OHINEMURI COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5010, 6 August 1926, Page 3

OHINEMURI COUNTY.

MONTHLY COUNCIL MEETING. routine business. The monthly meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council was held yes terday afternoon, ths chairman (Cr. H. M. Corbett) presiding over the following: Crs. W. F. Johnstone, AR. Robinson, A. D. McGuire, F. CHubbard, R. R. Morrison, C. E. Mace, C. Handsi, C. Mason, the cle.it (Mr R. W. Evans,), and the engineer (Mr E. Shaw). CRITERION BRIDGE. The Under-Secretary, Public Wo'.ks Department, forwarded a copy of the warrant issued in connection with the erection of the Ci iter,ion Bridge over the Ohinemuri River a,t Paeroa. The chairman said that it would be remembered that the department had agreed to the council’s payments towards the cost of the bridge being sipread over a term of two years. The warrant did not contain that provision. It was resolved to refer the matter to the department with a request to have the warrant amended in accordance with previous correspondence on the subject. MEN ON SUBSIDISED WORK. The resident Public Wdrks Department engineer wrote asking for a return of the men employed on subsidised work carried out by the. council. The number of men included in the return.should be based on the basis of subsidy.—Referred to the engineer. . KOMATA STOP-BANKS. The resident engineer of the Public Works Department replied that the matter of the Komata Creek stopbanks had been referred to the head office for consideration. CLOSING OF ROADS. The Department of Public Works forwarded a proclamation in connection with the closing of a road in Block IV., Ohinemuri survey district, at Whangamata. The chairman explained that it was merely the deviation of. a road through another portion of a ratepayer's property. HOSPITAL LEVY. The Thames Hospital Board forwarded an amended statement setting out the council’s contribution to the board as £9'54 12s 7d, which was .340 df a penny on £673,750 Mateable capital value.

ADDITIONAL SUBSIDY SOUGHT. Mr A. M. Samuel, M.P., wrote advising that he would do his best to obtain an additional subsidy of £350 tor the purpose of improving Snakey Bend, on the Old Te Aroha Road, in the Mangaiti riding. ..MINING GRANTS.

Mr A.-M. Samuel, M.P., wrote for further information concerning the council’s application fofri grants/ of £l5Ol for the Pukewera-Frankton road and £5O towards improving the Tui z to Pick and Dish Track, near Te A'roha. —Informatoin forwarded..

MOTOR DRIVERS’ LICENSES. The Te A'roha Borough Council wrote, advising that it would he pleased to enter into a reciprocal arrangei ment with the council in connection with the, issue df motblr drivers’ licenses.

The Ha ; ur'aki Plains County Council also replied in similar terms. Tlie Waihi Borough Council also agreed to the arrangement and forwarded a cheque'for £6 15s in payment of licenses issued by the borough tbi county residents. ’ HIKUTAIA' WHARF DAMAGE. The local agent for the Northern Steam Ship Co. wrote advising that the damage to the Hikutaia wharf ha.d been caused through not showing a light on the structure, and under the circumstances the company would not accept respbnsibiliity fob’ the damage done. In order to assist the council, however, the company was prepared to .assist with the 'repair work on a half-share basis, the offer being made without prejudice. The chairman said that it was not encumbent upon the cbiuncil to place a light on the wharf. Cr. Robinson said that the wha?f had never, been lighted by the council. Tn answer to Cr. Hubbard the engineer said that the damage done to the-.wharf amounted to between £7O * and £BO.

\ It wasl resolved to inform the company that the council looked to it. to defray the cost of repairs. ACCESS REQUIRED. J. Andrade wrote requesting that the Whangamata and Golden Cross tracks leading to the Great Northern Waihi gold mine be put in order for the purpose of transporting machinery and bulk ore. . The engineer said that a grant had been applied for. There wa.s a reasonably good track by way of Golden Cross, and he did not think the council was in a position to spend much money on the track. Cr. McGuire said that if legitimate ‘mining operations were to be carried •on the council should be prepared to .assist.

Cr. Hubbard agreed. It was resolved to inform the writer that a grant oE £5O had been applied for, and if that money was made available an improvement to '.the track would be made. W. L. Buchanan, Paeroa, asked for •assistance to exchange the road as set apart on the goldflejds line for ,a definite 'roadway in the vicinity of Mitchell’s Track, which had been in constant use for the last forty years, If permission was granted he undertook to form the track to the satisfaction of the engineer in lieu of paying rates'. . Or. Johnstone said that the writer certainly had a poor access to his property, and it was. desirable that some improvement should be effected. The matter was/ referred to Crs. Hubbard and Johnstoine and the engineer, to inspect the route, and bring down a report. LIBRARY SUBSIDY. - The secretary Of the <Ohihemuri Public Library, in applying for the annual grant, drew attention to the fact that the Government had ceased Id contribute a, Subsidy, and funds

were; required to enable the public reading room to be kept opeji and supplied with papers and periodicals.

On the motion of' Cr. McGuire it was resolved to make the usual donation of £5.

In seconding, Or. Hubbard s.aid-that the appeal was a worthy one, ;and he was much in favour of considerably increasing the grant, but owing to the condition of the council’s finances it was regretted that he sum could not be increased. REMOVAL OF FENCE. G. Angle, Waihi, .applied for permission O move his road fence so as to take in a portion of unoccupied land adjoining the bridge on Leopold’s Road. The reason for making the application wa.s to keep the readside clear of noxious weeds. The application was granted, subject to the approval of the engineer.

a, MANGAITI BRIDGE. Cr. Mace reported that it was proposed to join with the JPiako County Council, and make, an inspection of the Mangaiti bridge during . next week. He. also thought it desirable that 1 the resident Public Works engineer’should be asked to accompany the councillors and engineers. This was agreed to. OLD TE AROHA ROAD.

Cr. Johnstone reported that the question of improving that portion of Old Te Aroha Road in the Borough of Paeroa had received his attention since the last meeting. The Mayor (Mr W. Marshall.) had suggested deepening the drain to .the Criterion flood-gate, ajid also, if necessary, to lower the flood-gate.\ That seemed to be the only practicable solution to the difficulty, as the cost of piping the. old drain through Mrs Nicholls’ property was too great. The engineer was authorised to confer with the Mayor and le,nd such assistance in getting the levels as was required. DRAIN BLOCKED.

Cr. Johnstone; reported that a drain fronting Mr Fa.rrelly’sl property on Mill Road required cleaning. Mr Farrelly had been a ratepayer for a long number of years and was now too aged to keep the drain clear. Under the circumstances the speaker asked that the engineer be instructed to have th £ work carried out. Cr. Hubbard seconded, but sajd he wished it to be clearly understood that the council was not establishing a precedent. . FINANCE. Accounts amounting to £1337'-16s 6d were passed for payment. The, total receipts for July were £721 14s Id, nnd the bank overdraft on the County Fund amounted to £1374 13$ 2d. The Paeroa water supply account showed a credit balance of £146 10s lOd. Accounts totalling £24 3s Id bn the latter fund were passed for payment.