OHINEMURI COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4672, 10 March 1924, Page 2

OHINEMURI COUNTY.

MONTHLY MEETINOF OF COUNCIL. The monthly meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council was held on Thursday last, there being present Crs. A R. Robinson (chairman)., H. M. Ccibctt, P. Corbett,’G. H. Vowles, S. H. Morgan, W. F. Johnstone. C. E. Mace, F. C. Hubbard, and A. D. McGuire. Messrs R. W. Evans (clerk) and E Shaw (engineer) were also in attendance. HIGHWAYS UOPUNCIL. ■ rhe ehairman of the No. 2 Mam ■Highway District Council, Auckland, wrote submitting the following resolution. which had been passed at the last meeting of the Highways Council : “ That in view of the i necessity for a sound and strong financial position ir respect to all roads to be- declared main highways, the couuc.-l to*- No 2 Milin Highway District racommends the various- coun'y councils concerned to declare such toads to be main county roads under section 131 (d) of the Counties Act, 11'20. It was decided that a reply be forwarded that action had already been taken by the council in Decembei, 1920. REPAIRS TO FOOTPATH. Thirteen residents of Karatigahakv wrote petitioning the council to repair the footpath leading from the ambulance shed to Butler's Road, Karangahake. The petition stated that the steps and handrails required attention and that the footpath in its pr'senl state was a danger to pedes-trians.-Referred to the engineer. McBRINN’S ROAD. The Majectic Gold Mining Co. wrote submitting an account for wages paid by the company for repairs to the road up Mcßrinn’s Creek, for which tl> Govern ment had voted the council a sum of £5O, and requested a cheque in settlement.

The chairman said that there was no doubt that a large amount-of development work was being done by. the company, and that further reading was urgently required to make the deviation fit for carting machinery and stores to the mines. The mine manager interviewed him and the member for the district with the object of getting further assistance. _ It was decided that the Hon. Miiiister for Mines be further communicated with asking that reconsideration be given the application for £250. FORESTRY CONFERENCE. • The Director of Forestry, Wellington. wrote intimating that a conference of local bodies, Government an.l consulting architects and engineers,' builders, timber merchants, and sawmillers would meet in Wellington on May' 6 ne.xt to consider the revision and standardisation of specifications, regulations, and by-laws relating to the use of timber 8 in buildings. The councils were invited to send their engineers to the conference, otherwise (he representation of counties would be secured by asking the N.Z. Sociely of Civil Engineers to nominate members to attend the conference. STRAYING CATTLE. The Blue Metal Co., Wai kino, wroie complaining of straying cattle in the vicini.v of the township, and stating that one beast in particular was in th? habit of crossing the. river by means of a swing bridge, and had caused damage to the flooring of the bridge. Cr. Morgan said that the wandering stock was a nuisance in the localit.v. Jt was decided to erect a cattle stop it the entrance to the swing bridge. MOTOR TRUCK. Cr. Johnstone asked that a table be .submi’ted to the council every three month 1 - showing the total cost of maintenance of the motor lorry at present in use as against ’ts earning capacity.

Cr. Mace suggested that the council should seriously consider the advisability of each riding owning its own motor lorry. It appeared to him that the engineer had to go round the district a.id beg people to tender for the work.

Cr. Johjnstone was of the that a portable crusher should be the councils first consideration.

KAIMANAWA DRAINAGE.

The chairman reported that in the lower portion of the Kaimanawa riding a drainage scheme, was in operation, the success of which was assured. The Public Works Department had recently moved a dredge down, and operations were about to be commenced in the main outfall drain, the deepening and widening of which would cope with and enable all water to get away more quickly than at present, and would be the means of saving the council probably hundreds of • pounds! in road maintenance work caused by the storm water from the hills scouring the road away. PUBLIC CONVENIENCES. On the. motion of Cr. Mace, seconded by Cr. H. M. Corbett, it was decid-' ed to approach the Paeroa Borough Council with'reference to the establishment _of a rest room and public conveniences in Paeroa. The chairman said he thought the county might have -the privilege o? approaching the Borough Council on the matter. There was no hiding the fact that such conveniences were urgently required with tire borough, and he felt sure the council would see the reasonableness of the request. Cr. P. Corbett suggested that it might be advisable to forward a similar recommendatoin to the Waihi Borough Council. WAIHI BEACH ROAD. The chairman reported that he had been interviewed by the Mayoy of Waihi with reference to the Wiahi Beaclv road, and he had .suggested the erecton of a toll-gate. There would be every probability of getting a special rating area loan carried if the consent of the Minister could-be obtained. It had been suggested that the Waihi Borough Council should era an go a conference with the Tanarrange a conference with the Tancounty could be represented, fn the event of a toll-gate being erected the money collected would go a long way toward? paying interest on a loan. Cr. H. M. Corbett said he had pleasure in supporting the .suggestions of

the chairman, and, further, he was of the opinion that there should be an adjustment of the existing boundaries between the three local bodies. TENDERS. The tender of Brenan and Co., Ltd. £489 13s 6d, was accepted for the supply and cartage of metal from tha Puke to Hubbard's Road where iljoins Thames Road. OLD TE AROHA ROAD. Cr. Mace suggested that, as the outstanding , rates had been paid, the council Should spend the £5O agreed upon on that portion of the Old Te Aroha road leading to Mr J. H. Evans' property.—Agreed to. ~ .v OPUKEKO DRAIN. , M J A petition from residents in th’e’ vicinity of the Opukeko drain, Paeroa applied for a subsidy towards the cost of cleaning the drain. —Referre<j«Ho the member;, for Paeroa riding,/wVUI ' power to act.