HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4466, 13 September 1922, Page 4

HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

MEETING OF THE COUNCIL. The Hauraki Plains County Council held its monthly meeting in the office of the clerk (Mr E. Walton) at Ngatea on Monday. Mr J. C. Miller (chairman) presided over the following: Crs. J. F. Mayn T. McLoughlin, A. Chatfield, C. W. Parfitt, G. Death, W. G. Hayward, C. W. Harris, and E. R Wliitechurch.

The engineer, was authorised to call tenders for formation work on Hamilton’s Road, off Orchard East Road.

The assistant-Public Works engineer at Paeroa stated in a letter that the Elstow Drainage Board proposed constructing 76 chains of) drain alongside the Tahuna-Paeroa road, and offered to spread the spoil so as to widen the road. The Board had asked the Department for a subsidy on the cost, which was estimated at £225 4s 2d. The communication asked that should the Department be prepared to contribute one-third of the cost, would the Council he prepared to find one-sixth.

It was decided to reply that the council could not contribute.

Mr W. Phillips was appointed poundkeeper at Patetonga, The engineer was instructed to erect the pound and put same in order. Mr P. Sheehan’s tender for formation on the PaeroaKTahuna Road was accepted-

It was decided to secure a section for a house for the county engineer, another for- the veterinary surgeon, and a third for a depot; also to call tenders for the erection of the engineer’s house.

Mi; C. F. Bennett pointed out the much neglected state of the road from Mr J. H. Carter’s corner to opposite the Hikutaia wharf in the Netherton district.—The engineer was deputed to report on the matter.

The engineer was'authorised to call tenders for a mile of formation on the Pekapeka Road. Cr. Death stated that about 200 or 300 feet of timber had disappeared from Wilson's Road.

The engineer was instructed to do what he could to trace the missing timber, and if unsuccessful to put it in the hands of the police. A letter .from the Minister for Public Works offered to give a £ for £ subsidy towards the Pipiroa-Kopu Road.

It was decided to ask the engineer to lay out the work, get plans and specifications, and have same approved. Cr. Death reported that the Netherton ferry was ’caking partly, and required attention. The engineer was instructed to have the ferry attended to. The engineer was authorised to confer with Mr Hallyburton Johnstone and the Lands Department regarding the proposed improvement of a drain.

It was decided to call tenders for the erection of McDonald’s bridge providing plans were approved. : It was decided to develop the Hikutaia Creek as far as possible and to ask both the Ohinemuri and Thames County Councils to contribute £4O each towards the improvements proposed to be done to the creek. The Auckland Provincial Educational Committee circularised the Council to enlist support towards establishing a farm school at Ruakura. —Received. The chairman of the Sir Arthur Pearson's Memorial Fund solicited a "donation from the Council.—ReceivedCOUNTY ROLLER. Messrs Booth, MacDonald and Co., Ltd, asked that the memorandum of agreement concerning the roller and scarifier, sealed and signed by the company, be completed by the Cpun-r cil. The roller and scarifier was removed from the Paeroa railway yards on August 3 and taken to the Ohinemuri County Council yards.—lt was decided to sign the agreement. PLAINS-POKBNO. Ninety-six Ngatea and seventythree Waitakaruru settlers and residents petitioned that the roads in the county between Waitakaruru and Pokeno be put in order to permit of the running of a daily motor service between Pokeno and the Plains. It was stated the Council had already applied for a grant. QUARRIES. Mr Barbalich offered four acres of Kauaeranga quarry. For £5O deposit he would be prepared .to grant the Council an option for. two years <o purchase for £2OOO, in the meantime the Council having authority to remove metal at 6d per yard royalty . Messrs Devich Bros- offered a month's option to consider the lease for quarrying their freehold land, i* l the Kauaeranga,- Valley. The lease

would be on a royalty basis of not less than 5d per yard, reducible to 4d if considerably over 1000 yards a month is taken. Cr. Mayn : We should devote our attentions tp Hikutaia. It .was decided to reply that the question was receiving attention. The engineer was instructed tp investigate and report on the Tar ar u quarry. ORCHARD EAST ROAD. Mr T. W. Rhodes writing in connection with the Orchard East Road metalling said: “I .had this matter in hand prior tp the receipt of telegrams from yourself and from some 20 others.” He also gave information (already published) regarding the grant pif £1450 providing the Council found a similar amount. It was decided that the clerk take the necessary steps to have the Department do the whole of the work, the council to pay £1250 when it was able to raise a loan over the area. STRAY CATTLE. Mr J. H. Davies, Tahuna, complained of inconvenience caused in taking to the Patetonga pound stock straying on his property, and claimed droving fees. Mr Walton reported having written to Mr Davies stating that the council could not be responsible for droving fees.

NETHERTON ROADS AND DRAINS. A deputation from Netherton comprised Messrs Mathew, Fisher, Potter, and Young waited on the council and asked for the metalling of various roads.

Mr Young asked the council to allocate as much of the loan money as was available to Fisher's Road as soon as possible. The clerk said £l2OO was available for certain roads in the vicinity.

Mr Mathew spoke feelingly regarding the payment for drains. He Suggested the striking of a small rate. The Council generously allowed half the cost of the drains, but left the responsibility of collecting the money with a few of those ratepayers. It was a most unfortunate position. It would be. fairer for the council to strike a small rate and collect the money itself. Mr Potter said it appeared that those who were willing paid the money and those who were not willing did not pay. Cr. Death considered Mr Mathew’s idea a good one, and the council should give effect to it. Mr Potter, representing the School Road’ settlers, asked fon a fair share of loan money to be spent on that road. They had been fourteen years without metal. The engineer was authorised to expend the following amounts bn metai out of the Netherton loan after the necessary plans have been approved : Pekapeka Road £5OO, Housler’s' to main road £7OO, School Road from main roa £7OO/main road £6OO, or such less a sum, as is necessary to complete the mud portion near Troughton’s. BITUMEN ROADS. Messrs Ellis and Co., submitting a report at the request of Cr. Death on the question of laying down roads In bituminous asphalt, stated that it was a material used extensively throughout the Dominion. Cr. Death proposed making experiments with the material. Cr. Parfitt would like to see a few chains put down as an experiment at the expense of .the county. It was decided to ask the company's representative to attend! a council meeting. REFUND OF RATES. Mr Walton drew attention to the fact that the Government plan had erred in that some land from which the council drew rates should have been included in the exempted area. Rates to the value of £9O would therefore have to be refunded to seven Patetonga ratepayers affected. The refund was granted.