OHINEMURI COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5323, 7 September 1928, Page 2

OHINEMURI COUNTY.

monthly council meeting. The monthly meeting of the Ohinenuiri County Council was held yesterday, cr H. M. Corbett (chairman), presiding. over the following: Crs. C. Mason, F. C- Hubbard, J. B» Morris,, C. Hands, R. R. Morrison, A. R. Robinson, C. E. Mace, the; clerk (Mr R- W. Evans), and the acting-engineer (Mr L. E. Shaw). ALEXANDER’S DRAIN. The. resident engineer of the Public Works Department wrote advising that following on .the receipt of several requests from settlers, the Minister had approved of the department cleaning out and battering. Alexandci s Drain, (dredge cut part), using the drag-line machine now employed on Drain H, provided the settlers in the area took the necessary steps to &et up an organisation, that would be adequate, to io,ok after, future maintenance. It was considered that the best way of providing for maintenance by the settlers would be for the iGhinemuri County Council to take steps under, section 168 to 182 of the Counties Act, 1920, and iset up a special rating; district, the council thereby acting as a drainage, board: for that particular area. The machine was nearly finished oh Drain H., and if tae necessary steps to set up an adequate organisation, to assume reepojisibility for maintenance could be completed reasonably soon, it would be- convenient to shift the. machUmle straight to Alexander’s Drain. Cr. Robiason sajd he had been endeavouring to get a suitable; scheme of drainage for this area for some time. Recently he had called a meeting of the. settlers intereste|d, and it was thought that 'if the council would take the steps suggested by the resident engineer it would be the; best way out of the difficulty. If the scheme was undertaken it would give an extra outfaH flood-gate. The settlers wv ( re agreeable anxious to get the council to -undertake the formation of a special rating area, and he hoped the council would agree to it.

Cr. Morrison thought that the scheme was a good one, and he explained the difficulty tha,t was being experienced. In regard to the fijianfeing, it w.a> an, easy way put and a rate only would be necessary. He. esti,mated that fully 90 per-cent, of the settlers were in favour of the proposal. Hecould not see any objection to th? council agreeing to the special rating area.

The chairman, said it was just a question of whether the' council should undertake the matte,r. If this area was taken, over .they would poss'bly have to take over other, areals, add that would entail considerable extra office wqrk. He thought-there was lißufficient information before the council.

Cr. Alace. considered t'ha.t it was the duty of County councils to make roads, an.d that it was the duty of drainage boards to undertake and look after, the drains. It would entail a lot of extrq, office and engineering work, and he favoured the formation of a drainage board.

The chairman said he was doubtfuljas to the- extent of the work tflat would be.- involved. Cr.- Robinson said that the area was a rich one/and very cqnipqct, and’extended from the Kaima-nawa wharf to the Komata North outfall, it was auurgent matter, and the cheapest way tq ha.ndle it was for the cquucil to undertake a special rating area. It was only fair to the ratepayers; The chairman mqved .that the matter be left in the hands of the Ka-i--manawa and Paeroa riding representative.- and the chajrmahj with power to act. in moving this resolution,, he said, they could get all the information o.n the. matter and place, it before the council. The system was certainly an advance qn wha.t had obtained in the past.

Cr. Hubbard, in) seconding, sa£d he thought the matter wanted to be. thoroughly nivestigated, especially as there was no estimate qf the cost of maintenance, and the rate to be struck might be more than the settlers could Stand. He would like more particulars before committing the- council. The motion, was carried, and 'it was I’esoHved to hojd a meeting of the special committee op Thursday, the- 20th instant. WAIHI-WHANGAMATA DEVIATION. The resident engineer of the Public Works Department advised that in regara to future grants from the Crown, they were for maintenance, work only, and not intended to cover flood damage.. Concerning, the passing of a resolution by the council, it could only be rescinded by another resolution by the same -or ,a later council, aj)|d a.s the Minister of Public Works honoured promises given by his predecessors it was .assumed that, in a case of this nature, the council would do like-wise. Under the circumstances there did not; seem to be, any leason why the council should not be able to. pa's the resolution under, seal. After, some discussion qn the advisability of passing, a resolution as desired. it was decided that the chairman confer with the resident en-. gineer on the matter. WAITAWHETA ROAD. Notification was received from the resident Public Works Department’s engineer that the 'Minister had been recommended to authorise the expenditure o,f a sufficient sum to cqver tiie formation of the deviation alc-n.g the ramway. but his department considered that constructlion should not be proceeded with until a resolutioi; had been received frqm the council undertaking to, proceed immediately with the legalisation, and to carry same through to completion with the least possible; delay. Cr. Masqn said that if the road equid be put through' it would be a decided lift fqr the settlers. On the motion of Cr. Mason,, seconded by Cr. Hands, the following resolution was passed: “That the council undertake to proceed at once with the necessary- steps for -the acquiring of the land and the legalisation, of a deviation of the Waitawheta road I

along the, line- of the old Waitawheta tramway, and that the Public Works Department be notified to that eeffet.” JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS. The- Under-Secretary wrote stating that future contemplated expenditure on purposes such as jubilee celebrations shquld first be considered by the Government,' - and wherever possible arrangements should be made to meet the expenditure, or portion thereof, out of maintenance. ■MARATOTO ROAD. With reference to; the council’s application for £5OO to repair, the damage- caused by the reeenit flood to Maratoto Road and to generally recondition tiie road in order, to make it available for the cartage of supplies and machinpry for. the, Oh’inemuri Gold and Silver Mines Co., the Minister of wrcjte stating that he was arranging for a report on the matter. COUNTY CLERKS’ ASSOCIATION. A letter was read with reference, to the formation of a, county clerks’ association. The chairman said that the matter was before the County Conference and received hearty approval. Just as the conference, helped' the councils, so wquld -the association help the clerks, and the councils would d'rectlly benefit. The clerk. Mr R. W. Evans, was authorised to, attend the meeting at Wellington. WAIHI SCHOOL OF MINES. A grant of £3O was made to the Waihi School of Mines on the motion of Cr. Hands, seconded by Cr. Mason. HEAVY TRAFFIC LICENSES. The town clerk, Hamilton, forwarded statements showing the, amounts collected and details of the aAlOfcafion of pool moneys in connection; with heavy traffic licenses. FRANKTON ROAD. Mr Nicki.sson, Waihi Plains, wrote drawing the council’s attention tq the bad state of the road from Blackmore’s. corner, to his farm and asking the council to have it metalled. Mr E. M. Dean also wrote asking for repairs to be done to this ro;a,d, and pointed out the dangerous portioiH where it had become undermined. Cr. Hands said that he had been over the road, and considered the matter should be attended to. The matter was referred to the engineer for attention. RATES. Mrs Simmonds wrote objecting to the rate struck, and asked for’a revaluation, as her property had been destroyed by the floods. It was decidd to reply that a new valuation had been made recently, but the rate was struck on the o.ld valuation. ROAD AT WAIKINO. Mr. J. Kinsella wrote askin", the council to fulfil its promise to metal the road leading to his property. He said that the council had agreed some eleven, years agoi to metal the road if the settlers would do the formation, but had not done sc, in spite of frequent applications. The settlers had carried out their pa,rt qf the arrangement. The engineer, was instructed to have the work done. THAMES-PAEROA ROAD. Cr. Robinson said that at the last meeting, a resolution was passed bringing under the notice of the Public Works DOpartmenjt the matter of the ' erqsion ! of the riverbank near the EEkutaia bridge, but so far no reply had been received. He considered the matter a serious one. Cr. Hands said that he had inspected the erosions and was of the same opinion as Cr. Robinsen. It was resolved, on, the motion of Cr. Robinson, seconded by Cr. Morrison, that the Public Works Department be asked to devise a scheme to prevent further erosion of the riverbank near the bridge. WAIKINO FIRE BRIGADE. Cr. Mason Saad that the residents qf Waikiric; were forming a fire brigade, and he asked the coun.ci Ito procure 200 ft of hose. The, hqse tha.t was supplied years ago had perished, and. whe-n a fire took place recently it had burst, and but for the energies of a resident the whoje town would have been' burnt out. Cr. -Morrison said -that he was i resident in the house that was completely destroyed. He paid tribute to the work of those who assisted in keeping the fire from spreading. Cr. Hands thought that as the pressure was about 1401 b they sihould' gc-t some good hose and -not rely on second-hand or old -hose. It was dcided to procure, the hose necessary, the matter being left to the chairman and Cr. Mason, withpqwer to act.