HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5100, 14 March 1927, Page 4

HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL. ROUTINE BUSINESS. The monthly meeting of the Hauraki Plains County Council was held at Ngatea an Thursday last, Cr. E. L. Walton presiding over Crs. C. WHarris, J. C. Miller W. Madgwick, C. Parfitt, H. H. Hicks, A. L. Fisher, and J. A. Reid. Mr E. A. Mahoney (clerk) and Mr F. Basham (engineer) were also in attendance. HEAVY TRAFFIC FEES. The Hamilton Borough Council forwarded a statement the expenditure of the various local bodies in the No. 3 Heavy Traffic District in sc, far as related to the moneys received from the heavy traffic pool for 1925-26, and also a statement showing the sums received ’from each and the amount due to each from the pool. The amounts received far and due from the pool for the local authorities in this neghbourhood are as follows : Boroughs: Hamilton, £447 9s lid, £156 12s 2d ; Morrinsville, £l7 18s. 6d, £l7 16s Id ; Te Aroha, £6B 9s Bd, £23 9s 6d ; Paeroa, £33 7s’ Id, £4 18s ; Waihi, £2l 12s 9d, £l7 Os 7d ; Thames, £5B 12s 2d, £4'l Os. sd. Counties : Piako, £l3O 13s 6d, £268 Us 7d ; Thames, £5B 2s 9d, £99 6s 7d ; Hauraki Plains, £3 9s 4d, £lo's Os Id ; Ohinemuri, £26 8s 10d, £2O 12s lOd. The Turua Town Board had stated that it would share with the Hauraki Plains County. SPEEDING MOTORISTS. A circular letter was received from the-Main Highways Board concerning the speed at which motor vehicles—particularly service cars —travelled over the highways.—Referred to the traffic inspector. A member painted put that some service car drivers would not give others a ’fair share of the road. The chairman said that this was an offence under the by-laws, and anyone could lay an information against offenders. The clerk was instructed to send the proprietors of all service cal’s plying across the county a copy of the by-laws dealing with motor-cars. INSPECTOR’S REPORT. The county inspector, Mr R. H. Cameron, reported for the month that six building permits had been granted and two taxi licenses and 14 motor licenses issued. Sixteen motorists had been caught exceeding the speed limit. It was decided to prosecute. Cr. Reid advocated exhibiting notices showing the speed limit.—Agreed to. MINISTERIAL VISIT. The chairman (Cr. E. L. Walton) reported that while in Wellington he had brought before the Minister of

Lands the matter of metalling the clay roads in the county. The Hon. A. D. McLeod had stated that he wanted to see the district when accompanied by the Minister of Public Works before deciding. He intended to remain in the district two or three days, and Mr Walton staid that he had urged the Minister of Public Works to do likewise. If the twa Ministers decided on this it would be well for the council to appoint a small committee to arrange a suitable tour and programme of entertainment. The chairman and clerk were aP' pointed the committee. PEKAPEKA ROAD. The chairman reported that the financial position of that portion of the Netherton roads loan dealing with Pekapeka Road had been investigated by him. The amount authorised was £lBo'6 16s, and a subsidy of £6OO had been received. There was a miscellaneous receipt bringing the total to £2412 18s 6d. The expenditure was as follows : 1922-23, £314 17s 7d ; 1923-24, £2B 6s ; 1924-25 £255 0s lOd ; 1925-26, £498 Ils 3d; 1926-27, £1749 10s 2d; giving a total of £2805 13s 10d, which was £392 15s 4d over the amount authorised. There was some subsidy yet to be collected. MIRANDA ROAD. G. J. Coxhead, Miranda, forwarded an account ’for £5 for a job at Waiwarawara Creek. He also- offered to place the 4ft pipes in the next creek towards Waitakaruru, where tjio bridge .was. in a very bad state and off the aad site, for £2O, or by day work for two men and a four-horse team at £2 14®. It was estimated that there would be 100 cubic yards of filling. The engineer said it was advisable to have the work done, but on the other hand there were many other places in the Waitakaruru riding where the £2O could be spent to more advantage. The letter was received. BACK MIRANDA ROAD. The Public Works Department, Wellington, advised that 146 chains, more or less, of Back Miranda Road ’from the Paeroa-Pokeno highway wa® now under the exclusive care, control, and management of the county. PETROL TANKS. The district telegraph engineer communicated with the council regarding the granting of permission to instal petrol tanks under public footpaths, which right was. given by law to the Post and Telegraph Department and electric power boards. In view of the petrol tanks possibly becoming an obstruction to underground mains, thus compelling the wires to be carried on overhead poles, the department asked that it be consulted by the local authority before granting permission for future petrol tanus.

NATURAL GAS. Canterbury College (Department of Physics) intimated the importance to the Dominion of finding the Helium content of natural gases, an investigation of which it was conducting with the aid of a Government grant. The college was anxious to obtain samples of natural gas emissions from as many places in New Zealand as possible, and would be grateful ’for any information relating ta the existence of natural gas effusions in the area administered by the council, as it was recognised that jmembers, more than anyone else, would know of their existence. Cr. Parfitt mentioned that there were numerous emissions o’f inflammable gas about Pipiroa. MINISTERIAL VISITS. Mr A. M. Samuel, M.P. for Ohinemuri, acknowledged _receipt of the council’s resolution and advised tnat he would do his best to accede to the request that notice o’f the visit of Ministers of Cabinet ta the county was given the council. Mr T. W. Rhodes, M.P. for Thames, advised that he would do likewise whenever practicable. CLEANING OF DRAINS. A circular letter was received from the Public Works Department, Paeroa, with reference to the cleaning of the drains dug by the department about Netherton. It was noticed that the drain on the south side of Pukahu Road from Mr Crow’s ’farm to Drain H was getting overgrown with blackberries and the bottom filled up with water growth. Also, the drain from the Ngahina bridge along Netherton Road to Drain H was in a bad state and required cleaning. The drain on the road from Laughlin’s drain to Drain H at the Netherton bridge and the drain on the south side of Rangiora Road were in very bad order, and should be cleaned immediately. Cr. Mayn asked how the matter affected the County Council. Cr. Parfitt said that a drainage board should be formed. The chairman said that the Public Works Department was evidently endeavouring to get the council ta move the settlers. It should be remembered that where there was. no drainage board its duty could be assumed by a county council. In the event o’f this eventuating at Netherton the general rate of the riding would have ta be increased, and that would accentuate the difference between those settlers who paid drainage rates and those who did not. It would perhaps, be advisable for the clerk and himself to investigate the matter. This was decided upon.