HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5327, 17 September 1928, Page 4

HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

REPORTS OF COUNCIL’S STAFF. WORK FOR THE MONTH. The follqwiii£ reports .from its staff wcrq received by t,he Hauraki Plains County Council at the September meeting on Thursday :— ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer (Mr F. Ba,sham) reported a sfollows-: — MAIN HIGHWAYS. “ Pokeno-Waihi. — Surfacing from Puke bridge to Pekapeko road with chips has been completed; Similar work ic- in progress between Parry’s corner and Ngatea, about cjne scow load being required to complete the work. From Ngatea .to county boundary several stretches have been surfaced with ordinary red metal. Thq grader ba‘- : been kept constantly at work over the whole length. “ Pokqn'o-Thames.—l propose laying a light, cost of dredged chip;; between Dalgety’s corner and Pipiroa ferry, gay, about two yards per chain as soon a.s /material arrives. From Hale’ boundary to <Orongp Road: will be surfaced ;as soon as Ngaitaipua Road is fl,t to cart over. “Orqpgo-Nethartcn,— Bitumen has been; patched with Coldiflx and line shingle between Orongo and the Turua. township. From the ■Willow drain to McMillan’o requires attention. I would recommend a few lorry leads of co.arse chips being obtained and the ro-ad being repaired! with. heated bitumen. From the Orongo bridge to the commencement elf the bitumen will be surfaced ns coon as possible.’’ Reporting verbally the- state of the bitumen roads, the engineer stated that, they were commencing to ga to pieces very quickly. In fact, it was much quicker than', anyone anticipated, even on Hu.irau Road where the .traffic was light. COLFIX. “The experimental strips of Colfix liave npw been laid twelve: months'. They have received a third coat, and if at the end of another twelve months they are ctill standing up to traffic, a definite opinion ais to. the vqlue of .this ■ treatment can be .formed. GENERAL. “The bitumen portion of Orchard East Road requires considerable repairs. i recommend similar treatment to that proposed for. the TuruaNetherton read. •. ■ COXHEAD’S FILLING. “The new span is completed and slight repairs done to the old span. The filling i_ also completed- Where necessa.ry wattle facing to toe of batter was constructed. About two. more days’ carting will complete the widening where scour has - occurred. I would quggest sowing paspalum on, battens and haunches of the filling and a liberal dressing of super, being applied. This Should be done about the beginning of November. Once this grass got established i.t would considerably minimise the risk of future scQUr. As soqn as weather permits I propose repairing the stppbank ;a,t the (southern end l . NGATAIPUA ROAD LOAN. “The landing stage has been erected, and supplies o<£- metal are coming to hand and are being .unloaded and paddocked. NGATEA RIDING LOAN. “Before metal can be carted over the Ra.werawe wharf considerable repairs are necessary. A certain, amount of dredged shingle is required for the main highway which will also have to be carted over, this wharf. The repairs will cost about £2O. I would be- glad of authority to , proceed with this .work.” 1 The engineer was instructed to: effect repairs to the Rawera.we wharf. OHINEWAj ROAD. “This roafi is in a very bad state. There. a,re. 15 slips on. the road, and seyeral bad washouts. To put this road in good order is qaite beyond the funds available from the Ngatea riding.” The chairman stated that there was no money available for this road. No revenue was received from the adjoining country. It was decided to apply to; the Government for a free grant, FINANCIAL REPORT. . The treasurer, Mir E. A. Mahoney, reported at length? on financial matter/.. Items, from the report are; as follows:— “Heavy. Traffic Fees Account, —Advice has been received from the: distributing authority that this council’s. -share of las,t year’s pooled fees amounts tq £2Ol, 6s. This amount, plus 75 per cent, of our o ( w.jtl collections retained '(£33B 18 s 9d), will go ho. the credit of. the General Account. The amount actually paid to the pool was £42 15s lid out .of a total collection of £179 18s Bd. Last year £221 6s id wafs received from' the popl. “Accounts.. —-Following' ahe the balances of the separate ; acc<>un,t£’-: Contractors’ deposits, SJll29' (credit) ; hqspital rate, £250 i()s 10ft (debit) ; thirds, £155 5 S id ([credit) ; heavy traffic fees, £317 19s (id (credit). The interest accounts are ai l ! in a satisfactory position, but it, would not be a true state if thr» balances .were given at the presen.t time.: as interest has accrued .to date : against each. “Lqan Accounts.—Stubsidy has not yet been received on the construction of Pekapeka and Wairau roads, a,nd the County Fund- in the meantime is standing out of £2383 13s Id advanced to complete tfitie, works. The Kerapeehi riding roadis loan is ini credit £1215 8s sd, t’he g reater part, of which, will be expeaided' on Kaikahu Road when subsidy! is a uthorised. “There is an unejxpendi id balance of £ll2 14s in the Tiyrua-Nei tfhertqn roads loan. The Nether/tojn roai Is 10-an, 1925, has been fully expended’. “Waitakaruru Roads Lo an.—A bal-. ance of £53 15s '2d has bet m qtajiding to the credit of this loan for some years, and I would r.ecemi mend that it be expended or placed on fixed deposit.

1 “The receipts for the month totalled £1779 19& 4(1, being £1469 2s Id from rates,- £75 from the, Pipiroa ferj-y, £l4 16fii 7d frcpi the Komata ferry, £34 13s frqm heavy traffic fees, and £l2 2s 6d from dog tax and incidental INSPECTOR’S REPORT. The county inspector, Mr W. Whitereported as follows: — “Application-: for. dog registration are coming to hand. I am also paying visits for the purpose of collecting overdue; fees. “Traffic.—Attention has beei? given to the licensing of hea.vy motor vehicles, and several registration;, have been made during the month. Traffic sign;, .showing restrictions as to speed and of schools in the village,, of the county, are in the hands of the makers. ‘ “Attention has been given to the matter of straying cattle. A number of animals have been impoundt-d at Ngatea and: Waitakaruru, “During the month permits for work in connection with buildings to £518'5 have been issued. The predominant amount relate!; to the. cheese factory to be erected at Waitakarur.u, the. remainder being covered by two cottages and three other buildings. “seven persons have been proceedted: against fey minor offences against tile by-laws. Of these, six were convicted, the linei and costjs, imposed amounting to, £8 17s. Three prosecution,s are pending, two fey speeding and one for. breach, of by-laws.” The,- inspector was instructed to report, in two months’ time en the necessity for purchasing, loadmeters.