HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5262, 13 April 1928, Page 2

HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

MOiNTHLY COUNCIL MEETING.

The monthly meeting of the Hauraki Plains County Council was held , at Ngatea yesterday, Cr. E. L. Walton presiding over the following : Cis-—-C. W. Harris, J. C. Miller, W. Madgwick, C. Parfitt, H. H. Hicks. J. A. Reid, A. L. Fisher, J. F. Mayn, and tlie clerk (Mr E. A. Mahoney) and the engineer (Mr F. Basham). WAITAKARURU BRIDGE. Tlie lesident engineer of the Public Works Department, Paeroa, wrote in reference to the bridge at IVaitakarur.u on the paeroa,-Pokeno highway, and advised that on tha basfe of an estimate, o'f £1442 the council’s share : would be £751, provided that if tho' cst’mate was exceeded the council would .have to contribute £ for £ on tlie total expenditure. The interest chargeable on any loan from the Highways Board would be at the rate of 6 per cent, per annum. The an.nual instalment to repay a loan of £721 within ten years would be £97 19s 3d. This would cover interest and sinking fund, interest being charged on the reducing balance each yeiar. The offer was accepted. PATETONGA ROADS. The Minister of Public Works (Hon. K, S. Williams) .wrote yi th reference to the, council’s communications inquiring whether its request for a £2 for £1 subsidy on the Patetonga Road metalling sclieime for Top or Old Road and Mangawhero Road 'had l been approved, and advised? that the promise to provide £6OOO per annum, for two years and the balance of the £13,618 the third yesar excluded the two roads now under reference, and he did not feel justified in making any promise in regard to those roads until the major scheme had been completed, after which he was prepared to consider the Old Road ami Mangawhero Road on their merits. MAUKORO BRIDGE. The Piak'o County Council advised that the Public: Works Department would be asked to undertake the erect'on of the Maukoro bridge.

AWAITI ROADS. 1 Mr A. M. Samuel, M.P.. forwarded letter he had received from the Min- ' y 1 ister for Public Works in reply to 5 representations. The Minister advised ' that the request for a £2 for £1 sub- ? sidy for the metalling of the roads in ; the Crown settlement of Awaiti would * receive careful Consideration., ' AWAITI WATER SUPPLY. Thirty-eight Awaiti settlers petitioned for the declaration of their ! district as a water-race district as a 1 preliminary to the taking of a Poll for 1 a water supply. It was decided to investigate the * best method of proceeding. t WEST WATER SUPPLY. Mr E. F. Adams, Thamqs, was ap-_ pointed to classify the land in. ~the Hauraki Plains >Ve,st water srlflLy area Rr rating purposes. . , . PURCHASE OF TRUCK. U After investigating the running costs of tlie American motor trucks at present in use and the statements of users of the English-built Morris truck, the council decided to purchase; the more expensive English machine. The two old trucks now in use were ■ costing 10s a week for maintenance alone, ,without benzine Qr oil. INSPECTOR'S REPORT. The inspector, Mr R. H. Cameron, reported tliat 70 motor-drivers’ licenses we;re issued during the month. On March 17 all cars were stopped at Puke bridge for the production of drivers’ licenses. Seven drivers were unlicensed, but four had since produced licenses. TURUA ESTATE. _ Bagnall Bros, and Co., Ltd., Auck- ty land, wrote advising that they were anxious to sell the balance of their land at Turua and proposed .offering the outer area in farm* or farmlet lots. The council was asked whether it would offer any objection to Orqre Road and portion of Raupoiti Road being closed. Cr. Madgwick and the engineer were instructed to investigate and report. MIRANDA ROAD. G. J. Coxhead, Miranda, wrote asking whether rates could be, worked out by shelling port'on of the road from Waiwera Creek to the county boundary. Having three lorries available, shell, could be laid a foot thick at from, 3s to 4s a yard.—Engineer to report. , NETHERTON DRAINAGE. The Department of Internal Affairs j. forwarded the Gazette notice calling for any objections to the constitution of the Net'herton drainage district. RAWERAWE ROAD. John Leonard, Rawerawe, wrote requesting the construction of a watertable along the Reserve Road. It was decided to inform the writer that he should approach the Hauraki West Diainage Board on its constitution in June next. VALUATIONS. Tlie Valuation Department advised that applications for revaluation had been received fro.m C. Johnstone, R. B. Paul, and R. Conrad. The; clerk .was authorised to take whatever steps were necessary. NGATEA STREET. Fourteen N’gatea business people petitioned the council for thq bitu-men-sealing of the road through the township, which was desired to overcome the dust menace. The chairman said that he 'had nbt previously heard of the mattefj*? his motion it was referred to him as riding member. METAL ROAD RATES. A special works rate; on the area in the southern part of the Turua riding is to be investigated by the works committee. This part of the riding is the only part with metalled roads not- bitumqn-sealed.