HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4810, 13 February 1925, Page 4

HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING. Tlie monthly meeting of the Hauraki Plains County Council was held in the County Chambers, Ngatea, on Tuesday last, the chairman (Cr. J. C, Wilier) presiding over Crs. C. W. Harris, W. G. Hayward, J. H. Nicholson, F. J. Mayn, T. McLoughlin, H, J. Hare, C. W. Parfitt, the count}' clerk, Mr It). Walton, and the engineer, Mr !■’. Basham. HIRE OF ROLLER. T’he Paeroa Borough Council wrote in reply to the engineer’s inquiry stating that it was prepared to hire the borough roller to the council under certain conditions at the rate of £2 5s per day, except when used on the main Plains-Paeroa road, when the charge would be £1 2s 6d a day. It wav; decided that the Paeroa Borough Council be thanked iVr its generous offer, which was accepted. PIPIROA FERRY. L'he chairman of the No. 2 District Council advised that the Main Highways Board had considered the matter of the council’s proposal to establish a ferry at Pipiroa as put before members of the board- recently at Nga'ea. Subject to the ferry being a vehicular one, the board was prepared to contribute £ for £ up to £2oo' for the approaches, on condition that the work and the ferry proposals generally were approved by the board’s representative, and the ferrying contract was of a satisfactory tenure. Cr. Harris urged that a meeting of the Ferry Committee bo held immediately, the letter to be referred to the committee for action. He moved in that direction.

Cr. Mayn allied if it was advisable bo go on with tlie ferry, considering that a poll of the ratepayers on the bridge proposal would be held in a few v.eeks. If the poll was carried tlie ' ridge would be completed in a year or two.

Cr. Harris said tliat about £5O had been subscribed by the settlers and about £7O promised by the Thames Chamber of Commerce.

'rhe chairman said it would take at least two years after the forthcoming poll was carried before the bridge, would be leady for use. ’ The letter was referred to the committee.

POKENO HIGHWAY.

’L’iie chairman of the No. 2 District, Council, wrote advising that tne declaration as a Government road of the unmetalled section of the PokenoWaihi highway within the county had been considered by the Highways Board The estimated cost of metalling this section amounted to £5OOO, and on account .of its desire to have the I’limetalled portions of important roads linked up the board was agreeable to finding £4500 provided the council found £5OO, and that payment of contribution be made by three yearly payments.

Cr. Harris moved that tlie offer lie accepted.' —Carried.

WATER SUPPLY

Mr E F, Adams, the council’s water /.apply engineer, wrote acknowledging receipt of communication from the Under-Secretary for Lands concerning the p.uiging of the Waitakaruru stream He understood it to mean ■ that the department required a de•nonistration, for which purpose the erection of a permanent gauge which could be read at intervals woul.d be necessary. He suggested that the co l , n'-d arrange tlie matter with the Lands Department. Judging by the streams round Thames there should be more water in tlie Waitakaruru .■■’.ream this summer than when last gauged.—Referred to Water Committee. PUKAHP WEST ROAD. Tlie Drainage Engineer, Kerepeehi, wrote advising that there was a grant of £lOOO available for the formation of Pukaliu West Road, and that if the council desired the department to do the work it would be necessary to arrange for a portion of the grant to be transferred to the department. Cr. Hare said that the grant had been made for Pukahn East Road. He moved that tlie Drainage Engineer be thus informed. —Carried. PURIRI ROAD. A communication was received from the Thames County Council drawing attention to the position in connection with the repair of the roads in tlie Puriri district damaged by tlie council’s contractor. The contractor was given permission to use the roads, subject to the council giving an indemnity guaranteeing the proper maintenance and upkeep of the roads to be used. That indemnity had nbt been received, but so far action had not been taken to prevent tlie carting, as the council relied on the Hauraki Plains Council undertaking to accept the responsibility. The clerk reported having written after an interview with the contract-

or. Mr Keheley had put 300 yards of shingle on the road before lie started work. Since . lie started he had put 200 yards on it, and he graded the road once a week. The contractor had stated that the Thames County had agreed to supply a man to spread the shingle, but so far li ad not done so. It w,as his intention to put more metal on the road immediately, and ho had given an assurance that the road would be maintained, and left in as good order as when the contract was commenced. The road was not in good order when the contract was commenced, and would now take yeiy little to put it in good repair. Cr. Hare said that the press reports of the Thames County Council meting indicated that the clerk had not replied to letters. Mr Walton pointed out that the letter above referred to had crossed the Thames County’s letter, and stated that he had several telephone communications on the subject. Members pointed out that tlie Thames County Council had not fully understood the position, and tlie clerk was instructed to notify the Thames County of the true psition. METALLING OF ROADS. Cr. Parfitt said that the verbal replies received from the Minister of Lands in regard to the metalling of road’s in the land opened miring the first air! second ballots were not veiy favourable. He would suggest that councillors ascertain from ratepayeis whether it was advisable to ask Parliament at its next session to set up a Royal C mmission c investigate the position, with a Supreme Court Judge as arbitrator. He would not ■suggest that the council ta.<e a'ticn except to advise the settlers to move when definite replies had ieen received. AWAITI ROADS. On Cr. Hare’s motion n. was decided that an effort be made to get the £lOOO £ for £ subsidy on the Awaiti Main Road made into a freo grant. MIRANDA ROAD. Cr. Harris moved that the metal available be spread on the Miranda Road to link up the present, metalled portions, and that the worn be proceeded with immediately.—Carried. KAIHERE ROADING. On Cr. McLoughlin’s, motion the engineer was authorised to have portion of the Kaihere-Patetonga Road metalled.