KEREPEEHI ROADS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4854, 17 July 1925, Page 3

KEREPEEHI ROADS.

COUNCIL AND SETTLERS MEET. NO DECISION ARRIVED AT. Members of the Hauraki Plains County Council met the ratepayers of the Kerepeehi rilling at a meeting in the Kcrepehi Hall on Tuesday evening to discuss reading matters. > Mr W. Booth presided over an attendance of 17, and the council was represented by Crs. J. C. Miller (county . chairman), J. H. Nicholson (riding member), H. J. Hare, W. Madgwick, , C. W..Harris, J. F. Mayn, the county clerk, and the engineer. In opening the meeting Mr Booth welcomed the councillors and said that the object of the association in inviting the council was to discuss reading matters. The ratepayers felt that the district had not been treated fairly by the council. Mr H. D. Jamieson, of Kaikahu Road, said that along that road the Crown held a big block of land. The Minister for Lands had been approached and asked to metal the road, as it was understood, and it had been stated by a former Minister for Lands, that roadis through Crown lands would be roaded. Since then intimation had been received that a £ for £ subsidy would be forthcoming. The settlers desired the council to help them to get the road metalled with nine inches of new metal and a „ surface coating of red metal. The speaker pointed out that the machinery loan had been supported, but so far the settlers, had received no benefit.’’ ’’ Mr N. Davidson, Pekapeka Road, said the settlers of his road desired the council to raise a loan to augment that already in hand to metal Pekapeka Road from the Turua-Neth-erton road to Kaikahu Road. Mr Jamieson mentioned that Cr. . Harris had been present at a meeting on the road gome three years before, when there were sufficient settlers present to ensure the carrying of the loan poll. Nothing had since been done.

Mr W. Booth spoke' of the representations made in the past with reference to the township roads. A £ for £■ subsidy had lately been promised, while the school road would be metalled by the Lands Department. The difference of opinion between the town and the country settlers had now-passed, and both sections were unanimously in favour of a loan for the whole of the roads. The county chairman, on being assured that the settlers desired one loan for the three roads mentioned, and that a special rating area, comprising that land to receive the benefit should be created, expressed the opinion that there should be no difficulty in the proposal. The money in hand could be used on Pekapeka Road to build it up to the highways standard. The council had considered that it would have been money wasted laying the small amount of metal provided in the old loan. It would have now disappeared, and the settlers would have been worse off than at present. A £ for £ subsidy might be obtained, and it might be possible to get a'larger subsidy on account of the Crown land. Mr N. Davidson mentioned that there was’a chance of a stop-bank being erected on top of the present road along the river. The engineer stated that the Public Works stop-bank, .would be on the present road, and the department would build a road on top of the stopbank. In reply to Cr. Mayn Mr Booth said that the settlers wer.e satisfied with a £ for £ subsidy, as it would probably be more costly to delay the road while negotiating, perhaps.fruitlessly, for a larger subsidy. Cr. Hare thought the Lands Department should give a larger subsidy. It was a burning question all. over the county. He was also of opinion that a larger subsidy should be forthcoming from the Highways Board for isuch work as that required on Pekapeka Road.' Cr. Mayn stated that other roads through Crown lands had been.subsiidsed £2 for £l. ' Cr. Harris urged the settlers to go for the larger subsidy, Cr. Miller suggested that the ratepayers discuss the matter and decide whether to go ahead right away or delay awhile to get the larger subsidy. Cr. Mayn pointed out that in most parts of -the county efforts had or were being made to get a £2 for £1 subsidy, and in some cases this , had already been granted. The acceptance of the £ for £ subsidy by. Kerepeehi would react to the detriment or the remainder of the ridings and the county. In reply , to Cr. Nicholson Cr. Miller, representative on the Highways Council, said, that there was little chance of a greater subsidy, than usual from the Highways Board owing to the value of the land traversed and the amount of revenue produced therefrom. Cr. Madgwick advocated raising a loan for the whole sum required and then going for the subsidy. Those settlers who showed z a willingneiss to help . themselves were assisted. Cr. Mayn differed, contending that ■the department would get out of making a grant on the least pretext. Mr Booth said that the association had been battling for a long time to get a subsidy and now desired the council to do its bit while the association kept on battling for a greater subsidy. The association desired the council to go ahead as quickly as pos sible. He would like a definite statement as to whether the council would go ahead, and whether there was metal available. , The engineer replied that the HikUtaia quarry was being equipped, and there were many other sources or metal supply. n Cr. Nicholson said that of the 6000 cubic yards- contract from Hikutaia 2000 yards were earmarked tor Pekapeka Road. This would do for the

road as far as the money available would go. The engineer pointed out that it was necessary for the loan proposal to be put in hand as soon ms possible, as it took at least three months to get the loan proposal put to the ratepayers.

Mr Davidson asked what had become of the old Netherton Road loan. Details were given by Mr Walton, showing a balance of £1449 7s sd, of which £l2OO of the allocation for Pekapeka Road was in the bank, and the balance would be available when when raised.

Mr Walton gave details pf the procedure in connection with the road loan proposal. After discussion the engineer remarked that he had submitted proposals to the Highways Board for metalling Pekapeka Road with three inches of sand, eight inches of metal, and three inches of red metal. He was of the opinion that this road would be better than a bitumen bound road for the time being, until the foundation was consolidated. The bitumen surfacing could be done later. Mr Jamieson pointed out that the association di d not desire Wairau Road (from the Kerepeehi corner to the Pekapeka-Kaikahu road) included in the scheme, as it was of no use to the riding. It was part of the main highway, and would be used more by ratepayers .of the rest of the county than by those of the proposed rating area. The engineer said that there was practically no chance of the Highways Board subsidising only a part or the road. Several councillors agreed with the engineer, .and said it was, not likely that the council would approve of the suggestion. Cr. Mayn said that the ratepayers could get it right out of their minds that Wairau Road .would be a charge on the whole county. Cr. Hare said that if Wairau Road was not metalled the highway route might be altered, and thus the maintenance subsidy from the board for Pekapeka Road would be lost. In reply to a question Mr Walton said that the Highways Board was being met with questions similar to the Wairau Road one from all over the Dominion, and had announced that it Would seek powers from 1 Parliament to force the settlers to pay for the highway where they did not .agree, to raise a loan.

The suggestion was made by the engineer that the loan be authorised for sufficient to metal the unmetalled roads under discussion and to re-sui-face the existing metalled roads in the rest of the riding. This would be necessary in time to come, and the money would only be ispent when required. By authorising a loan for all the road in the riding, excluding the unsettled.portions at the northern end, Wairau Road could be included without injustice being done or burden imposed. This was supported by Cr. Hare, who cited the case of the delay caus-. ed in the Netherton riding, and by other councillors. Mr Booth said that the settlers present did not feel that those on the metalled road would support the lo,an, and would outvote the. clay road settlers. This view was opposed by Mr J. J. Jenkins, who moved that a comprehensive scheme, including metalling or resurfacing all the existing roads in the riding, be adopted. Mr W. E. Chick seconded. Mr Booth pointed out that the adoption of the motion would mean the dropping of all the decisions arrived at by the Ratepayers’ Association and the opening up of a fresh matter altogether which would prove a bone of contention,' creating much argument and consequent delay. Mr H. J. Jamieson moved as an amendment that a committee of ratepayers and the council go .into the two schemes and submit the matter to a meeting of the Ratepayers’ Association. Continuing, Mr Jamieson said he would like to know whether the council would support the decision of the ratepayers, whatever it was. Cr. Miller said he would not give an assurance to support any scheme brought forward. The matter would receive careful consideration. This view w.as supported by Crs. Mayn, Hare, and Madgwick. After further discussion it was decided that the engineer be asked to prepare estimates for the alternative schemes for submission to the Ratepayers’ Association at a later meeting. Tn closing the meeting the chairman expressed regret that no decision had been arrived at, and that the council had been brought out for s little purpose. He moved a vote cf thanks to the councillors, and this was carried by acclamation. In returning thanks the county chairman urged the riding scheme as the more advisable and the fairer of the two.