HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5350, 12 November 1928, Page 4

HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL. IMPROVING THE ROADS. The Hauraki Plains County Council met at Ng.atca oji Thursday, Cr. E. L. Walton presiding over Crs. A. S. Finflier, J. A. Reid, H. H. Hicks, CW Parfitt. W. Madgwick, J. C. Miller, C. W. Harris, F. J. Mavm The clerk (Mr E. A. Mahoney), and tlhe; engineer (Mr F. Basham) were ini attendance. BALANCE-SHEET. Prior to the general meeting a statutory special meeting was held to receive the balance-she,et for the year 1927-28. The chairman said that the balance sheet had been returned without any tags, and the county treasurer. (Mr E. A. Mahoney) was to be complimented. METALLING OF CARDS. The Lands Drainage Department advised that it wopld undertake the metalling of the Puha.nga Canal West Road, and also the Paifetonga Roads. Work on the canal road would commence early in Novembejr. MIRANDA ROAD.

Mr George A. Findlay, Qf Miranda, wrote on behalf of nine others, urging the council to lift the Government £2 for £1 subsidy of £5OO on

a,ccpunt of the Miranda-Waitakaruru Road. The necessity, for an early start on the work was stressed. As the sum would not be sufficient to metal the whole of the road the petitioners suggested that the, work be started from the western boundary (Miranda end) so that the wC*rst portion would be done. Cr. Harris reported that a similar letter had been received by him. Lrf reply to Cr. Mayn the chairman said the position wag that the council had no money for the purpose. Cr. Harris said that the subsidy had first appeared on the last Supplementary Estimates. The chairman ojaid that the; money would have to come out of the c.ouncil’s automatic alloca,tion| of Government money. It was decided that the engineer estimate as to whether the subsidy was included in the sum automatically allocated to the counc.il by the Gov-

ernment. ' In reply to Cr. Harris the clerk sAid that an additional (halfpenny rate on the Waitakaruru riding would be required tO' raise sufficient money.

TURUA ROAPS.

The/Turua Town Board wrCjte asking t'he council to approve certain repairs to the bitumen} roads in the town; district, with a view to collecting a subsidy from the Main Highways Board. The board had approximately £lOO to spend, and: proposed to have the edges built up with bitumen, metal, and chips, and to have t he holes in the road patched-

The engineer was instructed to have the work done. NGATAIPUA ROAD.

The district engineer of the Public Wcsrks Department, Auckland, wrote pointing out that the Council's proposals for the metalliin(g of Ngjataipua Road provided for 16s 6d per yard for metal. The council’s comments on the use: of Matatoki Quarry metal at. 14s 6d per yard, whenaby a saving of £396'could be effected!, were desiredThe clerk reported having replied that the price of 16s 6d was inserted in the proposals for the purpose of application for sanction of the) loan, a'nd the price was made safe against over expenditure.

The principal reasons for declining the Thames County’s offep of Mata.toki metal at 14s 6d per yard on the road 1 were that re.d metal was being delivered -at 10s 6d, an(d cartage to the road wo>uldi not cost more than 2s 6d per yard. The cartage of Matatoki mejtal would necessitate wear of 3% miles of Hauraki County road and three miles of Thames County road, and the Thames County wo,uld possibly require compensation. The Thames County Council’s trucks were too heavy to be used on Hauraki County rbads, and if this was realised by the, Thames County Council the price might be amended. The Matatoki quarry could not crush metal fast enough. Delivery of red metal at the Towers landing dispensed with the necessity of carting over Plains metalled roads. Prior to receiving the Thames quotation a contract for the delivery of red metal had been entered into, and a considerable amount had been delivered. TENDERS. Two tenders were received for the work of carting 4000' yards of red metal from the Towels landin|g to Ngataipua Road, and that of A. Wilder. Thames, at Is lOd was accepted, provided sureties were forthcoming. TOWERS LANDING. The Thames Harbour Board wrote asking by whose authority permission was given to erect a landing stage near the Towers for the; unloading c>f road metal. The. clerk reported having replied that this landing-place had' been used for many years, eve(n before the Lands Drainage; Department commenced on tjhe Plains. A landing, stage had existed, and the work done by the council had been simply reconstruction. The Harbour .Board had replied that it was necessary for the counc.il to make application to the Marine Department through the Harbour Board for the right to maintain a. landing. The clerk was instructed to tnakfil application. KA IK AHU ROAD. Messrs H. D. Jamieson), c. Pearce, and Ficher waited onn the council with reference to the; completion of the metalling o>f Kaika.hu Road, Kerepeehi. It was understood that the council had the loan money in hand and that the subsidy was available. The chairman detailed the history of the; case and stressed the fact that the subsidy had been granted on condition that it was lifted only when made available. He pointed out that the c.oun,cil had borne the cost of the Pekapeka-Wairau road out of its general fund for a. long, term. There wa,s no question that the road would be dope, but it would have, to take its turn, and it was not right that

Kaikahu Roadi should take precedence over other works, lit the council spent the monejy it now' had there would not be any chancq ctf getting the subsjdy. Cr. Madgwick explained to the deputation the system of automatic allocation of Government money to, councils, and that the effect of acceding to the request would be to hold up some work with a prior claim.

Cr, Hicks pointed out that the general fund of the counc.il had carried £2300 of the cost of Pekapeka-Wairau road for twelve months, as subsidy had not come forward. Cr. Fisher advocated metalling certain wet portions of the road.. The chairman agreed that this could be done provided the Public Works Department would agreie to it being ta.ken> as part of the permanent work. On Cr. Fisher’s motion, seconded by Cr. Madgwick, the; engineer was instructed to approach the Public Works Department in regard to having portions of the road' donei as part of the permanent scheme. HOPAI WEST ROAD. The Lands Drainage Department wrote advising .that the survey would be made of the extra land required for Hopai West Road so as to make a chain) reserve from Pipiroa Road to Pquania Road.

Enclosed was a copy of a letter from Motion Bros, agreeing to give a strip of land adjoining "the present half-chain road on condition 1 that the; fences were moved back and the whole length of road formed. The department considered 1 the request that the road should be formed throughout its whole length was unreasonable, and it would not take the road on this condition unless the council assumed the liability for this condition. The department also had a letter from a number of interested settlers agreeing to remove the fencep as desired by Motion Bros. The department’s tiles did hfot show that a subsidy of £ for £ from the Public Works Department and £ for £ from the Lands Drainage Department had been approve*] for this road. The clerk said that the intention was to form and metal the) road l for about a mile from Pipiroa Road and to have the remainder of the road to Pouarua Road surveyed and! dedicated. The; council had a letter which showed that a £2 for £1 subsidy had been approved for this road. HAMILTON’S ROAD. The Hauraki United Drainage Board wrote advising that it was proposed to place a 4ft culvert under Hamilton’s Road, and asked what width was desired.

Permission was give,n for an 18ft culvert. PATETONGA ROADS. On Cr. Mayn’s representations, it was decided to call tenders for the metalling of Otane Road 1 , PatetongC, with g,ravel, and also for the delivery of gravel for th© main; road. HIGHWAY SUBSIDY. The Ngatea branch of the Fiarme;rs’ Union advised t'ha,t the opiiiion had been expressed that the present subsidy from the Main Highways Board was insufficient, and that in consequence the ratepayers were; paying more than their fair share of the cost of maintenance of the highways. MAHUTA ROAD. On th® representations of Cr. Harris it was agreed to spread! shell on Mahuta Road from the; foot of the hil] to Mrs Benjnett’s gate, ai .limit to the expenditure being fixed art £5. Re- ! pairs to the extent of £5 were also I authorised for Cross Roa,d. ; NETHERTON WATER SUPPLY. Thq clerk was authorised to take a 1 referendum 'on the question of proceeding with the Netherton water i supply schema WAITAKARURU WATER. ; The Minister of Public Works adr vised through Mr. A. M. Samuel, M.P., that it was too late to give consideration to the request for a subsidy

on the £4OOO loan for the Waitajiaruru water supply scheme in time for the Supplementary Estimates, but arrangemeints were being, made for a report to be obtained. SALE OF BARGES. McCallum Bros., Auckland, wrote; offering to purchase certain portions of the Hikutaja Quarry plant for £l4 and two large punts for a certain sum. The' chairman reported; that the works committee had accented the offer for the quarry plant, and 1 this was approved by the council. It wap decided bo offer the punts for sale by tender, on term.s to be arranged. by-laws. The formal resolution was carried authorising the affixing of thq seal to the resolutions making, by-laws concerning speed limits. LOANS. The clerk was instructed to *aise the Ngataipua Road loan and; thePatetonga Road loams. ASSESSOR’S FEE. In reply to the aoirncil’S query, letters were received from several county councils advising how assesssots under th e Va,’luati<pn of Lands Act were. paid. The council agreed to pay "£2 and reasonable expenses#.