HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4822, 13 March 1925, Page 3

HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

'IHE REGULAR MEETING. (Continued from last issue.) MAUKORO BRIDGE. Ihc Under-Secretary, Public Works Department, wrote acknowledging receipt of consent'' to the Piako County Council citing the Plains County under section 119 of the Public Works Act to contribute for the construction of the Maukoro Deviation bridge. PIAKO RIVER WHARVES. The Chief Drainage Engineer, Auckland, wrote in connection With the question of the sale and purchase of •he wharves on the Piako River and at Waitakaruru, stating that apparently the council was not anxious to acquire these wharves, and he had therefore asked for authority from the head office, to dispose of them, elsewhere. Or. Parfitt moved that the engineer report on the cost of putting the structures in' satisfactorjt'order.—Carried. MAIN HIGHWAYS. A circular letter was received from the chairman of the Main Highways Board stating that a very small amount of money for assistance towards the cost of maintenance had been paid out. There was £175,000 available, but quite a number of local authorities had not even made an application for payment. The board could not understand what the reason was that prevented local authorities from submitting their proposals and consequently receiving the money. It was hoped that an effort would be made to square up the matter by the end of the financial year. The engineer reported having applied for subsidies on numerous occasions during the last few months, but go far not even an acknowledgment had been received. It was obvious that proposals for new work should be made the year before the wort was to be commenced. The clerk was instructed to reply. KEREPEEHI STREET LIGHTS.

The secretary of the. Street Lights Committee, Kerepeehi, wrote asking the ccuncil to take over the payment of the existing wharf light and tile Ngatea Road corner light under its scheme. If this was done the committee would have two extra lights erected.

'Jr. Nichofeon pointed out that the two lights mentioned wtere expensive ones, and he was hot agreeable to the council taking them over. He would suggest that the county lights be installed, one at the corner of'Wairau and Pekapeka roads and the other at the hospital site corner.

The matter was. left in the hands of Ci". Nicholson and the clerk.

MAUKORO ROAD GRANT.

The Minister for Public Works advised that the council’s application to have the £6OO (£ for £) grant for the Maukoro Landing Road made a free grant would receive consideration.

MOTOR-LORRY REGULATIONS. . A revised draft bf the proposed motor-lorry regulations was received from rhe Public Workp Department for the council’s comments and information.—Referred to inspector. AUCTIONEERS ACT.

The Under-Secretary, Department of internal Affairs, advised that in response to the council’s application the county would be declared a special area within the meaning of the Auctoineers Act, 1908, and then ecessary Ovder-in-Council would be issued at an early date. The auctioneer’? fee would be fixed at £lO, and it was assumed that the council desired the. county clerk to be the licensing officer. AWAITI ROAD. The'Minister for Lands advised tnat the. council’is application and the representations of the settlers in regard to the subsidy 'for metalling Awiiti Road, Netherton, being converted into a free grant had been referred to the Minister for Public Works. NGATEA POST OFFICE. Mr T. W. M.P., wrote stating that the Ngatea,post office was nearing completion and the Postmas-ter-General wished to know if it was intended or desired to have an official opening. He was not sure whether the Hon. Mr Coates would be present. Crs. Hare and Hayward advocated holding a function. - Cr. Hayward moved that the clerj< reply stating that the council desired an official opening, and would like the Postinaster-General to be present. Seconded by Cr. McLoughlin and carried. Crs. Hayward and McLoughlin were 6 authoiised to ogranise the function. MOTOR VEHICLES ACT.. An amended copy of the regulations under the Motor Vehicles Act concerning the licensing of drivers was received from the office of the Minister for Internal Affairs.— Referred to the inspector. PURIRI METAL. The committee set up to meet tne Thames County and deal with Mr Kehely’s contract recommended tus follows : (1) That the Hauraki Plains County Council through its contractor maintain in a reasonable manner ail roads carted over by its contractor during the period of the contract and leave same in good order ; (2) that at the conclusion of the contract that portion of the Puriri Wharf road between the railway crossing and the entrance to the crusher site be reconditioned to the satisfaction bf the Thames County engineer, the road to be’ graded and metalled where neceesary up to 6in crushed metal 9ft wide or shingle 9in thick and 9ft wide. Towards the cost of this the Thames County agree to contribute the equivalent of 5 yards of gravel per chain. (3) Contractor Kehely to maintain road during progress of the work. AL conclusion of contract Kehely to provide all teams sufficient to give effect to clause 2, and council to provide all labour. (4) Contractor Kehely to be given ail increase in-his contract price of Is per yard, same to be retrospective. (5) That Kehely be recompensed for the removal of al! dust from metal and chips sup-

pl ied ns follows : Payment to be at the rate of 7s 9d per cubic yard, based on an average of 8 cubic yards per cen. of all metal supplied. Julian to receive 10s a day for-the cost of handling dust. To take effect from date. Dust to be disposed ot according to council’s directions from time to time. (6) That Mr Julian’-s tender for punting be accepted. (7) Kehely to provide a bush stringer.and all labour for the repair of the broken bridge at Puuri, council to provide necessary decking. The agreement was adopted. NEW HIGHWAY ROUTE, hi view of the increasing amount of Waikato traffic using the Patetbnga Knihere-Ngatea road, Cr. McLoughlin moved that the council’s representative on the District Council bring UB the question of declaring the road from Patetonga via Ngatea to Orongo a main highway. PEKAPEKA ROAD. Cr. Hare advocated that the district. representative on .the Highways Council'endeavour to obtain a greater subsidy than usual for Pekapeka Road. Tile ehairman, who is the council’s representative, disagreed, contending that all along the council had agreed that it would accept the £1 for £1 subsidy. ’ He did not think it fair to ask for more at the present stage. Cr. Nicholson explained why the isettlers of the Pekapeka Road could not raise <a loan. Or. Madgwick said that the. Turua riding roads were being used by the through traffic, yet no subsidy could be collected. The board should declare.the Turua-Netherton Road the highway if the Pekapeka Road settlers did not make an effort to get the road metalled. Cr. Miller said that the board would not consider giving a greater subsidy for the Pekapeka Road considering the class of the country traversed in comparison to that through which other unmetallcd highways pass. . SLAUGHTERHOUSE LICENSE. Mr J. Lyon, Kerepeehi, was granted a slaughterhouse license. TENDERS. The engineer reported having received tenders for Pekapeka Road, but in view of the fact that the Highways Board had not. yet sanctioned the work he did not know whether to accept any of them. The proposal, had been forwarded on December 11 to the board. The chairman and engineer were empowered to deal with the matter. PATETONGA METALLING. On Cr. Mayn’s motion the engineer was instructed to look into the question of metalling the road near the Patetonga pound, and was given power to act. WILSON’S ROAD. Cr. Hare said that at one time the Public Works Department had made a grant of £15,0'00 for Wilson’s. Road, as it was an outlet for the Awaiti block. This grant had since been transferred to the Main Highways Board, and he was of opinion that the Public Works Department should be asked for a further grant, so that the council could lift it on the work already done.