OHINEMURI COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5084, 4 February 1927, Page 3

OHINEMURI COUNTY.

MONTHLY COUNCIL MEETING. ROUTINE BUSINESS. The first meeting this year of the Ohinemuri County Council was yesterday f 'be chairman (Cr. H. M. Corbett) presiding over the following : Crs. A. R. Robinson, A. D. McGuire, W. F. Johnstone, F. C. Hubbard, R. R. Morrison, C. Mason, C. Hands, C. E. _ Mace, and the county clerk fMr R. W. I Evans) and the acting engineer (Mr L. E. Shaw). ’ WAIHI MAIN HIGHWAY. The resident Engineer of the Public Works Department advised the section of main highway between the CoUnty boundary would be included Waihi Borough and the Ohinemuri in the No. 2 main highways district. POKENO-WAIHI HIGHWAY. The chairman <V the No. 2 District Highways Council advised that from repeats received the Pokeno-Waiui main highway within the county’s section was very much pot-hded, and a request was made Shat the council carry on with its maintenance workA similar complaint was received concerning the county’s division o'f the Kppu-Raglan main highway. It was pointed out it was neces- • sary for the council to maintain such roads up to the standard required by the Main Highways Board. In connection wi'h both complaints the chairman stated that the council was doing all it could. ■' tirohia-waitoki road. The chairman of the No. 2 District Council acknowledged receipt of the application for a more liberal subsidy than £ for £ on the section df the main road between Tirohia and Waitoki a and advised that the matter would be referred ip the district council. ROADS ON GOLDFIELDS. The, Under-Secretary ’for Mines advised that the following amounts were available for authorisation out of the votes “Roads on goldfields,” Public Works fund, 1926-27 : Maoriland Road, £5O ; Maratoto Road, £250; . Mcßrinn’s Road, £100; Mangakara and Collet’s Tracks, £5O; Tui Mine to Pick and Dish Claim, £5O. Application for authority to expend the amounts would require to be made to the Public Works Departme.nt and the necessary authority -obtained before the work jvas put in hand. The matter was referred to the engineer. PAEROA HOSPITAL. The Minister o'f Public Health, in rc«)ly to the council’s inquiry, stated that the question of amalgamption of the Thames and "Waihi hospital boards would be gone into at an early date, and once that matter was settled there should be nothing further to delay the matter of the erection df the hospital at Paeroa. VISIT OF DUKE AND DUCHESS. The Auckland City Council in a circular letter invited the council to forward a local welcome greeting banner 'for display in Queen Street on the -- occasion of the visi* o’f Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of York on February 22 and 23. Cr. Robinson said that he would like to see a banner forwarded so long as it did not cost too much. The eouncil had forwarded one on the occasion of the-visit of the Prince of Wales. .Cr. Johnstone said he was afraid <rf the expense. If the Royal Party was coming through the county it would be justified. was decided to the matter to the chairman and clerk, with power to act. SECTION AT MANGAITI. With regard to the council’s offer to dispose of section at Mangaiti for £250, Mr E. Crawford wrote stating that he was negotiating -for a loan, but was experiencing a delay in obtaining''the services of a .valuer. In a subsequent letter the writer stated that the valuer had stated that the value was noti in the property to raise the money necessary to make the place habitable. The council was therefore requested to consider reducing the price. The chairman reminded the meeting that t|he price of £250 had been ■ offered in the first place by the applicant. The matter was referred sp the riding member and the clerk to go into further. NO ROAD ACCESS. Mr L. G. Leopold, Waihi, wrote .pointing out that he had no proper road iftdpess to his property and requesting permission to carry cut work to the amount of his 1926-27 rates on the road in lieu of paying the rates in casfi. The chairman said a grant had ibeen expended in the locality. He -was not in favour- of a settler working out rates that had net been paid. The matter was referred to the en•gir.eer. ROADSIDE DRAIN. M. A. Devcich; Hikutaia, wrote -pointing out that he again intended to clean out the drains bounding his -property on the Hikutaia and Mara•toto roads, and asking that the council make a donation towards the cost mf the work. /A grant o'f £1 10's was made. PURCHASE OF TREE. K H ffaltton "Waihi, made application to purchase for £2 2s a puriri tree that was growing on the top of the hill near Maratoto Road. He estimated that he would obtain about 100 posts for fencing from the tree. The chairman said that for years there were two fine trees which had been protected. Recently one of the trees had been cut down during the night, nad he considered ; t was a ; shame. fin the motion Of Cr. Johnstone was resolved to' reply that the council would not sell the tree, but rather was anxious to preserve it. It was also resolved post a protection notice near the tree and to Isk a near-by settler to use his best .endeavours to have it protected. T* WAITAWHETA ROAD. A settler wrote asking <)hat repairs * SS t» th. main Waitawheta He pointed

costing 25s a trip to cart fertilisers to the farm, and the expanse was becoming too heavy.

Mr A. M. Samuel, M.P., also wrote suggesting that the council might d° something to assist the settler concerned.

Cr. Mason said it had been suggested that a piece of land should be taken 'from a seitier so as to alter the present route. The road was in an unsuitable place, and was now nothing more 'than a river bed. The river had already washed a large piece of the road away at last Christmas time. There was only a small area, but it was practicaby impossible to cart over the road. The chairman said that the engineer had been loath in the past; to cut into Mr Drawbridge’s property to make a read, but now it was necessary to take some definite action. The matter was referred to the chairman, Cr. Mason, and the engineer. TIROHIA STATION ROAD. A Noble, Tirohia, wrote drawing attention to the bad state of about four chains of the road leading to the Tirohia railway station and requesting that repairs be carried out as early as possible, Cr. McGuire said that; the piece of road in question was certainly in a bad state. The chairman said that he had locked into the matter. It) had been brought about by the removal of the station and the construction of a siding. The, repairs were left; in the hands o'f the engineer.