RUATOKI ROADS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 54, 6 March 1945, Page 5

RUATOKI ROADS

QUESTION OF COUNTY CONTROL

NATIVE DEPT. ENQUIRY

Enquiries from: the Native Department, regarding' the possible benefits which would accrue the settlement at Ruatoki, should that area decide to come under the County as a contributing ridingj were received by thq Whakatane County Council last week. The letter was received from the' Field Supervisor who had been empowered to discuss the whole question and to report back.

The letter asked that the Whakatane County Council be requested to give some indication in Avriting as to what Avork Avould be carried out in the Ruatoki Settlement in the. event of a payment being made to them in the nature of. rates or on account of same. The matter must eventually be discussed with the Ruatoki Natives and it AA'ill be necessary to indicate or demonstrate to the Avhat benefits would accrue to them for the liability they Avould be required to assume. The infirmation is required here in order that definite proposals may be formulated. Discussing the letter the chairman (Mr J. L. Burnett) said that the existing road Avas definitely not up to County and if the Maoris required it to be improved they would have to be prepared to meet the rating equivalent. He. had discussed the matter with the Under Secretary in Wellington and the Department Avas not prepared to make any new an-angement until it Avas known just how much the naAvanted done. Cr McCready said the elders Avere of the opinion that under the existing arrangements they Avere not getting value for their money. He. re-« commended a conference Avith the Maoris on the scheme Avith a vieAV to learning just Avhat the position was,. The meeting resolved that to enable the Council to give considera-. tion to the important matters rais-: ed in the Native Department's letter? that the Department be asked to submit a plan of Ruatoki showing dedicated roads the Council Avould be asked to take over and maintain } with a schedule shoAA'ing name and length of each road and (1) whether formed, and if formed extent of formation i.e. Avhether formed to permanent levels and Avidth ? and culverted; (2) Avhether formed and metalled and extent of formation and metalling i.e. depth and width of original metalling and present condition and Avhether further culverting or earth-, Avork necessary; (3) number dimensions; location and present condition of bridges, and materials of which constructed and (4) size, location and present condition of culverts and materials of Avhich constructed—that the Native Department indicate what annual sum it estimates Avould be available for expenditure on the maintenance and construction of such Ruatoki roads.