CRITICISM OF COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4664, 20 February 1924, Page 2

CRITICISM OF COUNTY.

MEETING OF RATEPAYERS. PLAINS MACHINERY LOAN. A meeting of the Turua and Kerepeehi Ratepayers’ Associations was held in the Turua Buildings on Monday evening for the purpose of discussing the business methods of the County Council and the machinery loan. Mr P. R- Henry presided and there were present: Crs. J. C. Millet ( tou 'jy ty chairman), W. Madgwiek, J. H. Nicholson, W. G. Hayward, Mr E. Walton (county, clerk), and Mr J. N. Anderson (assistant engineei). Kerepeehi was represented by Messrs Jamieson, Hoff, Mclntosh, Chick, Thompson, Herkt, and McMillan, while the Turua association was represented by about 20 inembeis. In opening the meeting the chaiiman welcomed the councillors and council officials. He explained the events that led up to the meeting, and asked any person to bring up any mutter for discussion. He pointed out that the Turua association had no particular axe to grind. Mr Hoff brought up the matter of punts, and asked permission for a non-ratepayer to speak.

Permission being granted, Mr W. Thompson said that he had noticed punts laden with metal upset near the Wharepoa ferry, and no attempt was made to right them for several days. Mr Hoff said that the council proposed raising another machinery loan. Tie question arose whether the council was competent to take care of its machinery. Mr Anderson said that in such ar. event the matter should have been reported. Nothing of this nature had been reported while he was in the office. Mr Thompson quoted other cases, occurring two or three months ago, when punts had been moored so that at low tide they were left high and dry. The county chairman explained that .some time ago great trouble was experienced, but since then a different arrangement had been made Whereby the towing contractor was made responsible for half the cost of any damage occurring to punts. THE FERRY. Mr Thompson stated that a red light wi.s not displayed on the Wharepoa ferry punt. This was very dangerous, Cr. Nicholson replied that the ferryman had no proper lights. He had spoken to the engineer on the matter, and something would be done. PEKAPEKA ROAD. Mr Hoff asked if a contract had been let for Pekapeka Road. Receiving an answer in the affirmative, he continued that two men had intended applying, but they had no machinery. They thought it would have been belter if: -had offered to hire the machinery. MACHINERY LOAN. Mr D. G. McMillan asked fur the council's opinion of why the machinery loan was turned down. The county chairman replied that he could not think that the ratepayers were UP against the purchase A machinery, and the only alternative was that they had no faith in the council, or its officials, or both. There was no doubt that the machinery was required, and the loan had therefore been made to meet the ratepayers' requirements. In reply to Mr Henry the county clerk said that the cost of holding su<‘h a loan poll was about £7O. Mr Henry thought that apathy and lack of publicity and propaganda were the chief causes of the small pollingMr G. Gray asked whether Mr Miller thought it was fair to let certain ridings out of the rating area. Another point he took exception to was an item of £3OOO for the construction of roads. The county chairman replied that the riding cut put would receive no benefit from the machinery. Should they at any time use the machinery they would have ot hire it from the )C rtt of the county, just as from an outsider. In reference to the £3OOO item, the clerk explained the voting paper a_nd showed that.the loan was for (a) th’acquisition of. machinery f< r quanj equipment, and (b) the acquisition of machinery for road-making purposes. The loan was put in that form in accordance with the advice from a leading Auckland lawyer. Im reply to Mr McMillan Mr Walton explained the machinery loan rating area. Cr. Hayward stated that in Patetonga riding the roads could be metalled from the streams at a cost of 5® a yard for metal. The ridings had agreed to pay out of their accounts should they at any time use metal from ‘he quarry. Mr W. E. G. Willy said that with the Maukoro quarry opened up metal could be sold to the Patetonga riding at a g'.’od profit. Mr H. Luke, asked the cost of clearing Hlkutaia Stream, and also if it was a fact that the project was a failure

Cr. Miller replied that the cost of snugging the stream was a little over £290, but a contribution of £lOO had been received from other bodies. However, it was now known that it would have been cheaper to have put in a tramline direct to the Waihou River. The quarry was not failinc, but the trouble was to get the metal out quicker. At present metal wak costing Ils a cubic yard to land on the bank of the Waihou. A special meeting of the council was to be held on Wednesday to discuss the matter. The qtiany had fully justified itself, ami would continue to put out. metal at about the same cost.

Mr Thompson stated that even when a tramline was built they would only be able to use punts according to the tides. No launch could low against the flow of the tide. Air H. D. Jamieson said that he desired to give constructive criticism. The council had decided to make bridges county matters, thereby making ridings which would receive io benefit pay for them. Why had they not been consistent and made the roads county matters. Then, machinery was left lying about when it

should have been covered. There were other matters that could be enumerated, and had tended to defeat the poll. The council had made inanv promises, but had done little work n the riding. Cr. Miller said that should a tramline be erected at Hikutaia only one stream would have to be contended with.

With reference to making roads co’Uity matters, Cr. Madgwiek said that this would not work equitably, owing to the different value of the land and the different amount if traffic. Cr. Miller stated that experts had advised the council that the tractor was useless. Since then a council eraplovcc had fixed it up and made it do good work. Cr. Hayward explained that th’ plough complained of did rot belong to the council. An exchange had been made, and the plough on the y roadside belonged to the settler who had made the exchange. Mr Jamieson slated that a shed had been available for machinery duiing the winter. Cr. Hayward said the council did not know that. Mr Mclntosh asked why the Netherton hopper had been full of metal for some lime. Cr. Nicholson replied that he had gone into the matter and had found that there had been no large quantity of metal in the hopper for some time. What was there was being used for / maintenance. In reply to Mr Jamieson Cr. Hav-" ward said that the riding using machinery was always charged for it. In reply to Mr Hoff the county chairman said that tenders had been called for the construction of punts. The lowest price received was oyer £l3OO, but since then punts had been obtained by private treaty at much lest cost. Mr Geisler asked if it .would not be cheaper to let more work by contract. The county chairman replied that the Thames Borough Council had just found it much cheaper to purchase machinery and hire it out to coih tractors. In reply to Mr McMillan Mr Walton said hat a quarry tramline, locomotives, trucks, hoppers, punts, derricks, berthage for punts, a jetty at Pa*etonga, a road roller, tar-spraying machine, and a shed for housing machinery were the items included in the machinery loan Mr D. G. McMillan said that the council had been divided on. the machinery loan, and the members who dissented were those who had previously advocated making bridges county matters. The chairman said that had the loan been put over the whole county it would undoubtedly have been turned down. Cr. Hayward pointed out that tire whole county was paying for the old machinery loan, and the hill portions of the county had received little bene- | lit from that machinery. In regard 'i to the last loan, the ridings that had received least benefit from the old * loan had supported it, and the ridings that had received all the benefit had turned the loan down. Concerning tenders, Cr. HaywarJ slated that the county was towing . mptal at about 2s 6d a yard, yet tin lowest tender received was 7s 6d. Ou Wilson’s Road the tender was over £7OO, .yet the council had already done two-thirds of the work for £lBO. The county chairman asked the meeting for an expression of opinmi as to what could be done’ without more machniery. MT Jamieson asked how the county compared with the Lands Department in regard to the amount of "metal :. punted. Mr Thompson stated that with three punts and a steamer 40 yanh a day was received five day a week by the Lauds Departmnet. .Mr Jamieson suggested that all the j loan works should be pooled and ten-de>-s called for big jobs. Cr. Hayward said that there were so few firms capable ot handling siiclf a job that there would be np competition, so the price would be very high. Mr Willy said that the council could not be blamed for the defeat of the . recent poll. In his opinion it was .ai’gely through apathy on the part ol ratepayers. He could not onderstan 1 men taking so little interest as not p vote either one way or the ether. The district had to go ahead, and he was sure that the councillors would listen to any suggestion towards this end. There was no doubt that the tightness of money had something tc do with the adverse vote. Cr. Miller said he had not heard one man excuse himself for not voting, but had heard several give reasons for voiing against the loan. He still thought it was lack of confidence in the council or its officials. In reply to Mr Mclntosh the clerk stated that £14.1 had been spent in th? Kerepeehi riding during the year. The general expenditure, which was for the maintenance of quarries, • punts, etc., was charge® to the varione ridings on a valuation basics, un- ” til such time as it was known where the metal was supplied and the machinery used, when the accounts would be adjusted and some of the riding- would receive relief. Mr McMillan said that councillors could be criticised for all time, but the county required machinery, and it w as no use putting them in office and voting out evertyhing they brought forward. They should be given credit for honesty of purpose, and the much ineiy loan should have been supported As a test motiojn Mr Willy moved: “That this meeting, having heard the councillors and being of the opinion that the county requires more machinery to carry on necessary works, will use every endeavour to have the machinery loan poll carried.” This was seconded by Mr J. Mules, and carried by seven votes to one. In thanking the councillors for attending, the chairman said that such meetings did much to clear up doubt- ■ —■ ful points, and were, therefore, to be encouraged. Returning thanks, the county chairman asked if any reason could be given why the poll should not be. again put to the ratepayers. It only fair to state any reasons.