HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5400, 15 March 1929, Page 3

HAURAKI PLAINS COUNTY

'! MEETING OF COUNCIL Thq Hauraki Plains County Council met at Ngatea yesterday, Cr. EL L Walton presiding over the following: Crs. A- S. Fisher, J. A. Reid, H. H. Hicks, C. W. Parfitt, W. Madgwick, J* C. Miller, C. W. Harris, F. J. Mayn, the clerk (Mr E. A. Mahoney), the engineer (Mr F. Basham), and the inspector (Mr W. White). WATER SUPPLY DISTRICT. The council hqld a special meeting prior to the ordinary meeting to pass a special order curtailing the bound- / aries, of the Waitakaruru Water Sup,ply District by the exclusion' of sections 37 to 53, inclusive. WILLOWS IN DRAIN. The Netherton Drainage. Board / wrote asking the council to remove r" thq .willow branches from the old Netherton Road and other rc|ad drains. The council had cut down the willow trees because they wore blocking the view and had left the branches in the board’s, drain. It was agreejd' to have the branches removed. VISIT OF MINISTER. The secretary of the Kaiaua Progressive Association advised that the. Minister of Public Works would be at New Brighton on Monday next, and would stay the night at the hotel. An invitation was extended to the r county chairman; pr. Harris, and) the engineer to be present to assist the settlers in matters which they desired to place before the Minister. , The chairman reported having received telegrams from ‘Messrs A. M. Samuel and A. W- Hall, M’s.P., giving the itinerary of the visit. Deputations, would be received at Waitakaruru and Ngatea on Tuesday and at Turua on Wednesday. Roading, dirainage:, and bridging matters wduld be touched on at Waitakaruru, Hopai, and Campbell’s Road, and the fescue problem at Ngatea; and rating questions in Turua at Ngatea. NOXIOUS WEEDS. • The Ngatea branch of the N.Z. Farmers’ Union wrote drawing, attention to the serious spread of noxious weeds within the county, particularly ragwort, foxglove, and blackberry. Cr. Mayn said that foxglove was 'I growing on private land as .well as on Crown land about Kaihere. The matter was referred to the inspector. PUKE BRIDGE MAINTENANCE!. The Ohinemuri County Council forwarded a letter received from the Public Wpirks Department, Paekoa, pointing out the ne. ed of repairs to the Ngahina bridge; These were estimated to cost £550. Ohe-half. would be borne by the Highways Board and the othejc half equally by the two ~ councils. The work would be undertaken' by the Public. Works Department, but not necessarily in the immediate future. The council was asked to indicate if it would bear its ■ share of thq cost.—Agreed to. NEW BRIGHTON ROAD. A Morrinsville resident wrote drawing attention to the state of a bridge on the rbad from) Waitakaruru to New Brighton. One side of fhe bridge had sagged, leaving a drop oif. about eight inches.' On a recqnt Sunday a lady passenger in a. car received cuts and bruises on the forehead, and other passengers received a severe shaking. Repairs should be an inexpensive matter. Cr. Harris said that attention had been given to all the bridges on the road. TRAMLINE ON ROADSIDE. The owners of the Ngarua Flaxmill at Kaihere wrote asking for permission to run a tramline alongside, the Ngarua road from the mill to the' property Lately known as Suckling’s and no.w occupied by Mr Palme|r. Permission was granted. HEAVY TRAFFIC FEES. The Hamilton Borough Council advised that as, several of the townf boards were not prepared to allow the bajsis of, allocation of the. heavy traffic fees for the year 1929-30 to remain as at present it would bq necessary to. apply to the Court for an order. HIKUTAIA STREAM. The Commismoner of Crown Bands, Auckland, wrote asking whether the c.ouncil had any objection to the release from bond of the Parker, Lamb Timber Co., whose timber-floating, license had been allowed) to lapse. The chairman said that the matter affected the council wlnejii it was r working the Hikutaia Quarry. It was decided to offer no objection. TENDERS. The tender of Mr F. Plummer at 7s 6d per cubic, yard for gravelling the top read; Patetonga, was) accepted; REVALUATION. The chairman raised the question of seeking a revaluation of the whole of the county. He had heard of several requests for this to be done. 1 (From the remarks of councillpfrs it appeared that the desire was general, and it was accordingly agreed-to. request that a revaluation be made. MAUKORO QUARRY. The Commissioner of Crown Lands wrote recalling, that an area of. 25 i acres 2 roods 28 perches, at Kaukoro, ; was taken as a quarry site for the council. This was, an Education. Reserve, and it was necessary for the Lands Department to- lodge a claim for compensation against the council. As the area was to be used as a quarry, and that all minerals under the lease were reserved to the Crown, it. was considered equitable that the council should, be prepared to pay compensation for the value of the. stone. It was quite possible that am amicable arrangement could be arrived at, and. the council was therefore asked to state what it. was prepared to offer by way of compensa-*. » tion. r Cr. Mayn pointed! out that no metal was being taken from the area, refen. rdd to. wie clerk was instructed to obtain.further particulars from the Uommissioiw of Crown Lands. J

PATETONGA HILL ROAD. The lands drainage engineer, Kerepeehi, advised that a survey was. being made of the hill portion of the Patetonga main road, and when this woirk was being done the question of improving the road alignment would be carefully c,onsilered. EX-EMPLOYEE’S CLAIM. N. Bardsley, Turua, an ex-employee, of the council, wrote claiming holiday pay. Affler considering the matter in committee it was decided to decline to pay anything. HOPAI WEST ROAD. -Messrs. J. W. Neate, S. Birkenhead, and J- Motion waited upon the council to seek information concerning the formation and metalling of Hopai West Roadi Mr Neat© urged that the council commence the formation of the road during the present season. The chairman explained that in October last the council aske I the Lands Departmeeut to undertake the survey, formation, and metalling. This was agreed to, but later the ctepartr rnent pointed out that the subsidy granted was only for metalling. It had been understood that a grant had been made for the formation, but the sum voted was apparently later merged into the sum voted for metalling alone. The council’s share of the cost wag in hand, and it was the council’s intention to discuss the matter with the Minister of Public, Works on his visit next week. Mr Neate could be assured that the metalling would be taken right to hi* gate. This assurance was put on word by resolution. PATETONGA WORKS. On the representation of Or. Mayn, it. was decided to gravel the Tramline road to the value of £25 and improve the. approach to a bridge on Mangawherb road. AFFORESTATION. On behalf, of the committee appointed to deal with the question of keeping the Haunaki Peninsula hill land open for settlement, Cr. Miller reported having inet| the Forestay Service agent and the Commissioner of Crown Lands, to whom the position was explained. However, the committee had gone into the question of the land west of the Plains and had dis-i covered that there were large areas available which could be more profitably used than the Coromandel ranges. Those settlers who desired/ land should investigate the matter. In the committee’s opinion it would be better for the council .to support the opening of the land in and near the Hauraki Plains than that of the peninsula.