OHINEMURI COUNTY.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5456, 2 August 1929, Page 2

OHINEMURI COUNTY.

MEETING OF COUNCIL. ROUTINE BUSINESS. The usual monthly meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council was held yesterday, Cr. C. Mason, chairman, presiding over a full council, consisting of Crs. T. A. Barrett, G. Hoye, W. F. Johnstone, C. E. Mace, J. B. Morris, R. R. Morrison, A. R. Robinson, and W; G. Thornton. The clerk, Mr R. W. Evans, and the acting-engineer, Mr L. E. Shaw, were also present. Wai hi-Whan gam at a Road. Concerning the maintenance of Ross’s and Bjerring’s deviations, on the Waihi-Whangamata road, the assistant engineer of the Public Works Department, Paeroa, wrote stating that when the department undertook the maintenance of these deviations it was not anticipated that there would be any delay in the payment of the council’s contribution, on account of rates received from the Settlers whose properties were situated -between these deviations. The letter went on to say that the settlers had evidently become acquainted with the fact that the Government was maintaining the road, and that this afforded them a reasonable excuse for escaping their liability in the payment of annual rates. The council had a legal remedy for enforcing payment, and he was of the opinion that it would have been a far more reasonable attitude for the council to have paid the amount due to the department and then recovered the amount from the settlers. The payment was now three months overdue, and it certainly did not appear that the department should be called upon to await payment until this late date. The writer requested that this aspect of the matter should be placed before the council, to ascertain whether, under the circumstances, it could not make immediate payment of the amount owing. A resolution was passed that the council would fulfil is obligations and pay the money over as received, in accordance with the agreement made with the department. Contribution Towards Bridge, The Thames County Council asked whether the council would contribute towards the cost of erecting a bridge on the Hikutaia-Whangamata road over the Hikutaia creek. The bridge would form a link between the two counties at that point, and would give access to properties held by Ohinemuri County ratepayers. Crs. Morrison and Robinson thought that the amount involved — £looo—required careful investigation of the subject, the former pointing out that the Ohinemuri County Council had already co-operated with the Thames County Council and contributed money for the making of ah access road. ; r , Cr. Robinson said that ever since he was a boy the present crossing had been quite, sufficient for the use of cattle and gum packhorses /from the Wires and Whangapiata'. in answer to Cr. Robinson the acting engineer informed the .meeting that there was a road route surveyed along the right bank of the stream. With a. bridge constructed it would give the Thames County ratepayers access and relieve the Thames Council of maintaining that road. The matter was referred to the chairman and engineer to go into and report at the next meeting. Waimata Bridge. A petition was received from a number of Waihi settlers asking that the council make application to the Public Works Department for the’ erection by the department of a traffic bridge over the Waimata stream. The bridge was required to link up Ford Road near its intersection with the Old Tauranga Road, with the WaihiTauranga road near the Waimata public school. O'tving to the absence of a bridge the road was at present df little use ; but if a bridge was erected it would considerably reduce the distance that many farmers were at present compelled to travel, and would make easier the transport of farm implements, stock, etc., as well as be a boon to many on the Waihi Plains who travelled to the Waimata school. It was decided to pass .the matter on to the Public Works Department. Estate of Thomas Short. The assistant District Public Trustee notified that Mr W. H. Short, who acted for the beneficiaries of Thomas Short’s estate, was not prepared to accept the offer made by the council for it, and there appeared to be no option but for the council to take the land under the Public Works Act and arrange compensation in the usual manner. The chairman remarked that this concerned a deviation at Waitawheta. The council had offered as compensation what was considered an adequate sum of £3O, and this had been refused, £9O being asked. Under the circumstances the question would have to be dealt with as suggested by the Public Trustee. This was put as a resolution am! carried. Road Draining. Mr J. Handley, senr., Paeroa, wrote offering to pay a third of the cost of draining the road for three or four chains opposite his gate at Hikutaia. The engineer explained that the gate in question was 20 yards from the road and below its level. Naturally water rested there. If the level was raised to that of the road this would be obviated In any case three or four chains of drain was unnecessary. The matter was left in the hands of the engineer, with vower tc act. Maratoto Road. An urgent letter from Mr C. W. Watts, Hikutaia, asked the council if it could not do something to put the Maratoto road in order as far as the mines. - Mr M. C. Smith, Hikutaia, wrote along similar lines. The council decided that the Mines Department should be communicated with, stating the eu'cuinstances of

prospective heavy traffic there and asking for a grant, it being i -<und impossible to construct an adequate road out of the county's general fund. Cartman’s Road. Nicholls and James, solicitors, Te Aroha, requested that a length of Cartman’s Road at present serving no useful purpose be vested in Mr F. W. Manning. Decision was delayed for a month to allow Cr. Mace time to investigate. ' Tramway at Karangahske. The N.Z. Crown Mines asked whether, in the event of it being able to arrange the sale of the tramway arid aerial ropeway at Karangahake to the Government, the council would be prepared to take over the lines and assure their maintenance. Apparently the Government could not see its way to undertake maintenance, and unless some body,' Such as the Ohinemuri County Council, would assume it the Government was not prepared to purchase the lines on behalf of prospectors. As the whole question of sale to y the Government - depended oii the * council’s attitude, the company requested an early reply. Cr. Morris explained that the matter had been delayed through the difficulty of convening a meeting of those directly interested. It was decided to leave the subject in the liands of the chairman and Cr. Morris to go into and report on at the next meeting. Waitawheta Gorge. A proposal that the Lands Department be requested to invest the rights of the remainder of the bank of the Waitawheta stream—amounting to about a mile in length—in the council was agreed to. Cr. Morris advocated this step, so that in future, when the district had been declared a scenic reserve, prospectors would still have a right of passage. On being question as to his opinion of the scenery in the gorge, Cr. Morris replied : “The scenery is quite all right so long as they let ‘us old blokes’ alone to come and go as we please.” Main Highways. Wholehearted agreement was expressed for Cr. Thornton’s motion that the Government be requested to 'take over in their entirety the main highways, so that the local bodies could devote their finances solely to by-roads. Cr. Mace spoke in support, and said the subsidiary roads were being starv- • ed for the main highways. This view was shared by all the councillors. Cr. Morris expressed the opinion that the experience the Public Works Department and the Government were getting on the Ohinemuri main highways might not make them too keen. Telephone for Engineer. It was decided to install a telephone at the engineer’s .house to' facilitate communication after K6urs ■ betweeii ,him andijfduhcillors the engineer to' bear half the cost. Crean’s ( Creek Bridge. R'W’ agreed to ask the Public Works Department for- information on how to secure,Crean’s bridge,, {which: ; had twice been lifted twice by floods. Cr. Hoye broached the subject,' and maintained that in the' event of another flood there was every likelihood of the structure being carried away altogether, which would involve the expenditure of at least £7OO for a new one. ' ' Also affecting the same guestion was the decision to approach the department in the matter of cleaning out the willows from the bed of the stream from the bridge to the Ohinemuri River. Cr. Hoye remarked that each fresh brought more debris down which the willows held, thus gradually cjogging the stream. Cr. Robinson thought the owners were: in some way responsible, an opinion shared by the chairman, who thought the time would soon come when settlers planting willows in their streams would be held responsible.