PLAINS COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5019, 27 August 1926, Page 3

PLAINS COUNTY.

THE GENERAL RATES. ESTIMATES FOR YEAR. A special meeting of the Hauraki Plains County Council, was; held on Thursday to consider’ the annual estimates-, fix the rates for the year, discuss the county roading scheme, and transact other special a,nd general business. There were present Crs. E. L. Walton (chairman), C. W. Harris, J. C. Miller, W. Madgwick, C. Parfitt, H. H. Hicks, J. A. Reid, A. S. Fisher, the clerk (Mr E. A. Mahoney) and the engineer (Mr F. Basham J. GENERAL EXPENDITURE.

The clerk’s estimates 'for the year 192&-27 were as follows :—

Receipts,: Licenses and fees, £3OO ; penalty on rates<, £lOO ; charges for use of plant, £l4'oo ; Pipiroa ferry subsidy, £2OO ; Mangatarata, £2B ; total, £2028.

Estimated Payments: Ngatea bridge maintenance, £300; Puke bridge maintenance, £5O ; engineer’s car, £2OO ; Koma.ta North, £5O; Pipiroa ferry, £5O ; Pipiroa ferry construction, £l2OO.

Plant Maintenance : Hoppers, £2O ; graders, £10; trucks, £3OO ; rollers, £110; punts., £3OO ; portable engine, £2O ; tractors, £150; sundry tools, £5O. ' Administration: Office expenses, £250 ; travelling £320 ; salaries, clerical £636, . engineering £5OO, public health £64, inspector £100; printing, advertising, and stationery, £4OO ; election and polls, £100; insurance, £150; interest on -overdraft, £250; legal expenses, £2O ; licensing administration, £1; drivers’ liceness expenses, £3; telephone feesi, £l6, valuation fees, £5O ; audit fees, £lOO ; dog license expenses, £10; Counties’ Association, £5 ; antecedent liability, £5OO ; loadometers, £lOO ; machinery loan advance, £lOOO ; machinery loan interest a.cccunt, £l4oo'. Total, £8785.

The shares of the different ridings in this general expenditure are as, follows : Kopuarahi, £581; Turua Town £161; Turua, £793 ; Horahia, £768 ; Kerepeehi, £691; Netherton, £B's3 ; Patetonga, £512 ; Ngatea, £Bsl}; Pipiroa, £738 ; Waitakaruru, £BO7. Total, £6'757. RIDING ACCOUNTS. The estimates of riding accounts were given as follows Kopuarahi :Estimated rate arrears collection, £BOO ; Turua riding share of liabilities at April 15, 1926, £ll7. Due from Main Highways Board, £477, and a rate of 3d jwould produce £l2Bl. Oh the expenditure side there was a balance off £665 ; share of general expenditure, £581; Pipi.roa-Orongo Road grant over-expended, £lB3 ; Ngataipua Road grant over-expended, £ll6 ; expended since beginning of yeah £319 ; balance available for riding works, £Bll.

Turua Riding: Estimated arrears, ; rate of 2%d would produce £1297. The balance was £5OB ; general expenditure share, £793 ; liability to Kopuarahi riding, £ll7 ; expended since beginning o® year, £18; available, £‘s6l. '' Turua Town District: Arrears esti'niated at £7O : rate at l%d would produce £149. The share of general expenditure wasi estimated at £l6l, leaving £5B available.

Horahia Riding : Estimated arrears, £BOO ; due from Highways Board, £661; rate of 3d, £1678. The balance at April. 1 was £432 ; share of general expenditure, £768; expended; since March 31, £ll5O ; Orchard East Road liability, £2OO ; leaving £589 available. Pipiroa Riding : Balance at 'April L £42 ; estimated rate collection, £7OO ; due from Highways Board, £315. Rate of 3d would produce £1619. Share .of general expenditure, £739 ; expended to date, £352 ; leaving £1586' available. Waitakaruru Riding : Estimated arrears collection, £7OO ; due from Highways Board, £123. Rate o® 3d would produce £1758. The debit balance was £638 ; share of general expenditure-, £BO7 ; expended since April 1, £472'; Polteno-Waihi road, £167. Available for expenditure; £497. Kerepeehi Riding: Arrears, £7OO ; due from Highways Bpajrd, £219. Rat:e of 3d would produce £1519. The debit balance was £335 ; share of general expenditure, £691; expended since beginning of year, £144. Available, £1268.

Netherton Riding: Estimated arrears, £7OO ; due 'from Highways Board, £266. Rate of 2d would, produce £1252. The debit balance was £337 ; share of general expenditure, . £853 ; expended on works since, beginning of year; £187; Ngararahi Road grant over-expended, £l4'3. Balance available, f £698. Patetonga Riding: Estimated arrears., £4OO. ' Rate of 3d would produce £1129. The debit balance was £354, share of general expenditure, £512 ; Patetonga-Kaihere Road grant, £lOO ; Kaihere-Ohinewai grant,: £lOO ; expended to date, £l6O. Available, £303. Ngatea Riding: Estimated arrears, £650 ; due from Highways Board, £312. Rate of 3d would produce £1879. The balance at April 1 was £442 ; sjhare of general expenditure, £853; KaihereQhinewah Roa,d grant, £lOO ; expended on riding works to date, £359. Available, £lOB7. ENGINEER’S SUGGESTIONS. The engineer reported that the works he would suggest should be carried out during the year were as follows: Kopuarahi, £682; Horahia, £1196 5s ; Kerepeehi, £1246' 5s ; Netherton, £350 ; Pipiroa, £1000'; Waitakaruru, £54<2 10s. Or. Miller moved that the Kopua rahi rate be 2%d. Seconded by Cr. Harris and carried. Cr. Madgwick was of opinion that the rate recommended jfor the Turua riding was, more than was necessary. It w.as not a fair thing to endeavour to maintain the road from Wharepoa corner to Carter’s corner out of ratesCr. Wajton moved, and Cr. Madgwick seconded, that the rate for the Turua riding be 2d.—Carried. Cr. Hicks moved that the rate for the Horahia riding be 2%d.—Carried. Dealing with the Kerepeehi riding, Cr. Fisher the work on the main highway and Pekapeka Road was, necessary, but he was of the opinion that Wha.repoa Road could be left for a while and the rates reduced according’y. He moved that the rate be 2%d. —Carried.

Or. Reid, for Netherton, 'considered

that in view of the reading loan programme the rate could be reduced. It was agreed to be on the safei side and strike tire 2d rate. ■ In the absence of Or. Mayn, in view of the serious, financial positiion of the Patetonga riding it was. agreed to defer the fixing of the rate until later in the meeting, in the hope that Cr'. Mayn would arrive. When Cr. Mayn arrived he said he realised that the rate would have to go up, but he had hoped to; keep it below 3d. There was no doubt that the recommendation was sound. He moved that the rate be 2%d. —Carried.

The rate for the Ngatea riding was fixed at 2%d, far Pipiroa at 2%d, and Waitakaruru at 2%d, these motions being carried without discussion.'

The clerk was authorised to give the notice to strike the rates at the next mee.tinc.

SPECIAL RATES.

The following special rates will be struck, the rates for the previous year being given in parenthesis : —• Orchard Bridge, l-5d (l-sd) ; Kopu Ferry — (l-16d) ; Waihou Bridge, l-16d (l-10d) ; Netherton Roads, l%d (1 3-8 d) ; Kopu Ferry Approach Roads, %d (%d) ; Puriri Ferry Approach Roads, %d (%d) ; Waitakaruru Roads, %d (%d) ; Tuma-No th er ton Roads, 4%d (4 %d) ; Machinery No. 1, '5-16d (%d) ; Machinery No. 2,3-16 d (%d) ; Horahia ROads, Id (l%d) ; Turua Town District Roads, 5d (sd) ; Turua-Orohgo Road, ' 4%d (4%d) ; Ngataipua East Road, %& (%d) ; Kopu Bridge, l-5d ( —) ; Maukorb Bridge, l-40d (—) ; . Drainage Loan, 4-5 d ( —) ; Tahuna Roads Loan, %d (%d) ; Hospital, %d (%d) ; antecedent liability, —