OHINEEMURI COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4438, 10 July 1922, Page 1 (Supplement)

OHINEEMURI COUNTY.

MONTHLY MEETING OF COUNCIL. - The, .monthly meeting of the Ohine-, ; muri (•County .’Council was (held on : Thursday,-therebeing present Crs. A. McGuire, S. Morgan, W. F. Johnstone, J. Johnson, H. M. Corbett. Mr A. McGuire was voted to the chair RAWHITIROA ; BLOCK ROAD. -The /phieij surveyor wrote as follows : “ Some time ago an agreement was made between your council and the owners of Ra-wbiitirpa Block with ' respect to taking a road along the Ohinemuri River in exchange for one running through, the block, which! w'as •gazetted Jin "December, 1884. Your ' Council undertook, by this agreement, to have the ro,ad. closed, the area to Jbe absorbed in the native sections. The-Native Land Court has already regarded this road 1 as being legally closed and absorbed in the subdivisions. However, upon investigations, it appears that your Council has never completed its part of the bargain, and I should be glad if you would kindly bring the matter before them-and urge upon them the necessity of immediate steps being taken to close the road. Application can then be made by "the necessaryauthority to the Native Land Court ro have Jhe closed portion vested in the Native owners. 1 Mr Evans read thfe 'following reply, sent to Mr. Skeet: "In reply to your memo of the 10th Inst. on the above subject I am. instructed to say that you have apparently been slightly misinformed in regard to the Council’s position in connection with, the proposal to close the road. The proposal .was, as stated in your letter, to close the road (through, the block, in exchange for a road to be taken along the left bank of the Ohinemuri River, and an agreement embodying this proposal was ( prepared, jand the Council employed the late Mr. Jas; Mackay, at that time a Native interpreter here, tp obtain the signatures of the native owners concerned. "After a considerable time the agreement' was handed back tp the .Council by Mr - Mackay with the information that all the signatures had been .obtained with the exception of two, and that these owners declined to sign. “No further steps were taken by the Council in the matter, either in the 'direction of acquiring the new road or Closing the old one. I may say that Mr. Chas. Bray, who was: at that time, the county engineer, strongly advised the Council not to proceed any further in the matter, as he was of bhfe opinion that sooner or later the road through Rawhitirpa Block would . certainly be required as a direct connection between .the road from the Thames and the lower Te A'rpha road, and it was ufeon this advice that the council decided to let the matter drop. "Since that time the area referred to has become part of the Paeroa Borough, and that council will, il presume, be the local body to take any further steps in connection with the closing of the road.’’ Mr.' H. M. Skeet, Chief Surveyor, replied:

"I* beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 26th June,'with reference tp the above road, and in reply beg to inform you thlat the agreement referred to therein was completed as far as the Natives were concerned ip June, 1903, However, as. th|2 matter is now put of the Council’s- jurisdictionl am communicating with, the Paeroa Borough Council on the matter." Cr. Jphpstone thought that it would be bad policy, to close the road, more especially as the Public Works Department had intimated that it was possible that it would be required. ... However; as the county had no jurisdiction; he htoved that the whole of tihe correspondence be handed over to the Borough Council. This was agreed to. The county clerk mentioned that the agreement had never been completed. ■ ■■ • MINES DEPARTMENT’S GRANTS. The Under-secretary for Mines wrote stating that the roads on the goldfields estima-tes for the. yean were in coprse of preparation, and in the event of the Council proposing tp ap-* . ply for provisions to be made this year for any additional Works to those already on the estimate? for either road or bridge construction, application to be made not later than 4th July.—List has been forwarded.

WAIHI-WHANGAMATA ROAD. The Under-secretary wrote, in reply to the Council’s letter stating that up to the present no advice had been received from the Public (Works Department that plans for two bridges on this road had been approved by it. Until this information was received from the Public Works Department formal authority for the expenditure of the money canpot be granted.— (Received, MARATOTO ROAD The Undersecretary of the Imines Department wrote stating that the Minister for Mines had approved of a gran.t of £lOO for the purpose of putting in a groyne to divert the course of the Maatoto Stream and thus prevent further damage to the metalled portion qt fjie road.—Receved. DOCHERTY’S CREEK BRIDGE'. The Minister of Public Works wrote regretting that he could not contribute ap additional £lOO towards the cost of construction of approaches, as requested by the Council, but agreed to contribute £lOO towards; the cost of repairing damage on the PaeroaWaihi main road.—Received. HOSPITAL BOARD RATES,. The County of Taieri forwarded a resolution passed by it expressing its, strong dissatisfaction with the incidence of taxation in regard to the maintenance of hospitals in the Dominion, and resolving that the Government be urged tp make the cost of these institutions a charge on the Consolidated Fund. Mr. Corbett said that we all realised cost was heavy, but was it going to relieve us by taking ,it fnpm the Consolidated Fund ? He was not in favour of the motiop. Cr, Morgan said he Had always been against the county, haying to collect the hospital rates. A member stated that the matter had been quite definitely turned down by the Government. It was resolved to receive the letter, TYRE TAX, The Waimea County Council, Ne;-. son, forwarded the follpwing resolution : < "That in justice to the ratepayers and tyre taxpayers of the Dominion the tyre tax should be equitably allocated between all counties and road boards, and made available during the current year for the maintenance and repair and control of all the main roads used for Motor traffic.” Cr. Corbett thought tha.t the matter was a bit premature. Cr. Johnstone said he would, like to see the Government get along with the main arterpal road scheme, and did not think the County should put any obstacle in the way. The letter was received. ROAD AT WAIKINO. Mr. E. W. Porritt wrote on behalf of Mr. Henry Benner agreeing to accept £25 as compensation for land taken for. a road, provided, the Council removes the present fence and continues i,t along the new line of road. It was pesolved to offer £l2 10s for •the road taken. Mr. Morgan considered that Mr. Benner’s property would be improved by the road, and also the price asked was too much.

EXCHANGE OF LAND FOR ROAD. Jasper W. Browne wrote requesting an exchange of a piece of land for.a road adjoining section 21, Block TH, Aroha . Survey District. The present road site was low and upsuitable for the road', whereas; the piece desired to be given was suitable, and was now used as the road. ( The engnieer was instructed to report at next meeting. UNITED SPECIAL QUARTZ CLAIM. Messrs Miller and Son applied for a reduction of rent from 7s 6d per acre to Is per acre bn the United Maratoto and Walker’s Maratoto claims. The clerk had replied, that the Council would probably agree co a reduction of. rent, to 3s 9d per acre, but not to Is. It was resolved that the Council consent to a reduction, oS 3s 9d. IMPERIAL SPECIAL CHAIM. Mr. E. W. Porritt applied fop a re? ductiop on this claim at Karangahake. , Cr. McGuire said that the mon work’pg on this claim were local miners and were wording on tho ground themselves. Cr. Johnson thought that they should give encouragement tp men working on the groupd. Reduction to 2s 6d per .acre was granted. A further application from Karan-

gahake was also granted on similar lines; LICENSE FEE. T. Rae, Katikati.. wrote applying for a. reduction of the license fee for a motor lorry as he only traversed three miles of tlie county road. It was 1 resolved that Mr. Rae be informed that <he must comply with the by-laws and take out a license. PUBLIC LIBRARY. An application for a grant of £5 to the library was agreed to. MANGAITI HALL. A request was received asking tne Council to improve part of, Smallman’s Road leading to the hall. The letter was received. Cr. Johnson stated that he did not thiink the work necessary. BAD ROADS. J. Patterson, Waihi, stated that the Conueil had made a mistake in the price, and offered to do the work for 8s 6d a yard. Or. Corbett thought that Mr. Patterson should be kept off the road. He moved that carting on this road be stopped. , ■Cr. Morgan said that the Council had offered to give Mr. Patterson 4 s 2d . per yard simply to help him. The road was so, much' cut up at present that it was now impassable. It was decided, to stop carting on the road. W. H. Roberts wrote asking for the road to his place (Waitete Creek Road) to be made passable.—Referred to engineer for a report, WORKING OFF RATES. Mr. W. H. Rpss wrote offering to liquidate his rates by doing worse equivalent th double the amount in repairing Hill Road between Urewha -Bush and Wheretoa Creek, Whangamata Road. Cr. Corbett said that the Council would have to alter its policy to a considerable extent and show a willingness to help these back-blockei s. These men had taken up land on the outskirts of the county, and he thought that it was to the county's interest do help them. On his proposal it was decided to leave the matter in the hands of the engineer to make arrangements with Mr. Ross. POWER BOARD. The chairman, Mr. A. R. Robinson, was elected as the county’s representative on the Thames Valley Power Board in lieu of Mr. F. M. Strange, resigned. ROAD DRAIN. A Gubb, Hikutaia, wrote asking trie Council to meet him in the matter of cleaning out t>he drain for 76 chains at 3s. On Cr.' Johnstone’s motion it was agreed to pay' half the cost. MISCELLANEOUS J. O'Brien wrote offering to lease the dump ground, of 35 acres at Mackaytown.—Referred to the engineer for a report,. -George Hollis, Waitekauri, wrote asking for the road to. his place to be improved. It was resolved that the Council put on a surface, man provided Mr. Hollis gave a hand with the work. J, Hamilton asked permission tn erect a gate across Woodstock Road, Raratu—Granted. A.. A. Proudlock wrote asking permission to cart a few loads of mining timber from his section to the Junction mine.—Referred to the engineer, with power to act. Permission was granted to Mr. H. G. Dubin to continue the drain along Te Aroh.a Road to his section, about 15 chains. The Council agreed to pay half the cost of the work. .