HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4556, 27 April 1923, Page 4

HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

SPECIAL MEETING OF COUNCIL. A special meeting of the Hauraki Plains County Council was held on Saturday last. There were present Councillors J. C. Miller (chairman), W. G. Hayward, A. Chatfield, T. McLoughlin, H. Hare, and C, W. Parfitt. The clerk, Mr E. Walton, and the engineer, Mr J. Higgins, were also in attendance. PURIRI CREEK METAL. The county engineer, acting under instructions from the. previous meeting, reported that, together with Mr Camprpn. he had inspected the deposit from the hopper site to the railway bridge, including Tasker’s flat, and estimated the quantity < f metal to be 9025 cubic yards. The chairman said that the price of the lAetaLcrushing plant was 50 per cent- more than they had been lead to believe, so the Council was under no obligation to purchase it. He suggested that tenders be called for the crushing and delivery of metal into a hopper provided by the Council. Members were of.the opinion that the suggestion was a good one, and that there would be a number of plants available. •' After much discussion Cr. Parfitt moved that tenders be called for conveying 9000 yards, more or less, of shingle from Puriri Stream, crushing same and delivering it,, to a hopper on the creek bank provided by the Council, and that in the notice calling for applications it be explicitly stated that the contractor provide all plant except the hopper. This was seconded by Cr. Chatfield and carried. The engineer said that the cost of a hopper with three compartments would be about £5OO. Cr. Hayward moved, and Cr. McLoughlin seconded, that tenders should be called for the labour of the construction of the hopper on Puriri Creek. It was explained that the hopper would have to be so constructed that it. could be taken to pieces for removal. Cr. Hare suggested that alternate tenders should be called for the construction, if the Council, or if the contractor, supply the timber. On the motion being put it was carried unanimously. The chairman moved that the engineer be instructed to procure all the material necessary for the construction of the hopper and have same delivered on the site.—Carried. HIKUTAIA QUARRY. Messrs John Burns and Co. had .submitted estimates for a plant al Hikutaia to the previous meeting, but the matter was not considered bv the Council. The .price would be £3241 for supply and erection in running order of a plant capable of handling I'so cubic yards a day. Cr. McLoughlin opposed the idea of dealing with one firm without calling lenders. The chairman explained that the Council had selected a Hadfield crusher, and Burns were the agents for that machine. However, as the price was so much more than they had been led to believe, he thought that the Council was not under any Obligation. Cr. Parfitt said that, in view of other quarries that had been investigated. he thought the Council should conserve its finances 1 for exploiting the other quarries if necessary. In regard to the Hikutaia quarry, the engnieer said that the latest drives had proved that there was ample metal in the quarry for the requirements of the area to be served by it. Cr. Hare suggested that the Council should not spend more money on the Hikuti’ia quarry except for improvements to the present plant. The present crusher would treat 40 or 50 yards of metal a day. Cr. Hayward moved that the engineer consider and repo’t on the minimum essential auditions to the present Hikutaia plant. Cr Hare seconded, and the motion was carried. / A NEW QUARRY. After much discussion Cr.. Hayward moved that a committee comprising the chairman, Crs. McLoughlin, Maya, and Hayward, the clerk, and the engineer meet the owner of a proposed quarry’ with a view to endeavouring to make arrangements for obtaining a new quarry and a right of way. Cr. Hare seconded, and the motion was carried. ANOTHER LOAN. This matter, introduced by the deputation from Turua at the last meet ■ ing was next discussed. Crs. McLoughlin, Mayn, and Hare were of the opinion that it was a matter for the incoming council, but the other members thought that this would cause unnecessary delay. It was ■ suggested, as all ridings .would need rails at some time, that the purchase of them should be a county matter. Crs. McLoughlin and Chatfield said that the cost of rails should be part of riding roading loans. It was agreed that punts and skips would be a county matter. The engineer said that a slip for punts would be very desirable. Members were unanimous in thinking tbat more punts were an absolute necessity. The engineer said that if a loan was to be put before the ratepayers provision should be made for nine punts. Each punt would cost about £750. Cr. Hayward suggested that the engineer should prepare estimates for the necessary rails, locos., punts, and skips that should be charged to the whole county, and that the matter should be discussed as soon as possible by the Council or a committee. Extra rails for riding roads would be charged to that riding’s road loan. The county loan, would only be a small matter. The county rails would be those from the various quarries to the water, if the matter was left tn the new council it would be September before anything was done. The loan should not be itemised, as had been done with previous loans. Crs, Chatfield and McLoughlin were

then granted permission to leave the meeting. Cr. McLoughlin explained that owing t,o the flood it would be necessary for him to leave to get home before dark. Although there was not a quorum present the matter was further discussed. The engineer said that, roughly, the cost of 18 miles of rails, eight, punts, and four locos, would be £18,,000. He had advertised for second-hand punts, but. had received no response. Members were emphatic that more punts should be provided, as without them little metalling could be done. Th:? engineer was instructed to prepare full estimates for the next meeting.