COUNTY COUNCIL.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4478, 11 October 1922, Page 1

COUNTY COUNCIL.

HAURAKI PLAINS MEETING. The Hauraki Plains County Council met in the office of the clerk (Mr E. Walton) at Ngatea on Monday, the following being present: Crs.. J. C. Miller (chairman), C. W. Harris, W. G Hayward. C. W. Parfitt, A. Chatfield., G. Death, T, McLoughlin, J. F. Mayn, and E. R. Whitechurch. Cr. Death handed in his resignation as a member of the Council, to take effect from that meeting. It was decided to approach the Minister for the money for 44 acres of the Hikutaia quarry site. The engineer was authorised to make the best bargain he could «n respect to Hamilton’s Road and to limit the expenditure to £ll5. Mr Kerr's tender for grading and culverting on the Pekapeka Road was accepted, providing suitable arrangements could be made for securing the necessary plant.

Cr. Hayward suggested l that :hC Ngatea pound site be moved to next to the saleyards, where there was a municipal section. It was ■ decided that the clerk go into the matter, with power to act. It was decided to recommend that work on Mr H. Johnstone’s drain be done next autumn.

Cr. Death said there was a grant of £6OO for the stop-bank road at Netherton but the money could not be spent until the road was surveyed. The Government had refused to do the survey. The clerk reported hawing written to the Department offering to pay for a survey. It was decided to ask the Department if anything had since been done in the matter. KOPU FERRY. The Turua Ratepayers’ Association requested that the Council support the association's desire the KopU ferry run a continuous iservice throughout the day. The chairman said it .was suggested that it run every hour. Cr. Hayward said the charges were too high. He thought the flag system would be a good one—either that or a few more trips. He proposed that the Council urge that two extra trips be made each day. making six trips a day. .This course was decided on. Cr. Harris moved that the Thames County Council be asked to reduce the fares, which the Council considered too high and were turning business away.

This motion was also carried.

TURUA TOWN BOARD,

The Turua Town Board requested the refund of dog tax collected by the Council’s officer within the town board area.

The clerk said the Council was entitled to a small amount on the collars. i The Turua Town Board asked that the Council subsidise the Board’s efforts in spreading metal on the roads The effect of the Council carting metal on the Town Board’s roads had made the roads in that area worse, and the Board asked that the Council restrict the casting of nietal and, power poles on the roads in the Board’s area.

Cr. Death said it was the county road, and that the excess of expenditure in the Turua Town district was £23. He moved that when a credit balance was available the matter would receive consideration. The motion was carried. mangatarata. Messrs Sexton and Whittaker, of Mangatarata, waited on the Couhcil when correspondence was tabled regarding a. proposal to open a telephone office at Mangatarata. The Post and Telegraph Department had advised Mr Whittaker, secretary of the Mangatarata Progressive Association, that the Hauraki Plains County Council had declined to guarantee to make up the deficiency on working a proposed telephone office at Mangatarata. It was suggested that the perspns desiring the installation should arrange with the County Council to give the required guarantee. The estimated deficiency in connection with the proposal was £25 for the first year. This, however, may vary from time to time, and it was customary for local bodies to guarantee the actual deficiency, and they in turn secured a guarantee from the settlers concerned. The deficiency would be ascertained from the Department’s accounts, and ths guarantee to hold good until the office was self-supporting. Ten settlers guaranteed to find any deficiency. .

Cr. Mayn said the district was isolated, and the request was nothing unusual.

Cr. McLoughlin said the office and attendance was given free and the guarantee would merely be a matter of form. He proposed that the guarantee be given, providing the settlers would likewise guarantee the loss to the Council. Cr. Mayn seconded, and the motion was carried. BY-LAWS, Cr. Hayward said it was time the Council made a move with the heavy traffic by-laws. Cream was now being carted with narrow tyres and the roads would soon be cut to pieces. Cr. Chatfield said it would pay the Council to have the bydaws made Taw. Most of the farmers' were carting with narrow tyres .

Cr. Hayward considered the Council could bring in only the heavy traffic by-laws and leave the remainder of the by-laws in abeyance. The chairman said the Council Would save ih’undreds of pounds by bringing the by-laws into force, Cr. Whitechurch: We must have the byJaws ready for next autumn. Cr. Harris: Where is the money

coming from ? Councillors : General account Cr. Harris: That is bleeding those ridings which are already in credit. Cr. Hayward proposed that the clerk be instructed tp go on with getting out the by-laws. The clerk said it would be possible to introduce the heavy carting bylaws in advance of the whole by-ilaws. Cr. Chatfield seconded Cr. Hayward’s motion. Cr. Parfitt suggested adding to the motion "provided the bulk of the expenditure be iheld oven till next year.’’ Cr. Harris: If that is added I win support it. The motion was carried with the addition of Cr. Parfltt’p suggestion,