HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXV, Issue 4711, 13 June 1924, Page 1

HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL. < —; The regular meeting of the Hauraki Plains County Council was held on Tuesday last, when there were present : Crs. J. C. Miller (chairman), W. Madgwick, J. H. Nicholson, C. W. Parfitt H. Hare, W. G. Hayward, J. F. Mayn, and T. McLoughlin. The county clerk (Mr E. Walton) and the conuty engineer (Mr J. Higgins) were in attendance. FERRY FEES. The Thames County clerk wrote stating that his council had considered the council’s request for exemption from the payment of tolls on the Kopu ferry for council employees, but could not agreed to grant the request. STRAYING STOCK. The secretary of the Ngatea Farmers’ Union wrote stating that notwithstanding the fact that the council had appointed rangers horses, cattle, and pigs were still to be. found doing considerable damage to drains aftd stopbanks. In reply to Cr. Parfitt the clerk said that the ranger could not deal with stock on the stop-banks. The letter was referred to the ranger for attion.' TURUA-NETHERTON ROAD. The secretary of the Paeroa Chamber of Commerce wrote drawing attention to the state of about half, a mile' of the Turua-Netherton road from Carter’s Corner northward. The clerk was instructed to reply stating that the matter had not been lo.st sight of, and that metalling was: being done and would be proceeded with as funds permitted. METAL CONTRACT. M. Maloney, contractor, Hikutaia, wrote With reference to his contract; and stated that on account of there being insufficient punts to take the metal he had crushed away he was; unable to continue crushing at his' capacity. Different financial arrangements were therefore desired to en-' able him to carry no. Thfe clerk stated that according to the accounts paid a punt of metal a; day had. been delivered. Financial arraugemnets had been made, and. would be carried out on the contractor doing his part. Cr. Madgwick said he regretted! having to report that the quality of; the metal' had deterioi v ated. There* was a large quantity of red metal, which should be rejected. The engineer stated that there were ample punts available, but the floods had prohibited them being worked. Tlie different contractors were now working harmoniously together. The engineer was instructed to ascertain the seat of the trouble and do what he cdultl to reniedy matters. FLOOD DAMAGE. The Public Works Department resident engineer, Paeroa, advised that a; grant of £25,' £ for £, had been made’ in consideration of flood damage on the Kaihere-bhinewai road. PI AKO RIVER WHARVES. . The Chief . Drainage Engineer,. Lauds Drainage Department, wrote in regard to tlie sale of the wharves on the Piako River and Waitakarurw Stream. It appeared to him, and he thought, it was also the .wish of the settlers, that the council should have control of these structures. He would like the council’s views on the matter. The wharves would be sold at reasonable prices, and payment could be made by instalments extending over a -period up to 21 years if necessary with interest at 5 per cent. It was decided to inquire the price. WATER SUPPLY. The Minister for Lands wrote asking for a copy of any reports received by the council on the subject o£ a; water supply. The proposed scheme as a whole must be approved by the Government before the grating of a! subsidy could be considered. The clerk said that Mi*Adams had been asked to forward the informa-! tioh, ■ • ’ ■ DAMAGE TO DRAIN. The clerk of the Hauraki Drainage! Board wrote drawing attention to the! serioub slips which had and were still occurring on the 1 urua-Netherton; roadside drain from Troughton’s tbi Carter’s Corner due to the grading) back of the banks of the drain. The. council was asked to remove the slips; before further damage was done to; the settlers adjoining by the over-' flowing of .the drain. The engineer said that if the council had not done anything the banks! would have fallen worse than they; had done. The banks on the other side were as bad. Tire chairman said that the board had no authority to put spoil on the roadside. The engineer was instructed to reply to the letter. DAMAGE TO ROADS. The Turua Town Board wrote drawing attention to the damage being caused to town board roads by council employees carting metal to repair other roads. The board asked for provision to be made to repair the damage. Cr. Madgwick said that tlie council had a resolution on its books stipulating that a certain percentage of metal should be supplied to a riding to compensate it for the damage done by carting, over that riding’s roads io other ridings. The board should be given the benefit of this. Tlie matter was left to the engineer to deal with. TURUA RANGER. The ’Turua Town Board wrote stating that it approved of the appointment of Mr H. C. Luke as ranger for

the district. The council’s action in referring the matter to, the board was appreciated. It was decided to appoint Mr Luke. NETHERTON ROADS LOAN. The Public Trustee wrote advising that the Investment Board had agreed to grant the loan of £3400 applied for with interest at 6 per cent, an-.l sinking fund 1 per cent. —Approved of. KEREPEEHI POUND. The secretary of the Kerepeehi Ratepayers' Association wrote asking the council to take up the matter of obtaining a certain site already set aside for a pound site. ' It was agreed to take steps to have the site reserved as a pound site. RECLAYING ROADS. . The Under-Secretary for Lands, Wellington, wrote with reference to the lower Patetonga road and advised .that, as promised, all timber had been rtemoved and the holes filled with clay. As far as he jv'as aware no promise had been made .that the road would be reclamed throughout. Since the roads were' handed over to the council settlers have been paying rates to the council for maintenance, but so far tlie peat roads had not been maintained. The question was a serious ore, and the council’s delay in dealing with the matter was causing concern. Should it undertake the work forthwith the question as to whether the Department should Hud half the cos,t ,of all clay deposited on these peat roads for. a period of three years from date of handing over might be considered by the Government. Cr. Mayn said that Mr O. N. Campbel! had'given a definite promise, to clay and reclay the roads until they were tit to carry metal. There was also a letter in the office stating that the roads were to be clayed fit to receive metal. The request was in the nature of asking the council to pay for work as maintenance work which was really construction work. Cr. Mayn moved that ti e Undersecretary be written to and his attention drawn to the promise contained ill’ his letter, and the promises made by Mr O. N. Campbell at the conference with the council ; also to the Under ■.Secretary’s promise to the Patetonga ratepayers’ meeting in, December last.—Carried. NGATEA BRIDGE. The Ngatea Farmers’ Union wrote requesting the Council to consider tne urgent necessity of- constructing a recess on the Ngatea bridge in order that vehicles might pass and that the lives of school children would be less endangered. The union considered that the cost would not be great, as the recess ileed only be a flew feet wide and no new piles need be driven. The increase in the amount of traffic over the bridge called for the council giving the matter careful consideration. Cr. Parfitt said that the work was necessary. Bays for children to use Would not cost .much. The engineer was instructed to report to.the next meeting. ACCOUNTS. Accounts totalling £llB 8s Id on the Machinery Loan account, £406 4s 9d on the Netherton Roads Loan, £lO6 Ils 9d on the Turua-Netherton Roads Loan, .£5l 7s 9d on the Hikutaia IQunrry account, £52 10s 2d on the Hprahia Riding account', £94 12s on the Turua Riding account, £8 3s 3d on the Patetonga Riding account, £73 4s 9d,on the Waitakaruru Riding, account, £3l 4s lid. on the Pipiroa Rid->

ing account, £79 Us 9d on the.lfler.epeehi Riding account £lO9 13s 2d on tlie' Netherton hiding account," £3 on the Ngatea Riding account, £ll Is 7d on the Kopuarahi Riding account,. £43B* 16,s Id on the General account, £B3 15s 4d on the Thirds account, £52 18s 9d on the Waitakaruru-Miranda Road grant, £lO5 4s 6d on the PipiroaOrongo Road grant, and £34' 9s 8d on the Ngararahi Stop-bank Road grant were passed for payment. APPOINTMENT OF ENGINEER. Cr. Parfitt asked what was being done in regard to the appointment of an engineer. Cr. McLoughlin thought it would pay to have the new engineer in the county for a month before Mr Higgins left. Cr. Mayn said that it was a hard thing to get a suitable engineer, and it might take considerable time. He moved that applications be called ofi the position on the same terms as last time, and that the salary be £5OO per annum the applications to close at the next meeting. Seconded by Cr. Parfitt and carried. PATETONGA RATING. Cr. Mayn stated that the settlers of his district were not satisfied with the control of the roads. They contended that only -an administrative rate should be struck over the Crown lands, as the county was not able to spend any rates from the area except oil' adininistration. He wished to know if this was possible. The clerk replied that it was not possible without legislation. Cr. Mayn said there was an anomaly in connection with the Crown area settler,s, as the county could only operate on the freehold areas. WHAREPOA CORNER CULVERT. Cr. Madgwick meiitionted that at a mbetin'g of settlers held recently it was’-ddeided to ask the council to install two large culverts at tne Wharepoa ferry corner oh the KerepeehiWharepoa road. The present small culverts were holding up the water and causing flooding. The clerk said that the culvert was the concern of the Drainage Board. Ur. Madgwick agreed, but pointed out that the drainage board’s area was so divided that the rating area could not be made as equitably as if the county rated the Kerepeehi, Horahia, and Turua ridings. The settlers who derived the benefit would then have to pay. The benefit would be felt beyond the drainage board’s area, so a rate on that area alone would not be equitable. Cr. Nicholson supported the proposb Lion and said that his ratepayers wiere agreeable. Or. Hayward said it was an injustice that Horahia riding had had to deal- with water from kerepeehi. While the culvert might lessen the amount of water, it would be a greater injustice to make his riding pay for it. It was decided that the chairman, the three riding members, and the engineer meet at the Wharepoa corner and inspect the culverts and report to the next meeting. FLOOD DAMAGE. A deputation comprising Messrs CW Schultz and W. Lawrence, settlers of Orchard East 'Road, waited upon the council in connection with flood damage, and were introduced by CiHayward, who explained that during every flood it was obvious that the Orchard East roadside drain was too small to cope with the water from beyond tne watershed. The drain had been deepened near Mr McDuff’s corner, with thio result that water from Kerepeehi and Horahia-fOpou caine dowji to the Ngatea bridge. The drain was so small that the water overflow-

ed on tp the lands of the members ofi the deputation. They suggested that; the council should assist them iii making representations to the department'to have a further flood-gate installed and to deepen the drain, using s the spoil to form a stop-bank on their properties. They also desired support in getting the department to erect and maintain a stop-bank beyond the Crown lands. Crs. Mayn and McLoughlin supported the matter, and on their motion it was decided to accede to the request of the deputation, as the flooding materially affected the county road as well as the ratepayers’ pro-; perty. Cr. Hayjvard mentioned that the settlers were doing much to help themselves by stop-banking and installing flood-gates on .their internal drains. ' The deputation also pointed out that a certain stopbank had been used as a cattle track, and asked the council to use its influence with the de-< partment in the matter. —Agreed to. GENERAL BUSINESS. Mr Reuben Conner, Kerepeehi, was granted a renewal of his slaughterhouse licence. The clterk was instructed to ascertain the insurance rate on punts. The engineer was granted authority to send a puntload of metal to Waitakaruru and a puntload to Kerepeehi. The registration pf the county roller and tractors was left in the hands of the engineer. It was decided to make a small drain in front of Mr Morrison’s property, Nqtherton, and to supply a small quantity of metal to make good damage done by council employees in the execution of their duties. Tlie engineer was instructed to interview Mr T. Leonard concerning a complaint, and was given power to act if the matter was urgent.