OPOTIKI COUNTY

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 348, 8 October 1932, Page 6

OPOTIKI COUNTY

ORDINARY MONTEREY MEETING DEALS WITH DISTRICT

QUESTIONS WAR ON RAGWORT The Opotiki County Couneil held its usual monthly meeting on Friday. There were present, Messrs J. II. Reid (chairman), G. F. Powell, C. Black, J. Butler (jun.), W. Gault, R. Hedley, G. O. Donovaii, A. E. Martin, G. F. Joblin, W. Butler (sen.). Mr. Walker waited on the council to ask for the formation of a road from Mrs. E. Young's to Chalklands. He explained that he had been unable to get the other members of a proposed deputation to attend. He handed in a letter with a number of signatures requesting that the road might be formed and pointing out that they thought it might he done by unemployed labour and not constitute a eharge on the rates. The head teacher of the Waioeka Native school wrote advising that he

j understood that some of the unemj ployed could be obtained for improve- ' ment to the school grounds and askI ing for particulars. It was resolved j to advise the writer that he should refer the matter to the unemployment committee. Mr. A. J. Craie, of Wairata, wrote asking the council to take steps to improve the riverside track leading to his property and which was his only means of access or of getting his wool and stock out. The acting-Mimster of Public Works (Hon. C. E. Macmillan) wrote advising that it was now possible to commence the metalling of nine miles of the East Coast Road by the aid of unemployed labour provided the coun-

cil passed the usual resolution to maintain the road. xinother letter advised that with regard to Wilton's Road, the department could not do anything in the matter at the present time owing to the cost of establishing a camp there, etc, but it indicated that the matter might be fav-

ourably reviewed at a later date. Roading Contract Mr. J. Parkinson wrote concerning a deduciion from his contract price i for work on a road. He pointed out ; that he had carried out the work at j approximately £120 less than the >en- ' gineer's estimate in order to get th'e . work done urgently. He now found that £24 had been deducted from his contract price for payment of culvert pipes. He asked the council to waive this claim as he had offered to do the work at such a small sum in order to see it comp'leted. Mr. Martin suggested that in all cases of this kind | an agreement should be signed show- | ing exactly what work had to be done, but it was decided in this instance to waive the claim for pipes as there had apparently been - misund'srstanding. The Kairanga --ounty Council wrote asking if the council would support a request to have the maximum license for sporting and fancy dogs raised to £2 per dog. The council was not in favour of the increase. Detters were received from the Valuation and Native Lands Departments advising that they considered they were not liable for general rates but only for special rates on certain areas of laiid taken over by tbe Crown. The chairman disagreed with this opinion in view of the fact that on the areas in question dairying was being carried on and the land worked as private property. It was decided to writs to the Prime Minister quoting these cases and asking for an explanation as to where the council stood in these matters. The clerlc was instructed to write to the Minister of Marine asking him whether he had yet had time to go into the question of the administration of the Opotiki wharf as they had no reply from him since June last, when he had replied that he would advise the council further when he had time to look into the matter. Mr. D. Irwin waited on the council with a request that they might consider using the unemployed to open up a road from Mr. Reeee's boundary towards Mr. Harrison's property. Tbe engineer was instructed to report on the eost at the next meeting, but in the meantime to put on some unemployed .if iany were available. Considerable discussion arose over the question of a boundary fence between a Crown section and Armstrong's property which was now be- J ing used by the poundlceeper. It was

finally decid'ed that the couneil should pay half the cost of th'e fence. Tbe council decided to contribute the sum of £25 to the Wairoa County to assist the sufferers from earth-r quake damage. The chairman brought up the question of the spread of ragwort which he considered was becoming a menace to the district. All members agreeing, the engineer was instructed to take whatever steps he could at once. Cr. Donovan asked whether something could be done to clear Woolfield's road in order to enabie him to get his wool out. The matter was left in the hands of the engineer. Cr. Martin called the attention of the engineer to tbe road along the b&ach below the bluff. He had noticed that it was becoming undermined and wondered if further culverts would avoid this.