THE MACHINERY LOAN.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4678, 24 March 1924, Page 3

THE MACHINERY LOAN.

: ' ' — ♦ A ADDRESS AT TUBUA. ■' MEETING ACCORDS SUPPORT. Members * of- the Hauraki Plains County Council addressed a public meeting at Turua on Friday evening on the Machinery Loan proposal. Mr J. Mules presided over an attendance of eighteen. The county chairman, Cr. W. Madgwick, the county clerk, and the engineer were present. The county chairman addressed the meeting on similar lines to those given at previous meetings. He pointed out the roads in the neighbour"' hood as an example of the work that '* roil’d be done with machinery. In to the punts, he stated that he ~ knew the feeling of the settlers on the other river, and knew that they v. would demand the use of the punts, and the council could not refuse them. The clerk read the items that the council had agreed were required and explained the rating required. The more the plant was used the less the charges on the area not using it. . If the plant was not used for a whole your the rate required would be from -X2 5s to £2 10s per £lOOO of rateable valuation. He also explained the effect of the recent amendment to the Counties Act which provided, in effect. that those persons who had not ..-J paid the 1923-24 rates would be disenfranchised. ’ When questions were invited Mr Wi’liaiiW asked how the £9OOO of the old loan was to he spent. The chairman replied that part of it would be spent in equipping the Maukoro and Hikutaia quarries. The clerk pointed out that the oi l loan provided for a launch and metal trucks, which would be required. Tn answer to .Mr Williams the en- "•-» gineer said he preferred a ten ton motor roller, with a scarifier attached to it. M>- R. Baker said that the Turua southern area had raised a loan for roading and had expected to have ; bitumen roads by now. The chairman stated that the gi anring of the subsidy had been the cause the delay r . Baker, asked why the council permitted Puriri Creek to ?be up. The chairman said that, when it was opened there was no question of a subsidy. The engineer had not favoured it, but the riding-member and the roads committee, together with experienced men from Taranaki, had advocated it. Cr. Madgwick said he took all the responsibility for Puriri metal. The engineer had certainly' reported against it.

Cr. Madgwick said that Puriri metal had justified itself- The saving

on the seven or eight thousand yards would pay for the better class of metal required by the Government for \Jihg top courses. The loan could not -afford to do without the subsidy. In reply to Mr Mules the engineer said he considered Hikutaia metal superior to Puriri. There was enough first-class metal at Hikutaia Io metal all the roads between the two rivers if necessary. . In reply to Mr Rogers the engineer that a crusher capable of crushing 80 to 100 yards a day would oe installed at Maukoro; and two shifts a day could be worked, providing . there were sufficient punts to transport the metal. The same would apply to Hiktuaia? Mr A. Rogers said that with the •Mai’.koro quarry turning out 160 to :?00 yards a day it would be many years before all the reading scheme

w<wc completed. The engineer said that the loan would have to 'be considerably in ■ creased to provide sufficient machinery to deal with such an output. Mr Treadaway moved that this meeting' do its best to carry the machinery loan. Mr J. Mules seconded. Mr Sutton moved as an amendment •that the loan be turned down, as the ratepayers do not approve of the county administration. Mr S. Robinson seconded. Speaking to his amendment Mr Sutton said that? the past administration of the county tended to cause a lack of faith. The county would have been better served, in his opinion, by the Thames County Council, and the cosof administration would not have so high. The ratepayers realised that the machinery .was necessary, but were not satisfied with the’ administration. . • Mr Treadaway thought that a hector feeling would prevail if the cost ktf- administration was reduced. * Mr A. P. Gardiner said he had looked into the matter and had found that the county charges compared very favourably with those of other counties. The Plains County figures were 20 per cent., compared with 40 per cent., and 15 per cent., the highest and lowest, respectively, in New Zea-

kind. In reply to Cr. Madgwick Mr Mules Siiid he thought that the Turua Town figures were higher than those of the county. Mr Rogers said that while council-' Tors could he replaced, good roads could not be obtained without maHe would like to see the carried. J Mr Treadaway said it would be for the Turua southern area ratepayers to vote against the loan. That area was receiving all the benefit from the old loan, and should not debar the rest of the county from getting machinery of its use. Mr Sutton’s amendment was ruled out of order as it was a direct negative. On the motion being put to the meeting it was declared carried.