OHINEMURI COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVII, Issue 5048, 5 November 1926, Page 2

OHINEMURI COUNTY.

MONTHLY COUNCIL MEETING.

ROUTINE BUSINESS. The, monthly meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council was held at Paeroa yesterday, the chairman (Mr H. M. Corbett) presiding ohrer the following: Crs. A. D. McGuire, F. C. Hubbard, A. R. Robinson, W. F. Johnstone, C. E. Mace, R. R. Morrison, C. Hands, C. Mason, and the clerk (Mr R. W. Evans.) and engineer (Mr. E. Shaw). WAITOKI EMBANKMENT. The resident engineer of .the Public Works Department, Paeroa, wrote in connection with the clearing of the Waitoki stream and advised that a Maori and his brother were prepared to do .the work ,at a cost of £55. The work included restoring the. small stop-bank with the front part in clay, and removing all willowy and as much blackberry as possible from the bridge to a point one and a half chains above the stop-bank. The charge appeared to be reasonable, and if .the work was carried out it would get the water away more effectively and lessen, future damage to the road embankment. The work could be classed as maintenance work eligible; to receive a subsidy from the Highways Board at the rate of £1 10s for £l. The writer* desired to be advised if the council was prepared to find its two-fifths share of the cost.

The chairman said that .the council’s share ctf the cost would be about £22. T.he work was. essential. Cr. Mace said that many pounds’ worth o*i damage was done whenever a flood occurred. It was resolved to authorise the work to be done. CRITERION BRIDGE. The Under-Secretary, Public Works Department, Wellington, writing with reference to the cost of the erection of the Criterion traffic bridge at Paeroa, advised that there was no power to set out in the warrant the fact that the; council’s contributions were to be made by instalments, and although the agreement entered into with' the Paeroa Borough Council provided for the payment being made as and when required, no demand woujd be made on the council by the department for payment in excess, of the borough’s contribution of £1650 before May 6, 1927, and the final payment of £675 would not be demanded before May 6, 1928. An assurance was given that there did not appear to be any ity to have the agreement altered accordingly. It was agreed that .the arrangement was quite satisfactory to the council. ARMISTICE DAY. . The Department of Internal Affairs advised that .two minutes’ silence would be observed at 11 a.m. on Armistice Day, November 11. In accordance with the wishes of Hia Majesty the King, local bodies were asked to arrange for the suspension o’f all vehicular traffic for the two minutes, but rail and water transport would not be. suspended. NETHERTON FERRY ROAD. In reply to the council’s request the Hauraki Plains County Council wrote advising that .the Netherton Ferry approach road wotaM receive the council’s .s.upport in an application to have it made a main highway. Cr. Robinson remarked that the cooperation of the Hauraki, Plains Council was very satisfactory. MANGAITI BRIDGE. The Piako County Council forwarded a statement of the expenditure, amounting to £331 8s 6d, for repairs and maintenance on the Mangoiti bridge over the Waihou River. The Pah Lie Works Department had paid oiie-third of the total, and a request was made for a cheque for the Ohinemuri County’s share, amounting to £.llO 9s 6d.

The chairman said that some .time or other .the council would have to pay it.

In moving that the account bq paid Cr. Mace said that the Ohinemuri County was collecting £4O a yeap bridge rate, and the debt for repairs, was over three years, old. The chairman pointed out that the £4O a yean could not be regarded as revenue, as the money was passed on again.

It was agreed to pay the .account. WAIHI-TAURANGA BRIDGE.

.Writing in connection with the reerection of the bridge over the Ohinemuri River near Waihi on the main Taur-anga road, the Waihi Borough Council advised that application had been made to the Public Works Department for assistance towards the cost. The departmental answer was to the effect that it was of opinion that the local bodies colncernqfl were the Waihi Borough and Ohinemuri and Taurangi. Counties. The department w'ished to avoid setting up a commission to consider the matter, and suggested that the three Ftal bodies concerned should confer and try and arrive at a basis of allocation. To that end the borough asked the council to appoint three representatives to confer at Waihi on a date to be arranged. Consideration of .the matter was deferred until the next meeting. WARNING NOTICES. The Tirohia School Cdm.mittee wrote requesting that warning notices to motorists .that a school was being approached should be erected. It was painted out that motorists were inclined to speed on the good road approaching .the school, and owing to manuka obscuring the view of the road the children were subject to danger by traffic. On the motion of Cr. Johnstone it was resolved that the engineer be authorised to erect warning notices as suggested. Cr. Hubbard thought that the roadsides approaching the school might also be cleared of growth.