HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4685, 9 April 1924, Page 3

HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL. The Hauraki Plains County Council - met at Ngatea yesterday, there being presen* : Crs. J. C.- Miller (chairman), C. W. Harris, W. G. Hayward, C. W. Parfitt, J. H. Nicholson, W. Madgwipk, F. J. Mayn, T. McLoughlin, and IL Hare. The county clerk, Mr E. Walton, and the engineer, Mr J. Higgins, also attended. WARNING SIGNS. The secretary of the Ngatea District High School Committee wrote stating that his committee was of the opinio,’ that .the council should place notice boards at suitable points asking motorists to drive carefully when approaching the school. It was decided to erect notice boards near all the schools on the Plains restricting the speed limit to 10 miles an hour, • RAILWAYS LEAGUE. The Auckland Railways and Development League wrote seeking support, end it was decided to make a donation of two guineas. TAHUNA ROADS LOAN. The I’iako County Clerk wrote confirming his chairman's arrangements that the council would wait for the State Advances loan as arranged by Cr. Mayn in Wellington. The letter asked if the council was prepared to apply for the whole amount of the loan, the sum of £2l’oo to be charged against last year's quota, as arranged, and the balance against the Pi.ako county’s quota for the present year. LOAN MONEY. The superintendent, State Advances Department,-wrote stating that owing to the demands made omits funds the Department was not in a position to consider the council's application ,fio< a loan of £3400 until such time as ihe application now in hand had been disposed of. The Public Trust Office wrote seeking full particulars in respect to the application ' made on behalf of the council by Cr. Mayn for loans of £1575, £3400, and £750. Cr. Mayn moved that an application be made for the £3400 for the Netherton roads loan. Seconded by Cr. McLoughlin and carried. ROUTE OF HIGHWAY. Mr J. F. Goodwin, of Maramarua, waited upon the council and asked that the route suggested by the Waikato County Council for the main highway south from Auckland be supported. The route was roughly 10 or 12 miles east of the railway, and would traverse good land which could better afford to pay for .the road, and would also tend to open up more down land than that traversed by tin; .present road. The route suggest<d by the Highways Board was for a eat -distance between the railway and the river, and in such a position tint the Waikato council had turned <’own the recommendation of the Highways Board that it should be the route. The engineer said that he had advocated the route at the time of the Roads Conference, when he was consulting engineer to the Waikato County Council and the Wangamarino and Jliintly Road Boards. However, owing to insufficient drainage and other factors he had agreed to the road across the Rangiriri Hills, Mow in use, but he still thought the route suggested by Mr Goodwin was preferable for many reasons. The chairman said he could not see that the council could do anything in the matter. It was a question for the Waikato County Council. PERMANENT ROADING. Cr. Miller moved that the engineer be instructed to prepare estimates for laving down the main roads of the Hopuacahi riding in bitumen and the side roads in metal. —Carried. ‘ METAL TESTING. On Cr. Miller’s motion it was decided to ask for the Public Works Department’s approval of all metal quarries which might be used for supplying metal for bitumen roads, and to obtain a laboratory test ofi the metal if advisable. MAINTENANCE WORK. .11 was decided, on Cr. Mayn’s motion. to authorise repairs to the Netherton 'ferry totalling about £3B. The engineer was instructed to report on the repairs necessary to the Ngatea bridge. Authorisation was given for metal to be procured to effect repairs to I’iako Road. On Cr. Parfitt’s motion the engineer was empowered to employ a'surfaceman in Pipiroa riding, and was instructed to 'have the riding roads graded up. . The engineer was given authority to grade up the Kerepeehi-Kopuarahi read and the Horahia wharf roa.l when he considered it advisable to have the work done. WHAREPOA FERRY. The secretary of the Turua Ratepayers’ Association wrote stating that at the last meeting of the association ; tlm matter of recommissioning the AVharepoa ferry was discussed, and after considering the cost of renewing the punt and the heavy upkeep of the road the conclusion arrived at was that the expense was tod heavy to be borne by the Turua riding. Now that the Kopu ferry was established the association thought the Wharepoa ferry was no longer required. Cr. Nicholson said that he considered the whole of the council’s donation o* £5O. should he spent on the road between the ferry and the wharf. Cr. Mayn moved, and Cr. Nicholso.n seconded, that the association be informed that the ferry was a county matter, and that the council intended to open the ferry.—Carried. APPOINTMENT OF FERRYMAN. It was decided to call tenders for the position of ferryman at Wharepoa, the tenders to clo,sc on 17th inst., and Cr. Hayward, the engineer, and the clerk were appointed to open the tenders. It was pointed out that the ferrywould have to commence work immediately, as the ferry was required on the 21st instant.