HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXII, Issue 4317, 14 September 1921, Page 1

HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

WORK OF THE COUNCIL. The ordinary monthly meeting m the Hauraki Plains County Council was h.eld in the Ngatea Hall on Monday. There were present; Crs J. C. Miller (chairman), W. Whitechurch, T. McLoughlin, F. Mayn, G. Death,. C. W. Harris, & W. Parfitt, and W. G. Hayward. Thd clerk, Mr E. Walton, and the engineer, Mr R. J. Dillon, also attended, f CORRESPONDENCE. Mr J. Gl, Blackburn wrote drawing the Council’s attention '.o the bad roads and saying that, he would pay his rates if the council sent him a cheque for work done. It was decided,' on the motion of Cr. Whitechurch that Mr Blackburn be required to pay his rates and that the engineer be asked to see what work Mr Blackburn had done.

Mr W. H. Quinn wrote protesting against being booked with rates while he had been serving at the front. He also drew the Council’s attention £o .the bad roads. —Decided that exemption be given. A telegram from Mr Porritt requested the number of miles of roajl in the county and how many Japeretc be formed. A reply ha^x^ en S€ f n t that there were road and 100 miles The letter was received from £keland drainage branch of the Department of Lands and Survey. Auckland, refetring to a claim by the Hauraki Plains County Council of £284 2s 3d.:

“Mr Logan states that in May, 1920, the works foreman for'the council, J. Pennell, approached Mr Muir, Department foreman at Awaiti, for about 300 yards of metal for the county, in order to patch, the main road. He was informed it could nor. be done' without proper application and authority. Cr. Death then approached Mr Muir and stated that as the engineer had not arrived, he wished to procure 300 yards for the county, and he would be responsible for same. As this metal was urgent]?/ wanted on accdunt of the bad state of the road .and the near approach of winter, Mr Logan consented to allow the council to have same. Mr Logan further states that he had waited for the county engineer to arrive arid the council to hold meetings and apply for the metal and that no benefit would have been derived to the roads. He states that the position has been explained to you, and it seems quite a reasonable one and arose put of the Department’s willingness to assist a local body in a difficulty and at short notice.

With regard to repairs to the road frorh Netherton store to the school, the Department put down about 120 yards of metal in patching, arid none of this was charged to the Council. The real trouble in this particular piece of road was the heavy carting to the cheese factory and the faulty cross-section of the road. The road was always bad, even before it did any carrying at all. Mr Logan states that .there must be somp mistake regarding the interview with the Ohinemuri County engineer, as, this referred to the metalling of the road between the school and the Hauraki Plains boundary, Mr Logan interviewed .the county engineer (Mr Shaw) in regard to this, and was informed that the council had £3OO raised by-'the settlers on loan and the Public Works Department had granted a subsidy of £3OO for same. As the Department was inetalling beyond this, it was desired to have this work carried out in order to have riietal to cart over, but Mr Shaw informed Mr Logan that the council could not procure the metal or labour. Mr Logan then suggested that do_ .thjggsttrl^f.th a

£3OO Was handed over by the county and the Public Works Department subsidy also. Mr Shaw agreed to this and informed bis council accordingly, while Mr Ball, of the Public Works Department, also agreed to give the Department the £3OO subsidy on the completion of the work. Your council took over from the Ohinemuri Council in May, and Mr Shaw inform'ed Mr Logan that.the council would take over the loan money and pay same to the Department when the work was completed..

The metal purchased by the Department was used in patching the main road from Heappy’s farm to the Puke bridge. I should be glad, therefore, if the council would reconsider the question and in due course let me have ji settlement of the account.” Decided that Cr. Death and the clerk deal with the matter. '

A circular from the Ekatahuna County Council drew attention to the fact that it was almost impossible to collect rates from assisted soldier settlers. That council was at present £750 bad on this account. It would be a big burden for the other ratepayers to pay Eliatahuna (Jpttfthilinvi'ted suggesview to approaching the -Government.

Mr Walton stated that the Council could at any .time sue a returned soldier and get a judgment, but that it could not force that junction. Cr. Mayn thought that this was a very serious matter and that the onus lay wi,th the Government as they had placed the soldiers on the high price land.

The chairman moved that the Council ask the local member to give the matter his support, and that the clerk write stating that fhe Council was in accordance with the Ekatahuna County Council. .

A letter from Constable’ J. M. Mc- ( Linchy stated that certain boys who had broken windows had admitted the offence and he was awaiting advice as to whether he was to -take further action.

Decided that rio action be taken but that the parents be asked for the payments of damage. Failing payment action would be taken. The Farmers’ Union Trading Company wrote giving a three months’ option over the old s'tore site at Netfierton. —Received.. - The Hon. <J. G. Coates, Minister of Public Works, wrote that he had noted the Council’s representations regarding .the Puke bridge at Paeroa. He stated* that he-would give the matter early consideration and would communicate with the Council as soon as he was able.—Received.

Regarding al complaint'• by the Council that the men, in charge of the ferries on the Waihpu River had not been receiving sufficient notice of steamers approaching the ferries, so as to enable them to lower the wire, the Northern Steamship Co. wrote regretting that any trouble had been caused arid that .they would put the matter before the masters of their vessels.—Received. A letter from Mr F. C. Powell, consulting engineer, Auckland, stated that he had met with gre.at difficulty in getting suitable gear for the Kirikiri bridge investigations and he was now negotiating with a firm at Dargaville who had done sijnilar work of testing the river bottom. In other respects lie had got on all right and had estimates on hand for different constructions.. A further, letter stated that he had. interviewed the Thames Harbour Board chairman and secretary and received their assistance, including the hire of a pile machine.—Received. Mr H. M. Skeet, of the Departineni of Lands and Survey, Auckland, wrote in reference l to various sections in the Kerepeehi township, asking the Council to complete, the matter within a few weeks. —lt was decided to ask Mr Skeet tojle.t the matter stand

over in view of the present financial position. The Piako County Council wrote saying that they would be pleased to accept a cheque for £258 15s as the contractor wanted the mpney for his® work with regard fo the portion of the loan' in their area.. As it was only a small piece they suggested that the contract should let them know the. names, area, and amount of rates that would be collected for the Hauraki Plains Council. left with the engineer, clerk, and Cr. Whitechurch to report at the Cqul<cil’s next meeting. Mr G. Sarjant .claimed a refund of rates paid on the farmers’ Union Trading Company’s section at Netherton by mistake.—lt was decided to ask the Farmers’ Union Trading Co. to refund this amount. Mr W. Ludwig wrote giving tne council the offer of purchasing an engine on the Komata North ferry if at any time, he left the ferry.—Received. Mr M.. G. M. Dudding wrote drawing the cpupcii’s attention to the fact that a couple of dead beasts were lying on the road between Mr McDuff’sand Messrs Phillips BrosLproperties. He suggeste<i„that~the council should -JmVe'The beasts buried .as they were a menace to the health of the community. The council contended that* the council was npt responsible.

The Thames Borough Council, in a letter, reported that a deputation of fruitgrowers bad waited -on the Thames Council with regard to the fire blight, and pointed put that the only'way'to control the disease was the eradication of hawthorn. The letter suggested that the Thames Borough and Hauraki Plains County Cauncils should confer with a view pf taking united action. >

Cr. Death said there was a great deal of hawthorn on the Plains, and' moved that the chairman attend the conference. —The motion was seconded. and carried.

It was decided to leave a case of an application fpr 4 a refund of rates by Mr Bagnall with the cierk. A letter from C. F. Hart stated his intention pf sending a protest to the Minister asking for .a new assessment. SUNDRY BUSINESS.. It was decided on the motions of Crs. Whitechurch and Mayn that the engineer be instructed to prepare and get some approved plans for petalling the main Morrinsville Road from Piakp "boundary to the end of formtion from Edwards’s deviation, and-to commence quarrying metal for some.

Cr. Death proposed, and Cr. Whitechurch seconded,, that the plans for metalling Wilson’s road be approved, and work proceed at once. The motion was carried.

On the motion of Cr. Death, lit w.as decided to get the tractor put in order and on the motion pf Cr ? Whitechurch it was decided that riding should get the use of another tractor.

Cr. McLoughlin proposed that the clerk write to the Minister of Lands and have the cost of* metalling the Ngarua-Ngatea road put on the estimates. Cr. Mayn seconded and the motion was carried.

Cr. Mayn suggested that a conference be held with the Lands Depaitment to find put what their policy was with the Plains. had been previous requests but nothing done. The metalling of roads were done in a .slow manner, arid the settlers wished to know their intentions. Some settlers would dp their pwn metalling if a subsidy -could be obtained. Cr. Death seconded the suggestion, which was put in the form of a motion and carried.