COUNTY POLICY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4980, 28 May 1926, Page 4

COUNTY POLICY.

SCHEME FOR HAURAKI PLAINS. STATEMENT BY NEW CHAIRMAN. Ou his being ’ elected county chairman on Wednesday Cr. E. L. Walton outlined a number of matters which, in his, opinion, should engage the attention of the council during the year. He first dealt with matters of policy, and aifterwards with particular works. Cr. Walton said:— “To begin the policy questions, I would like.to cqmmend to your favourable consideration wha,t has .come to be known ap the County Scheme. This is a scheme intended to place the main roads and bridges on a sound and equitable’ basis. It provides, both for construction and. for maintenance. I would like to see you consider the scheme, in its present tentative form; improve on it a,s may be found desirable; then get'tke opinionts' of the - ratepayers by holding meetings throughout the county, and if those opinions a,re favourable, put the scheme in a form of a proposal to a poll of the ratepayers.. I propose to bring this matter before you for consideration at an early date. ‘/Then there is the question of the existing meta,lied roads. I Think we should lay it dojwn as a principle that' the existing metalled roads should be the first chayge on the general 'rates. It is quite clear to me that if the roads already metalled are not adequately maintained how, then we cannot hope/to maintain them in the future with the. fuither lengths of roa'd being constructed each year. I am speaking df the question of maintenance generally, 'which, of course, presses more urgently in some ridings thaai in others.

“Next there is the big question of the council’s attitude towards the Lands Department. 1 favour adopting what I will call,, for want of a better name, a policy of reconciliation. As I intend.to bring this matter forward in the shape of a notice df motion to rescind a resolution declining'the offer ma,de by the department of a subsidy for a length of road in. .the Ngate.a riding, I need not deal with it in full just now.

"With regard to our plant, I would like, to see you resolve not to purchase any further machinery out of loan moneys. I think it. is not economical to buy out! of a loan repayable in 36% years machines the lives of which va,ry from three to ten yeans; If meh machinery is -essential, then it should be paid for in some other way, preferably by a charge on the works requiring it. Utaless you adopt this policy the ratepayers will be,, under the. ruinous necessity of paying for a thing for perhaps 30 years after it has ceased to exist.

“The next question which I have noted down is whether .this council should take over control of the wharves at present adm'inistra,ted by the Lands Department. L would like to hear you discuss this matter, for so far as I am able bq judge, the settlers would, not like to see the control of these wharves pass from, the Lands Department, to ,an outside body. At the same time it may be desirable, if possible', to consititutue some board from' among the settlers to cohti’ol the'.wharves. “After wharves I would like to mention 'ferries. I think there should be a more equitable distribution of the ferries. No doubt at one time the centre of population o c this county was along the ba.nks /of the Waihou River ; but that time, has# passed,, and now the necessity of crossings over the Piako RiVer should receive serious, attention. This question is urgent in so far as it relates, to the Wharepoa and Netherton ferries, and it may be desirable to discuss it this afftiemoon. “The last question of policy which 1’ wish to touch on is that df our meetings' and committees. I would - like to see our standing orders revised, a.nd when settled to, with a view l to expediting the transaction of oqr business. With that end’in view I would also like to see both a. works committee and a finance committee, four members On each, with the county chairman ex-officio on each. I propose to bring forward at our next meeting suggestions with regard to amending our rules. The question of the two committees; may well be settled to-day. /‘I will, now leave the policy matters and mention, several questions which it will be necessary .to deal with this year. “One of the first matters to consider is the striking of the rates: for the current year. I will go into this at once with the engineer and clerk, and discuss the genera,! r.ate with each member before bringitag estimates before the council. Probably the July meeting will be soon enough for t'hist 7

“A more pressing matter is that of grants or subsidies Jpr this year. We should consider these to-day, so'a.s to enable the several applications to be considered by the Public Works Department in time for the next session of Parliament. The engineer has prepared proposals which will come be--fore you this afternoon. “Ancithe.r matter of importance is

the water scheme. This' should 'be pushed on if the settlers are to receive the benefit of it next summer. "Then there is the Hikutaia quarry. A question I have asked myself a number of times is, what is to be done, with this quarry when the present contract for 6000 yards with Keheley has been completed ? Large metal is not suitable for maintenance work, for the repairs should be effected before large holes appear. As far as I can see, we will have to choose between red metial and chips for our maintenance work. At the moment no supply of chips is in sight. I would like to see the possibility of crushing chips; at Hikutaia quarry investigated. If we can get chips from this quarry economically, then we have an alternative to red metals which has 'recently gone up in price. I think the idea is worth our serious attention.

"We should also, during the coming winter months, give our attention to what programme is proposed with regard to the Turua-Netherton, Horahia riding, and Netherton riding road loitns, so that our engineer will be a.ble to make his preparations for a start next spring.

“The last matter I wish to mention is the regulation of traffic. I think ■more strict supervision should be given to the traffic on our roads. It is purely a waste of money to try to construct metalled., roads and pay no attention to the use made elf them by vehicles of all sizes. To my mind the problem of road-ma,king on the Plains is an impossible one financially if unrestricted traffic is ,to continue. “I hope that-. in making the-fore-going review I have not wearied you, but if I have I can only plead the importance of the several, matters; mentioned. I will not detain you any. longer,' but will close by expressing the hope thaj/we will all work a;micably together during- the ■ comingyear for the good <Jf the-county and. thanking you -'once more for the -high honour which- you have conferred op me.” ' ' ■

The Council decided to discuss.the matter at its next meeting, with a view to placing it before the . ratepayers as the policy, of the council..