PLAINS COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5401, 18 March 1929, Page 4

PLAINS COUNTY.

WORK OF THE MONTH.

REPORTS BEFORE COUNCIL. The following reports were received by the Hauraki Plains Co : unty Council at its monthly meeting on Thursday : ENGINEERING. The engineer ,Mr F. Basham, reported as follows: — LOAN WORKS. “Metalling on Rawerawe. and) Orchard West roads is completed and the roads rolled, but rain is required to set the metal. “Ngai'ua-Kaihere.—R. Hill has practically completed his contract for the ■supply of 400 yards of gravel. Delivery of red, metal for completion of the new metal from the Ngarua bridge to connect with the gravelling an I for repairs to the old road has commenced,. and work should be in full swing next .week, when plenty of transport will ho availabe. “Kercpeehi.—A start had been made with the metalling of Kaikahu Road and is proceeding satisfactorily. “Ngataipua.—The contractor for the delivery of meta.l is now making more satisfactory progress, and if supplix.’is of me;tal arrive regularly he should complete the work in about ten days. PI PI ROA FERRY. “Until I have obtained more personal knowledge of. the ni&cessity I am not recommending the installing of a new engine;. I have instructed the ferryman to ring the office on the first, occasion on which any delay is being caused owing to weather conditions. ami will then gcj to the ferry and make my own observations. ROAD PLANT. “The state of the main highways is much improved by the use of the tractor-grader.- plant recently purchased. It will do what the makers claim of, it. One man on this plant will do from ohe,andi a half to ,twice as muc,h as. will two men on the aid gradejr drawn by independent tractor. Corrugations are amost eliminated where a road has been trea.t,ed. The reads generally are in good order. “The Duncan grader is worn out, and I cannot advise any mono expenditure on it in repairs. It might suit some farmer felt light farm work, and its disposal could be consideredi The hired tractor working this grader has been returned to the owner.

“The; two Austin graders at pi esent in use are both costing too much in repairs to be economical. In the first instance, they were built for ho>.’se traction, and are not built heavy enough to stand the increased drawbar pull of tractors. Consequently the repair bill is heavy. In addition to this, they have both had several years of constant and 'heavy work; The question of replacing these, two machines with one tractor-grader unit should be c.qnsiderejl. Tlwre would be a. certain saving of three men’s wages.” In reply to Cr. Parfitt the engineer said that the power machine; had to be taken off the highways to do work on the day roads which was too hard for the other graders. "The length of metalled roads had increased considerably this summer, a.ndi two powejr graders could be kept fully occupied. All the by-roads were badly in need of grading, but the plant was not available. The chairman thought that the present plant should be; made to do for the present season, which was nearing its end. When the constructional work was finished the graders would be reli.ased for road maintenance; The engineer was authorised to sell (he Duncan grader, but the disposal of the two Austin .graders was. deferred. COUNTY CAR. ‘This is now two years old, and is giving considerable trouble : so. much ro, that I have giver, up using it until the. question of its thorough overhaul is discussed by thic. council, And whether, in view of its age and the miler.ge it has done, the expenditure is ,i ustifie.l.” Cr. JXladgwlck considered that a repo, t on the selling value of the. ear should he obtained. The chairman asked if the members had ever considered making the engineer an allowance instead of providing him with a car. S veral councillors spoke in favour of the idea, and. it was decided that the cngineei submit a proposition on thejse lines and the chairman and eleek report on the question from the council’s point of view to the noxt meeting. COXHEAD’S FILLING. “The stop-bank is now completed. The work done by several farmers in cutting overflow channels and widening and cleaning the creek bed should, in conjunction - with the stop-bank', prevent further flooding of, Mr Hudson’s farm and l those of ©theirs. MIRANDA ROAD. “Mr Coxhead has shelled some 30 chains of this road, as agreed to with the council. It is a rough-looking job ■it pre.sept, but will improve, with age.

ESTIMATES FOR 1929-30. “1 would suggest that the works

onnnittee make a tour of inspection

over all main highways and other, important roads, with a view to arriving at the scale and method of maintenance for the coining year, with as little delay as possible.” The chairman was of the; opinion., that it was a matter for the nqw c i hi ne.il. The engineer said it was necessary to have the estimates submitted before the. new council met. It was decided to tour on March 25. FINANCE. The treaslirei, Mir, E. A. Mahoney, i eported,* inter a.iia, as follows: — “it appears that, when roadmaking machinery is purchased l]rom the Main Highways Board under the, provisions of the Main Highways Amendment Ac.t, 11125, the board interest over the period of repayment. In consequence of this I respectfully recommend that Ihe purchase price of the new traelor-gra,dor be paid for io cash immediately after April 1, and Laus come into next financial year’s expenditure. The finances of the council will permit ol this with- ; nt rm ban-issmcnl, and the lengthy pi()<etl[Uy.’ iHK’csstuw when borrowing will be dispensed with. “The receipts for Ecbruary totalled 11:1,027 (is (id, including : General rate, t:ussl IBs tod; h-efcpital 'a,nd special late, 87721 1 (is 2d ; ferries, Pipiroa Cl 38 4 s (id, Komata £l5 15s 5d ; heavy tiflffic, £ll 2s iod ; dog tax, £67 ; sale of metal, £l3 14s ; sale of rails', £6 ; and penalties, £34 18s 2d. ’ INSPECTION. The inspector, Mr 'W. White, reported that be had given the mat ler ol the growth of ragwort considoablc attention. Very little of t'he wc'ejci "’a : found within the county. A lew plants at Kaihere and Patetonga had been located and dealt with. In other parts ot the area, the weed had only been noticed in isolated instances. Twenty reminders to settlers in respect of. blac,kb&r,ry had been sent out. In reply to Cr. Harris the inspector said that he had cut olut several roots of. ragwort at Kaiher,e and had. notified the owners, 'of the la;nd. Blackberry was very common in Pateton.' a. The chairman mentioned that. pmi. actuation was becoming a serious menace about Patetonga.