PLAINS COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4854, 17 July 1925, Page 4

PLAINS COUNTY.

MEETING OF COUNCIL. The regular meeting of the Hauraki Plains County Council was. held at Ngatea on Tuesday, Cr. J. C. Miller presiding over Cre. W. G. Hayward, W. Madgwick, C. W. Parfitt, J. Nicholson, T. McLoughlin, C. W. Harris, J. F. Mayn, H. J. Hare, the clerk (Mr B. Walton), and the engineer (Mr F. Basham). VOTE OF CONDOLENCE. Prior to opening the general meeting the council passed a vote of condonlence with the assistant engineer in the loss of his brother. PAEROA-POKENO RAILWAY. The Minister for Public Works (the Hon. J. G. Coates) wrote acknowledging receipt of the council’s letter urging the necessity of commencing the construction of the Paeroa-Pokeno railway. In reply he advised that the question would ree'eive careful consideration when the estimates were being framed. He would not be able to state when the. construction could be put in hand until he knew when sufficient funds would be at his disposal. HOSPITAL LEVY. The Thames Hospital Board notified that the contribution from the Hauraki Plains County for the financial year was £2470 15s 4d, payable by equal quarterly instalments during the financial year, the first instalment being due on June 30, 1925.. Interest at the rate of 7 per cent, would be charged on any money remaining unpaid after 14 days from the date due. A further notice was received stating that the board proposed to have an isolation block and a steam laundry erected at Thames at an estimated cost of £7OOO, and for this purpose it was proposed to raise a loan at 6 per cent, with £3 Os 6d per cent, sinking fund. The annual contribution required from the Hauraki Plains County was, £129 16s 6d. The clerk said that the rate would have to be well over %d in the £. PIPIROA FERRY. Mr A. E. E. Dodd, of R. P. Gibbons, Ltd., wrote advising that the Thames County Council had granted permission to utilise the pontoon supplied at Kopu for use at Pipiroa. It was now necessary to. obtain the consent of the Marine Department to put a. rope across the river, and he .would go into the matter.in Wellington next week. In reply to Cr, Hare the clerk said that the committee had not yet met Mr Dodd, and he had not submitted a scale of charges. SANITARY ARRANGEMENTS. The boardinghouse-keeper, Ngatea, wrote asking if some arrangement could be made regarding sanitary matters in Ngatea. The by-laws prohibited the burying of night-soil, and the absence of a water supply precluded the use of iseptic tanks. The writer suggested calling tenders for the emptying of cans.

In reply to. Cr. Parfitt the clerk said that It was' not permissible to bury night-soil on a section of lessi than am acre or within five chains ol a road. There were about 30 houses that would take advantage of . a service if if one was provided. Cr, Mayn said that the matter wfas beyond the council. Cr. Parfitt said that the matter was a very pressing one- in Ngatea, and something should be done. . He suggested the calling of tenders. The-matter was left-to the inspector. OUTSTANDING RATES. The Netherton Ratepayers’ Association forwarded a copy of a resolution urging the council to make every effort to collect all outstanding Tates. Cr. Hare said that the ratepayers desired to express their agreement with the council’s action in deciding to sue for uotsandififc rates. Cr. Mayn expressed the ; opinion that the council was acting harshly in suing for last year’s rates. He thought that the time was not opportune to press except for rates outstanding fon two or three years. After lengthy discussion, the matter of taking action was left to the discretion of the clerk, who should take action in. ail cases where jau arrangement was! not made. RIVER ROAD. The Hauraki plains Chamber of Commerce wrote asking the position in regard o the metalling of River Road, Ngatea. Cr. Parfitt: The same as it stood ten years ago. Members pointed out that the council. had been moving in the matter for some years. The clerk re'Auarked that the Minister for LamJs’ letter referred to the question. It was decided to forward a copy of the letter to the .chamber. PIAKO RIVER LIGHTING. The secretary of the Marine Departement, Wellington, wrote in reply to. .the council’s suggestion that the existing kerosene leading lights at ihe entrance to the Piako River be

replaced by electric lights that it was recognised that the present arrangement wais not satisfactory, and -preparations were being made to have an automatic beacon installed. COST OF ADMINISTRATION. . 1 he N.Z. Counties’ Association wrote advising that it had come to the notice of its executive that an effort was being made by the Motor Association to seek the - appointment of a Commission of Inquiry as to the cost of administration of county councils, it was affirmed that the cost pi administration of the counties as a whole was extravagant, and it wag suggested that taxation from motor traffic was thereby to some extent wasted. In order that the Counties’ Association might have all the details available for its reply the council was asked to supply certain information. The basis of the complaint was the table in the annual statement of statistics published by the Government tSatistician, but it was quite possible that county had not filled in the form provided by the department with the care they would have exercised had they known the purpose for which the tables were used. The writer quoted instances where items had been charged under the heading of cost of management instead of being charged to maintenance. It was necessary that a more uniform method of account keeping should be adopted and a revised schedule supplied to the department. In order that the executive might have . full information all councils were asked to supply details of the expenditure under cost of administration. ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES. The Taumarunui County Council wrote stating that the replieg to its circular concerning the proposal to form an Association of Counties clearly indicated the need of such an organisation. A conference would be held in Hamilton on July 16, at. which 14 counties would be represented. ,Cr. Hayward and the clerk were deputed to represent the council. PROHIBITED DRIVER. The Clerk of the Court, Thames, wrote advising that the Court had declared that no license to drive a motor vehicle was to be issued to Joe Lvankovich for two years from date. USE OF CHAMBERS. A request was received from the Hauraki Plains Chamber of Commerce for the use of the County Chambers on one night monthly f°r the meeting of the chamber. All care would be taken, and lighting expenses. would be borne by the chamber. The clerk said he could not recommend the application. Several members spoke against it, and it was pointed out that similar applications from more worthy bodies had been declined. The request was refused. HEALTH INSPECTOR. Mr B. A. Franklin, late Inspector of Health, wrote notifying his. fer to Auckland and thanking the council, for past considerations during his 17 years of service. He trusted the same consideration would be tshown to his successor, Inspector Martindale/ It was decided to forward a letter of appreciation to Inspector Franklin. PLAGUE .PRECAUTIONS. The Department of Health advised that a case of human plague had occurred in Brisbane, and while there was no cause for alarm, it was essential that proper precautions should be taken and all rodents destroyed, etc. It must be borne in mind that, where there were no rats there was little danger of plague. 1 SPECIAL ORDERS. The special orders dealing with the bridges and supply (schemes were confirmed. RIDING REQUIREMENTS. On Cr. Mayn’s motion the clerk was instructed to ask .the Piako County Council to permit its engineer and riding member to confer with himsef and Mr Basham on the erosion of the Maukoro Landing road. It was decided to sell the Turua riding horse when the opportunity offered, and that in the meantime it would be grazed and worked by Cr. Nicholson. On Cr. Hayward’s motion it was decided to deposit the Hbrahia riding road loan for three months. >. It was decided, on the motoin of Cr, Harris, to ask the Marine Department to supply a beacon at the entrance ot the Waitakaruru stream, as promised foiir years ago and several times since, HEAVY TRAFFIC. The necessity for mor© serious action by the inspector to see that heavy traffic did not use the roads was stressed by Cr. Hare, who said that the road from Paeroa was being badly cut up by heavy waggons and motor lorries. It was necessary for the inspector to visit metal roads at least two days a Week. A motion to that effect was. carried. STRAYING STOCK. Several councillors urged more drastic action in regard to straiying

stock on the roads in the county, and it was decided to ask the inspector to take the necessary steps. NGARUA BRIDGE. Tli question of the provision of a bridge over the Piako River- *it Ngarua was brought up by Cr. McLouglin, who. said that he had approached the Under-Secretary of the Department of Lands in regard to the provision of a ferry. The Lands Department had once promiised this, but since then had said that a bridge would be better. The difficulty had been the obstruction to navigation, but the practical decision as to where the railway bridge would be now opened the way for the erection of a bridge. The structure would have to be 370f,t long, and would cost, roughly, £sooo', of which the Lands Department would pay £l2OO. He would like the council to discuss the position, as it would take at least ft months to erect the bridge. The difficulty was the rating area. -The Puke and Orchard rating areas took in all the laud near the structure.

It was decided to ask the Public Works Department for an estimate of the cost of the bridge. •