HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5087, 11 February 1927, Page 3

HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL. The Hauraki Plains County Council met at Ngatea yesterday, the chairman (Cr. E. L. Walton) presiding over the following : Crs. C. W. Harris, J. 0. Miller, W. Madgwick, C. W. Parfitt, H. H. Hicks, J. A. Reid, A. S. Fisher, the clerk (Mr E. A. Mahoney), and the engineer (Mr F. Basham). HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION. The chairman of the No. 2 District Highways Council forwarded a circular letter advising that when a clerk of works was engaged solely to supervise construction work on main highways his wages would be considered as part of the cost ,and be subsidised. Such appointments, must be approved by the Highways Board. It was decided that the board be advised that Mr R. H. Cameron was the. present clerk of works employed by tne council. KEREPEEHI HIGHWAY. The chairman of the Main Highways Board drew the attention of the council to the fact that the Kerepeehi section of the. Paeroa-Pokeno highway was not in good order, and to the necessity of keeping all highways up to the proper standard Of maintenance. Cr. Hicks: Who told them that ? The chairman reported that the engineer had replied to the effect that it was. the council’s intention to repair the road in the next financial year, when the council’s and the Highways Board’s money was available. KEREPEEHI ROAD LOAN. Cr. Fisher advocated calling a meeting of Kerepeehi settlers ta discuss the matter of withdrawing the objections to the. Kerepeehi special road loan poll. He was of the opinion that if the chairman, clerk, engineer, and himself discussed the matter with the setters further delay and expense, would be obviated. A motion authorising this committee to meet the settlers was adopted. MAINTENANCE METAL. The chairman reported that the works committee had interviewed Mr W. McCallum, of McCallum Bros., the red metal suppliers, and the price of this class of metal had been fully discussed. It had been agreed that ■the charges submitted sojne time previously were reasonable, and shciuld be accepted. PIAKO ROAD. The works committee recommended that £250 be expended on work on Piako Road, the balance o'f the loan allocation of Piako Road being expended and the remainder be paid from the Horahia riding account. In reply to Cr. Hicks the chairman stated that the balance of the loan allocation was £57. The recommendation was adopted. BRIDGE GUARD-RAILS. The Turua Town Board forwarded a request that the council subsidise the cost of erecting guard-rails; in the board’s area. The matter was referred to the engineer for a report, and he was also instructed to investigate and report on other dangerous bridges and corners. AWAITI ROADING. On the motion of the chairman it was decided to take steps to raise a loan of £5OO for the purpose of, legalising 80 chains of the Awaiti extension road and the formation of two miles of the. same road; a rate to ne pledged which would be sufficient to meet the interest and sinking fund on ’ the European land in the area. MINISTERIAL VISIT. The chairman reported that early last Monday morning he received private advice to the effect that a Cabinet Minister intended to visit the Plains that day. No official intimation had been received either by himself or the county clerk. He had met the Minister at the ferry .at 8 a»m. and had welcomed him to .the county, explaining that as no official notice had been given the council, it had not been able to welcome or entertain him as was. its custom, nor were councillors able to be present. The Minister had met several deputations. There was just, the feature that the council did not get notice of the visit. He did not know who was. to blame, but he thought that both members of Parliament should be informed that the council desired to be advised when Cabinet Ministers intended visiting the district. This was necessary, so that settlers would be given an opportunity to lay matters before .them. Councillors agreed that it was a pity no notification was received, and it, was decided .that both M’s.P. be asjied to give the council suitable notice of future visits. SANITARY INSPECTOR. The Medical Officer of Healtn, Auckland, wrote advising that inspector F. O. York had taken over Inspector Martindale’s duties. It would be necessary for the council to give him a legal status by formally .appointing him its sanitary inspector. Agreed to. KERBSIDE PUMPS. H. L. Berney, Waitakaruru, wrote applying for permission to erect a benzine pump on the drainside near his garage:, WMtakaruru Road. Granted, subject to the work being done to the satisfaction of, the engineer. COUNTY INSPECTOR’S REPORT. The county inspector, Mr R. H. Cameron, reported that the following licenses were issued during the month : Motor drivers’ 11, heavy traffic 3, gooods 'cart 2, auctioneer’s 1, building permits 5. He reported that at the beginning of November ten speeding motorists were caught. The names were handed in to the council office, .and he was. advised that prosecutions could not be attempted until some point was cleared up. The clerk said that in seven of the ten cases the speeds worked out at so little above the limit that it was unlikely any magistrate would convict. The trap had been seen by most of the motorists, who had slowed down accordingly. The by-law limit was 28 miles an hour.