THAMES COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4573, 8 June 1923, Page 4

THAMES COUNTY.

MEETING OF COUNCIL. The monthly meeting of t.he Thames County Council was held on Wednesday last. Present: Crs. H. Lowe (chairman), R. Cox, P. Faithful], E, J. Niccol, F. J, McMahon, W. Brunton, A. Alley, J. McCormick, and the clerk. Mr H. T. G. McElroy. GOVERNMENT GRANTS. The District Engineer, Public Works Department, wrote stating that applications for grants should be sent in before June 15. Applications shodld be confined to urgent and essential works, and those for which there was prospect of expenditure within a reasonable time. It was stated for the information of the Council that, the amount that would be voted this year would probably be in the neighbourhood of £lo,oo'o. This would include any unexpended balance of authority at the end of the last financial year, together with any authorities since issued. Applications should bo within the above limit.,—Received. FERRIES. The clerk of the Hauraki Plains County Council wrote advising that if time permitted his council desired to discuss the' question of other ferries at the forthcoming conference on the Kopu Ferry.—Received, MAIN HIGHWAYS. The clerk of Waimea County, Nelson, wrote forwarding a copy of a resolution passed .by his council and arging the Thames County Council to endorse and support the same, and endeavour through the influence of member's of Parliament to have the suggested amendments made in the “Main Highways Act, 1922.” The resolution was :—

“That, in the opinion of this Council fully 90 per cent, of the wear; and tear of county roads is caused by motor traffic. Therefore this Council urges the Government to amend the ‘M-tin Highways Act, 1922,’ by substituting the words ‘three-quarters’ for one-third’ in Section 18 (1) and also the words ‘three quarters’ for ‘onehalf’ in Section 19 (1)„ to provide that not more than one quarter of the cost, of construction, reconstruction, and maintenance of main highways shail be paid out of general rates. Also, that the ‘Main Highways Act, 1922,’ be further amended to provide that a fair, and equitable portion of the tyre tax be allocated towards the cost of maintenance of all county and district roads other than those declared main highways under the Act.” The chairman said it was a step in the right direction and would heio the county in getting its subsidies for roads. He moved that the Council support the resolution. It was the motor vehicles that cut up the roads, and they should pay, and it was now the traffic from districts hundreds of miles away that used the roads as much as the settlers along the road. Cr. Faithfull seconded, and the motion was carried, TOWNSEND’S ROAD DRAIN. Messrs M; Handley, W. M. Fenton, and J. Bax, of Wharepoa, wrote drawing attention t.o the otufall drain on Townsend’s Road and stating that pipes wore required to cross the road to take the road water away. Cr. Brunton said that apparently a new culvert was needed. He moved that a foreman’s report bo obtained. ROAD METAL. Messrs J.. B. and .W. H. Morris, Karangahake, wrote stating that they had secured the lease of the' N.Z. Crowm Mines Quarry at Karangahake and were prepared to supply road metal They had a good face of metal, and the quarry has been stripped ,>o that, clean metal could be obtained. It was decided to make inquiries as to the quality and cost of metal. REMOVAL OF FENCES. Mr G, Cribb, Puriri, again wrote asking that the owners of fences across a public road leading to. his property be given notice r.o remove them, as had been done recently in a similar case. The chairman said that the matter had already been dealt with, and the letter was received. TENDERS. The tender of A. Lorent for lifting and removing metal at Puriri, being the only one. received and the price, 7s lOd, being considered reasonable,, was accepted. The tender of Mr W. R. Smith of £95 for cleaning the Matatoki South drain was accepted. It was decided that fresh tenders should be called for the cleaning of the Wharepoa North drain if, in the opinion of the foreman, the tender was higher than was justified. REPAIR WORKS..* The county foreman, Mr J. H. Hodge, reported that he had made temporary repairs to Hauraki Road, Totara, but found that an expenditure of about £25 would be required to complete the work. Two culverts required attention. In the Hastings Riding the Council’s workmen had been engaged in opening* up the Coast Road for wheel traffic to the Waikawau bridge. A great deal ’of wor,k had still to be done before the 'road would be as good as before the flood. ! Two men have been employed i cleaning drains, etc., on the ThamesHikutaia main road. Twenty-eight yards of metal have been spread between the Parawai station and Matat,oki. During the month 181 yards of gravel from Puriri Creek near the bridge had been spread on the main and the Puriri station roads. From Omahu Quarry metal has been taken as follow's : Factory Road, Hikutaia, 7% yards ; Hikutaia main road, 40 yards; Townsend’s Road, 161*, yards; Wharepoa Road, 21 yards; Cre/lmery north road, 12 yards; Creamery south road, 9 yards; O’Neils Road, 4% yards. Eighty-one yards of gravel have been spread on the main road between Townsend’s Road and the Hikutaia Hotel. The Puriri Valley and Maratoto roads require attention. "■ The repairs to the Kopu ferry punt were finished on May 4, and the ferry

has been running continuously since. The average weekly receipts for the past four weeks were £23 6s, excluding the amount paid for Mr White's bus. « During the month' two men have been employed at the Kauaerauga quarry, quarrying and spawling metal ready for when power would be available for crushing. RATES. On the motion of the chairman, seconded by Cr. Faithfull, it was decided that the rates as previously discussed should be struck. It was also decided that a five per cent, rebate be given on all rates paid within 30 days of the date of issue of the dmands. The rate, in the Hastings Riding was 4%d in 'the £; Totara Riding. 3d in the £ ; Puriri Riding, 2%d in the £; Hikutaia Riding, 3%d in the £ ; Tairua Riding, 3d in the £. The Hospital and Charitable Aid rate was %d in the £. The whole of. the rates were made on the basis of the unimproved value.