HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4513, 10 January 1923, Page 1

HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY.

MEETING OF COUNCIL; The usual meeting of the I-laur.akl Plains' County Council was held at Ngatea on Monday, last. Present: Councillors J. C. Miller (chairman), C. W Harris, W. G. Hayward, C. W. Parfitt, T. McLoughlin, F. J. Mayn, H. R. Whitechurch, H. Have, and the county clerk, Mr E. Walton. A tele..ni was received from the engineer, Mr J. Higgins, stating that, owing to trouble with his car he would not arrive 'till about midday. BACK MIRANDA ROAD. ’ Mr R. Slack, Waitakaruru, Wrote pointing out the bad condition of the upper Miranda Road and asking the Council to attend to same. Cr. Harris stated that the old track was across private land and a fence had recently been put across it. At present, after a shower of rain, the new tr ( ack was impassable, and he moved that as several men on this road, and particularly Mr Slack, had assisted the Council lately the engineer be instructed to go on with the work. PIPIROA BRIDGE. The Minister of Public Works wrote stating that preliminary work only had be.en done on the plans of the proposed bridge at Pipiroa and that no further action in the direction of completing plans had been taken owing to there being no amount provided on the appropriations. A copy of the plans would be supplied when completed. Cr. Harris wished .to know if the £6OOO £ for, £ subsidy provided on the Estimates"was available if the Council found £6OOO to go on with the bridge. He stated that tiie -bridge was the most essential work in the county, and quoted figures showing the mileage saved by not having to come to the Ngatea bridge and the consequent saving to the council in maintenance on roads on each side of the river. He moved that the department be written to and told that it was the Council’s intention to proceed with the work, and ask if the department would have the plans prepared, and forwarded as early as possible.—Seconded by Cr. Parfitt and carried.

NGARARAHI STOP-BANK ROAD. A letter was received from the Public Works Department, Paeroa, enclosing a set of blue prints showing the proposed Ngararahi Stop-bank Road. There would be a 12ft formation, and it was proposed to coat to-a depth: of 12 incjies and a width of 10 feet with 'Wailiou River sand. This road would be a hundred chains, and the estimated cost £1220. There was a £ for £ grant on the Estimates, and on the Council agreeing to find its portion the work would be put, in hand. It would be advisable to get work dbne this summer. The chairman stated that the settlers concerned had offered to rate themselves 1 , to meet the cost. The Council wanted the road on the stopbank, but the department needed this spoil and proposed putting the road 25 links from the drain. In a statement of the estimation of the 'cost the price of sand was mentioned as 6s a yard, whereupon Cr. Hare stated that Mr Coates had said that the dredge would pump up the sand, if the settlers would spread it, at a cost of 3s a cubic yard. On the motion bf Cr. Hayward it was decided to leave the matter to Cr. Hare and the engineer to investigate and report at a later meeting. ADDITIONS TO RESOLUTIONS. Messrs Gilchrist and Son advised that, at the last meeting of the Piako County Council certain resolutions submitted by the Hauraki Plains County Council were accepted and adopted subject to the following added provisos :

1. (Legalisation of Maukoro deviation) Provided that such half cost to be.met by Piako County Council s,hall be a debt on Tahuna area which the Piako Council may with other liability of such area impose thereon by way of special loan. 2. (Maukoro deviation bridge and approaches) And provided that the Governor-General’s warrant shall authorise the Piako Council to borrow their proportion of the cost by way of a special loan upon the Tahuna. area.

Messrs Gilchrist and Son stated that the Piako Council had passed the resolutions as amended, and presumed that the Hauraki Plains' Council would not object. The clerk explained that the amendments did not alter the resolutions, but merely stated the legal procedure, whereupon it. was decided, as after Tahuna riding .had passed to the Piako County ,the Plains County would not be affected and could not dictate, that the provisos- be adotped and that the clerk write to the Piako County Council and ask them to take steps to secure the Governor-Gen-eral’s consent. SAMPLE STRIP OF ROAD.

The Tuma Town Board wrote accepting the offer of the Hauraki Plains County Council to lay a sample piece of road live chains long in Turtle township on the basis of the town board contributing 25 per cent, and the county 7'5 per cent, of the total cost, and asking that the work be gone on with aS’ soon as possible, as the main road was in a very bad state.—Received. INSTALLING MOTOR. The electrical engineer to the N.Z. Co-operative Dairy Co. wrote stating that he wished to j-nstal a motor for the winch on the Ngatea wharf, and. desired permission .to cross roads with whes.—-Granted, subject to engineer’s approval of wiring.

TELEPHONE OFFICE. The District Telegraph Engineer, Auckland, forwarded bond for execution for a telephone office at, Mangatarata. The chaintfan and clerk were given authority to execute the bond. SPECIAL LOAN. The Bank of New Zealand, Thames, wrote re special loan of £30,600 and enclosed a draft debenture and coupon slightly amended for approval by the Council, as requested by the Council, and asking approval, and also for a copy of the signatures of the chairman and clerk for lit.hpgraphical purposes.—Approval and signatures forwarded.

.Accounts totalling over £5OO were assed for payment. MIRANDA ROAD. Cl Harris wished to have it ascertained from the Minister whether lie was able to carry put his verbal promise to pay progress payments pn the subsidy for Miranda Road. The position wap that there was. a. 17s 6d for a £ subsidy on the road, and all the loan money had been spent, so that the only chance of continuing work was by .the subsidy being received as the work progressed. The chairman stated that if applied for the matter would probably be all right. KOPU FERRY. Cr. Parfitt wished to know the result' of -the conference with the Thames County Council re, .the Kopu ferry. The chairman reported that is was suggested that nothing be done then about the back debt of £Bl, as it would probably be wiped out in .the month following. If the debt, was not wiped out at the end of .the financial year it would prove that the ferry did not pay. He had discussed the arrangement that the Thames County Council had made with Mr White, and had -shown that White's payment of 10s a day for four trips was not a paying proposition for the ferry and he understood that the Thames Council was go.ing to alter the arrangement, Cr. Parfitt moved that the chairman terminate the agreement, with the Thames County Council re the arrangement with Mr White. —CarriedCr. Parfitt, said it would pay the ferry better if White’s bus was not running and people used their own conveyances. Cr. Mayn said that the bus should be made to pay more, or each passenger should be made to pay. Many members spoke of instances that were “killing the ferry,” such as

having- to wait, concessions, high charges, alterations of time-table without notice, failing .to come when flagged, and return tickets available only for day of issue. Cr Parfitt moved that the chairman arrange with the chairman of the Thames County Council for a conference regarding the ferry.—Carried. It was decided to add the name of Cr. Hayward to the Ferries Committee. TAHUNA METALLING. Cr. Whitechurch said he understood that there was a subsidy available for metalling on the Moirins-ville-Tahuna road. There was a section of about 70 chains unmetalled, and he desired-to know what the engineer proposed to do. The engineer thought he would let it in two contracts. • The clerk pointed out that the subsidy was overspent until the expenditure on Quarry Road was spread, over the four sections concerned. Cr. Whitechurch said that each section was financial, and moved that metalling be done as far as money was available. Seconded by Cr. Hayward and carried. Cr. Whitehcurcli desired the engineer to prepare plans of the Ta-liuna-Awaifi section, and moved that | tenders be called and that the engineer and himself be given power to deal with them. Seconded by Cr. Mayn and carried. Cr. Whitechurch said that the pate-tonga-Tahuna ro.ad, and . particularly Snake Hill, was dangerous for motors, and moved that two men be put on for a week to effect repairs'. Seconded by Cr. Mayn and carried. Cr Whitechurch stated that that portion of the Patetpnga-Tahuna road from liis gate to the Maukdro deviation was in a very bad state, and moved that it be put in order, at an approximate cost of £5O, to come out of rates. Cr Mayn spoke in support, and Cr. Parfitt seconded the motion, which was carried. , It was moved by Cr. Whitechurch, i and seconded by Cr. Mayn, that the engineer have the section for the foreman’s house in the Tahuna ridingcleared and ploughed as soon as possible—Carried. Cr. Whitechurch. was authorised to get and erect signposts on the road at Tahuna. ARREARS OF RATES. Much discussion took place as to what should be done to collect arrears of rates. The penalty could not be increased any more in some cases, and judgment .had been obtained. It. was the feeling of the Council that they should now go fur-

ther ahead and issue distress warrants. GENERAL MATTERS. Cr. Harris wished to know who had the spending of the grant for a bridge opposite McDonald’s, on the Waitaka-ruru-Tahuna road, and when a contract would be let. The engineer replied that a contract had been let. As the Waitakaruru-Pipiroad road was in a bad state, and if not attended to would become a menace by winter time, Cr. Harris moved that the Lands Department be requested to put the road in good order this summer.—Carried. Cr. Harris moved that the engineer be empowered to call .tenders to have 600 yards of metal, half of which was already available, put on to the Miranda Road. Also .that he be authorised to grade the road where necessary. . Seconded by Cr. McLoughlin and carried. With regard to the house for the surfaceman at Waitakaruru Cr. Harris proposed shifting a house from Waihi, but. pn the engineer stating that, as Waihi was booming again it would' probably pay the Council to leave the house there, it was decided that the clerk prepare plans for a new house. Cr. Mayn stated that as the Patetonga pound was unsuitable foi holding a quantity of stock it was necessary to have authority to obtain extra grazing when necessary.—Approved.

Cr. McLoughlin desired the engineer to have authority to lay the tiled pipes that were at present pn the ground on the bush road Horn Ngarua to Mangatarata, and that the cost be charged to the thirds authorised in the Waitakaruru, Patetonga, and Tahuna ridings.—Agreed to. On Cr. McLoughlin’s motion it was decided t.o place 20 yards of metal on the Kerepeehi-Wharepoa road from Chatfield’s corner to the Wharepoa

Cr. Hayward’s motion that the engineer be authorised to expend the £4oo' balance of the Pui’iri and approach. loan w.as carried. Cr. Hayward asked when was it proposed to carry on the test piece of bituminous road at Turua, as, metal would not bo available until the end of next month. He moved that the engineer approach the Thames or other quarries and get un to 700 yards of metal for this and the Puriri ferry approach.

Seconded by Cr. Harris and carried. The engineer suggested tha.t he call tenders to have a small amount of metal taken from the top of the Hikutaia quarry until such time as suitable machinery was -available to handle large quantities.—Granted.