HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5288, 18 June 1928, Page 1

HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

WORK DURING MAY. REPORTS TO COUNCIL. The following reports were received by the Hauraki Plains County Council at its monthly meeting last Thursday :— ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer (Mr F. Basham) reported as follows :— “ Coxhea d’s Filling.—During r.ecent heavy flood slight damage was caused to this.. Alling. It has since been impaired af a cost of about SIS. Portion of the stopbank across low)' lying land at the southern end was washed away. This should be repaired and protected with fascines when weather permits. To make provision for big floods and to protect the filling from futures scour and erosion a 25ft. span bridge should be constructed at the northern end of the flllvng. This would cost about £250. “ Proposed Metal Landing -at Orongo —I would suggest for your consideration the construction of ,a landing jetty at the old ferry approach at Orongo. It could be constructed on top of the present piles on the uptream side of the approach. This would be an all weather central spot for metal supplied- for, that district. “Rangiora Road. —Metalling on this road has been finished. This completes the works provided for in the Netherton Loan 1925, with the exception of 16 chains held in abeyance on the Pukahu West Road.

“ Ngatea Roads. — Surfacing between the Rawerawe Road and the end of the metal at Puhanga Canal has been completed, and will be rolled next week. “Nga.tea Bridge-keeper’s House. —A small porch is required over the door to this house to give protection from prevailing rains. At every rainfall from an eaisterly direction the house is swamped by rain driving in the unprotected doorway. Cost, about £lO. “Main Highways. —The grader has been kept employed on all roads. The Turua-Netherton road between the end of the bitumen and Carter’s c'or.ner has been, scarified, and on the worst portion a light coat of red metal has been laid. One scow-load of dredged shingle has been spread on Wilson’s Road.” In reply to the chairman the engineer said that the cost of repairs to Coxhead’s Rilling would be about £5O. On Cr. Harris’ motion the engineer was instructed to approach the Public Works Department with the idea of getting a grant for flood damage provided it was outside the council’s share of the automatic allocation. The engineer stated that he had not gone into the question of cost of a metal landing a Orongo. The. land■ing would mean a considerable saving in cartage from Pipiroa. The engineer was instructed to report on the cost. The erection of a porch on the Ngatea bridge-keeper’s house was authorised. TREASURER’S REPORT. The treasurer, Mr E. A. Mahoney, reported as. follows :— “I beg to submit herewith a statement of genera,l rates' collected unci outstanding and riding expenditure and balances, as at June 1, 1928. “In future, with the permission of the council, Instead of furnishing a monthly summary of the position of the ridings, I propose submitting a full statement each quarter of all the accounts of the county fund and loan accounts. In place of the usual monthly statement I propose furnishing a statement of general rates collected. and expenditure incurred in each riding for the previous month only. “ The -council’s typiste, Miss Glinn, was absent for two months in tire Thames Hospital undergoing an opera,t'ion. I employed temporary help during part of that time which cost the council £7 10s, or less than one month’s, salary. A good deal of M's® Gunn’s work accumulated-during her absence, ami she- has worked extra hours since her return to bring things up.to date. I would respectfully recommend that Miss Gunn be paid salary for one month of her two months’ absence. “Netherton Loan. 1925.—Subsidy amounting to £61.20 10s has been pa'd. on the above loan, works and mortgaged debentures to that amount redeemed. The balance in the hypothecated debentures account is £879 10s. “The receipts for the month of May totalled £5217 17s 6d\ Including £2250 from general rates, £1792 8s 10'd from special rates, £36 7s from the Konrata ferry, £lO7 6s 3d from the Pipiroa ferry, £l3O from licenses, etc., £216 10s from water charges, £2O from the sale of a motor truck, and £l9 from a horse anid dray sold,” INSPECTOR’S REPORT. The inspector. Mr It. H. Cameron, reported that during May licenses had been issued for one taxi, two motor lorries, and two- motor heavy traffic. Dog tax collected amounted to £5 15s.