PLAINS COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5428, 24 May 1929, Page 3

PLAINS COUNTY.

MEETING OF COUNCIL. The Hauraki Plains County Council held its first meeting since the election on Wednesday, Cr. C. W. Harris, the newly elected chairman, presiding over a full attendance. • Committees. The chairman having declined nomination, Cr. W. Madgwick was appointed the council’s representative on the district council of the Main Highways Board, and the following appointments of committees were announced by the chairman :— Finance : Crs., Madgwick, Fisher Motion, and Hale. Works : Crs. McDuff, Parfitt, Reid, and Mayn. Water : Crs. Parfitt and Motion. The chairman’s honorarium was left as before, namely, £lOO per annum. Heavy Traffic Fees. Mr A. W. Hall, M.P., wrote asking for the council’s opinion in regard to the agitation for a reduction in heavy traffic fees. The Chairman : It would be an awful calamity. Cr. Mayn moved that Mr Hall be advised that the council was opposed to a reduction in the heavy traffic fee. Cr. Hale urged that the council should express the opinion that heavy traffic fees should be increased, so that the users of the roads would have to pay something nearer their fair share of the cost of roading. This view was unanimously adopted. Campbell’s Road. Mr A. W. Hall, M.P., forwarded- a - communication from the Hon. E. A. Ransom, Minister of Public Works, advising that he was prepared to favourably consider the inclusion of a grant on the forthcoming Estimates for the proposed Campbell’s Road, Kopuarahi. It was decided, on Cr. Hale’s motion, to apply for a grant of £250. Miranda Road. Mr A. W. Hall, M.P., forwarded a communication from the Minister of Public Works expressing the opinion that the Waitakaruru-Miranda Road settlers could not reasonably expect tlie Government to assist to a greater extent than £2 for £1 towards the cost of metalling Miranda Road. This subsidy could not be added to the amount automatically allocated to the county, a£ it would thus deprive some other county of a part of its quota. In reply to Cr. Harris the engineer said that the work would cost £l6OO. The chairman said that the burden was too much for his riding. As the automatic allocation could not bear the burden for some years, he was agreeable to having the road shelled. A foot of shell on the 12 miles would give a fair road for about £430. This would require an increase of rates on the Waitakaruru riding of about lid. The matter could be considered when the estimates were being prepared. The’engineer said it would be - better to do the work in two years. It would mean a better job. A shell would only last one winter with . the . amount of traffic that would be carried when the road became an allweather route to Auckland. The chairman suggested earmarking next year’s allocation of Government asistance. The engineer considered that this was looking too far ahead. Cr. Harris said that the settlers deserved something done for them. He moved that the sum be made a first charge on the Government subsidy to become available. Cr. Madgwick said he would second the motion if no better claims could be advanced by other ridings. In reply to Cr. Hale the chairman said that he was prepared to raise the rates on his riding by .id to provide a course of shell as soon as possible. Cr. Parfitt said he would not oppose the motion, but he would point out that there were two roads in his riding to be metalled as soon as the Government subsidy became available. The motion was carried. Pipiroa Metalling. The Bank of New South Wales, Thames, wrote urging the necessity of metalling the approach road to its property at Pipiroa. The matter was referred to Cr. Parfitt and the clerk for a reply. 'Waitakaruru Drainage. The special order constituting the Waitakaruru, Drainage District was confirmed at a special meeting held the purpose. Public Works Subsidy. Notification was received of the necessity of applying for the annual Government grants and subsidies for road and bridge construction. The engineer reported that he had prepared an application for £4571-odd, whereas the sum automatically allocated was £4375. The subsidies applied for had already been earned, as the council had already done the work. Maukoro Quarry. The Commissioner' of Crown Lands advised that £4 per acre would be accepted in full settlement of the department’s claim against the council in respect to mineral rights on the Education reserve at Maukoro. Cr. Mayn explained that the Maukoro quarry was on the council’s freehold property, and there was no likelihood of the reserve being used as a quarry. It lay beyond the freehold section. It was decided to reply accordingly. Ngarua Ferry. Cr. Mayn. asked the position in regard to the installation of an engine on the ferry at Ngarua, and moved that the Lands Drainage Department be asked to expedite the job. The engineer said the plans had been sent to Auckland for approval by the chief drainage engineer. . h The motion was seconded by ar>councillor who had also had to assist the ferryman to wind the pontoon across, and was carried.

Patetonga Loan. Cr. Mayn stated that a serious mistake had been made in the Patetonga roading loan in that the metalling was to be continued to Ngarua Road, which was half a mile outside the Patetonga riding. The clerk reported that the Patetonga ratepayers were protected, and the cost of the road outside the riding boundary would have to be borne by the Lands Drainage Department, which had called tenders for the work. The authority was for the road to the northern boundary of the riding only. Paeroa-Pokeno Railway. ' Cr. McDuff drew attention to the fact that the council as a council had not recently taken active steps to urge the early commencement of the Paeroa-Pokeno railway. * On Cr. McDuff’s motion it was decided to write to the Minister of Railways and the local members of Parliament. Pouarua Road. The engineer was instructed to prepare estimates for the metalling of portion of Pouarua Road and to make application for a £2 for £1 subsidy to be placed on the Estimates. Mangatarata Roading. On the chairman’s motion the engineer was .instructed to prepare estimates for metalling the Mangatarata district roads. Abattoir. Cr. Hale asked the position in regard to’the establishment of an abattoir in the county. The clerk mentioned that 18 months ago the council had decided not to take any action in the matter. However, since then the butchers had held a meeting, and at their request he had procured for them details of the cost of erection, working expenses, etc., and supplied the butcheil with the details. Cr. Hale said that what was desirable was a pronouncement by the council as to whether it proposed to have an abattoir built in a few years. Some of the butchers were faced with considerable expense in the near future for new slaughterhouses, and they desired to know whether they should build expensive buildings. The chairman expressed the view that the butchers should wait on the council. Pipiroa Ferry. Cr. Reid gave notice of intention to move at the next meeting that the resolution setting aside the profits from the Pipiroa ferry as a fund for the building of a bridge be rescinded. Accounts. Accounts totalling £6496 8s were passed for payment.