HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4801, 23 January 1925, Page 4

HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Hauraki Plains County Council was held on Tuesday last, the chairman, Cr, J. C. Miller, presiding over Crs W. G. Hayward, C. W. Harris, F. J. Mayn, T. McLoughlin, C. W. Nicholson, H J. Hare, W. Madgwick, C. W. Parfitt, the clerk, Mr E. Walton, and the engineer, Mr F. Basham.

WAITAKARURU WATER SUPPLY. The Under-Secretary,' Department of Lands and Survey, wrote advising that the scheme submitted by Mr E. F Adams had been considered by the Government and classed as satisfactory provided the minimum flow of the Waitakaruru creek exceeded 300,000 gallons per 24 hours by a sufficient amount to supply the interests of the riparian owners further dow i the creek. It appeared that Crown land and quite a number of private sections bordered on the stream, and these no doubt depended in the summer time on it for the supply of drink’ng water for cattle, and before any subsidy could be authorised additional low water gauging should be made to determine that the quantity of water proposed in the scheme would not practically exhaust the creek. It was decided to comply with th? request. PIPIROA FERRY. In reply to Cr. Parfitt the engineer said that the cost of constructing the Pipiroa ferry at a site a few chains below the wharf where it would not interfere with the electric power cables would be about £450. Application for a. subsidy had been made to the Main Highways Board. Crs. Parfitt and McLoughlin reported that a generous response was being made in Pipiroa and Thames to the appeal for donations.. The committee appointed at the previous meeting was given power to act, provided a favourable reply was received from the Highways Board and a satisfactory amount of donations was received. A STOCK AREA. Messrs A. Cleaver and «i. Darlington, on behalf of the Ngatea Farmers’ Union, waited upon the council and asked that it bring before the Hon. Minister for Lands the question of declaring the county a stock area. This would be a step in the right direction, a« it would mean that a qualified Government man, well versed in veterinary science and agricultiue. would be stationed within the. county at no cost to .the settlers. The value of such expert advice was stressed by several council ions, and it was decided to comply with the request. Pi AKO RIVER WHARVES. In reference to previpus <•- rrespondence in connection with the sale of the 15 existing wharves on the Piako and Waitakaruru rivers the Chief Drainage Engineer, Department of Lands and Survey, advised that the Hon. Minister for Lands I ad agreed to offer these wharves, with the vx-

eeption of the depot wharf at Kerepeehi, to the council for £3500? Cr. Harris pointed out that a huge expenditure owuld be required to put •the wharves in order. It wats decided that the Lands Department be informed that the council was. not in a position to consider the matter, as it the price should only be a nominal one. MINISTERIAL VISIT. A telegram was received from the Hon. A. D. McLeod, Minister for Lands, giving the itinerary of ids tour of the county. It was decided that as many councillors as possible meet the Minister at the county boundary; Discussing the matters to be brought before the Minister, Cr. Harris said that’ the settlers of the Canal Road would ask that the road be metalled. Cr. Parfitt said that at Pipiroa matters in connection with the ferry, the metalling of the roads, and drainage would be brought, up by the settlers. At Ngatea where all councillors would assemble, matters in connection with the constitution of the county as a stock area, the metalling of roads, the Maukoro Landing road, drainage, and Hopai Road extension would be discussed. At Awaiti there was the matter of the completion of the roads. These were the only county matters, but there were many local subjects to be brought up at the various townships traversed. EXPERIMENTAL ROADS. A circular letter was received from the chairman of the No. 2 District Council advising that the Highways Board would subsidise experimental strips of roads up to £ for, £• At a later stage the engineer said that there were several new roaumaking processes that he would like to experiment with, and would like the council to vote a sum of money for the purpose. The matter was deferred for consideration at the next meeting. WAIHOU STOP-BANKING. ~ The"~secretary of the Netherton Ratepayers’ Association wrote seeking the council’s support of a request made to the Public Works Department that the stop-bank on the Waihoti River be completed from the “H” Drain to the high land at Mr Johnson’s. —Granted. A circular was received from the Labour Department asking that the statutory half-holiday for shops be decided. It was decided that no action be pinoAY PUT luiß os ‘ut»[iß declare the existing half-holiday in force for the year. CANCELLATION OF GRANT. The district engineer of the Public Works Department advised that the balance of the subsidy for the Ngatiapua Road amounting to £l7 8s 3d had been cancelled. AUCTIONEERS’ LICENSES. Notification was received from the Department of. Internal Affairs that Hie council’s request to have the Hauraki Piain.s declared a special district within the meaning of the Auc-

tioneers Act would receive consideration. ' . •

MAUKORO LANDING ROAD.

Mr H. D. M. Hazard, Waihi, wrote intimating that unless the council was prepared to immediately commence work on the Maukoro Landing road he would not be inclined to tie up the half-chain strip of land donated. APPLICATION FOR LICENSE. Application was received from Alfred Buckland and Son for an auctioneer’s license for the Turua and Waitakaruru saleyards.-—Granted. .USE OF SPOIL. ■i- J F. Reid, Ngatea, applied fo’’ permission to use spoil thrown out of the roadside drain for filling in his section in the township.—Referred to the engineer. MOTOR VEHICLES BILL. A draft copy of the Motor Vehiclejs Bill and the motor lorry regulations was forwarded by the Minister of Internal Affairs fy>r the council’s information. —Referred to the chairman and clerk for consideration. NOXIOUS WEEDS NOTICES. The Department of Agriculture asked if the council would purchase sets of notices as reminders to clear land of noxious weeds. It was decided to obtain a supply. DRIVING INSPECTOR. The county inspector, Mr J. N. Anderson wais appointed an inspector to examine drivers of motor vehicles for a certificate of competency. VACANCY ON COUNCIL. The clerk was instructed to take a poll o’ ratepayers of the Turua riding to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Cr. Madgwick. PIAKO ROAD. Mr J. Mulqs, chairman of the Turua Town Board, waited upon the council with reference to a subsidy for Piako Road. He said that the Public Works Department had advised the Good Roads Committee that no provision had been made for a subsidy in the current estimates. As proposals for work should come through the council, the association was advised to complete arrangements with the council. If that body was prepared to recommend the diverting of an equivalent amount of money from some other item on the estimates an endeavour would be made to arrange the matter. In any case, it was essential for the money to be authorised by the department before the work was put in hand. Mr Mules said that he had therefore attended to make the request. The utilisation oi the authority would not prejudice the work from which the subsidy whs borrowed. The chairman said that,this could be arranged, and it was decided that the department be asked to divert the authority for a £5OO subsidy for the Maukoro Landing Road to Piako Road. DUSTY METAL. Messrs Juian and Keheley, contractors for the metal crushing and transportation at Puriri, waited upon the council in regard to the problem of the amount of dust produced in the stone-crushing operation. The amount was enormous, being about 20 per cent., and mention was made in the specifications that this bad to be separated. Owing to the excessive amount .produced during the crushing they desired to know what the council was prepared to do to compensate them for the work and power expended. The engineer said that dusty metal could not be accepted for bitumen work, and numerous experiments had been conducted to solve the difficulty. When it was discovered that of the 100 cubic yards of boulders 20 yards of dust were formed in the crushing he had advised the contractors to wait upon the council. In reply to councillors the engineer said that the dust could be utilised as a foundatoin course for metal on clay roads, but sand could be obtained cheaper. It was exceptional stone to produce such a big quantity of dust. To pay for the dust and not utilise it would materially increase the price of the metal. The problem of disposing of the dust was a very difficult one, aside from jthe point oi deciding what the council should pay for it.

ahe ,chairman, Crs. McLoughlin and Hayward, and the engineer were empowered to deal with the matter.

BERTHAGE AT TURUA,

Mr Julian complained that the berthage at the Turua wharf was sb shallow that on the neap tides a punt containing more than 20 yards could not berth. He could crush up to 100 yards a day, but owing to the difficulty ..of getting the metal away he had not been able to work more than five hours a day.

The chairman, Crs. McLoughlin and notified the Town Board’s contractor that the berthage at the wharf was to be improved. However, it would be advisable to open up ’ another berthage, so that the metal for the several works would not become mix-

ed, but the difficulty was to obtain labour. - Mr Julian offered to take his crusher employees to Turua to improve the landing and the offer was accepted.