walton turn-off in the Piako County. As this is a main road he asked the Council to assist in securing a Government grant to cover the whole cost of this work.—The question of stray cattle w'as left to the ranger. In respect to the other matter, the Council could not see its way to assist and extended its sympathy. Rabbit-proof Wire Netting. On the motion of the chairman, seconded by Cr. Darby, it was resolved to secure an agreement as used between counties and ratepayers in connection with the above. Rates. The. rates for the ensuing year are to be the same as last year, with the exception of the Te Poi and Maungatautari ridings, the former being raised by id, the latter by l-Bd. Putaruru-Tlrau Road. It was resolved tot delay the work on this road until spring. General. On the occasion of the departure of Mr J. Shannon (engineer), the chairman, on behalf of the council, wished the engineer good luck and every success in his future life. He said Mr Shannon had always been a faithful and a valuable servant of the council, and had done excellent work during his term of office. All councillors endorsed the remarks of the chairman. Mr Shannon suitably replied. Mr T. A. Frost, Karapiro, applied for permission to lay a fin pipe under the road from Mr Parson’s gate to his property. —Granted subject to usual conditions.

The secretary, Hinuera Co-op. Dairy Co., drew the council’s attention to the urgent necessity of filling in the roadway at Hinufcra in front of the manager’s house, ’nearing completion on the company’s property.—Left in hands of Cr Stopford. The manager, Taupo Totara Timber Company, Putaruru,.»reported that he saw a certain party drive along the footpath by the old blacksmith’s shop on the Overdale Road with a horse and trap, with the result’ that the water table was broken down. All the barricades put up by the council have been demolished, and the one erected by the writer has also been broken. Evidence, is easily obtainable and the writer said he would be pleased to give evndence should the council decide to prosecute.—Matter tp be placed in inspector’s hands. Renewal publican’s licenses were granted to J. Keane, of the Oxford Royal Hotel, Tirau, J. Chalmers, of the Hot Springs Hotel, Okoroire, and A. G. Leggatt, of the Putaruru Hotel. Applications for renewal slaughterhouse licenses were received from F. C. Whytcross, Te Poi, Madill and Holmes, Matamata, Prescott Bros., Matamata, P. Hawke, Hinuera, W. Yaudee, Putaruru, R. Casey, Waharoa, S. J. Bear, Tirau, and J. E. Roe, Hinuera. Council resolved that the application of J. E. Roe, Hinuera, be not recommended.

Cr Darby said the Waipa Bridge on the flora Ilora Road was in a dangerous state of repair.—Left to engineer.

The chairman was deputed to act as the county’s representative at the forthcoming Counties’ Conference in Wellington.

The - Matamata Branch of the Farmers’ Union referred to the practise of holding the regular local body elections on varying dates, and was* one for which the branch can find no justification. At present town board elections are held in September of each year, whereas the county council elections are held in April or May of every odd year; the dates of borjugh and city elections are also different. This, the branch considers, must entail a tremendous amount of unnecessary expense which could be reduced very materially if all elections weve held on the same day. The branch aisp was of the opinion that the system of voting was apt to cause informal votes, and suggested that all voting papers should be similar to each other. —No action was taken in regard to the first proposal. It was resolved to forward a remit favouring the “crossing out” system on all voting papers. Heavy Traffic By-laws.

Cr Judd reported that nothing definite had been arrived at at the conference ,in Hamilton. At a further conference on the 15th there were present too many bodies against a uniform charge. Further, some of the bodies present had no by-law framed relative to heavy traffic. The clerk was instructed to call a conference consisting of the Waipa County Council, Leamington Town Boaofd, and the Cambridge Borough Council and Road Board for the purpose of endeavouring to fix a uniform fee for traffic radiating from Cambridge.