COUNTY AFFAIRS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 271, 11 July 1932, Page 7

COUNTY AFFAIRS

OPOTIKI COUNCIL HOLDS REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING. NATIVE L'ANDS ACCESS. The monthly meeting of the Opotiki County Council was held in the council chambers on Friday. A Ietter was reeeived from Mr. Hustler, asking that he be remitted the 18/10 penalty on his rates in view of the fact that he had supplied the timber for a number of culverts in the Takaputahi road when the Public Works Department was improving it. The chairman pointed out that this was an exceptional case in that if the timber had not been supplied at that time, they w'ould have had to put the culverts in themselves. The man had paid his,. rates and merely asked that the penalty be remitted. After some discussion it was decided to remit the penalty; Councillor Black voted against it on principle.

A lengthy letter was reeeived from Mr. McDonnell requesting the assistance of the council in getting an aecess road to his property acroSS some xiative land.. He also enclosed a copy of a letter he had forwarded to the Valuer-Generall on the removal of names of deceased Maoris from the valuation roll. Lhe county clerk, as returning officer, took stfong exception to the suggestion that votes had been recorded in the names of dead Maoris. Councillor Martin, speaking with referenee to the request for assistance in obtaining access, said that he had been over the ground, and after thorough consideration he was of the opinion that this settler had a genuine grievance and that the council should endeavour to assist him. He suggested that the counGil might take the necessary land under the Public Works Act. It Was pointed out to Mr. Martin at some length that the Judge of the Native Land Court had gone over the ground and had given the settler the right to take his cream aeross the native land for ten years subject to a payment of £5 per year, and that this would debar the council from taking the land under the act. It was also pointed out that at a later date the chairman had gone out for the express purpose of meeting the natives and Mr. McDonnell, but very few of the natives had turned up. It was the opinion of the council that had a little more tact been used by the settler, the matter^ could have been fixed up amicably. Mr. Martin still thought that the request was reasonable, and it was decided to instruct the engineer to ascertain if the first portion of the road was a public road or not. After dealing with a letter from Mr. L. Fisher regarding the cOndition of the Whitikau road, the council decided to close the road to heavy traffic during the winter. A letter was reeeived from Mr. Malcolm Brown concerning the flooding of his property owing to the road drain requiring cleaning and repairing. The matter was referred to the engineer for a report. A letter was reeeived from the Minister of Marine advising that the question of aSdmiinistration of the wharf was being gone into. It was decided to support a request being forwarded to the Prime Minister by the Matamata County Council that the Government should subsidise rural rates to the extent of 30 per cent. Mr. Gilbert, of Wairata, wrote asking if there was any means of securing unemployed labour for the formation of a road to enable him to get his wool and cream to the main road. It was decided that he be advised to apply to the Unemployment Board under the 4A scheme.. Mr. Thorne wrote asking that the council should terminate his lease of an island in the Waioeka owing to the place' being no longer accessible as a result of a change in the river's course. It was decided that the lease should be terminated on the payment of arrears. A letter was reeeived from the Hospital Board advising that the amount of the levy due by the council for the year had been reduced by £170.