OHINEMURI COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5199, 4 November 1927, Page 2

OHINEMURI COUNTY.

MONTHLY COUNCIL MEETING. ROUTINE BUSINESS. The monthly meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council was held yesterday, the chairman (Cr. H. M. Corbett) presiding over Crs. A. R. Robinson, W. F. Johnstone, C. Mason, F. C. Hubbard, J. B. Morris, R. R- Morrison, F. Hands, C. E. Mace, and Messrs R. W. Evans (clerk) and L. E. Shaw (acting engineer). HIGHWAYS MAINTENANCE.

The No. 2 District Highways Couri* cil, Auckland, forwarded a copy of the main highways maintenance estimates for the year 1927-28. In the Pokeno-Waihi main highway the. sum of £lO4l was scheduled for the Hauraki Plains to the Ohinemuri county boundaries, and £247 for expenditure on the section from the Waihi east boundary in the Ohinemuri County io the boundary of the Tauranga County. The sum of £567 was shown for the Kopu-Paeroa highway from the south boundary of the. Paeroa Borough to Hikutaia, and £827 for the HamiltonPaeroa highway from the Paeroa Borough south boundary to the Te Aroha north boundary. The sum of £22 was also shown for expenditure on clearing willows at Waitoke. The resident engineer of the Public Works Department advised that the Main Highways Board had decided to ask the council to build up its highways under a progressive policy of maintenance at an - expenditure of about £2oo' a mile per annum. The board was prepared to subsidise the Pokeno-Waihi main highway from Paeroa. to the eastern county boundary on the basis of £2 10s for £l. In increasing its subsidy, however, the board had not in view the lightening of the present burden for the county, but wished simply to heln the county in Teaching an expenditure of £2OO per mile per annum- The council was requested to take steps to bring the roads up to requirements. The chairman said it, was good to hear of the decision arrived at. It would n* t only relieve the county of a good deal of trouble, but would be a mutual benefit to the Waihi and Paeroa boroughs. The county would not be called upon to expend any extra money at the present, yet the maintenance would be carefully carried on. HEAVY TRAFFIC FEES. The Hamilton Borough Council wrote pointing out that the magistrate’s order under which heavy traffic fees in the district were allocated would expire at the end of the current year. Some other arrangements would have to be made by the local bodies concerned, or the magistrate would have, to be asked to reconsider the matter in so far as related to future yeafs. The Hamilton council desired to know if the local bodies concerned wished to hold a conference to consider the question, or whether it was preferred to let the matter go before the Court. It was to be understood that in the event of a conference being held the local bodies represented could not be bound by the decisions arrived at by the conference unless they were subsequently ratified by resolution. The chairman said that the method of allocation had been quite satisfactory. The council had just about retained its own feets on the present method.

It was resolved to advise that the method in vogue during the past two years be continued.

WAIKINO WATER SUPPLY. A letter was received from Mr J. H. G. Banks, of Waikino, complaining about thq state of the water supply at Waikino. He stated that on seven evenings, between the hours of 6.30 and 10.30 p.m., the township had been without water.

The clerk stated that investigations had disclosed that the had been caused by Mr J. S. Nicol taking a supply for the driving of a dynamo, which prevented the reservoir from being kept full. Mr Nicol had been notified in the meantime that His 2inch connection would have to be turned off on completion of milking operations.

In reply to the request Mr Nicol pointed out that there wasi more water A wasting through holes in pipeline in 24 hours than he would use in a week. Thei dam was also a disgrace, and he questioned whether it would hold 100 gallons in its present state of silt to the overflow. He also stated that Waikino would have been oftener without water had he not, on occasions repaired holes in the main pipeline.

Cr. Mason said that the position was serious*

The chairman said that the council had never entered into a written agreement with Mr Nicol to have the water. \

It was pointed out by Cr. Mason that it was not desired to penalise Mr Nicol, jvho had frequently repaired the pipes, but it was not fair that he should have an advantage over ether consumers.

The engineer said that to effect complete repairs would be a costly matter, but minor repairs had beendone, and so long as the demand on the lower levels was not too severe there was a satisfactory supply. The chairman said that in the firstplace the supply, although very expensive, had not been put in satisfactorily. A number of, pipes which! should have gone underground weir® placed on the surface. The pipe-line between the reservoir and tbq dam would have to be attended to in the future, and it would mean a big expense. It was quite unreasonable for any person to take more than a settler’s share.

After a brief discussion the matter was left in the hands of tihe chairman, Cr. Mason, and the engineer toinspect the supply and bring doWi a report for the December meeting. REPAIRS TO FORD ROAD. A settler on Ford Road, Waihf Plains, Mr J. G. Heard, applied to have the road to his property improved so that he could cart timber for a house over it. The chairman said that the writer was a new settler, enterprising and deserving of help. The matter was referred to the engineer, with power to act.