PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Matamata Record, Volume II, Issue 111, 19 December 1918, Page 4

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Deoembet* Meeting. The following business of interest to this district was transacted at Monday’s meeting of the Piako County Council GOVERNMENT ROAD. The Minister of Lands wrote in reply to the council’s representations regarding the class of roads now being formed in the Te Miro, Mangateparu and Mangakahika settlements“ I have to advise you that inquiry shows that you are somewhat misinformed on several points. It is true that the roads in Te Miro are only being formed 12ft wide, but the grades are much easier than you were advised. For instance for the six miles of the main road through to Walton no grade is steeper than 1 in 15, and the grades of ,all the other roads in this settlement are similarly easy with the exception of the Kiwitabi road, which is a dead-end road about ten miles in length having about a mile with grades from 1 in 10 to 12. The district engineer also advises that the roads in the Maungateparu block are to be formed 20ft wide, not 12ft as you were informed. The Mangakahika road only serves four sections, and 12ft wide is considered to be sufficiently wide. When the formation is completed I think you will find that it will compare favorably with the other county roads in the district, but in any oase it is not possible to further weight the lands which already carry a loan of between £IO,OOO and £15,000 for road formation. NGARUA ROAD. J. Scott, Ngarua, wrote suggesting that the council employ a surveyor to survey the WaitoaMatamata road in reference to the sale of the extra chain, the road being in parts 2 chains wide. It was stated the council had made arrangements. KEREONE TO WALTON ROAD. Cr McLean asked what road the increase in grant on the Estimates of £2OO for Kereone to Walton referred to. The engineer stated he thought this referred to the road which connected with Campbell’s road and on which money had been spent last year. KEREONE SOLDIERS’ ROAD. The Hon. W. H. Herries forwarded the following communication he. had received from the Minister for Lands: — “ With reference to a letter dated 19th November, addressed to you by Mr N. Anderson, Morrinsville, hon. secretary of the Kereone Soldiers’ settlement, request that the Government provide costs (1) for metalling about 1£ miles of road connecting the settlement with Kiwitahi railway station. This is stated in the letter to cost £ISOO. (2) £3OO for a bridge over the Waitoa stream ; (3) £SOO for the formation of a road at present pegged out. I have to advise you that £l5O is being provided for £1 for £1 for the erection of a bridge over the Waitoa river at Ngarua, and if the council applies for it I am prepared to consider the granting of a further £1 for £1 subsidy up to £l5O on money spent by the council in the improvement of the roads serving or adjacent to the Kereone settlement. In view, however, of the heavy and urgent calls for expenditure on other matters under my administration I do not see my way to incur further expenditure at Kereone settlement at present.” The clerk stated that the Kereone settlers were behind with their rates, and the Government were now asking the council to contribute £1 for £1 towards the improvement of the roads, for which they will receive only a small amount of rates. Letters from several settlers on the estate asking for an extension of time to pay the rates were read. Cr Walters pointed out it was impossible for the council to attend to the roads if they had no rates. The council ought to have an understanding with the Minister or the Land Board on the matter. Councillors agreed that the settlers should have every consideration, but the council must have money to attend to the roads. The chairman thought that the Department should be written to pointing out that as very few rates were paid it would be better - to have a straight out grant for road improvements than a £1 for' £1 subsidy. I Cr Fitzgerald thought if they were going to start “ a good 1 natured method ” the council were going to have serious trouble. In his opinion the Land Board would simply tell the council to get the rates in.

It was decided to write to the Land Board inquiring the position. A WALTON ROAD. W. F. Sinclair, Walton, asked the council to make a road to his homestead. He said that a good road line can be secured. Cr McLean admitted the justice of the claim, and the engineer was instructed to report on the matter at the next meeting. STANLEY ROAD. The Treasury advised that permission was granted for raising a loan of £19,000 for the purpose of concreting and metalling roads. Messrs A. Coombes, J, King and C. Grainger, a deputation from the Waihou Valley Dairy company, waited on the council in reference to the position of the suggested concreting of Stanley road. The chairman explained that the Public Trust had “ shut down” until the end of March, and there were no prospects of getting a loan from that quarter. Mr Nathan, who had promised to assist financially, had been advised of this. Mr Coombes: Can the settlers help? The chairman suggested that the settlers get into touch with Mr Nathan. Mr Coombes asked if the settlers secured the money would the council go on with the work. The chairman replied that the council favored the work, but were hung up for the money. Replying to-Mr Coombes he said the cost, including crushing plant, was £26,000.

The deputation then offered £1 for £1 up to £l5O for repairing this road from the borough boundary to the factory. Cr. Fitzgerald said they might accept the offer if it was the end of it, but he knew that in a few weeks there would be “another argument ’’ on the matter. The road was in a very bad state. Mr King advocated putting a man on permanently on the road. Cr. Walters : Why not offer to find half the man’s wages for a month ? The chairman pointed out that other roads had a prior claim. The only solution he could see was the permanent scheme. After the deputation withdrew the council considered the problem how they were going to keep the road open, councillors thinking they were “out of the hunt ” for raising money for the permanent scheme. It was finally referred to the chairman, Cr. Fitzgerald and the engineer “to find the best way out,” with power to act. Later during the meeting a letter was received from Messrs Nathan & Co. stating that if it was possible to arrange with the Public Trustee to ear-mark the amount required it might be arranged that the Bank of New Zealand would advance temporarily against the loan. A later telegram stated Mr D. J. Nathan had interviewed the Public Trustee, who requested the council to renew its application. The council decided to make application to the Public Trust office. The deputation returned during the afternoon, when it was suggested that if the ratepayers would contribute 75 per cent, the council would find the difference to make up £4OO for temporary repairs. The deputation repeated their offer of £1 for £1 up to £3OO, but were not prepared to accept the council’s proposal. The matter was left to the riding members to settle.