MOKAU-JONES' ESTATE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 453, 3 April 1912, Page 5

MOKAU-JONES' ESTATE.

ROADING PROPOSALS. COMPANY AND COUNTY COUNCIL. APPLICATION REFUSED. At the meeting of the Ohura County Counicl, held in Mangaroa on Saturday, a letter was received from the Mokau Coal and Estates' Company, to the effect that the area of land controlled by them was 54,uu0 acres, 20,000 of which were in the Ohura County the balance being in the Clifton County. The scheme which the company had in view was the roading of the estate at an estimated cost of £IB,OOO. Mr C. A. Loughnan, solicitor for the company, wrote to the county explaining the scheme. and stated"tbat a similar application had been made to the Clifton County. The idea was that the Clifton and Ohura County Councils should join in the creating of special rating areas with a view" of raising a loan under the State Guaranteed Advances Department for roading purposes. Mr Loughnan explained that a similar application had been refused by the Clifton County, which he stated he was again applying to have rc-opened, and that a special meeting be held which he wouid attend and explain in detail. He was thoroughly satisfied that when the proposals were properly understood the Cilfton County would agree to the proposal. He further explained that in the event of the Clifton County maintaining its previous attitude, the companv suggested that the whole estate should be included in the Ohura County, and the scheme could be carried out under one local authority." Mr continued by explaining that this statement was merely tentative as he had every hope that the Clifton County would reconsider the position. The chairman (Cr Lcveday) thought j that as the matter was such an important one and involved a proposal of considerable magnitude, that the matter should be deferred for a month, Cr Lyon made reference to the fact that the company was a private one, and it had been shown that it, together with a Jew, wou.d make a huge profit in the cutting up and settlement of the estate, and he considered that such being the case, the company should do the financing of the matter themselves, and go their own roading. It would be most inadvisable for the county to entertain such a scheme. Agreeing to raise such a large sum of money in conjunction with this company would seriously cripple the borrowing possibilities of other roads within the county. Settlers in the settled portions would suffer in consequence. Cr Sandison moved that the application be not entertained, and in doing so remarked that evidently the company were playing the Ohura County against the Clifton County, and characterised the application as one of a game of bluff. He wouid not agree to the Ohura County being asked to support an action which another local body had refused, and that in itself, he considered was sufficient to turn the application down. Cr Lyon seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously.