KEREPEEHI ROADING.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4955, 24 March 1926, Page 4

KEREPEEHI ROADING.

SCHEME FOR TOWNSHIP.

LIBERAL GRANTS.

Since the Kerepeehr Riding reading scheme was turned down by the farming section at the loan poll t some months ago ,the residents of the township have been discusising a scheme for the township alone. When the poll was taken it appeared .that the farming community would be very highly rated on account of the amount of work required in the township. However, in response to the representations of .the .townspeople, who contended'tha.t the Government should metal the roads), as it was in the position of a private landowner who cut up land into town sections, the Minister of Lands' agreed a grant of £7 per chain df Government land frontage. This grant would total £555, and in addition a, £1 for £ subsidy of £1375 had been voted by Parliament. As, the total cost of the work was estimated by the Public Works Department at £2750 the amount required to be found by the settlers wa® £B2O. The matter was discussed at a' meeting of residents: held in the Kerepeehi Hall on Monday evening at which Mr H. Hoff presided. Some doubt was, expressed as to the area defined as township by the department in computing the amount of its grant. There appeared to be only about a mile of streets in the recognised township area, and, it appeared that the department had offered the £7 per chain grant on Crown land adjacent. to the township but unoccupied and unlikely to be cut up into building sections. If this was s,o the proc position was not acceptable to the townspeople, as it was 'felt that they could not afford to be rated for the read of Crown land that would hot contribute rates or be of benefit to the township residents. It was therefore suggested that it be ascertained from the Minister o!f Lands what was the area taken into consideration in computing the grant, ;and also, whether a proportion of the grant would be forthcoming on a. smaller area.

Durtag the discussion 1 it was pointed out that the Government should be urged to open, up for settlement the block df Crown Land fronting Kaikahu Road ho that the land would become liable for special rates. Some discussion took place asi to whether this did, not automatically occur, and it wa.s agreed .to defer action until the position w.as known. It was pointed out that the loan for the settlers’ share of the whole area defined by the department could be raised, ■ but the. wtork on. the roads through the unoccupied Crown laud need not be gone on with until the sections were sold and thus became liable for rates..