OHINEMURI COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5112, 8 April 1927, Page 2

OHINEMURI COUNTY.

.MONTHLY COUNCIL MEETING.

ROUTINE BUSINESS,

The monthly meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council was held yesterday, the chairman (Mr H. M. Corbett) presiding over the following: Crs. A. R. Robinson, W. F. Johnstone, A. D. McGuire, F. C. Hubbard, R. R. Morrison, C. Mason, C. Hands, C. E. Mace, f and Messrs 11. W. Evans (clerk) and L. E. Shaw (acting engineer). PAEROA-TE AROHA ROAD.

The No. 2 District Highways Council wrote pointing out that a recent inspection of the Paei’oa-Te Aroha main highway had indicated that the maintenance metal on No. 1 section was wearing out; that the uninstalled length of 105 chains on No. 2 section required grading, and ip the length between Cadman and Mill roads, No. 3 section, several holes on the eastern side of the road required filling. The Main Highways Board had directed that the. attention of the council was to be drawn to those matters, with a view to having the necessary improvements effected so as to maintain the roads in good condition for traffic. The matter was referred to the engineer. TIROHIA-WAITOKE ROAD. A letter was also received from the District Highways Council with reference to the section of the main highway between Tirohia and Waitoke which advised that after consideration of the council’s representations the Main Highways Board had decided that that length of road could be kept up to a reasonable standard by the use of up-to-date maintenance methods. The board, therefore, regretted being unable to recommend the declaration of that section as a Government road for the purpose of reconstruction and metalling. The chairman remarked that he thought Cr. Mace had better let the matter rest. GRAZING RIGHTS. The Main Highways Board wrote advising that its attention had been drawn to the danger of allowing stock to graze on roads at night time. It was pointed out that many local bodies granted grazing rights to owners of stock, in many cases without any restriction, with the result that cattle were allowed to graze on the roadways at night?as well as during the day. The presence of stock on the road at night was a source of very great danger to the travelling public, particularly motorists, and the board suggested, for the consideration of local bodies which allowed grazing rights, to stock owners, that the time of grazing on highways be limited to the hours between sunrise and sunset. The board trusted that local bodies would accept the suggestion and take steps to ensure that any limits, so imposed on the granting of grazing rights were strictly enforced. MAINTENANCE OF ROADS. The resident engineer of the Public Works Department wrote stating tnat in order that a programme might be laid out for the ensuing year advice was required of the estimated amounts which would be expended on the maintenance of main highways from April 1, 1927, to March 31, 1928. In submitting the amounts it was also desired to have brief proposals as to how the money estimated was to be expended. On the motion of the chairman the matter was referred to the engineer. VISIT OF MINISTERS. '

Mr A. M. Samuel, M.P., forwarded the itinerary of the impending visit to the district of the Hon. Ministers of Public Works and Lands. It was pointed out that the Ministers would be at Paeroa on the night of the 11th instant, and would be leaving again on the morning of the 12th. It was suggested that if there were any matters which the council wished to discuss with them, appointments for deputations be made on the evening that they were spending at Paeroa. Thei chairman said the Mayor of Paeroa had suggested that the Ministers should be invited to an informal dinner, and the council was asked to co-operate with the Borough Council The function would not be a public one.

Cr. Hubbard agreed, and said it "’as a matter of common courtesy to Ministers of the Crown.

On the motion of Cr. Robinson it was resolved to cp-operate with the Borough Council, and the chairman and members of the County Council would be present. WAIHI-WHANGAMATA ROAD.

The Waihi Borough Council wrote advising the passing of a resolution asking the County Council to cooperate with other local bodies of the district in urging the Minister of Public Works to have the WainiWhangamata road completed. In making the request it was felt that if the natural outlet was opened up it would give, access to large tracts of valuable land and, incidentally provide work for large numbers of unemployed in the district. It was decided to reply that the council did not desire to push the department any .further. A start had already been made with the work. PAEROA-TAURANGA ROAD. “That the Ohinemuri County Council be informed that this counci) disclaims all liability in respect to the claim made for maintenance of the Paeroa-Timranga road, as set out in the request dated February, 1927, and the attached schedule/’ was a resolution received from the Waihi Borough Council. It was decided to reply that the claim had been made, in accordance with the provisions of the Act, and that an early remittance was looked for.. APPOINTMENT OF CARETAKER. Mr lOtte. Bjerring wrote accepting the position of custodian of the puriri trees growing on the. roadside near his property on the Waihi-Whanga-nuita road. MARATOTO-WAITEKAURI ROAD. The Ohinemuri Gold and Silver Mines Co., Ltd., wrote with reference to a grant of £250 which had appeared i'n the Estimates for the improvement of the road from Mcßriuu’s

Creek to the mine at Maratoto and asked that the road be made passable as early as possible. In a subsequent letter the company stressed the urgency of having the road put into a passable condition in view of the large amount of machinery and number men which would be in operation at an early date. Cr. Robinson said that if the grant had been made the work should be pushed on. He moved that the engineer be instructed to have the work undertaken at once if the money was available. REPAIRS TO ROAD. The. Whangamata Settlers’ Association forwarded the following resolution : “That the County Council be asked to do work of a general nature on the Waihi-Whangamata road between Mr Ross’ house and the Par&kawau crossing.” It was resolved to take no action' at the present time. CLOSING OF ROAD, Mr J. Campbell forwarded a plan and requested that an unformed road running along the eastern boundary of his property at Waikiifo be closed. The chairman said that the road was not required, but it was desirable to find out the cost of closing the road. If the applicant was prepared to pay the cost the road coulfl be, closed and included in the property. A resolution to this effect was. carried. OVERGROWN FOOTPATH. A lengthy letter was received from Mr N. Whaley relative to the state of Queen Street, Waikino. It was pointed out that the footpath was overgrown with noxious weeds and debris, and a small sum of money was sought to put the footpath in a reasonablypassable condition. Cr. Mason explained that it was a small street running off the main road, which was higher than Queen Street. He could not suggest a remedy, but it was desirable that something should be done. The matter was referred to the engineer, with power to, act. PEEL’S CREEK ROAD. A request was received from Mille*' Bros., Kopuarahi, for repairs to be carried out on Peel’s Creek Road, off Komata Reefs Road. Permission was also sought to erect a gate across the road. The request was referred to the engineer, and if no difficulties were in the way, permission might be given to erect the gate. Cr. Robinson explained that the road had given the council considerable trouble in the past, and the outcome had been that a deviation had been made. The property was isolated, and there would be no harmjn granting permission to erect a gate. A DANGEROUS ROAD. A petition signed by eight ratepayers on Rahu Road. Mackaytown, was received requesting the council to have work done to the extent ing the road safe for traffic. The. chairn •.ip. reported that the road required seeing to. He favoured the road being widened and a protection fence erected. On Cr. McGuire’s motion it was decided that the necessary work be done, RANGIORA ROAD DRAIN. A Komata North settler (L. F. Jones) wrote with reference to the Rangiora Road drain and pointed Qut that the drain from the railway line to the Waihou River was deepened and cleaned in 1925 by the joint contributions of the Public Works Department, the Ohinemuri County Council, and the landowners adjoining the drain. The Public Works Department now asked that all drainage works undertaken and completed by 't be maintained in an efficient state, and the council was asked to subsidise the cleaning out of the drain by a payment of half the cost, the other half being contributed by the adjoining owners. Cr. Robinson said that the procedure in past years had been for. the council to clean out one of the main drains. It was resolved to acce.de to the request, the work to be done under the supervision of the engineer.