MAEROA SETTLEMENT.

Waikato Times, Volume 98, Issue 15313, 14 August 1923, Page 6

MAEROA SETTLEMENT.

PERMANENT ROADING.

PROGRESS IN THE DISTRICT. Sr-

A SYMPATHETIC COUNCIL.The recently-formed ratepayers’ association which is to look to the interests in reading, development and other matters in the Maeroa and Forest Lake areas adjacent -to Hamilton, is getting to work very actively, and the indications are that much development will he reached there in the near future. The chairman {Mr Reekie) and the secretary (Mr Kenah) waited upon the Waipa County Council yesterday and brought the important question of permanent road development before the controlling body. Cr. Reilly, the member for -the riding, in introducing the deputation, said that the area was very much neglected in the way of roads. Mr Reekie said that an unfortunate feature of the subdividing which had gone on in the district was that a very large number -of the sections were not on the roll and no rates were being paid. It was asked that the Council take the necessary steps to bring -the roll up-to-date. In the event of the ratepayers deciding on forming a special rating area and rating themselves to bring the roading conditions to an efficient state, the Council was to provide the necessary plans and specifications and the general requirements essential to the laying out of -the work, such cost to be met out - of the loan. It was also asked -that the rates from the special area be devoted to the maintenance of these roads for a certain term in the future after the road had been established. The Blocked Bridge. The situation in regard to the Maeroa bridge was also brought to the notice of the Council, which was asked to expedite matters in the direction of having the structure made available to traffic. It was pointed out that over 100 -residents were very materially affected by -having this bridge closed, and the instance was given that the costs of essentials had been Increased owing to the inaccessibility of -the locality at present to tradesmen. The county engineer pointed out that the contract for reconditioning -the bridge was let and a certain amount of time had to be allowed for getting the necessary timber, including hardwood, to the spot. Representations could, of course, be made to the Hamilton Borough for expedition in the matter. Mr Reekie also asked if it would be possible to have the sanitary service extended to the area, to which, he understood, the contractor was agreeable. The -chairman said that the Council had -the power to strike a rate for this service and the -desire would be given effect -to. Rates and Maintenance. Dealing with the allocation of portion of -the rate collected for the maintenance of roads in the area, the chairman said that no hard and fast rule could be laid down in -this connection, but they could rest assured that jus- . tice would be done. The matter concerned the riding member and the ratepayers, and the former would be sup- 1 ported by the Council in whatever was reasonable in this as in all other matters.

Mr Reekie was suggesting the declaring of a stock route through Forest Lake and Stokes’ Gully to the yards, but was informed that the county did not declare the routes. Several councillors agreed -that the ratepayers should be assisted to a reasonable extent in the future upkeep of their roads, keeping them up to the standard in which they would be originally established. Cr. Reilly said that while he was the representative he would see that these roads were not neglected. The chairman said they could rest assured the roads would be kept In repair. Mr Reekie said that -those he represented felt they should not be a burden on the whole area, and were prepared to pay for what they were seeking over a special rating area, provided they had the assurance that the roads would be looked after when they were down.

Measure of Preparation. The engineer pointed out that the roading could not be done this summer, and Mr Reekie quite recognised there was a lot of preliminary work yet to be done before the loan was taken.

The engineer said he was preparing plans for the area immediate to the Hamilton Borough so that the subdivisional titles could be checked. In discussing the number of sections not shown on the roll, the fault was laid at the door of the Valuation Department. The deputation was asked to forward its petition in writing, setting out the area it required to take in and the definite nature of the work to bo undertaken. Mr Kenah said that the roads in the area were something of the Rangiriri Hills sample, and it was the desire, to achieve something permanent, which it was recognised could not be done from ordinary rates. Bituminous road formation was being aimed at.

Roading Experience. Cr. Alexander said he had not understood the area was going in for bituminous roads. While in Wellington recently he had gathered something of the effective work the Eltham County was doing in this respect. There they had 170 miles of this class of road, and the lid rate there this year, it was hoped by the authorities, would be reduced to Id for the succeeding term. The metal charges and rateable value were similar to Waipa, and if Eltham could run the bituminous road and save such a lot on maintenance costs Waipa should be able to do the same. The area round Hamilton should be the first to gam the lead in this respect, he maintained. Mr Kenah replied 'that a permanent scheme was being aimed at, if at all The chairman thanked the deputation for the manner in which it had laid the various requests before the Council and assured them that the Council would afford every possible assistance to the ratepayers of Maeroa and florest Lake.