THE MACHINERY LOAN.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4679, 26 March 1924, Page 4

THE MACHINERY LOAN.

NETHERTON’S OPINION. About twenty-five ratepayers assembled at the Netherton Hall ou Saturday evening to hear the machinery loan proposal explained by the Hauraki Plains County Council. The county chairman spoke as reported at previous meetings. Stress was laid on the fact that the area near the Piako River had contributed to the cost of the Hikutaia quarry and punts and had received no benefit whatever. It was therefore up to the area on tiie Waihou River to support a loan which would provide machinery for the use of the whole of the contributing area. The opinion of the councillors was that if the loan was turned down the ridings near ths Piako River would have every right to demand the use of the punts.

Numerous questions on the lines of these asked at previous meetings were answered.

The engineer said he would not advise a detached road roller and a tractor, as a tractor would not draw a scarifier and the roller would not be heavy enough. A ten-ton machine was necessary. The cost of equipping the Maukoto quarry would in round figures lie about £lO,OOO. Some of this would be out of the first loan.

Mr Simpson expressed the opinion that a metal hopper would be requir-. ed on either Pukahu or Stopbank road, as Hikutaia metal would probably be used on those roads. The engineer said that he had not gone into the question, but offhand 1 he would say that Paeroa metal would probably *be cheaper than Hikutaia metal.' Considerable discussion arose on the non-inclusion of the two and a half ridings of hill country in the rating area, the objection being that equally good reasons could be advanced by Netherton ,why that riding should be excluded from paying for county bridges.

It was pointed out that under the system of the whole county paying for the bridges the Netherton riding liability for the Puke bridge would be spread over the whole of the county, but the objectors contended that this would not equalise matters, as the loan was about half paid off.

Mr S. Laughlin expressed the opinion that if the riding was cut out of paying for the Kirikiri bridge there would be no doubt about the machinery loan being carried. Mr. J. A. Reid said that if the charges made for the use of the machinery were fixed at such as would pay the interest, sinking fund and maintenance charges on the loan why was a portion of the. county not included in the area; It would not pay unless it used the machinery.

Tire chairman pointed out that the charges would only be sufficient with the machinery in use the whole year. The scheme of charges had been adopted to make the areas using the machinery pay. The outer area would be charged for the use of the machinery. He pointed out that the council had thought of making the area only th a* between the two rivers, but had extended the area to include the Pipiroa riding and half Ngatea riding at th'.-;i- requests. The excluded aroi settlers would cast a block vote against the proposal, and, therefore, would tend to bold back the progressive areas of the county.

Mr R. H. Heappey moved that this meeting is not in favour of the machinery loan in its present form, being strongly of the opinion that the rating area should be the whole of the county. Seconded by Mr J. Harms. Mr Jamieson’s amendment that tire proposal as it stands should go before the ratepayers was ruled out of order. The motion was then put and lost. MEETING AT KEREPEEHI. At tire Kerepeehi meeting Mr E‘. S. Masters, president of tire Ratepayers’ Association, presided over an attendance of twenty-four.

Discussing the requirement for metal the engineer said that theie were 88 miles of roads between the two rivers. Allowing an average of 6000 yards of metal from Hikutaia, 6090 yards from Thames or other quarries, and 7000' from Puriri Stream during a year there would only be sufficient, after* providing for maintenance, to lay down miles of permanent road in each riding in a year. With the present plant it would therefore take over ten years to complete tiie permartent’roading. In reply to Mr W. Thompson -Cr. Millet-, said that the cost of providing plant for ‘transporting metal from the Hikutaia quarry to the Waihbu River by rail would be about £6OOO. Mr Thompson pointed out‘that compensation to‘the owners of land traversed would have to be added. Only slight improvements to the Hikutaia.’ Stream would be required to enable the new punts, which were of a 55 • yard capacity, to negotiate the stream. Mr H. Hoff pointed out that tho Lands Department contemplated erecting a slip for punts, and asked if the council could not use the slip instead of having another made. The chairman replied that If the department erected a slip and would permit the council to use it the item on the loan schedule might never be required. The matter would certainly receive consideration. •In reply to Mr Hoff the engineer said that a rough estimate of the cost of the Maukoro quarry showed that metal wbuld cost- about the same on the Piako River as the Hikutaia metal cost.

lii reply to Mr Murdock the engineer stated that when the Hikutata quarry was fully equipped the work would probably be done by day labour under the supervision of a manager. At present the contract system was proving satisfactory, the output only being restricted by transportation difficulties. In answer to Mr Hoff the clerk said that if a riding used the whole of the machinery for the whole of the year it would, by the charges for hire, pay the whole of the interest and sinking fund for that year, so there would be no rate required to be struck. However, as it was not likely that the machinery would be used

on one work for- a year a small rate would prob.ably have to be struck over the’ whole area annually. There being no further questions on the machinery loan questions on other matters were invited. WHAREPOA FERRY. Mr W. Thompson asked Hie position in regard to the Wharepoa ferry. The clerk said that the engineer had written to the Devonport Steam Terry Co. and had .been informed that the company had a punt suitable fo’ - the work after slight improvements had’ been made. The engineer was going to Auckland during the week to see if it was suitable. When the council knew the full particulars a committee would confer with th? Thames County Council, which body contributed half the cost of any major work. No replies had been received from advertisements for supplying a punt.

Mi- W. Thompson said that it was very important that the ferry should be running by Easter Monday for the Kerepeehi sports. He would lend a hand to do anything possible to get the ferry going, and was sure others would do tiie same.

Ur. Nicholson mentioned that the settlers had contributed a large sum to have the ferry opened, and now very much desired to see it reopened. The county chairman asked if the settlers could recommend any solution if the present negotiations failed. He promised that the council would do its best to reopen the ferry. PEKAPEKA ROAD. In reply to Mr Herkt the chairman said lie had advised the Kerepeehi riding representative to defer going in for a comprehensive roading scheme for the whole riding until tiie intention of the Main Highways Board was known. The board’s requirements were very stringent, but so far details were not known. Tire engineer said that the main roads should be done first. It was therefore impossible to say when the scheme would be commenced. Metal could be got from the Miukpro quarry providing the machinery loan was carried. The contracts for the formation of Pekapeka R n ad had not been turned down owinir to the foregoing, but the work had been delayed owing to tiie fact that a grader was not available. He would go into the matter with the chairman of the District Council to see if the Highways Board would contribute half the cost. Owing to tire lateness in the season he would not recommend forming the whole of tiie road unless the settlers sb desired. Mr Mclntosh thought that the 39 chains should be done.

Mr G. Mclntosh asked tiie county chairman if he considered that the settlers on Pekapeka Road had received fair treatment. Many promises had been made, but nothing had been done.

The chairman pointed out that tiie council had called tenders for the wo-k. The council could not do the work until it had machinery.

The engineer said) it wa>s not right to say that nothing had been done. One mile had been done, and it was intended to go further this season. Or. Nicholson stated that when the whole riidng .spoke of going in for 1 roading scheme the matter was held over.

Tn reply to Mr Mclntosh the engineer said that a grader would oe available shortly to do the 39 chains.