OHINEMURI COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4620, 2 November 1923, Page 2

OHINEMURI COUNTY.

MONTHLY COUNCIL MEETING. The monthly meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council was held -in Paeroa yesterday. There were present: Councillors A. R. Robinson (chairman), G. H. Vowles, A D. McGuire, H. M. Corbett, P. Corbett, F. O. Hubbard, W. F. Johnstone, S. H. Morgan, C. E. Mace, and the clerk (Mr RW. Evans) and engineer (Mr a Shaw). WAIHI BEACH ROADCr. P. Corbett reported briefly the result of the conference with the Waihi Borough Council. The position was that nothing definite had been dnoe in the matter, as the meeting held was not considered representative enough. It was decided that the chairman ami Crs. P. Corbett and IL M. Corbett should visit the settlers in the vicinity of the Waihi Beach Road and discuss with them details of a schema for improvements before a further conference with the Waihi Borougn was arranged. MAIN ROAD, WAITOKI. Arising out of the engineer’s report on the cost of forming and metalling 24 chains of the Paeroa-Te Aroha main road at Waitoki Cr. Mace moved that the work be proceeded with immediately. Seconded by Cr. Johnstone and carried. Cr. Mace remarked that there had been seven motor-car springs broken while passing over that portion of the road on Labour Dav. HIGHWAY DISTRICT!. The Highways Board wrote advising that it had finally approved of the constitution of the No. 2 Highway District, comprising Manukau, Franklin, Waikato, Raglan, Waipa, Coromandel, Thames, Hauraki Plains, Ohinemuri, Piako, and Matama .a counties. The Council was asked to forward the name of the member recommended as representative on the district highway council as early as possible. On the motion of Cr. Johnstone, •seconded by Cr. Morgan, the chairman was appointed the Council s representative. PROPOSED DEVIATION. The Department o£ Lands and Survey, Auckland, wrote submitting a plan and particulars of the proposed deviation on Ratarua Road, Waihi Plains. The report stated that the length of the deviation would be about 15 chains, and; the cost of formation £3O. A bridge over the Mataura stream would be necessary at a cost of £5OO. If provision was to be made for metalling the deviation the extra cost would be £139, making the approximate total cost £669. The chairman said that be though! the Lands Department should be prepared to assist the settlers, who would have to be subjected to a special rating area to find £5OO for the bridge. - - It was decided that the chairman, C. H. M. Corbett, and the; engineer should visit the locality and place the matter before the settlers for approval. LAND TAKEN FOR ROAD. The Wellington office of the Lands and Survey Department wrote enclosing a proclamation stating that about nine acres of land on the Whangamata No. 4D block had. been taken an<l gazetted a public road. The chairman said that a small portion of the ; land taken was in the Ohinemuri County, the major portion being in the Thames County. PUKEKAURI ROAD. The resident engineer, Public Works Department, Paeroa, wrote acknowledging a letter from the Council urging that Pukekauri Road' should be formed. The road reserve through Mr L. E. Yearbury’s property had not been dedicated, but the resident engineer stated that Mr Yearta ury was prepared to give sufficient land for the road, provided it followed. the eastern boundary of his property. The Council was asked to state if it was willing to undertake the legalisation o£ that piece of road. Cr. Morgan said that he would like to see the work pushed on, as it was urgent It was decided that Cr. Morgan and the engineer should see Mr Yearbury and endeavour to arrange for the legalising of the road. DESTRUCTION OF BLACKBERRY. The Department of Agriculture advised, in answer to the Council’s query, that certain experiments for the destruction of blackberry had been undertaken in the Department’s lyaboratory, but no effective remedy had yet been discovered. A special officer had been detailed ip devote his time to a study of the question. NGAHINA BRIDGE. The clerk of the Piako County Council wrote as follows : “The Council have instructed that they do not fee their way to voting any money for the maintenance of a service for opening the Ngahina bridge at the Puke to allow the river traffic tp pass up and down. The position appears to'be that the river service is a very ancierit one, and the bridge was only erected at a comparatively recent date for the benefit of the settlers in the Hauraki Plains and Ohinemuri comities at present contributing to the upkeep of the service. I am informed that the opening of the bridge for the passing up and down of boats was one pf the conditions imposed when permission was given to erect the bridge, and the present expenditure therefore calculated on.” The Paeroa Borough Council also wrote advising that it could not admit the principle of contributing towards keeping the bridge open for river traffic, but that it was prepared to consider any further representations the County Council desired :.o make, The letter pointed out that the Borough Council, in co-operation with the Chamber of Commerce, was endeavouring to get the Ngahina wharf used, thereby obviating the necessity of going through the bridge with goods for Paeroa. The Waihi Borough Council advised that provided the Te Aroha and Paeroa d borpughs would each contribute

£lO it was prepared to contribute a similar amount towards the upkeep of the bridge. Johnst one ‘ On the motion of Cr. journo z was decided that the seek the assistance of the : Plains County Council by writing to the Public Works Department it to expedite arrangements for the . use of the Ngahina wharf. Seconded by Cr. H. M. Corbett anl carried. ROAD AT MARATOTO. The Majestic Goldmining Company advised that owing to a very important development in the north end of their property they had decided to confine future operations to that enl and abandon the southern or united section of the mine. The Council was therefore requested to apply to the Minister of Mines for a subsidy towards the cost of putting in order the road from the Maratotp Creek up Me Bain’s Creek to where the machinery and houses for the men would be erected, such subsidy to be in lieu of the subsidy previously asked for by the comynny towards the cost of viating another road to the mine. > It was decided to approach the Mines Department and ask for assistance .to the extent of £250. KOM'ATA NORTH ROAD. Miller and Son, Thames, wrote on behalf of clients stating that the r Komata North road had not been legalised, and asking that it should be effected under section 101 D of the : Public Works Act. The letter, stated •that the matter was of considerable importance to ratepayers owning properties abutting on the road. A form of declaration and proposal to legalise the road was enclosed for 'the Coun- ■ cil’s completion. The chairman said that it was news tp him to hear that the road • was not a legal one. He could no« ■ understand how the Council had been > spending money on a road that had not been legalised. | ' Cn. H. M. Corbett said that owing to ■ amended or new regulations in the ! Act the case was not an . isolated onei i He remembered similar cases occurring on previous occasions. ft > It was decided that the necessary i steps should at once be taken to , - legalise the road, and that the chair-..-. man be empowered to sign the declaration. AUCKLAND WINTER SHOW. 1 The Auckland A and P. AssociaJ tion wrote enlisting the sympathy of 1 the Council in arranging for a district s court at the Auckland Winter Exhi- : bition next year. The association f would donate £35 for local expenses ! where a district\entered a court, besides a cash prize and cups for the ’ winner. 1 The chairman said that district ’ courts entailed a lot of .time . and wotku Cr. H. M. Corbett said that he ‘ thought the Council might very well ‘ consider holding a court at the Wai- , kato Winter ! After further ifiShssion the matter was deferred in 'the 7 meantime. ; KAIMANAWA ROAD. A petition bearing eight signatures of residents in the vicinity of Kaimanawa Road was received. The petitioners asked that the Council shoull form and metal all that portion of ’ the road extending from the railway ’ line to the cprner of the deviation at ■ Walters’ boundary. It was pointed ’ out .that though the road had been 1 dedicated for upwards of 40> years that portion had never been formed, ‘ and was for .the greater part of the 1 year impassable for vehicles.. The road was a thoroughfare for settlers’ residing near pr on-Hikutaia Settle-, meat, and gave direct access to the . ; wharf, and the completion of the road . f would shorten the distance thereto by i over a mile. 1' The chairman said that he was > familiar with the locality. He moved that the engineer should supply an ■ estimate of the cost of .forming and ■ metalling the road, and the Council - ; could then consider the question of J ■ applying, for a subsidy to enable - the ■ work to be carried out. —Carried. ' MINING ' RENTAL. The Receiver of Gold Revenue, Te Aroha, wrote stating that he had re- ' celved a request from Mr Lonigan, of Te Kuiti, asking for a remission of , arrears of £l4 16s due for rent on S.Q. Claim No. 2505, General Snail. The; claim was one of which the rent was'< allocated to the Council. The letter -pointed out that the claim had evi- , dently not been worked by the licensee and was of no use to him, and ' therefore he was filing an application _ to surrender same. In view of-the I circumstances the Council was. asked 1 to request the Minister of Mines to treat the rent owing as-not recover1 able.—Agreed ,tp. TENDERS. The following tenders were received for metalling a pprtion of Ford Road: Brenan and Co., Ltd., 7s lOd per cubic ’ yard; J. J, Birch, Waihi, 7s, plus an \ extra is per yard royalty; H. Ashly, Waihi, 7s, plus an extra is royalty (accepted). I WAITAWHETA VALLEY ROAD. i F. L. and H. L. Franklin, Waikino, ■ asked the council to form a road to ' their property. The matter had been ; referred to the Commissioner cf ; i Crown Lands, who advised that it be i referred to .the council. The writers i pointed out that they had held the ■ property for nearly ten years and had • been paying rates, but their only i means of exit and ingress was ■ I through neighbours’ property. ; Cr. Morgan moved that the Lands ■ Department be urged to go into the matter and provide a reasonable out- ' let. Seconded by Cr. P. Corbett and car- • ried. The chairman said that the settlers L had been placed in. that locality, and ■ were entitled to a road to their pro- • pertiesi. : ACCOUNTS. 1 Accounts amounting to £682 7s Jd ’ were passed for payment. & ’ L