OHINEMURI COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4598, 7 September 1923, Page 2

OHINEMURI COUNTY.

MONTHLY COUNCIL MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council was) held yesterday afternoon. Present: Councillors A. R. Robinson (chairman), G. H. Vowles, H. M. Corbett, P. Corbett, A. D. McGuire, F. C. Hubbard, W. I'. Johnstone, and S. H. Morgan. The clerk (Mr A. W. Evans) and the engineer (Mr E. Shaw) were also in attendance. REPAIRS TO FOOTBRIDGE. The Inspector of Permanent ways, Te Aroha, wrote drawing the attention of the Council to the state of the footbridge over the Ohinemuri River near the Owharoa school, and asking that the cap supporting the wire rope should be renewed. The engineer said that the cap did require renewing, but he could not advise the Council to .spend any money on repairs. There was no immediate danger to the public through the bridge, which only gave access to one settler. Cr. Morgan said that he believed the rpa.d had been closed by the Railway Department. t.I was decided to leave the matter in the hands of the engineer. RYALL’S ROAD. Mr E. W. Porritt advised that the plan of Ry all’s Road had been approved, and the necessary warrant legalising the road had been forwarded by the Public Works Department to the District Land Registrar at Auckland. It was pointed out thaltj before the District Land Registrar would complete the matter he required an exemption from the provisions of section 117 of the Public Works Act, 1908, which required the road to be a chain wide, unless exempted. It-was carried on Cr. Johnstpne’s motion, seconded by the chairman, that formal exemption be granted. WAIKINO HALL. The secretary of the Victoria Hall, Waikino, wrote pointing out that ithe fire appliances on the building were inadequate. The letter stated that there was no hose provided, and only one hydrant could be used. The engineer said he did noti think the Council was responsible for the fire appliances. The matter was referred to the engineer for a report. MINING REVENUE. With reference to previous correspondence on the matter of mining revenue from freehold lands th e Un-der-Secretary of the Mines Department wrote as follows :— “The Receiver-General has obtained an opinion from the Crown Law Office, wherein it is stated that the Crown could not safely comply with the request of the County Council. The Crown Solicitor also advises that, he knows of no authority under which a county council is empowered to give an indemnity .such as that suggested by this Department. It is pointed out that if the Courts were subsequently to hold that ithe freeholder was entitled to these rents, and that the county council was not entitled to be paid them, the county council would in effect have piledged its future revenues in order to secure a payment to which it was not entitled. It has no power to do this, and the Crown Solicitor is of the opinion that the only satisfactory solution of the difficulty is for the local body concerned to obtain a ruling frpm the Supreme Court on the question.” The chairman said that as; the amount in question was so small he considered that it was not worth while pursuing the master further. Cr. Morgan said that from a. county revenue point of view people knew the terms and conditions of freeholding mining ar’eas, and he was 'of the opinion that the Council should not lose sight of the point. He thought the Council was entitled to the money and should have it. Cr. H. M. Corbett was of opinion that any rentals or monies accruing from froeholded mining areas should be distributed among the Iccal bodies concerned. Cr. Morgan said that the Council was liable to be'asked to form roads and effect other improvements on such areas, and he contended that the Council should receive such rentals as accrued. WHANGAMATA ROAD. E. Fitton, of Waihi, wrote agreeing to do work on the repair and maintenance of Whangamata. Road in lieu of paying rates. —Referred to the engineer. TIP MOTOR LORRY. The chairman said he thought the Council would agree that the time was ripe when the Council shouil purchase a t,ip motor lorry for the county work. He was not in favour of going in for a heavy lorry, and thought that a Ford lorry would be quite suitable. The engineer briefly described the work a Ford lorry would do, and he was of the opinion that it would be a paying proposition if the Council obtained one. The approximate cost of a Ford lorry, complete with wormdrive, f.o.b. Auckland, would be £250Cr. Johnstone moved that a Ford tip motor lorry be purchased by the engineer. Cr. H. M Corbett seconded, and the motion was carried. The chairman remarked that he considered the Council was doing the right-thing. The cost saved on carting alone would amount to a large sum in twelve months. APPLICATION TO MAKE DRAIN. P. Corbett, Hikutaia, applied for permission to put a drain along hi. property at the top end of Robinson Road. He stated that the drain would be a 3ft one, at a distance of 2ft from the fence. He would bear the full cost of putting down the drain, but as it would considerably improve the road as well as private property, he thought that the Council might see its way to grant a subsidy. The engineer was of the opinion that the application should be granted. The chairman said that undoubtedly the county road would benefit by a drain in that locality. He moved ,that the application be granted, and t,hat tho Council provide half the cost of construction.—Carried,

WAIHI-WHANGAMATA ROAD. The secretary of the Whangamata Settlers’ Association wrote as follows: "I am directed to write to your Council with reference to the unformed portion of the above road which lies in the Ohinemuri County adjacent to the Thames County boundary. It is understood that about the beginning of this year the Public Works Department refused authority to proceed with this portion on the ground that the. Thames County Council’s portion had not been put in hand, and until that was done it would be of little use completing the remainder in the Ohinemuri County. The Public Works Department has now taken over the 2¥i miles in the Thames County and has had different gangs at work for the last month. My Association will therefore be glad if your Council will again make application for authority to enable the work to be done, and point out to the District Engineer that , by the terms of his own letter it cannot logically be refused. “I am also directed to bring to your notice the condition of the road between Parakiwai and Ross’s. Users of this road are unanimously of opinion .that unless this piece of road is given some attention it will soon be- . come impassable. It is suggested that in view of itjie fact that this road passes through several miles ot Crown lands returning no revenue, your Council would be justified ;n applying for a grant of £2OO to enable this road ,to be put into reasonable repair.” ‘ The chairman said that the majority of the ratepayers belonged ;o the Thames county.' He hoped to pay a visit to the locality before the end of the month. The settlers appeared ,to be progressive and willing, and he thought that the Council should do what it could to help them. It was a question pf money, and the Council had to deal with each request, for help on fts merits. ? Cr. H. M. Corbett said .that the locality was a portion of that part of the Ohinemuri County that was as yet undeveloped. He was glad the chairman was going to inspect, the locality, and he trusted that the Council would do all it could to help the settlers and to encourage the traffic through its own county. WAIHI ROAD DRAIN. M. Pitkethley wrote requesting the Council to clean, out the drain on the Waihi Road which, it was stated, had caused a cow to become bogged. Cr. Johnstone said that the writer had been unfortunate, and he suggested that the matter be referred to the engineer, with power to act PEVREAL’S ROAD. J. H. Evans, Mangaiti, wrote offering to supply horses, drays, and three men to carry out very necessary repair work to the road leading to his farm in lieu' of paying rates. Cr. Morgan moved that the matter should be held over unftfl the next meeting, by which .time it was hoped that a new member for the Mangaiti riding.would have an opportunity of going into the matter. FORD ROAD. A petition bearing nine signatures was received advising the council that when forming and metalling Ford Road they were prepared to provide labour for the extension of the formation of the road towards Old Tauranga Road. They were anxious .that, the whole of the grant, together Jwith any contribution by the county, from rates, should be expended in delivering metal on the road. Under the circumstances it was considered that the county should be prepared to subsidise their efforts £ for £. Cr. p. Corbett said that a portion of the road in question was in the Waihi Borough. The settlers were deservedly in need of help, and he suggested that the engineer should ' go into the matter with the settlers concerned and report at next meet- > ing. The engineer said that nothing could be done until the grant was received. It was decided to inform t,he sei- . tilers that assistance would be given as soon as the Government grant was forthcoming. WAITEKAURI MINING CLAIM, T. Parker, Waitekauri, wrote advising that as his 2% years’ prospecting for a private syndicate had been unprofitable the syndicate had not seen fit to pay him his wages in full, . and neither would it pay the rent. z The writer stated that he had been forced to surrender the property, and had requested the Minister for Mines tp treat the rent as not -recoverable. Cr. Morgan said that the writer had been unfort,unate in that he had allowed the syndicate to take the claim up in his name. He had already paid £lO as rental. In view of the letter from the Minister of Mines, he moved that the rental be dassed as not recoverable. Seconded by Cr. P. Corbett and carried. GRANTS TO LOCAL BODIES. The local resident engineer of the Public Works Department wrote advising th e council to take advantage of the coming summer months for the carrying out of works under Government Subsidies. The council was asked to submit proposals as early as possible for those works that were - deemed of sufficient urgency to warrant being put in hand. That referred to items which had been provided for on t,he 1922-53 appropriations. It was decided to lift all available money as soon as possible. CADMAN’S ROAD. Cr. Johnstone said that Mr Endean had applied for permission from the council to expend an amount equal to cne year’s general rate payable by him on Cadman’s Road. The chairman said that he thought the council should help in such a matter, and it was agreed to comply . with the request. ' TENDERS. - The following tenders were accepted :— . Formation work on Sweatman’s J Road, Waikino : T. Bramble, £B9. Metalling portion of Paeroa-Te Aroha Road near Waitoki: T. and H. Mitchell, £149 16s. Old Tauranga Road, metalling: Brenan and Co., Ltd., £197