MAUKORO DEVIATION.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4492, 15 November 1922, Page 4

MAUKORO DEVIATION.

VALUES OF THE LAND. — ALLEGED EXCESSIVE PRICES. The Hauraki Plains County Council decided at Monday’s meeting to proceed immediately with, legal preliminaries in connection with the Maukoro deviation at Tahuna and to appoint an independent valuer tp value the land for which payment was asked. A discussion arose when a letter was read from the Public Works Department, which, while forwarding tracing and schedule of the Maukoro deviation to enable the Council, to proceed with the legislation, stated that in cases where owners and other persons interested in the land were willing for the land to be taken, the consent of the owners should be endorsed op the plan and application made for the iss.ue of a proclamation. The consent of the local bodies should also be endorsed on the plan. .Where consent was not obtainable the Council should arrange for the necessary preliminary steps. CT, Maya proposed that the legal preliminaries be proceeded with immediately. , Or. McLoughlin seconded.

A resolution of a recent meeting at Tahuna was read., and it state 1 that the meeting of ratepayers of ths Tahuna riding considered the values' asked for land to be 'taken for the deviation .were excessive, and suggested that an outside valuer be appointed. ■ Cr. Mayn considered that the price asked for the land affected was a fair thing. The owner (Cr. WJiitechurch) had also given a piece of land, and the settlers [had pot taken that into consideration.

Cr. McLoughlin thought the resolution was the result of a little bit of feeling.

Cr. Harris said that Cr. Whtiechurdh; was really selling his land at £22 per acre. Cr. Whitechurch said he was willing to have an outside valuer. The motion was carried, Cr. Whitechurqii wishing tp record that he did not vote on the subject. It was decided to ask Mr G. Buchanan, of Paeroa, as an independent valuer, tp value all the land for which payment was to be asked.