LAND FOR SETTLEMENT

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5502, 18 November 1929, Page 2

LAND FOR SETTLEMENT

THE KEREPEEHI BLOCK, AVAILABLE BEFORE APRIL. Welcome news, that the land on the Kerepeehi Block was to be opened for selection before March 31 next, was contained in a letter received from the chief drainage engineer, Mr R. D. Macmorran, by the Hauraki Plains County Council at its meeting on Thursday , last. The letter stated :— “I have to advise that it? is proposed to open for selection before the end of the present financial year the balance of the Crown sections in what is known as the Kerepeehi Block, situated in Block VI., Waihou Survey District. In order to carry out the proposed programme of opening this land it is considered essential to carry out further metalling during the present metalling season.” Continuing, the letter stated that the Kerepeehi-Kaihere road was already metalled, and it was proposed to metal during the present summer the 9waiti Canal road (west bank) and a road to be known as Makumaku, running parallel with the KerepeehiKaihere road from the Awaiti canal to the Reservoir canal. In order to carry out the work a £ for £ subsidy was being obtained from the Public Works Department’s fund, but before this was made available an undertaking was required to the effect that the council would provide adequate maintenance in the future. The matter was urgent.

The clerk reported that he had written to the chief drainage engineer* for information as to what tenure this land had been held under up to the time of selection by the present soldier settlers. The matter was governed by several sections of the Hauraki Plains Act, and it appeared that the Lands Department could not hand over a road for maintenance .by the council where the Act prohibited a charge for such maintenance by way of general rate. He therefore recommended that the matter be deferred until he could confer with the chief drainage engineer. The chairman said that if the tenure was a. monthly lease, as had been stated by the department, the land would become rateable for five years after being settled. A motion by the chairman, that the council would maintain the roads when the land became liable for a general rate, was carried.