THAMES COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4594, 6 August 1923, Page 4

THAMES COUNTY.

MONTHLY MEETING OF COUNCIL. The monthly meeting of the Thames County Council was held on Thursday last. There were present Crs. H. Lowe (chairman), R. Cox, .1. McCormick, G. H. A. Cribb, F. J. McMahon, A. Alley, and W. Brunton. The clerk, Mr H. T. G. McElroy, and the engineer, Mr M. E. Hooley, were also in attendance. The chairman officially welcomed Cr. Cribb. Cr. Cribb, said that though councillors may not see eye to eye, he was sure that all. would work together for the good of the county as a whole. NATIVE RATE'S. . The Waiapu County Council wrote forwarding the following resolution, and asking the Council’s cu-operation hi the matter :—“ That all Councils interested be written to requesting that they appoint delegates, supplied with the necessary data, to a combined deputation to wait upon the Prime Minister before the termination of the present, session of Parliament, in order to place before him as forcibly as possible the present unsatisfactory and unfair positions rf County Councils in the matter of. The enforcement of payment of unpaid native rates, and the non-pav-ment of rates on Customary and Crown lands. The chairman said that a deputation could be arranged at the forthcoming Counties. conference. There was no doubt that Counties were suffering an injustice, in this matter. Ho moved, and Cr. Cox seconded, that it be a recommendation that the Counties conference discuss the matter and send a deputation.—Carried. PURIRI VALLEY ROAD. 'vV. Morecroft, Thames, wrote drawing attention to the state of the Puriri Valley Road, which has beer damaged by the cartage of'metal for the Council. CT. Cox said that the Council s carts had been using the road during the rough weather, and since the letter had been written the road had been attended to. The matter was left to the engineer to report. , PURIRI DRAINAGE. W. Walton-Smith ,wrote asking that the roadside drain from the Waikorpipi drain in the direction of Paeroa for a distance of about 10 or 12 chains be cleaned. Cr. Cox said that the drain would benefit the road as well as, Mr Smith s land. The chairman said that the council had not . laid down any definite principles in cases like this,, and it was time that this should be done. Some comprehensive scheme should he evolved, but it was a difficult matter. Cr. Cox moved that the drain oe cleaned provided that, Mr Smith paid half the cost.—Seconded by Cr. Cribb and carried. Thames, wrote t W. Morecroft and T. Brown, Thames, wrote drawing attention to the fact that road drains -had been cleaned in such a manner that the water found its way on to their properties. , They asked that the nuisance be abated, and suggested that the drain be extended to the Puriri Creek.—The matter was referred to the foreman for a report, and to take action against people polluting the drain. Or. Cox suggested that a drain be cut to the creek and moved in that direction, the motion being carried. MATATOKI DRAINAGE. Five settlers of . Matatoki wrote agreeing to pay £l5O in consideration of the Council having at their request agreed to construct a floodgate near the mouth of the Tuhitahi Stream, cleaning and deepening where necessary the existing drain, commenting at the east boundary of section 22 and passing along the north boundary of sections 22 and 23 and across land owned by F. GWayne into Tuhitahi stream, left in abeyance After much discussion the engineer was instructed to prepare estimates. E. A. Brown, on behalf of a number of settlers on the Matatoki Rbad wrote drawing attention to the urgent need of a floodgate on the north drain at, its, junction with the south drain. At present the spring tides came up the drain and flooded farm lands. ■Cr. Cpx said that the settlers were willing to assist with the work and to get material to the job. The matter was left in the hands of the engineer to report, KOPU DRAINAGE. Tizar Bros, Kopu, wrote asking per-i mission to construct a drain along 1 ; the western side of road from Kupata Creek and to put ir. two tile cu'verts. They pointed out that the work would benefit the road, and asked that the Council supply a little metal for the crossing. The engineer recommended that about three yards of metal be allowed—This was agreed to. THAMES-PAEROA ROAD. Cr. Cribb moved that the ruts op the road from Kirikir.i to Puriri be attended to.—-Carried. Cr. Brunton moved that the County foreman be instructed not to use drays on days when roads were wet. The chairman said that work should not be done in bad weather,, but it had been wet for the past three months, and work had to be done. A big sum of money had been spent, and there was nothing to show for it. It was like throwing money into the sea. In his opinion it-would be a, better paying proposition to lay down one mile of permanent road a year. The Government should give more grants and allow the Council to spend, samme. Instead of that it was cheeseparing and putting obstacles in the way of lifting grants, so that all the County could do with its revenue, considering the policy of the Public: Works Department was urgent maintenance work. Cr McCormick asked was it not possible to continue the bitumen road work. The engineer said that the worlc ; could not be done at present. The- ■ great change of temperature between.:

c . —■? i night and day prohibited the work, j Cr. Cribb asked would it not oe advisable to install electric power to 3 the quarry now that the water race 1 was out of action. _ The chairman said that the cost j for power would be much greater, but the motor could be used at other quarries. Cr. McCormick suggested that the 1 Power Board be approached, and the ’ cost of a motor and the installation ascertained. ! Ur. Cribb moved that a committee ! comprising the chairman, Crs. Cox and McCormick go into tin 1 matter, : an-.l if necessary purchase a motor and get the crusher going. C. Brunton seconded and the. motion was carried. The engineer reported that- he had had such repairs to the main road to ( Paeroa as the supplies of metal | would allow. The drains are being | cleaned from Parawai with a view to grading at a future date.. It will be necessary during the coming montn to effect considerable repairs beyond Kopu, as the road there was breaking up rather severely. The extent of the repairs would depend upon the available metal. From Matatoki onwards the road has been repaired as much as possible, and the new grave] stretch at Hikutaia is being crowned up and the ruts eliminated. A considerable amount of metal has been spread along the Matatoki road dnrifig the month. At Puriri a 12-in. concrete culvert 30ft. long has been put in the main road at the Puriri Hotel, and repairs to school footpath have been effected.