HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5177, 12 September 1927, Page 4

HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

WORKS OF THE MONTH. REPORTS OF OFFICERS. At the meeeing on Thursday of the Plains County Council Mi' F. Basham, the engineer, submitted the following report:— “ Main Highways. —Between Haley’s corner and Waitakaruru has been patched in worst places, apd a start has been made with surfacing. Resurfacing between Waitakaruru canal and Dalgety’s corner has been completed. All other roads have been repaired where necessary and kept graded in. Four experimental lengths have been treated with Coldflx —at Ngatea, Orchard East, Kopuai'ahi, and main road at Netherton Hall. I am favourably impressed wit)i the material itself, ’and trust that it will prove satisfactory on the roads. Various methods have been adopted in laying and records kept for reference. The painting of the Ngatea traffic bridge has been commenced, but is delayed by wet weather.” The engineer was instructed to bring down a report on the cost of maintaining the highways. In reply to questions the engineer said that Coldflx would be used to repair the existing bitumen roads as sioon as practicable. He estimated the cost of surfacing new red roads at £2 10s a chain. .

“General. —Resurfacing of Hopai Road is completed. All metalled roads are in fair order.

“Proposed Torehape Metalling.—Application was made to the Public Works Department for a subsidy on a proposed expenditure of £2OOO. I Understand a favourable reply has been received. The Lands Drainage Engineer writes that the gravel on Torehape Road lying alongside the drain may be had at a cost of 2s per yard.”

On this subject Mr T. W- Rhodes, M.P., wrote, advising that the Minister of Public Works had- had a report on the project and had approved of a subsidy on the basis of £2 for £l, the cost of the whole being estimated at £2OOO. The Minister-proposed to have an item of £5OO on account of £l4OO, £2 for £l, in this year’s estimates.

The chairman was instructed to approach the Lands Department in regard to a. reduction in the royalty, it being pointed out that the department had to remove the metal from •itsi drains.

“Waikumete Stream Bridge.—A reply to an application for grant towards cost of repairing flood damage to wing wall has been received, stat--ing that £lOO, £1 for £l, is available. It will not be possible to carry out the proposed scheme until, the weather is finer. In the meantime, proposals will be submitted to the Public Works Department and necessary materials ordered, provided the council authorises the work. INSPECTOR’S REPORT. The county inspector (Mr R. H. Cameron) reported as, follows : — “Three heavy traffic, four heavy traffic, one good-cart, and eleven motor drivers’ licenses have been issued. Notices have been posted to several owners -demanding that they take otit licenses. Some have done so and ethers had written pointing out the statement of the Minister of Public, Works that it was not intended t'nat local bodies should collect fees from service cars.” TREASURER’S REPORT. Included in the report of the treasurer, Mr E. A. Mahoney, were the following items : —. “The debit balance of the County Fund as per cash book is £5219. “Rate Arrears. —These ' have not been reduced to any appreciable- extent during the past two months. In view of the dimensions of the bank overdraft, and the fact that only £770 has been collected during the past two months, it appears that it will .be necessary to press to *the fullest extent for all arrears. T!he current year’s rate demands will be issued in the near future, but it is not likely that any great amount of these ! will be collected before [March' next. “Arrears of rates in each riding were as follows on.Augu.st 31: Turua £1514 13s Id, Turua towji £2lO 10s IdKopuarahi £1457 2s lOd, Horahia £1543 0s 9d, Kerepeehf £1547 9s 6d, Netherton £1424 9s sd, Patetonga £1340 12s 9d, Ngatea £679 4s Bd, Pipiroa 16s 3d, Waitakaruru, £1214 0s 4d„ Total, £12,151 19s 3d. “N ative Rates. —Charging orders against Native lands for rate arrears amounting to £587 have been, applied for. ;

“Ferries.—The follo wing is a statement of . receipts an d payments for the two ferries from April 1 to August 31: —Komata North : receipts, £163 6s sd; payments, £421 Is 3d. Pipiroa : Receipts,, £212 8s 5d ; payments, £l4'B 3s 2d. “Included in tlie Komata North payments are item s totalling £239 13s 8d in connection with the removal and re-erection of th e cottage. Apart from this, the o rdinary expenditure has been £lBl 7s 7d. The period from September 1 to J March 31 should result in higher cc llections on account of the sales having just commenced at Hikutaid, and in the case of the Pipiroa ferry on account of the improvement v)f th e Auckland road. “Evan T’homas;, owner of the White Star Service at IPaeroa, was reported by'the cor mty inspector, to have been convicted three times for speed!'ng. He has ; isked me to state to the council t hat he has been convict ed once onlj r to person, and that on. a second co mviction against him he w;rs not the d [river of the car when the offence wa ,s committed, but allowed the case to i go against him thinking that he, as o wner of the car, was liable.

“The receipts for the month were £370 14: 3 4d from general and special rates a ,nd £292 9s 2d from miscellaneous i sources, such as ferries £75 14s, Ho aise rents £45 Bs, license fees, etc., £ 1 107 13s Gd, etc.”