NETHERTON ROADS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4853, 15 July 1925, Page 3

NETHERTON ROADS.

LOAN PROPOSAL TO BE PUT. RESTRICTION OF RATING AREA. The request of the Netherton Ratepayers’ Association that steps, be taken at once to raise a loan to metal the roads of the riding as provided in the estimate submitted by the county engineer came before the Hauraai Plains County Council yssterday. • Cr. Hare said that the previous loan proposal had been considered to be too big. It had not a chance of being carried. The ratepayers noW asked for a reasonable scheme, tbr which the rate would not. be excessive. He would like the council to assist the riding and put the loan proposal as scon ais possible. It had the support of the whole riding, while n any other proposal was brought forward it would meet with opposition in one section or another. The engineer explained the proposed scheme, details of which have been published in these columns on several occasions. Briefly, it is to bitumen seal the main highways and metal all the other roads. The total cost is estimated to be £29,215. Subsidies will but except for the half-cost of the highway and £100(1 each for School Road and Awaiti Road the amount is not known.

Cr. Hare said that apart from the highways subsidies £9OOO or £lO.OOO could be taken as a conservative estimate of the subsidies that would be lifted. He thought the loan had an excellent chance of being carried. The scheme was a good one, as metal, should be available from Hikutaia and many of the roads would not require to be done for many yc.ars.

In reply to Cr. Hayward Cr. Hare said that the scheme did not provide a metalled road to the settlers beyond Awaiti towards Tiroilia, as there was no dedicated road there,

Cr. Madgwick urged that the matter be dferred until a largely signed petition was presented to the council. The question could then be considered, together with the case of tne road from Carter’s Corner to the Turua bitumen road, at the same time as the county reading proposal. Several councillors supported the idea of a petition, as so many loans had been turned down and the cost fell on the general fund. The clerk pointed out that .the rate to be pledged would be almost 4d. This was for the full amount, and whatever subsidies were obtained would reduce the amount and thereby lower the rate to be collected. It was not anticipated that over 2%d would be required to be collected. Cr. McLoughlin also advocated the petition. He was in favour of the loan proposal provided the settlers towards Tirohia were cut out of the rating area. In reply to Cr. Hare the clerk said that on the road to Tirohia there was a large area of land, but it w'as owned by 'natives and only a few settlers. It compriised over 6000' acres, with a valuation of just over £6OOO.

Cr. Hayward said that the settlers would not wish to be included in the rating area. Cr. Hare said he would not object to the area being cut out, but the rest of tlic riding might not agree to it. The few settlers would benefit from the roads that would be metalled. Cr. McLoughlin moved that all the land beyond the end of the decated road towards Tirohia be excluded from the proposed rating area. Seconded by Cr. Nicholson and carried. Cr. Hare moved that the request 3f the Ratepayers’ Association be accoded to, and that the the steps be taken to raise a loan of £29,215 for the roads' mentioned in the engineer’s estimate over the balance of the Netherton riding. Seconded by Cr. Parfitt and carried unanimously.