RAGLAN COUNTY COUNCIL

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 513, 12 March 1920, Page 4

RAGLAN COUNTY COUNCIL

81-MONTHLY MEETING. The bi-monthly meeting of the Raglan County Council was held at Ngaruawahia on Wednesday, when there were present: Crs. Campbell Johnstone (chairman), S. If. Crawford, J. Lowry, Geo. Morrison, A. Coburn, J. Rawlinson, C. Swann, W. Seavill, C. C. Ottway, together with the clerk (Mr. H. Marsland) and engineer (Mr. J. W. Civil). Technical School Representation. The clerk (Mr. H. Marsland) was appointed as the council's representative on the advisory committee of the manual and technical school at Ngaruawahia. Waipa Bridge, Ngaruawahia. With regard to the Waipa bridge at Ngaruawahia, the Minister for Public Works (Hon. W. Fraser) intimated that the delay in proceeding with the re-erection of the bridge was entirely due to the difficulty in obtaining supplies of hardwood timber from Australia. He was unable to let the contract for delivery earlier than March 27 next, and none of the timber has vet arrived in New Zealand owing to the frequent disorganisation of the shipping trade by strikes in Australia. The contractor has been urged on many occasions to expedite delivery, and he was satisfied that both he and his principals in Australia w«re doing their best to obtain shipping space. In a letter from the contractor he stated they were endeavouring, owing to the frequent representations made by the Department, to recharter a sailing vessel to specially bring the timber across. The letter was received. An Onewhero Request. Mr Eric If. Nolan and four others, ratepayers of Wairamarama, in the Onewhero Riding, drew the council's attention to the state of the road between Wairamarama and Onewhero. especially at Magna's Cutting. They pointed out that some time ago Cr. Crawford and the engineer inspected the locality and agreed to spend £2O on the road. So far the work had not been done, to which they objected. They urged upon the council to have the matter attended to while the weather permits. Cr. Crawford, member for the riding. said the ratepayers concerned wanted a concrete road right up to their doors, on which to run their motor-cars. Thorp was hardly a better length of road in the Raglan County than this length of road. The council had vcentlv eyp:>ndod money on the road, as promised, and if the ratepayers would only wait until the spring the fiirtO grant for the road would, no doubt, be forthcoming. The engineer stated that roughly speaking £SO had been spent on either side of the deviation, but the road would not stand the traffic of motor-cars with chains. The formation was of slippery papa, and unless the bed of the road was broken up the formation would not stand. Cr. Crawford corroborated the engineer's remarks. adding that as soon as work was ('on", the cars with chains on scooned the whole formation out again. The engineer said a nortion of the £2OOO would I"" on hand very shortly, and the wo 1: could be proceeded with next summer. Tt was decided to reply, stating that the council could not spend much money on work of a temporary nature, and 1-hat the whole of the work would be attended to during next summer. Prince of Wales' Visit. Tn view of the visit of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, the Auckland Recent ion Committee invited the council to take part in the civic reception. The chairman wa« appointed the council's representative. Finance. Accounts amounting to £4913 were submitted, approved of and passed for payment. The treasurer's report showed that the total European rates amounted to £15,716 13s. The Onewhero Riding's contribution was £1538 17s lOd. Pnkeknwa £1503 15s 4d. Whangane £1741. 9s 4d. and Port Waikato ?861 Ss fid. The amounts available for nv i)on . diture in each Wd'no- to V.lst TWember. 1920. were: Onewhero £512 lis Id. Pukekawa 2s 9d, Port Waikato £145 10s 2d. Whangnpe £875 8s l(ld. The PukoV'»"a land fund account was shown " 1 <">o 1_ - I'd and the Whang*) l 1 ""' Cr. Low " "sked that £2O be expended on Hnr+on's Hill. £5 1o come from Port Wnikato. A Iran. Ridin's. irnl Iti ■ from Whangape. IT" "d-ivi cp: t] lP spent on the Opuatea Road. Pukckawa-Whaiujape Lean, Cr. Lowrv a. : dm nvu.inoo>- t n prepare plans for the I\;kekawa-Wha-The cnr.'in'-ai- 1,-, im.l the >■» vena ration of plans in t"ind, but it would take '■'■me 1i• nto complete the plan. Bo Hiwiil Hill. The engineer was in c t-ucte(l to have Bothw'i-1 Hill attended to. Cr. Morrison said there was a reserve at Ihe junction of the roads near the Tuakan (Waikato) bridge that could he fenced, and which would make a suitable accommodation paddock.

The matter was deferred pending the search of title.