HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 4998, 9 July 1926, Page 3

HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

•<-‘MONTHLY COUNCIL MEETING. ", • BUSINESS-DEALT WITH. The Hauraki Plains County Coun- ■ cil met at Ngatea on Thursday, Or. E. L, Walton presiding over.Crs. C, W, Harris, J, C, Miller, A. S, Fisher, J. A. Reid, and H, H, Hicks, The clerg, Mr E, A, Mahoney, and the engineer, Mr F. Basham, were in at- • tendance. LESS HOSPITAL LEVY. The Thames Hospital Board forwarded an amended statement ofc receipts and expenditure -for the year ending March 31, 1927, showing that \ the* levy had been reduced from .409 •.of a penny in the £ to ,340 d. ■ The Plains County proportion of the levy was £2244 Is sd, Paeroa Borough £524 Os Bd, and Ohinemurii County £954 12s 7d. ► Cr. Walton said tha.t the previous I estimates were amended, in Wellingtoii to provide for allowing more for the collection of ifees and less for col- ‘ lection by rate.s. ' In reply to Cr. Reid Cr. Walton said ’ that about 50 per cent, of the fees were recovered. Cr. Reid advocated a change in the system of rating for hospital purposes, > and was supported by the chairman, who detailed the steps that had Jbeen taken in the past hy various county councils end the Counties’ As- / sociatiion. Cr. Reid said that the town people got a greater benefit from the hospi- ... tals than, did' the country people. ■Perhaps it would be advisable for the council’s repre’sentatiives to endeavour to ascertain the proportion < to population 'from town, and country. Cr. Parfitt said that he would keep the ma.tter in mind. NETHERTON ROADS. In reply to Cr. Reid the engineer -."said that preparations were well in -♦hand for the Netherton roads loan work for next season. PUHANGA ROAD. . The chief drainage engineer, tan ds Department, wrote advising that the engineer had been instructed to with the county chairman the question of metalling the NgateaKaihere road. Any assistance- in .this connection that the department could give would be willingly given, but it seemed that the question df subsidy must be arranged with the Public Works Department, which controlled the expenditure out of the Public : Works Fund.;. The chairman said that Mr. Camp- ' . bell had been advised that the matter ■ depended on the fate of the county loading scheme. PEKAPEKA ROAD LOAN. . Cr. Fisher said he was of opinion tha.t the Pekapeka. Road' settlers L*woud support a loan tor the metalling Pekapeka and Wairau roads, and therefore he aske.d that the engineer prepare estimates aiid discuss the' Bte~matter at - a meeting of settlers. ' The* chairman said that the, ,esti- . mates' were prepared. Cri Fisher then, moved that steps be taken .to hold a poll of ratepayers, ■v? Cr. Reid seconded. : The chairman said that a difficulty ggawias presented in that no preparation yUia.d been made to secure a subsidy . during the coming sea.s'cn. The loan Would have to be raised for the whole cost of the. work. • - > Cr. Hicks pointed out the large . amount bf work to be undertaken during the next season, and advocated / that the Works Committee draw up v a season’s programme. ' ' ■ ' It was decided that the Works - Committee consider the advisability ? of raising a loan for the. Pekapeka, and Wairau Tbacls and report to the next meeting. - ’ '. TOWNSHIP ROAD LOAN. Cr. Fisher, suggested that' the Works- ■ Committee also consider during the, -month the question of a township road . loan. The -settlers / had suggested a, certain rating area • but to this he. could • not entirely K agree, and therefore suggested .that the Works Committee go into the ma.tter. He was of opinion* that the settlers would be very \ foolish to 'de- .. lay the work, considering the .very large grants now being offered. WATER ENGINEER. F' The chairman said that under its •agreement the ‘Hauraki Plains West ' water supply loan owed Mr E. F. Adams, water supply engineer, two ■ years’- salary at the 'rate of £so'o-a year,' and out-of-pocket expenses totalling £233. As the engineer had - not been permitted to work continuously he. had offered' .to accept £825 ’• E lpr the work already done. Cr. Parfitt that the offer be •. accepted, and that a new contract be entered into from June l--at the rate of £5OO a year.. 1 The-motion was seconded by Cr. f -Harris and carried. Replying to Or. Hicks, .the chair- ■ man said that tile work was still held 1 up waiting 'for a pronouncement in regard to the subsidy, of £12,000. PEKAPEKA WATER SUPPLY. / The - chairman sugugested that as there might be a difficulty in placing the loan for the Pekapeka Road water supply scheme, the contractor who ; had offered to instal the reticulation U should be 'ajsked if he would accept • ’debentures. » This course was agreed upon. MOTOR LICENSES. The Ohinemuri County Council ■wrote asking if a reciprocal arrangement could be entered into whereby licenses might be; issued from either office irrespective of whether the applicant, was domiciled in the Plains of the Ohinemuri County. An adjustment of fees, etc., would be made at the end of e,ach quarter, with a, deduction of '5 per cent, for the cost of cthe issue of the licenses. ■ / The arrangement was agreed to. TENDERS. Several tenders we're received for ‘the running of the Koma,ta North ' (Netherton) ferry, and after consideration the appointment was left in the hands of the .chairman and riding member. No tender was accepted for the de-, livery of maintenance metal from the various landings to the various roads, " as the county. plant could do the j work cheaper. ’ ' 1