MATAMATA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Putaruru Press, Volume II, Issue 23, 20 March 1924, Page 2

MATAMATA COUNTY COUNCIL.

MARCH MEE'iING. j J The monthly meeting of the Matsf- > mala County Council vas held at j Tirau on Friday. There were pre- ■ sent: Crs. J. W. Anderson (Tirau riding*, chairman), J. Pohlen (Matamata), H. Rollett (Peria), C. A. Stopford (Te Poi), W. H. Allen (Tirau), E. J. Darby (Putaruru), K. S. Cox (Tckoroa), S. H. Judd (Maungatautiri), and J. P. Keeley (Karapiro), the engineer (Mr. E. Fitzgerald) and the clerk (Mr. H. Lewis). TE POI LOAN. The SUite Advances Office wrote that the consent of the Governor-Gen-eral had been given regarding* the Omahinc-Te Poi Loan of .£3300. HINUERA LOAN. A similar letter was received regarding the Hinuera loan of £IOOO. BLACKBERRY MENACE. Guy W. Scton drew the council’s attention to the dirty state of the Council’s reserve at Tirau, stating that the fern and ti-trec was over 10ft high, thus affording good cover for rabbits, and provided a good source for the spread of blackberries, with which it was infested. His own farm was free of the latter pest, and he viewed with alarm the reserve referred to which was next to him. It was resolved that Cr. Allen and the engineer meet Mr. Seton to deal with the matter. Cr. Allen added that blackberry was becoming something of a menace and must be dealt with if-it was to be prevented from becoming a pest. Cr. Pohlen complained that there was about half-a-mile of blind road in his riding that was becoming infested with blackberry. He wished to know who was responsible for clearing it. The clerk read a legal opinion to the effect that the adjoining owner was liable for the cleaning of noxious weeds as far as the middle of the road.

The chairman: There is no doubt that blackberry is becoming* a menace in the county.

The engineer: The worst place is the back Waotu road, near the Waikato bridge. The chairman remarked that blackberry was in the first schedule of the Noxious Weeds Act, and the discussion then ended. MINISTER’S VISITS. In reply to the Council’s request, the Public Works Department wrote stating that there would be considerable difficulty in advising* as to the Minister’s movements when passing through the district, in view of the fact that Mr. Coates held several portfolios and might be in the district on matters connected with any one department and could not give the necessary time, often he also altered his itinerary. SLAUGHTERHOUSE LICENSE. A certificate for a slaughterhouse license for Hugh S. Weightman, Puketurua, was received from the Department of Agriculture. A transfer was received for R. Bedford, Waharoa. SOLDIER SETTLER RATES. The Bay of Islands County Council suggested that a conference, of delegates of County Councils should be held to discuss the best means of taking concerted action in the matter of recovering the rates due from soldier settlers’ farms. The writers said an injustice had been done to the rate-" payers of the Bay of Islands county by the failure of the soldiers to pay their rates, and it was prepared te take any steps to have the injustice removed. The chairman was appointed the Council’s delegate LICHFIELD CROSSING. The District Engineer, Railway Department, wrote: 44 I have received a communication from the Putaruru Domain Board with reference to the matter of removing* obstructions to the view at the Putaruru-Lichfield railway crossing. * In 1291 the Department, in order to improve the view at the crossing*, agreed to cut down a spur to a height of eight feet above rail level and in collection therewith your Council undertook to down the scrub. As no doubt it is the scrub which is now referred to by the Domain Board as causing an obstruction to the view, I shall be obliged if you will kindly take the necessary steps to have the scrub cut down as previously agreed to.” The matter was left to the engineer. RATES ON PUTARURU DOMAIN. The Domain Board also applied for remission of the rates on the Domain, stating it had no source of revenue and could not meet the demand, and the board was not allowed .to sell the timber on the Domain plantation. The chairman said that no rates were levied on the Tirau domain. The clerk explained that the Putaruru Domain had been listed on the

valuation roll as a rateable property. ’ The clerk was instructed to investi- j gate the position. TA PAPA ROAD. Mr. G. W. Kdmeades, Pularuru-Ta j Papa road, wrote complaining that the j carting of gravel over this road from the Waihou to the Tirau-Putaruru road was badly cutting up the Ta Papa road. He suggested that to prevent this the Ta Papa road be gravelled. | The engineer and Cr. Allen admitted that the carting of 1 lie shingle was affecting the road, and in one part for a few chains gravel was to be put on immediately. When the carting was finished, in about six weeks’ time, the bad portions of the Ta Papa road would probably be metalled. A MATAMATA COMFI -A I NT. In paying* his drainage rate in connection with the Waitoa river work, Mr. H. Bennett, of Matamata, said he did so under & protest. The drain through his farm had cut off about 7 acres of good ground and was now of no use except for a short period of the year through being* inaccessable. When the work was proposed he understood that a bridge was to be built and until that was done he did not intend 1:o pay any more rates, as the drain had done his property more harm than good. •Members stated that no such promise had been given. There may have been an arrangement with the previous owner and the writer. Two cabbage trees and some cross-planks would make a suitable bridge.—No action was taken. DUKESON’S ROAD. 44 After many years of waiting,” wrote Mr. A.* H. Dukeson, Putaruru, regarding Dukcson’s road, “ the grader put in an appearance last week, and, after filling in some holes, took its departure, owing, your engineer informed me, to some scrub growing on the road which should have been cleared by the property owners, in all about a. couple of hours’ work. We would like to know when the work is to be done, as the road is almost a sea of water in winter. We hope to see it completed this month.” The engineer stated that while the grader was in that vicinity he had informed Mr. Dukeson that if the property owners cut scrub the grading would be continued. Mr. Dukeson promised to arrange a working bee to do the scrub-cutting, but the work was not put in hand and the grader was now miles away. It was resolved to reply on these terms. ! A TE POI CULVERT. 1 A petition from the Sunny Park Co-op. Dairy Co. and J. G. Goodwin, H. J. Barford, A. M. L. Armstrong and Geo. Read was received, askiqg* that the culvert on the Te Poi-Mata-mata road near Mr. R. Searle’s residence be lowered and a proper outlet provided for the water. Cr. Stopford explained that the road was to be tar-sealed next spring and the lowering was therefore necessary. However, Mr. Searle objected to the outlet drain, three feet deep, going through his property. The matter was left to the engineer. COUNTY MAIN ROADS. An opinion was received from Mr. T. F. Martin, solicitor to the Counties’ Association, that a loan raised over the whole county to put county main roads in good order could also include amounts for repaying special loan areas that had already at their own cost put their lengths of such roads in the desired order. The Ohinemuri County Council advised that it declared certain roads in its district county main roads in 1920. A separate rate over each rding* had to be struck for the upkeep of these, but in the last two or three years it bad been tjic same rate (2d in the £ on the capital value) over all the ridings. O VE RD A LE META LLING. A motion by Cr. Darby that Mr. Spragg’s tender for the Overdale metalling scheme be accepted on Mr. Spragg giving written guarantee that the two six horse teams now employed by him would remain with him until the end of the contract, was carried. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. The Mines Department acknowledged receipt of the Council’s re> quest for a geological survey off the Matamata county, and stated that the request was receiving attention. LICENSE FEES. The Farmers’ Co-op. Auctioneering Co. advised the Council that it had taken out an auctioneer’s license with it in 1922. On the company’s list were seven local bodies whose turn had to come before the Matamata County Council again. The clerk: That means our share is one fee from them about every ten years. Dalgetv and Co., Ltd., advised that one or two borough councils from whom they leased saleyards made it a condition of the lease that the company take out its license with them. A request was made by Mr. W. H.

cil’s rulin'’ - as to whcUicr ho \v. - ; liable to pay a license foe for carl ins; j tJic cheese from the Pukclurua cliecec factory to Putaruru and carting* coal, etc., back. He stated t.hat on a previous occasion the Council had .held that a settlor carting his own produce from his own factory did not require manure for a neighbouring ratepayer. The Council decided that Mr. Havre! t was liable to take out a license, the fee being* £2 per annum, for which a cheque was enclosed. A protest war; received from Mr. M. Henderson, of Putaruru, against his being asked to pay license fees for his two motor lorries which were carting gravel and material for the Public Works Department »n connection with the Arapuni scheme. He staled that no license fees were being asked from other contractors doing similar work on the road. It was resolved that the Inspector require a license fee only on Mr. Henderson doing outside carting. ACCESS ROADS. A request from Mr. J. Nicholson, junr., Okoroire Railway, that the Council form the road to hi.s section, was referred to the chairman and the engineer. Ir» reply to a letter from Mr. Colin Muirheau asking that the £3OO grant for a road to his property be expended, the engineer stated that a tender for the job was to hand, but the Public Works authority was awaited. MAIN HIGHWAYS. A letter from a Maramaru resident, Piako county, suggesting* the declaring of a national highway from Pokeno to Hautapu was received. TIRAU WATER SCHEME. The N.Z. Dairy Co. confirmed the arrangement £or it to take water from the Tirau scheme for its house at Tirau. The engineer stated the company would have to pay for the pipe being laid under the railway, which would be costly. The installation of an automatic time switch for the waterworks motor at Tirau, at a cost of £lO 10s, was authorised. TA PAPA TROUGH. Ci*. Allen asked was the ram for the water trough on the Ta Papa road working. The engineer said that it was working*, but too feebly. The matter was left to Ci*. Allen and; the engineer to deal with, the question of a larger ram. POUNDING MATTERS. A letter was received from Mr. John Rigger, Auckland, complaining that the poundkeeper had refused to impound stock from Mr. A. A. Rigger, Cverdalc. The county inspector, Mr. E. W. Jordan, explained that the ownership of the property from which the stoock came was in dispute, and he had received a lawyer’s letter warning* him not to accept delivery of the stock. This letter was submitted. The engineer stated that lie also had advised Mr. Jordan not to accept the stock. The clerk pointed out that in such a case the person handing* over the stock to be impounded was required to furnish full particulars of each animal, the reason why it was beingimpounded, etc. Mr. Rigger had not proferred these particulars. The inspector’s action was endorsed. The resignation of Mr. W. Hetherington as the Tirau poundkeeper was received. The resignation was accepted, and Mr. Jordan appointed poundkeeper, the chairman, engineer and Mr. Jordan to obtain an assistant poundkeeper. DAMAGE TO ROADS. Cr. Pohlen asked the Council to appoint a surfaceman for his riding; he had not had one for some years. Ci*. Pohlen also asked that steps be taken to prevent.the milk lorry plying* between Hinncra and Matamata from spoiling* the road for the winter as it did last year. A motion that the Council take steps to prevent undue damage by lorries on any county road was carried, the engineer to use his discretion in the matter. RENA ROAD. In reply to Cr. Rollett, the engineer said that work had been started on the Buckland road. Cr. Rollett urged that the necessary grading in Peria riding be put in hand very soon, as otherwise some of the roads would be in a bad state in winter time . UNEXPENDED BALANCES. The printed balance-sheet for the past financial year, ended March 31, 1923, was submitted. Cr. Stopford drew attention to the following* unexpended balances of loan moneys, etc., shown therein, and suggested they should be utilised if this had not already been done: Blythe’s road, £104; Cave’s road, £92; Lewis’ read, £75; Frosts Mill road, £39; Te A rob a road, £3l. (Continued in Next Column.)

PAHAONUI ROAD. A lengthy letter was received from Mr. E. W. R. Leslie, Tokoroa, reiterating the difficulties under which he teas labouring through not having a formed road to his property, and asking that the matter be finalised. The engineer stated that the set--1 lers concerned must come to an agreement first as to where they wanted the road to go; then the queslion of formation could be dealt with. It was decided to reply to this effect. ACCOUNTS'. The payments of accounts as follows was authorised: General, £1872 Is lOd; hospital levy, £978 15s sd; loans and grants, £3792 12s 7d. Irrecoverable rates as follows were written off: 1917, £4 7s fid; 1918, £4 7s fid; 1919, £ll 15s 8d; 1920, £33 3s 3d; At the instance of Cr. Cox the ten per cent penalty on the rates in the Maraetai block was remitted, he pointing out that the mortgagors had had to pay an accumulation of several years rates, and it was hardly fair to ask them to pay the penalty too when the delay was no fault of their’s.