THAMES COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4599, 10 September 1923, Page 2

THAMES COUNTY.

MONTHLY MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Thames County Council was held on Thursday last. There were present Crc. H. Lowe (chairman), R. Cox, A. Alley, W. Brunton, J. F. McMahon, and G. H. A. Cribb. The clerk, Mr McElroy, and the engineer, Me Hooley, were also in attendence. WHAREPOA ROADING E. D. Walters, wharepoa, wrote to the council drawing attention to the deplorable condition of the road leading to his place. There was no metal for a distance of 10 chains, and he was not able to take a cart over itlit, was almost impossible to get to th?, factory, and he asked the council to give this matter its fullest consideration. Cr. Brunton said that there were 25 or 30 chains of unmetalled road and the work would have to be done. He moved that the engineer be asked to report, on the matter. —Carried. WHAREPOA DRAINAGE. A. G. Snelgar wrote asking the assistance in deepening the outlet on Wharepoa Road about 40 chains east of the railway line. Messrs Brown, Durbin, and the writer were prepared to pay a fair proportion of the cost of the work, which he could get done for £lO. He also asked the council to take over the boundary drain on the eastern side of his property. Cr. Brunton said that the outlet could be improved, and on his motion it was decided to leave the matter in the hands of the advisory board. FERRYMAN’S WAGES. T. Ross, the Kopu ferryman, wrote drawing the atterttjon of the council to the number of special trips the ferry had been running for W White’s bus at night. From February till the end of July 127 special trips had been run. This service had been run at great risk and difficulties all through the winter, and he asked the council to give attention to the matter.—Referred to finance committee. GRAVEL SUPPLIES. Mrs N. Gillan wrote that she understood the council had been taking gravel from her boundary to the detriment of her property, and she expected to be compensated for it to the extent of Is per yard. ; The chairman said that the matter had already been dealt with. The council would pay a royalty. HIKUAI VALUATIONS. Eight soldier settlers of the Hikuai district asked for a revaluation of their special sections. There weie certain inconsistencies in the unimproved. value which they would like the council to inquire into. The chairman moved that the letters be. received and the settlers notified of the reply received from tfte Valuation Department,—Carried. POLICE REFERENCE. The police reported favourably upon Mr O’Loughlan for a license to a billiard room at Hikutaia. WHANGAMATA ROADING. .W. McCombie, chairman of the Glenisla Gold Mining Development Company, wrote that bis company intended commencing mining operations up the Wentworth Valley about five miles from the landing at Whangamata, and he asked that several de fective culverts be repaired as soon as possible. It . was decided to apply to the Mines Department for a grant for the road. . TRAM CROSSING. Messrs Smith and Roryer, timber contractors at Puru, wrote asking permission 'to c ross the Puru road with a horse tram at a point on the level of the road at the Thames side of the approach to the Puru bridge. Tb.ey promised to put in a good crossing. Or, McMahon said that the propesed crossing would be better t,han the existing one. The application was granted. KAURI GUM COMMISSION. The Minister bf Lands wrote that up to the present it has not been deemed expedient to introduce legislation as would be necessary tp give effect to the finding of the Kauri Gum Industry Commission.—Received. OMAHU METAL. F. McKenzie, Puriri, offered to break all the remaining metal in the pit at Omahu quarry for 7s 6d a yard. Possibly five to eight hundred yards could be obtained under the underhand stoping method.—Left to the chairman and engineer, PURIRI DRAIN. A deputation, comprising Messrs J. Twohill and W. P. Clark, of Puriri, waited upon the council in regard to the Central South drain, Puriri. Mr Olarke said that the drain was to be cleaned and all obstructions removed. The cleaning was done but the obstructions had not been removed, with the result that therp was a foot of silt at his end. This interfered with his internal drainage. The engineer said that the obstruction was an 18in culvert that had be?n put in by a settler to keep the water back so that his land could drain. The chairman said that a thorough survey pf the whole distirict should be made and acted upon. The deputation then retired. In reply to Cr. Alley the clerk said that the county had control of the matter. The chairman said that before the obstructions were removed tjie drain shoud be so improved that settlers lower down did not suffer. He thought that the engineer should go into the matter thoroughly. The chairman moved that the engineer report as suggested.—Carried. THE COAST ROAD. Cr. McMahon moved that the engineer be authorised to transfer the metal crusher from the Puriri quarry to ‘he Coast Road as recommended by the engineer^—Carried. Cr. McMahon said that numerous users of the Coast Road bad offered to contribute towards the cost of improving the road. He thought that over £lOO would be available from that source. This, together with the £ for £ subsidy, would go a long way towards improving the road.