HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIV, Issue 4626, 16 November 1923, Page 4

HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL. The monthly meeting of the Hauraki Plains County Council was held at Ngatea on Tuesday. There were present Crs. J. C. Miller, (chairman), W. G. Hayward, H. Hare, C W. Parfitt, J. H. Nicholson, W. Madgwick, J. F. Mayn, and T. McLoughlin, The county clerk (Mr E. Walton) and t<he County engineer (Mr J. Higgins) we”e also in attendance. QUARRY EQUIPMENT. Mr James Tarry, of Te Kuiti, waited upon the Council and explained details in connection with his offer io sell a stone crusher, elevator, screen, and steam engine. The lot would cost £lOOO. The engineer said that .he would always recommend purchasing new machinery, but he would i ecommend purchasing this crusher but not the engine. Afer discussing the , matter, Cr. Havward moved that the Council accent the offer of £350 for the crusher, screen, elevator, and waggon. This was carried. It, was decided to purchase or hire an engine to drive the crusher, and also to buy equipment from Mr Tarry. DRAINAGE RATE. The . chief drainage engineer, Auckland wrote, in reply to the coutacil’s letter, stating that the question of the amount; of the drainage rate would not be decided until the end of the current year. The Plains settlers, however, expected a high standard of maintenance, and the demands upon the, fund were heavy. Judging by the expenditure during the past six months iti did not appear as though a reduction would be possible next year, TE KAURI ROAD. C. F„ Bennett, Auckland, wrote drawing attention to the deplorable state of the Te Kauri Road, Netherton. which runs from Carter's corner down to his property at Keri Island point. He pointed out that there were a number of settlers on the road and tha* nothing had been done since the road was metalled. Or. Hare said that the road should be scarified. Or, Madgwick said that it was in in one of the proposed reading schemes, and moved that Mr Bennett be informed of this. MAUKORO ROAD. An anonymous writer from Patetonga drew the Council’s attention to the state of the creek on the Plains and Piako County boundaries. Groins were,being formed in the creek by loose metal, and these were diverting the current and thereby endangering the Maukroo Landing Read. The writer pointed out that; the creek was being polluted with sawdust and grease, and that a cut had been made across the road which was likely to cause an accident. Cr. Mayn said that; the creek was in the Piako County, for the boundary was in the southern side of the road. It was decided to draw the attention of the Piako County Council to the matter. AN AGREEMENT. D. M. Darroch and Son wrote asking that an agreement be signed between the Council and themselves in reference to the building of pontoons. The engineer said that he had informed Mr Darroch that the payment could not be made until the machinery loan was carried. HOUSING LOANS. The superintendent of t;he state Advances Office, Wellington, wrote, in answer to the council’s letter, and stared that as each of the housing loans in question was raised over, a certain defined area tjie balance of each loan could only be expended m that separate area. Under these circumstances it would- be advisable to apply the unexpended portion in reduction of the loans raise! and to apply for fresh loans for erecting further dwellings that, may be required. Cr. Parfitt moved that the unexpended balance of the Patetonga, Waitakaruru and Netherton riding housing loans be refunded to the State Advances Office. —Carried. Cr. Parfitt moved that a loan be raised to pay off the Waitakaruru. house and to erect a house in Pipiroa riding.—Carried. . PIPIROA BRIDGE. The town clerk, Thames, wrote forwarding the following resolution passed by the Borough Council '■ — “ That the Hauraki Plains County Council be informed that the Thames Borough Council regretp that the state of its finances will not permit a contribution. being made but should the Plains Council desire a conference on I?he matter the Borough Council would be pleased to meet it.” R was decided in committee that the matter of the Pipiroa bridge be deferred till the council has conferred with .the Minister of Public Works on the queslon of the subsidy on Kirikiri bridge. Cr. McLoughlin moved thtit the Minister of Public Works be invited to- visit the Plains to discuss matters in connection with the Paeroa-Ppkeno railway, the water scheme, the Kirikiri bridge, and postal facilities. — Carried. HEAVY TRAFFIC. The N,Z. Co-operative Dairy Co. Ltd. wrote in reference to the transportation of coal over the roads of the County tc the Ngatea and Netherton factories. While appreciating the. council’s viewpoint the companywished to state that the question of transportation and the use of Newcastle coal would be discussed at the next meeting of directors, when the results of certain tests were known. Should these tests be favourable the company will revert to the use of Newcastle coal, and this will be transported by water to the factories concerned. Under the circumstances it was asked that the matter be deferred in the meantime. HOPAI ROAD EXTENSION. The chief drainage engineer wrote stating that the department was not prepared to form and clay the Hbpai road extension. If hte settlers wish - ed to proceed with the work the Department would carry out the surveys and do the legalising.

Cr. Hayward said that the offer of the settlers to give the land for the road expires twelve months after given. Cr, Parfitt said that this was a matter for the department. It would be a shame to let the offer lapse, as the land would later have to be purchased. It was finally decided to meet the settlers and diScuss the matter, HORAHIA RIDING. The Lands Drainage Engineer, Kerepeehi, wrote in connection with the poll to he taken by the council for the purpose of a special loan to carry out drainage improvement works in the newly constituted Horahia drainage area. He stated .that! an item of £750 (£1 for £1) has been provided on the Public Works appropriation for this work. As the total cost of the work was £2200' the amount to be raised by loan would be £1450, and if the ratepayers consented to the raising of the loan the Department would be prepared to carry out the work for this amount. By an arrangement between the Hauraki Drainage Board and the Department, ths board would pay the extra cost, estimated at £450, of providing side .slopes of one to one on the Willow Tree and the Te Kauri No. 2 drains within the Hauraki drainage district. Consequential alterations to the original proposals were as follows ■ The Willow Tree drain to be deepened from the flood-gate to its junction with Te Kauri No. 2 drain to an average depth of 6ft 9in; bottom width 3ft throughout;. Between river and road, batter to be one to one. Between Turua Road and western boundary of Hauraki Drainage district, bank on northern side to be one to one batter and on southern side half to ons batter. Continuation to be one to one battor- Existing fences to be removed and re-erected where necessary. The Te Kauri No. 2 drain to be deepened from river to junction witn Willow Tree drain to an average depth of 7ft, bottom width to be.3ft ; and batter one to one throughput. The existing flood-gate to be replaced by t*wo flood-gates with combined waterway of 24 square feet. Alteration to bridge on Turua Road to increase waterway. Fences re-erected where necessary. No. 3 outlet drain to be constructed from Willow Tree drain .to south-eastern corner of section 16, block 11, Waihou S.D., average depth 4ft 9in, bottom width 3ft., batter half to one. Cr. Parfitt moved that tihe loan proposal be now put to the ratepayers. Seconded by Cr. Nicholson and carTRAFFIC LICENSES. The chief traffic inspector, Auckland, wrote relative to the possibility of the council agreeing to a reciprocal arrangement in connection with the cancellation of certificates of competency to drive motor-car,s issued by the Auckland City Council so as to prevent a person whose license has been cancelled from otbaining one from other local authorities, thereby defeating the object. Cr. Mayn moved that the Auckland City Council be informed that if the names of offenders were submitted to the council it would consider the question before granting a license. Seconded by Cr. Hare and carried. KIRIKIRI BRIDGE. The Minister of Public Works wrote stating that it was not possible to state the cost of the Kirikiri bridge until the engineer submitted details to the Department of the design of bridge which he proposed should be constructed. Some time ago the outline drawings were forwarded, but it was not possible frjom that design to decide whether the type of bridge was suitable or what the cost would b«. Cr. Mayn moved that the clerk send a copy of Mr Powell’s estimate and the previous correspondence on the subject to the Minister. —Carried. KEREPEEHI ROADING. The secretary of the Kerepeehi Ratepayers’ Association forwarded a copy of the resolutions carried by the association asking the council to put a loan poll before the ratepayers to borrow money to lay down bitumen roads in the riding.—Granted, SURFACEMAN’S HOUSE. Mrs Hooper, Kaihere, wrote offering to .sell a house suitable for a surfaceman’s cottage at Kaihere. —Left to Cr. McLoughlin to report. OFFER OF METAL. Messrs. Trethowan and Sons wrote offering to supply metal from their Kauaeranga quarry in hoppers or on punts delivered at Shortland. The prices in hoppers were 10s for screened and 9s 6d unscreened, while at Shortland the price was 6d more. Mr Branch, a representative of the company, wattled upon the council and discussed the price of metal. The engineer said that the price was high, and there was no means of hat .dling the proposition owing to the lack of punts. C. Mayn moved, and Cr. Parfitt seconded, that the company be advised that t-he offer could not be entertained at present.—Carried. TENDERS. Two tenders were received for Contract No. 51, formation of Wilson’s Road, but neither was accepted as the price was considered too high. For Contract No. 51, forming, etc., Ngararahi Road, three tenders were received, but were held in abeyance for the time being.