OHINEMURI COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5094, 4 March 1927, Page 3

OHINEMURI COUNTY.

MONTHLY COUNCIL MEETING. ROUTINE BUSINESS. The monthly meeting o'f the Ohinemuri County Council was held yesterday, the 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. E. Mace, C. Mason, C. Hands, and Messrs. R. W. Evans (clerk) and L. E. Shaw (acting engineer). DROWNING ACCIDENT. Ln connection with the drowning accident, on January 31, when two boys lost their lives in the Waihou River at Te Aioha, the Under-Secre-tary, Department of Justice, forwarded the verdict of the coroner’s jury at the inquest, with the recommendation that in bathing places on the Waihou River a rope should be provided in case of accidents.—Received. INFLUENZA PRECAUTIONS. The Medical officer of Health, Auckland, forwarded details .to act as a guide in case of emergency arising later in connection with an outbreak o’f influenza. PAEROA HOSPITAL. In reply to the council’s inquiry concerning the early erection of the Paeroa maternity and casualty hospital, t,he Thames Hospital Board forwarded the following resolution, which had been passed at its meeting held on February 14 : “That in view of the present financial stringency amongst the farming community, and in view of the question of amalgamation of the Waihi Hospital, the question Of the erection of the Paeroa hospital be deferred until the amalgamation of Waihi and Thames is disposed off.” It was decided to take no further action at present. TELEPHONE CROSSING. The Thame's Valley Electric Power Board wrete advising that it had erected a private telephone system, linking up t.he Hauraki Plains with the Paeroa office, which crossed the Waihou River at the Puke bridge. At one time the crossing was submerged, but owing to repeated failures through shipping fouling with anchors it had been found desirable to have a crossing attached to. the bridge structure in such a manner that it could be easily detached ■when the bridge span was opened or closed. In view of the . importance of the telephone link to the farming and residential community in general, permission was sought to instal the telephone crossing as desired. The request was granted, the chairman explaining that no danger existed. PAEROA-WAIHI HIGHWAY. The Waihi Bwo ugh Council wrote asking what the council intended to do with regard to the 1 maintenance of the main between Waikino and the Waihi Borough. Cr. Mason said tjiat the letter was presumptuous, and “people l who live in glass houses should not throw stones.” The road at the present time was in very fair order. It was resolved £o advise the Waihi Council that the council would continue to, maintain the road to tjie best of its ability as hitherto'for. DIXON’S SPECIAL CLAIM. On behalf of the syndicate which holds Dixon’s special \juar.tz claim at Maratcto a Waihi solicitor advised that application had been made to the Minister of Mines ’for a reduction ’ of rent payable from 7/6 to 3/9 an acre a year for the period for which the rent was now in arrear and for one year from April 1, 1927. The council was asked to consent to the application for the reduction, and in that way encourage the development o'f the property. The chairman said he thought that the request was a reasonable one. On the motion of Cr. McGuire the reduction was granted. DEEPENING OF DRAIN. William Watson wrote with reference to the drain fronting his property at Komata North? He pointed out that since the canal had been put through the front of his farm had sunnk slightly, and in order to allow his internal drain to function it was necessary, that the road drain should be deepened by about 18 inches. Cr. Robinson said that the applicant’s road frontage was, only a few chains long. The chairman said he understood the the property could be drained from another source.. It' was desirable to see that a dangerous precedent was not created. Cr. Robinson said that the alterna•u tive source was a lengthy one, and *.t would be a costly business to drain into the canal. The present drain also gave a satisfactory fall. Cr. Morrison stated that much depended upon the height of the present level in the road drain compared with the fall of, water. It was resolved to refer the matter to Crs. Robinspn and Morrison to confer with the engineer and bring down a report for the next meeting. SCHOOL ROAD, WAIKINO. The secretary of the Waikino School Committee wrote drawing attention te, the bad state of repair of the road leading to the school and requesting improvements to be made. Cr. Mason said that approximately 150' children were using the road daily. Motor traffic was. increasing, and the road in its present state constituted a danger. He favoured a footpath being formed, so as to obviate the necessity of the children using the road. Cr. Robinson agreed that the road was both steep and dangerous. The chairman said that the council was, under an obligation to take all reasonable precautions to protect school children. On the motion of Cr. Mason it was resolved to refer the (natter to the engineer for a report as to the best means to protect the pedestrians. OLD TE AROHA ROAD. Cr. Mace asked for 50 yards of - metal to complete, the old ,J Te Aroha road in the Mangaiti riding. The metal cduld be procured 'from the creek at a cost not exceeding 13s 6d a yard.

RYALL’S ROAD. On the motion of Cr. Johnstone the engineer was empowered to spend a sum not exceeding £lo,on improving Ryall’s Road near Mr F. Lewis.’ property. HIKUTAIA WHARF ROAD. Cr. Morrison asked that, the Hikutaia wharf road be repaired and metalled before the fine weather broke. The engineer said that it was his intention to do the repair work as s< on as he had sufficient metal crushed and crated. ROAD TO KATIKATI. Cr. Hands asked that some minor repairs be carried Gut on the road to Katikati from the Waihi Borough boundary. The road was breaking up badly in several places. The chairman said that there would be certain money available under the Main Highways Act, and he thought something should be done. It might mean that a scarifier would have to be borrowed from tjie Waihi Borough Council to make a good job of the repairs. The matter was referred to the engineer and riding member, with power tci act. MOTOR LICENSE FEES. Cr. C. Mason asked if the council could send an official to Waikino to collect the whole of the license fees for motor vehicles, and obviate the inconvenience of people having to journey to Paeroa 'for the purpose oof registering their vehicles. It was agreed that an official Should go to Waikino on a day to be arranged and notified by Cr. Mason. The chairman said that the council was always desirous of assisting ratepayers, but whilst he approved of the suggestion, it should be clearly understood that any failure on. the part of an owner of a motor vehicle to register at Waikino on the date to be arranged would not relieve that owner of registering his, vehicle either at Paeroa or Waihi. The clerk said that there was a reciprocal arrangement with the Waihi Borough Council in regard to the registerinc o’f moto.r vehicles. ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £648 13s 4d were passed for payment.