THAMES COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4839, 8 June 1925, Page 3

THAMES COUNTY.

MEETING OF COUNtIL. The Thames County Council met on Thursday last, Cr. H. Lowe presiding ever Crs. J. McCormick, W. Brunton, A. Alley, F. J. McMahon, H. CoryWright, G. H. A. Cribb, R. Cox, the clerk, Mr H. T. G. McElroy, and the engineer. Mr J. Higgins. FINANCE COMMITTEE. The Finance Committee submitted the following recommendations, which were approved by the council: — That the action of the chairman and Cr. McCormick hi purchasing the N.Z. Dairy Co.’s old factory at Kopu be approved. That the chairman's action con-

cerning the raising of the £20,000 loan from the Public Trustee be con-

firmed. That the general rate in all ridings be 3%d in the £ except in the Hasting riding, where it be 4%d. That the Council sue immediately for all rates outstanding. That outstanding rates amounting to £709 5p 2d be written off. That no ac‘ion be taken in regard to the Runanga Borough Council’s request for action in the matter of obtaining pensions for infantile paralysis victims. That accounts on the county fund account amounting to £2138 16s lOd, and on the Matatoki quarry loan account of £s4' 9s 2d, be passed for payment. ■. Crs. Cribb and McCormick desired their votes recorded against the increase in rates. KAUAERANGA ROAD.. W. T. Cox and tour other .settlers of Kauaeranga Valley wrote asking the council to accept dedication oi take over the road along the Kauri Timber Co.’s tramline in place of the road on the flat, which was (subject to flooding. The settlers would do all the fencing necessary. it was decided to ask the writers to get the signatures of all the landowners concerned. REQUEST FOR pipes. J. Pease, Matatoki, wrote asking the council to supply him with three sets of pipes, as a drain had been dug outside his gates by the council on Wharepoa Road.—Referred to the engineer. TAPU RiO'ADING. Mr R. A. Plummer wrote drawing attention to .the state of the main road to tapu near his gate.—Referred to the engineer. APPRECIATION. The Hikuai Soldiers’ Progressive League wrote thanking the council for the fair and liberal way in which it-had met the settlers in regard to overdue rates. All the settlers concerned realised that they have been very generously dealt with, and in future they would endeavour to pay their rates when due. —Received.

CLASSIFICATION OF ROADS. The county engineer submitted a report recommending that the main road from Waikawaii to Hikutaia, and also the Kopu Ferry road, be classified as second-class, roads, and all the other reads in the county fourth-class roads.—Approved. TENDERS. The following tenders were dealt with: — For carting 100 cubic yards of metal from the Omaha quarry on to Wharepoa Road.—D. Maloney's tender, £33 15s, accepted. for fencing 36 chains of Kauaeranga Access Road.—C. J. Friskehs tender, £6O 15s, accepted. For clearing approximately five miles of the Puriri-Neavesville road. —Cook and Trapsky’s tender, £2O, accepted; The time for accepting tenders for the erection of a wharfshed at Tairua wits extended for a fortnight. MATATOKI QUARRY, In compliance with . the council’s request the engineer submitted altcrnaiitive estimates for a cart read, as suggested by himself, and for a tramline between the main road and the Matatoki quarry. The estimate for the cart road was £37'50, and for the tramline. £5200. The matter was referred to the quarry committee, with power to act. EN<MNEER'» RETORT, ■ The . engineer reported,- inter alia, as follows: — “Main Road, Kopu to Matatoki.— Water channels have received attention and bad holes in metal repaired, partly with metal gathered from the sides of the road and with metal, obtained from Matatoki Creek in Mr A. McLoughlin’s. One team was employed on the latter for a day, assisted by the road foreman and surfaceman. The metal cost 9s per cubic yard knapped and spread on the road. “Matatoki Road. —The bad holejs in metal between the main road and the railway have been repaired and the long grass overgrowing the footpath along the same section, cut. “New Kauaeranga Bridge.—l visited the bridge during flood bn Sunday, May 31, and while the flood was not exceptionally high at the time, a considerable amount of debris and small logs were coming down and I found it necessary, with the assistance of one of the railway officials, to release debris which had accumulated against one of the centre piers. Seeing the risk of leaving the bridge unguarded at night during flood I would suggest that your council consider the advisability of arranging for electric light to be installed on the bridge which need only be used when resquired. “Puriri Riding.—The Hauraki Plains County Council has completed the metalling of Puriri Wharf Road, and had effected repairs to a section of the Puriri-Neavesville road over which metal has been carted. A considerable amount of repairs has also been done on Puriri Vallej' Road, but as I was not conversant with the state •of the road prior to the Hnnraki Plains County Council commencing its metal carting it was arranged for Crs..

Cribb and Cox to examine the repairs done in order to arrive at a satisfactory decision.

“Hikutaia Riding.—The contractor for carting 100 cubic yards of metal from the Omahu quarry on to the Hikutaia-Netherton road has completed the work, and tenders closed on the 3rd inst. for carting 100 cubic yards on to. Wharepoa Road. I have notified the surfaceman for the riding that his services are no longer required. I shall he glad to explain why I have dispensed witli his services.

“Wharepoa Drains, —Fair progress has been made in the cleaning oi drains, and the following contracts have been completed: Wharepoa north drain, 223 chains; Wharepoa south drain, 200 chains ; central drain, Wharepoa, 200 chains; Townsend’s Road drain, 80% chains ; Elliot Road drains (2 contracts), 271 chains , Handley’s outlet drain, 34;% chains ; Bax and Fenton's drain, 70 chains.

The above make the total length of drains completed 13 miles 39 chains, and an additional 55 chains have been done in Uryer’w Landing Road drain.