TURUA RATEPAYERS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4446, 28 July 1922, Page 1

TURUA RATEPAYERS.

MEETING OF ASSOCIATION. A committee meeting of tht Ratepayers’ Association was held in Turua on Monday afternon, there being present Messrs P: Henry, Madgwick, J. Schmidt, P: Gardiner, Beck, A: H. Rodgters, S. Murray, D. G; McMillan, and J: Newman, secretary. Mr D. G. McMillan was in the chair. Matters of; interest to the ratepayers were discussed f;ully. The first question to receive their attention was the Kirikiri Bridge; After a lengthy discussion it was decided that a deputation wait on the Hauraki Plains x County Council to ascertain the attitude of the Council on the bridge question, and what procedure they were taking to construct it; also, had they defined their area to be rated for same; The opinion expressed at the meeting was that a poll is absolutely necessary before proceed-, ing with a work that involves such a large sum of. money. Strong disapproval was expressed at the actior of the Council, for proceeding with the erection of! the bridge under Section 119 of the Pubiic Works Act. Another matter that received the attention of the committee was the Waihou River Improvement Scheme: The Chairman stated that on tihe commission’s finding the allocation.of costs with the local bodies would be in the vicinity of £350,000, the Haureki County to find 33 per cent of this cost, roughly, £100,000; As there is some doubt as to what portion of the County is to meet the interest on this large amount Messrs Henry and Madgwick were appointed to make inquiries from the Reference Board and Hauraki County Council re the position. The secretary was instructed to write to the Public Works Department, , Paeroa, asking if they c'dmd erect a landing for goods and passengers on the Hauraki side of the Wharepoa fjerry; This landing would prove a great boon to a large number of settlers, in the vicinity, who at present have to travel either to Turua or Netherton over very bad roads. Considerable discussion took place over the methods of the Council in patching the roads l in the district. Owing to the long delay ip. carrying out this work the roads have become almost impassable, with the result that it will .now take three times the amount of metal to put them', in order than it would have two months ago. It clearly provfes to the Council and everyone else that their first consideration should be roads, members of the meeting expressing the opinion that they arc easily the Worst roads in New Zealand and that the Hauraki Plains have been much better advertised through their bad roads than through the good quality, of. the land. THE ROADING SCHEME. • A meeting of the Good Roads Committee was held at Turua on Monday afternoon to make final arrangements re the reading scheme, Mr D. G; McMillan being in 'the chair.. It was resolved, after much dis,cussion, to go in for One big seneme on certain conditions, namely,that; the Crown settlers on the Pinko 1 Road outside the reading area form r. spacin' rating area to enable them to contribute a certain sum to construct 40 chains in the Town Board area, as these settlers use this road to get to the Turua factory:

The Minister for Public Works .has been approached and was asked for a. £ for £ subsidy on £BlOO on three roads leading on to the main roads, namely, Piako Road,. Orchard Road, and Kerepeehi Road; He stated that if t.he subsidy was spread over a period of three years lhe would try and meet us. The whole scheme involves the r snm of. £28,000, including cost of loan and interest and sinking, fund for the first, year. - The Hauraki County Council is to be waited on at their next meeting, the reads committee asking authority to get ratepayers to sanction the scheme by petition, instead of taking a poll, to save time, as the matter is urgent.