OHINEMURI COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4983, 4 June 1926, Page 4

OHINEMURI COUNTY.

MONTHLY COUNCIL MEETING. ROUTINE BUSINESS. The regular meeting of the Ohineniuri County Council was, held on Tuesday afternoon, the chairman (Ur. H. M. Corbett) presiding over the. following: Crs. C. Mason, W. F. Johnstone, A. R. Robinson, F. C. Hubbard, A. D. McGuire, C. Hands, R. R. Morrison, C. E. Mace, and the clerk (Mr R. W. Evans) and engineer (Mr E. Shaw). OLD TE AROHA ROAD. The resident Public Works engineer wrote, advising .that, the council’s previous resolution relative to the future maintenance of the metalling proposed o>n the old Te Aroha roa,d did not fulfil the department’s requirements. It was desired that a definite sum pe;r annum should be indicated. It was moved by Cr. Johnstone, seconded by Cr. Hubbard, that the council undertake to set aside £lO annually to maintain the road referred to in an adequate state of repair. Carried. In the case of future Applications for grants which would require a similar guarantee the engineer and chairman were authorised to act. ANNUAL ROAD ESTIMATES. The district Public Works engineer advised that the amount the council could expend in cash for the; financial year ending March 31, 1927, had been limited t,o £2895 under the automatic allocation system. In view of the limitation the council was requested to carefully consider the desirability of making prior provision for tlm most urgent works. The resident engineer advised that after deducting from .the council’s allocation the amount required to cover expenditure to be undertaken directly by the department, the amount of cash available; for the county during the current year was £175'5. That sum represented the amount of money which .the council could actually lift before March 31. Additional works could be authorised to the; extent of £52:5, making the total amount authorised £2280'. The chairman stated .that the engineer was preparing an application '■for subsidies. Cr. Johnstone said that unexpended grants to be revoted totalled £2168. The auomatic allocation up to March 31 was, £1755, and after that date a further £525 would be available. The chairman and engineer were deputed to deal wiith the matter. Cr. Mace mentioned that he had approached the Prime Minister with an application for a subsidy. CONFERENCE' OF COUNCILS'. The; Waihi Borough Council advised that it was agreeable to meeting the County Council for the purpose of discussing the allocation of the cC|St of, upkeep of the Paeroa-Waihi main

main roa,d. Crs. Corbejtt, Mason, and Hands Were deputed to confer with the Waihi Borough Council. DRIVERS’ LICENSES. The Te Aroha. Borough Council wrote advising that it had not been in the habit ■df issuing drivers’ licenses to persons domiciled QUtside the borough. It might have happened that an applicant had given his address as Te Aroha, whereas he was actually residing in a county. The matter would be; looked into, and if the council had Issued licenses to persons resident, in the Ohinemuri County a refund would be made. The clerk said that no replies had been received from the other local bodies written to. Cr- Mace urged that steps, should be take;n to secure the council’s share of the fees. He had proof ,thrt licenses had been issued to persons domiciled in the county. It was decided tha.t aii arrangement be; entered into with neighbouring local bodies to issue licenses for motorists domiciled in the county and to remit the proportion of the fees. SEVERANCE OF PROPERTY.

Mr J. W. Irwin, Kpmata, wrote stating that in consequence of recent operations by the Public Works Department on Komata Creek a considerable portion of his property had been severed by the new creek and several paints of land had been cut off, to which there was no access. One piece of land belonging to Mr Jones, originally on the opposite banx of the stream, now easily accessible from the writer’s side of the creek. A requeust was, made? that the council should approach the department for a complete survey pf the property and define the; boundary, and if possible supply a title to that portion df Jones’ land in return for the portion that had been cut off. Cr. Hubbard suggested that the council make the; representations as requested. This wa,s agreed to, «,nd the clerk and two riding members were deputed to deal with the matter. REPAIRS TO TRACK. Mr G. E. Hyde, mining engineer, Hamilton, 'advised that it was intended to work portions of a mining area of 100 acres to the north-west of Te

Arolia Mountain, and asked that the tracks, known as the Pick and Dish be cleared of fallen timber and repaired. The engineer su.id that the tracks were in very bad order. On Cr. Mace’s motion the engineer was authorised to have seme, work done.

SPEED OF MOTORS. The Auckland Automobile Association wrote recommending that the speed of motors through the Karapgahalte Gorge be 20 miles an hour, and 10 miles at corner’s. The association also offered to supply signboards. Cr. Johnstone moved that the recommendation be adopted and the offer accepted, the engineer’s recommendations, as to .the position Of the “Dangerous Corner” notices to be forwarded.

TENDERS. Two tenders .were received for the work on Cadman’s Roa.d, and that of Mr A. McKinnon at £72 was accepted. SHEEP PENS AT WAIKINO. On the chairman’s motion the clerk was instructed to write to the Railway Department and ask that its engineers go into the question of providing sheep-loading pens at the Waikino railway station with the county engineer. BALLOT PAPERS. Cr. Mace said that, ra,t the recent ejection there woi"e three ballot papers, and on one a cross, was required while on the others the niipies had to be struck out. It, was desirable that some uniformity should be adopted. Several councillors spoke ip favour of the suggestion, and the clerk was instructed to write to the Minister of Internal Affairs on the matter. METHOD OF RATING. The chairman said tha,t he had given a promise to support the; taking df a poll on the. adoption of rating on unimproved value. He thought a,ll councillors were in favour of this* and that petitions should be circulated with a vie;w to getting signatures from 15 per cent, of the ratepayers, as required. Cr. Johnstone seconded, and spp,ke at length in favour of rating on ,th» unimproved value. Cr. Hubbard said that, the matter required very careful consideration, and he would like, to see it deferred for a month. Cr. Johnstone said tlia,t on the Waihi Plains there were many highly improved 'farms and many blocks of unimproved land. Under the unimproved value system these idle blocks would be improved. The chairman agreed to deferring the matter for a month so that the councillors could go into it thoreuhgly.