THAMES COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4800, 19 January 1925, Page 4

THAMES COUNTY.

• _ <>— :— monthly council meeting. The regular meting of the. Thames County Council was held on. Thursday last, Cr. H. Lowe presiding over Crs. R. Cox, G. H. A. Gibb, H. Cory-Wright, F .J. McMahon, W. Brunton, A. Alley, J. McCormick, and the clerk, Mr H. T. G. McElroy, and the engineer, Mr J. Higgins. THE COAST ROAD. Tiie Thames Borough Council notified that it was agreeable to contributing work to the value of £25 on this mad provided the county cooperated to the same extent. The chairman stated that the work had been done. MINING RENT. An application was made by a Waihi solicitor on behalf cf a client for a recommendation to the Warden for a-reduction oi the rent of the Glen Isla S.Q.C. for a year to Is per acre.— Granted. HIKUAI DEVIATION. The Lands and Survey Department advised that it was unable to further assist in the legalisation of the road deviation through section 15, .Block 11., Tairua survey district. The only way to take the road other than by consent would be under the Public Works Act. It was decided that the land be taken under the Public Works Act. RATEABLE VALUES. In. reply to the request of. the .Hikuai soldier settlers, who desired the council to secure a reduction of the rateable value of. their, lands to that of the capital value, the Valuation Department advised .the council that it was now too late to consider revaluing the. area.. .A levaluation, would not relieve the ( settlers in. any way. The question of rates was in the, hands .of the council, and. if it so desired, the council could remit part ,or all,oft he rates. There were some ■thousands of .soldier ; settlors v all over Nsw Zealand in exactly the. same position, and in no case wap the department altering values. , The . department did not follow the prices paid by the soldiers, and there was .no reason to think that its pi esent, roll values were unfair when . compared .with adjoining lands of similar quality.

Cr. Cory-Wright asked if it was (Possible, to .devise some scheme. by which the soidiens could be met. ,On .the present basis they ■were not able .to pay the big sums demanded as rates. j . : . The chairman said that the, soldier settlers should not ask to have the rateable value reduced below the true unimpioved value, and should remember that any reduction in the valuation would have to be made up in rates.

It was agreed that the councillor;: \yould' visit the district and confer with the Settlers’ Association.

MOTOR LORRY REGULATIONS. . A.AafLof ,t h £- rQgulatipns. as . to the

use of motor lorries in accordance with the provisions of the Public Works Amendment Act. 1924, was forwarded for the council’s consideration. The provision were approved, and it was suggested that a conference be held with neighbouring registering authorities in regard to composite licenses. EXPERIMENTAL ROADS. A circular letter was received from the No. 2 District Council stating that it would contribute towards any experimental strips of road up to tne statutory £ for £. STREAM IMPROVEMENTS. The resident Public Works engineer at Paeroa advised that a fair amount of the survey for the Omahu and Onetai (streams improvements had been cdrriei' out. Portion.of the surveys were required in connection with the Waihou and Ohinemuri Rivers Improevment Scheme, while the remainder would only be of use in connection with the improvement of the The work involved was a survey of all drains on. the western side oi the Thames-Paeroa road;,determination of fall capacities; determination of water to be coped with; preparation of plans, reports, estimates, etc. The department desired to obtain from the council an agreement to pay the portion of the cost of surveys connected with the improvement of the streams. —Granted. FINANCE AND WORKS. The Finance and Works Committee submitted the following recommendations, which were adopted by the council: — That accounts totalling £ll9 19s B'l on the county fund and £2 10s 6d on' the Matatoki. quarry loan account be passed for payment. ' That the council contribute 25 per cent, of the cost ofi the proposed- cattle dip at Tapu, provided the Coromandel conuty contribute 25 per cent, and takes over, the control and administration, and the Government contributes 50 per cent, of the cost. That fresh tenders be called for the lease of’the Omahu reserve for a term of 21 yeans; conditions as in the previous lease. That tenders be called for the lease of the blind road at Wharepoa, with provision that the drain be kept clean. BUILDING INSPECTOR. The county engineer, Mr J. Higgins, was appointed inspector of the council’s building by-laws. COAST SANITARY SERVICE. * Mr B. Franklin, health inspector, attended the meeting and discussed at length the coast sanitary service contracts. Finally it was decided that the chairman and Cr. McMahon, together with the engineer and health inspector, be empoweied to act. MATATOKI QUARRY. A lengthy report on matters in connection with the equipment of the Matatoki quarry, and means of transport from same, was submitted by the

county engineer. In view Of the fact that it had been intended to develop the quarry as a commercial proposition, ihe' necessity of securing the best means of transportation to the railway was of major importance. Mr Higgins gave an estimate for completing the plan as intended by the late engineer, and suggested three other alternate proposals. The plant in position was valued at £3500. The total cost of completing the scheme as originally intended was £7860. In view of the amount of work already done the second scheme would not oc practical. The total cost cf the third and fourth proposals was £11,460 and £lo.6oi', respectively. The matter was discussed at length, and it was pointed out that o£ the £lO,OOO loan about £6OOO had been spent. Finally it was decided that the engineer invite Mr F. E. Powell, civil engineer, to confer with him on the method of completing the scheme. HIRE OF MACHINERY. Several offers to hire part of the council’s machinery were received, but in no case were these accepted. PURiRI VALLEY ROAD. Cr. Cox said that the Puriri Valley road had not received any attention for a very long time, and something should be done. While there was, no money available at present, he would move that tenders be called at once, it would be a great saving proposition to have the work done at the present time. The money could come out of next year’s allocation, and in the meantime he would lend the council the money free of interest. Members commented on the generous offer of the riding member, as the work was estimated to cost about £lOO. It was decided to call the tenders. The clerk pointed out that the next • year’s allocations had already been exceeded, and. all possible receipts would not right the position. He reminded members that by exceeding the limit by spending any more money whatever, they, together with the clerk, rendered themselves personally liable for the deficiency. COAST ROAD LOAN. In reply to Cr. McMahon the chairman said that the Coast Read loan could be expended as soon as the specifications had been prepared by the engineer and approved by the Main Highways Board. MATATOKI WATER SUPPLY. It was decided that a meeting of settlers concerned be held to discuss matters in connection with the proposed water supply scheme. WHAREPOA DRAINAGE. On the motion of Cr. Brunton it was decided that tenders be called for the cleaning of the drains in the Wharepoa area. The clerk pointed out that over half .the settlers had not paid for last season’s work. It was decided that a further demand be made, and that the work be commenced only provided the money was forthcoming. BOND’S ROAD. Cr. McCormick moved that tenders be called for the supply of material to repair Bond’s Road, Matatoki. The money was available. —Carried. THE BITUMEN ROAD. Cr. McCormick advocated that something be done as soon as possible to repair the Kopu-Paraw.ai bitumen road. Major Blackett had offered to supply suitable metal for the top course at Shortland for 10s 6d a yard. The engineer said that after a great deal of effort he had secured a supply of chips from Morningside at 13s 6d at the quarry.