PLAINS COUNTY WORKS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5131, 27 May 1927, Page 4

PLAINS COUNTY WORKS.

ESTIMATES FOR TUB YEAR. CONSIDERATION BY COUNCIL. The Hauraki Plains County Council held a special meeting on Wednesday afternoon, the full council, with tbe exception of Crs. Mgyn and Madgwick, being present. PUBLIC WORKS GRANTS. Tlie first business taken was a report by the engineer, recommending a division among the various ridings of the £4825 to be received from the Public Works Department by way of the automatic allocation of Government grants. The recommendation was as follows :— Netherton Riding : Await! West a - ll( i South roads, £3o'o on account of £1000; Fisher’s Road. £3OO on £4BOO ; Munro’s Road, £3OO on £570; Ngararahi Stopbank Road, £3OO on £1060; Pukahu East Road,' £3OO on £1000; Pukahu West Road, £2OO on £7OO ; and School Road, £3ooon £lOOO. Total. £2ooo' on account of £7130. Ngatea Riding : Tor-hape bridge and filling, £650 free money ; Tor> - hapb-Kaihere Road metalling, £lOO on £ for .£. . Kopuarahi Riding; Ngataipua Road, £lOO on account. Pipiroa Riding: Moaha.u Road, £4OO. Waitakaruru Riding : Coxhead’s filling, £650 ; Mangatarata bridge, £250 : Back Miranda Road, £5OO. The Patetonga, riding was excluded as being the subject of special treatment by reason of the- r.cent commission. The council then went into committee to consider a copy of a report by the lands drainage engineer on the completion of the metalling of the roads in the- Crown area. The total cost was £38,155. and on the assumption that the State found £2 for the council’s £l, the cost to I lie council would be £12.718.

Oi resuming in open council the engineer’s report was discussed. In reply to Cr. Reid the chairman explained that £7130 would be received over a period of years on the Netherton roads. In addition, grants would be applied for to the Lands Department in respect of the roads in its area.

Cr. Reid expressed satisfaction with the recommendation.

Arisiig out of the recommendation for the other ridings there was much discussion on the Lunds Departni'-nt’s report, which-was not available for publication.

Tlie application for Mofihau Road, Pipiroa township, was increased to £5OO.

The suggestions for Koptiai ahi ■ and Ngatea ridings were approved. It was -mentioned that no subsidy was available for the Turua riding, as the- work had already been subsidised.

Discussing the Back ’Miranda Road, Cr. Harris thought that there were other more urgent works in the riding, but this job was going to be done by the Public Works Department. In the event of the sum to be granted to the council being increased above the £4825 allocated, Cr. Harris urged that other items be included in the application. He mentioned Miranda Road, which in the summer-time when tlie route was available, acted as a alternative main highway to Auckland, as well as a road that was used by tlie whole county in getting to the beach at New Brighton.

In this connection, as a result of a deputation of settlers to the Minister of Public Works, tlie district engineer of the department, Mr L. B. Campbell, recently wrote t-p the- council advising that the road in question was approximately 2 miles 45 chains, of which 2 miles 10 chains was in tlie Hauraki Plains. The estimated cost of metalling the full length with a 20ft by Oin course was £2900, and on tlie assumption that the Government would be prepared to subsidise on a £2 for £1 basis the amount remaining to be found by the local bodies concerned would be approximately £960. On the 1926-27 Road Appropriates provision was made- for Government subsidy of £l6O for the portion in the Waikato County and £250 for the portion in the Hauraki Plains County,’ but it appeared that no steps were taken by either local body in the dii action of commencing the metalling. Under the special circumstances, and in view of the geographical position of the road with relation to tlie three contiguous counties, it was thought that some- arrangement ' could be reached for the joint financing of thework, and the department wa.-s in commuiication with tlie Franklin County Council and the Whangamarino Road Board with a view to ascertaining to what extent these two bodies would be prepared to assist. Without having gone into details with the counties affected, it was considered that a fair allocation of the cost to he found by the Plains Council would be, say, £660, find in order that the matter would be further considered it was desired that the matter be brought before the council. 1. Cr. Harris suggested that the -sum

be raised by means of a farthing rate spread over a period of, years. The chairman pointed out that the maintenance of existing roads had the first (flaim on the general rates. In the- Waitakaruru riding the bridge on the main road at the township had, in his opinion, the next claim, and. thirdly, there were the claims of the Mahuta Road bridge. The Miranda Road only deserved fourth considerations.

Cr. Reid thought that representations should be made to secure, a bigger. grant from the Highways Board for the maintenance of the highway from Haley’s corner to the county boundary. There were no rates whatever from the area traversed, and the maintenance would perhaps cost the rest of the riding a %<1 rate. The- chairman expressed the opinion that the Waitakaruru riding could not afford to be rated for the construction of Miranda Road.

Cr; Miller said that the m-tailing of the road would relieve the Franklin County, as the cream would be diverted from the Paerata to the Ngatea factory and it would provide a pleasure route for tourists and Hauraki Plains settlers.

In tlie discussion that followed the chairman explained that it a highei rate was levied than could be collected tlie work in that riding would be first affecte-d. If tlie riding debit balance increased tlie other ridings were affected, as they were called upon to assist witli the- payment of interest on the council’s overdraft. Discussing tlie inability of tlie riding to maintain tlie three miles oi main highway, Cr. Harris said that it might be advisable to give notice of motion to reintroduce tlie chairman s main roads scheme.

Later, tlie chairman said that the riding should do what maintenance it could, and thereby'show the Highways Board its inability to adequately maintain the road. There was no doubt that the Highways Board should contribute more for such exception! cases, and it was significant that the Wlianganiarlno Highway Board was not able to maintain its section, witli Die result that it was almost as bad as the ro(td from Puke Bridge to Paeroa. The necessity for act'on would therefore be brought up by that board before it became essential in the Plains County.

The matter having been given a very full discussion, the engineer’s recommendations were- adopter!, subject to such additions as may be required.

With reference to the Miranda Road proposal Mr Harris moved that tlie council was prepared to find £660, provided the Public Works Department was prepared to do the work, and to find the Government’s share outside of the Automatic Allocation of SH’te Money to tlie County, and to accept the council’s share of the cost in three annual instalments.--Carried.

Tlie formal resolution undertaking the maintenance of tlie roads proposed to be metalled out of. the money received from the State was adopted.