HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5338, 12 October 1928, Page 3

HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

MEETING GF COUNCIL. i ROUTINE business. The Hquraki Plains County Council met at Ngatea yesterday, Cr. E. L. Walton presiding over the following : Crs. C. W. Harris, J. C. Miller, W. Madgwick, C. W. Parfitt, H. H. Hicks, J. A. Rend, A. L. Ficher, and J. FMayn. kaihere ferry. The l.ajnds drainage engineer, Kcre-j peehi, wrote; to ascertain, if the council would undertake the operation and control of the river ferry >n|ow being in-jtajled by the department at Kaihere. The chairman said that in his opinion the ferry was- unnecessary. The Kajhere,: people in the winter were anjsiojus/ for. an outlet, but now that glimmer w,es approaching, the road' wa?, practically open. He was prepared to agree to; the ferry, being run for a period to ascertain the amqunit Of traffic. Had there been no road he would have no objection to paving for. the • fejrry. In reply to Cr. Hicks the chairman stated that he had been given an undertaking by the c;hief drainage engineer that the road from Ngatea to Kaihere Landing would he completed this summer. The formation was al.mo lt, completed. A bridge at Kaihere had been considered some years ago, but the ferry proposal had been started at the request, of the settlers/ durj ing the winter months. The matter had been delayed, and the ferry would no,t be available before the rOad was. open. Cr. Madg.wick said that a feirry would cost £4OO a year., and the income, was problematical. It wag unlikely .that, the running qf the feirry could be let by contract- He would prefer to see the council spend the money as interest on a bridge rather than qn a ferry. ‘ Cr. Fisher argued that there would be considerable traffic from the Kerepeehi side. . .... » ■ Cr. Mayiit 'thought that, the ferry would be of very 7 little* use, and that the council should not enter into any long-term agreement. He; dqubted whether the Lands Drajpage Department. would be able to have the section of road from the top of the qanal to Kaihere Landing metalled' by next winter. i Th® engineer, painted out th;a,t the department had let a contract for the supply this summer ef sufficient metal to do, all the road. On the motion of .Cr, Ha ; rdis the matter wag referred to the works committee, w'ith instruction's to confer with the lands drainage engineer anil report to the council. » NGATEA STREET LIGHTS. # The Ngatea Public-'Hall 1 Society wrote* advising that a proposal 'has been put-forward that the; society should take over the financial responsibility andmanage-menit qf the Ngatea 'street lights. The Poweir Board desired- the council to guarantee the Hall Society and .aocept a subguarantep from the Society while al-, tawing it to maintain full control. The council was, also asked to continueit j annual subsidy. The chairman explained that ithe Ngatea township wagi lighted bofqre the Power Board had formulated! a policy" on the matter. The Power Board would now onjy light townships on receiving a ’ guarantee! from, .the local authority. He wquld recommend that the request be granted. This, was agreed to. LIGHTING OF ROADS. Cr, Madgwick observed that , the* council cpuld well providte more lights at bad corners, such as Parry’s, Wilsqji’s Road, Kopuarahi School, Orchard East, TuruarNetherton Rqad, and the Piako-Kerepeehi-Ko-puarahi Road. Cr. Parfitt raised the question of maintaining the 'existing lights, lapdmentioned that some of them were, unlighted for lengthy periods. The- inspector was instructed to report to the next meeting, when a policy- wduld be evolved, ■ WATER SUBSIDY. The Minister Ojf Public, Works advised that careful consideration would be given the representations for a subsidy at a similar rate to that authorised on the West water supply scheme, for the proposed schexne for 'the adjoining area. MANGATARATA ’PHONE. The Post and Telegraph Department advised that the 1-oss on the vear’s working of tihe -Mangataj’ata telephone line was £lO 5s 3d, and the counc.il was asked to pay this, sum to the public account in terms, of the guarantee. it was agreed to pay the money and take; steps to recover the amqunt from the guarantors. MANGA WHERO ROAD. Cr. Mayn apd the engineer were authorised to arrange for gravel to be thrown out of the Mangawhero Road bide drains ;a,nd spread on the ro,ajd at. 2s fid- per cubic yard, with a limit bf £6O. GRAVEL CATCHING. Cr. Mayn advocated the establishment of a catchment area to impound graved in the streams about Patefor use on the subsidiary roads. The;engineer was instructed to report. PATETONGA ROADING. iCn the motion! of Cr. Mayn it was agreed to ask the Lands Drainage Department what '>ts, proposals, were in regard, to the metalling of ,t.hq Patetonga, Hiding roadfe this, summer. It wasi also agreed to poiiftt out that metal -could be <jjb,tained from the Piako quarry. OTANE ROAD. An expenditure? of £so' IQr gravel oh. Otane Read, Patetonga, was authorised/ and also an expenditure of £25 ofi 1 LttwOr Pafetonga Road'. NETHERTON WATER. On the motio/n of Cr. Reid it was agreed that the chairman and engineer represent the council at a meeting of Netherton, qettlers next Tuejsday evening to discuss the water supply scheme. : MIRANDA ROAp. A scheme for obtaining certain

Maori rates by utilising their labour for removing slips and- shqllin;g 25 chain's on Back Miranda Road was mentioned; by Cr. Harris ajid agdeed; to by the council.