WAITEMATA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Kaipara and Waitemata Echo, 13 August 1913, Page 2

WAITEMATA COUNTY COUNCIL.

? Last Friday s meeting of ihe Waite- - mata County Council was attended 3 by Crs A. Cochrane (chairman), A, M. t Lang, W. McOathie, J. McLeod, V. i Kerr-Taylor, J. O'Neill, W. Poynton, l T F. Dye, J. Greenwood, H. Adams and 1 E. Day. 3 Tenders. > For road formation of 15 chains 3 near White Hills school, Dairy Flat, the tender of Cross and Bawden at ? £42 was accepted, t The tenders for election of retainf ing wall at Halensville Swing Bridge 3 (two received) were referred to the 1 Engineer and riding member [Gv Me ■- Leod). 3 The tenders for erection of 105 3 chains of fencing at Uelensville and '< for the clearing of two miles of scrub, a also at Helensville, were declined, F being considered too high. Ohirangi Hallway Siding. ( The Minister of Kail way a wrote deg clining to construct a general siding v at Ohirangi, but offered to put in a | five-truck siding if the Council would k pay half cost.—Or McLeod suggested a that the matter stand over until next c meeting. He had written to the late Minister for Railways asking for a confirmation of the promise made in regard to a siding at Ohirangi, but .» had not yet got a reply. The present Minister for Kailways had promised to see Mr Millar about the latter's y promise. !g Woodhtll Sand Drift. Reporting re sand drift on Mr 0 Baker's place at Kopironui the Eno gineer stated that the drains had . not been effectively stopped. His q further remarks were : "Asa matter j of fact, Baker had not complied with c his undertaking either in stopping the jj drains or in securely fencing the land. , s I pointed out to Baker's farm manager what was to be done, in accordance . with the agreement, and he undertook q to have it done at once. I would recommend that if the work is not done at once the Council carry out same aud debit Baker with the cost." Cr McLeod said he had paid a visit of inspection and there were two open drains that should have been filled. If heavy rain came there would certainly be thousands of tons of sand come down into the Kaipara river. The piece of land the Council had bought as a sand waste was not being made use of. If the owner of the land would not do. the work it would have to be done by the Council and charged to him. Cr Dye agreed with Or McLeod's remarks. On the Chairman's motion, seconded by Cr Dye, the Engineer was authorised to see that the drains were effectually blocked. Proposed Level Crossing. The Engineer, reporting re Mr Deacon's application for a level crossing at Pukekorari said : " Cr Kerr Taylor and myself have examined the site of this proposed crossing and we beg to recommend that upon Mr Deacon giving a proper undertaking to pay all costs, in connection with the crossing that the Council make application to the Railway Department for a level crossing. Report adopted. Wainui-Dairy Flat Road. The Engineer reported that some settlers wished the ro^d called Massey Road.— Mr J. McLood said it -would be a mistake to grant the request, as trouble would result from people who objected— Mr Poynton said the name could be changed when the Government changed—Request granted. Proposed Ktjmeu-vTatjpaki road. In reference to this proposed road the Engineer said : The HelensvilleAuckland Road between Kumeu and Taupaki is to a certain extent spoilt by the hill at the Taupaki School and land is now offered free of cost for a. deviation on the flat, alongside the Railway line. The proposed road would be an advantage to the owners of the lani it would pass through, as it would enable them to subdivide their property and it is for this reason that th& land is offered free of cost and for the same reason, each owner wants the road made upon his property. There are three routes open to consider. No action taken. PoaiONA-KUMETT- ROAD, The Engineer reported that fche proposed new road, Pomoann to Kumeu railway station, was a very good line of road, and a desirable road to all the northern *md of P imona Settlement. There was not much prospect of the road being acquired and made from the county funds, but he recom- ; mend that if the' parties interested \ would acquire the land for the < through road and hand it over free -, of cost to the Council that the Council ( should apply for a grant to open up ( the road. The cost of formation. £ bridges, and cnlverts would be about £250, The report was adopted, ' TiiAuwAY Co's Claim. j The Clerk reported that Talcapuna r Tramway Co. had issued a writ against ,t the Council for £1000. and that a c counter claim had been filed for the \ Council. v Cr Adams suggested that this j question be dealt with hy Arbitration, o Cr McLeod sa;d the Council had t dealt fairiy this question. At d first they would not meet the Council, then a meeting was arranged and C did not evontuate as tho company d would not admit they owed the o county anything. Later a meeting tl was arranged but without satisfactory r< result. Let the Company go ahead if p they had a case. He moved that the v action be defended.—Cr O'Neill * seconded. Cr Dye's amendment that p the matter be dealt with "by arbitra- a tion was lost by 6 votes against -2 and n the motion was carried. v

GrENEKAL. On the motion of Cr McCathie it was decided to apply for a £200 grant for the approaches' to Wade bridge. Mr J. Butler asked the Council to cut the ti-tree and fill in gum holes so as to make a road to his section at Tuapaki, His rates were Only 12s 6d a year but there had been nothing spent there since the road was surveyed about 30 years ago, —It was decided to have a surfaceman work on the road for a fortnight. Mr A. McLeod, of Henderson, pre-» sented a petition objecting to the name of McLeod's Eoad being changed to Dingle Boad—The Clerk explained that tho lattor name had already been authorised—The matter was deferred till next meeting. On the Engineer's recommendation it was decided to open up the road near Frost's at Ararimu and spend a sum of £150 on the work. A. Murray's application for a road to section 62, Paremoremo parish, to be levelled was referred to Ur Taylor. The Engineer was authorised to test a metal supply from Mr Beale's farm for the Waimauku—Rewiti road; and was also authorised to test a metal supply on Captain Me Gill's place by putting down 20 chains on Rewiti road. New Lynn Town Board asked the Council to sell a section sear the railWay line for a town hall site.-—Cr Lang suggested that the Engineer go into the matter and report re same,— Cr O'Neill suggested that the Council should give the section, as the ratepayers of the district probably bought it.—Or McLeod contended that the section belonged to the county, and although the Government had given away a lot of land in that district there was no reason why the Council should do the same.—Cr Lang's suggestion was adopted. Finance. The treasurer's report showed the overdraft on the general account at £4,394 12s 4d, and credit balances on the loan accounts as follow: —Titrangi Biding, £194 5s ; Birkenhead, £563 2s 3d; Kumeu, £2,469 lls,Bd ; Mairetahi, £298 1,6s 4d; Waitakere, £367 0s Id ; Waikumete, £177 2s 11 ;Waipareira, £330 17s lOd ; andPukeatua, £45 13s lOd. The County Treasurer v (Mr C. A, Cawkwell) suggested that tecal bodies should be allowed to do their own valuing, wnich would avoid a dupli« cation of work. Ho showed that 1,376 acres of native land to the capital value of £6190 had been taken off the Kumeu roll by him, as the natives were protected by law from alienation of land for non-payment of rates, and he had also taken off 444 acres, valued at £280, acquired' by Helensville Town Board for waterworks purposes.