MEETING OF COUNCIL

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 558, 15 June 1933, Page 6

MEETING OF COUNCIL

Birkbeck

Luna Lux

Hard Gold

Walton Park

High Grader

Bonnie Vale

Foreign Queen

Royal Hunting

'Hunting Jay

REPORTS ON DEPUTATIONS SUBMITTED TO MEMBERS ESTIMATES AND RATES The June meeting of the 'Rotorua CoUnty Council was held yesterday under the chairmanship of Mr. H. P. Pord, the others present being Crs. Keith, Ford, Martin, Smyth and Copeland Smith. Highways Maintenance The chiairman reported upon his visit to the No. 3 Highways Board and stated that he had protested against the council's contribution of £10 per mile on raain highways on the grounds that the board had reduced its maintenance by about 30 per cent and th'at he considered that the council should he allowed to reduce its contribution accordingly. However, the odds had heen against him and he had not been able to do anything. The report was adopted. Deputation .to Minister The chairman reported upon a deputation t0 the Minister of Lands re the Atiamuri Road and various side roads. He 'had pointed out that the council only got some £60 in rates from this district and could not maintain these roads with the funds available since practically the whole of the settlement was in his department. He had also pointed out the position of the rates in connection with Crown tehants. He had had a sympathetic hearing and the county had been asked to supply information regarding the rating pos'ition of Crown tenants. Thii had been suppiied and he .informed the council that there was no chance of reducing the rates while this amount, which was over £1000, was outstanding. He hoped for some assistance. The Ragwort Menace That the Minister (Hon. C. IE'. MacMillan) was fully alive to the ragwort menace was stated by Mr. Ford. He said that the Minister had suggested a strong drive by all hands on ragwort next season and after that the linspection be tightened up. This was the most helpful suggestion that he had heard from a Minister. Mr. Ford also reported on a conference at' Hamilton which he had attended and traversed the actions taken. While there he had pointed out the council's unique position in respect

of Crown lands. He had suggested that there assistance and co-operation be given in the case of the department and Crown tenants in a necessitous condition. He had also suggested the Government control of sodium chlorate. The question of the a.ppointment of further inspectors had created some discussion, the meeting having advocated that the appointment and dismissal of inspectors be in the hands of local bodies. As it was there was too much red tape about the d'.smissal of an lnspector if he were not proving satisfactory. The council decided to thank the deputation for their activities and adopted their report. Hospital Matter The chairman reported that he had attended a conference with the Borough Council and it had been decided to "sit tight" until the Waikato Board made some move. There was a number of points to be cleared up such as the free treatment of members of the Ngati Whakaue tribe and the cost of op-erating a base hospital. •The action of the committee was . approved. Audit Charges .A request from the Manawjatu County for support for a reduction in fees from the Audit Department was received and the council decided to further investigate the matter before taking action. Counties Conference The council directed its representative at the Counties' Conference, Mr. H. P., Ford, to pay particular attention at the conference to the question of native rating, Crown land tenants rates, ragwort control and de-ratin.g of farm lands. The clerk was .instructed to get out such information on the subjects as the council desired to place before the conference. Loan Conversion The clerk was instructed to bring down -a full report upon the possib.'lities of a loan conversion scheme for the county, by next meeting. Metalling Matters Cr. Martin raised the question of the council's need for a crusher. Th'e clerk said that the position in a nutshell was that the council could not alford to run a crusher. Had the council the highways to cater for it could keep a crusher going all . the time. The engineer explained the reason for the shortage of hard metal due to the absence of a crusher from which the council usually drew its supplies in the meantime. Grants of Subsidies f.The Public Works Department for•Ivarded a reminder that all applications for free grants must be made beiore July 10. Preference would be gl^yen to metalling on roads which opeiihd up new centres for production. It whs decided to ask for £200 at £1 10s l|f,£l for the Old Tauranga-Oontral Road; Awhiwi Road £50 (£1 far £1). iS\' Manure Carting letter from Wilson's, Ltd., asked ifor. permission to increase their backlo&ding of manure to the Galatea sta. for the Agricultural Department tffyfci two tons to three tons. considerable discussion arose, sevefgl councillors contending tha.t a con^Tss:on to this firm would not be fair if^other.firms, It was mentioned that rjeturns of timber royalties had not been • furnished by Wilson's, Ltd., as Suggested. |'»The council decided to inform the ifrm that it was not prepared to consljder ariy concessions until the re^rhs! at required were furnished and its- agreements completed. the case of Winger it was resclivpd to notify him that failing the cpmpletion of the.agreement his carting! license rwould be cancelled. ! r Carting Posts |;>The chaifman mentioned that he K£d noticed lorries loading posts on tjfe .mairi roads at all hours of the and it seemed as if they were carrying viefy big loads. The attenfjiori of the" traffic inspector was drawn • t'dfHbe matter. " | ' 'iiV •' ■; ' :iAHamuri'Road^ ) **

general funds on the Atiamuri Road and would not be able to do so next year. He had applied to the Public Works Department for further assistance this year since the council could not afford to spend more thhn £60 for the coming year. Estimates and Rates The clerk submitted estimates for the ensuing year providing for an expend'.ture of £400 in each riding on works and transfers from credit bal■ances of £635 in the North' Riding and £510 in the South' Riding. This entailed a rate being struck of general 1 l-8d in the £1 and special id in the £1 or an equivalent of £6 15s 5d per £1000 capital value the same as last . year compared with £7 16s 3d per I £1000 in 1931-32 and £8 17s ld per ( £1000 in 1930-31. Treasurer's Report The county "treasurer, Mr. A. Belllingh'amj reported as follows: — I have the honour to submit my report for the period ended June 13, 1933:— Receipts since last meeting have amounted to £1361 18s lOd made up as follows: — General rates, arrears, £60 14s 4d; special rates, arrears, £38 17s 2d; miscellaneous licenses and fees, £9 19s 7d; timber carting tolls, £30 10s 2d; refund petrol tax £30 8s Od; interest fixed deposits, £23 11s 3d; refund unemployment relief wages, £986 15s. Government grant claims p'aid. Traffic inspection, £45. Maiin Highways maintenance^, Tauranga Road, £103 6s 4d; Maraeroa. Road, £19 2s 6d; Rotoma-Matata Road, £13- 14s 6d. Total £181 3s 4d. Grand total, £1361 18s lOd. Bank Balances at 9/6/1933: County Fund account, £2041 17s 3d; less O/s. cheques, £101 14s 4d. Cr. £1940 2s lld. Loan Account: Current account. Cr. £19 ls 3d; fixed deposits, £1450. Cr. £1469 ls 3d. Riding Account expenditure since April 1, 1933: — North Riding: Wages, general maintenance, etc., £83 3s 6d; hire of county trucks, £32 7s 8d. Total £115 South Riding: Wages, general maintenance, etc., £71 7s 9d; hire of county trucks, £34 8s ld; hire of grader, £2 8s. Total £108 3s 10d. Accounts: — I submit herewith' iaccounts amounting to £1658 14s lOd for payment to-day, which iwhen brought to charge, brings the total expenditure for the current year up to £4063 9s 9d. Work of the Month The engineer (Mr. T. S. Robertson) reported on th'e work of the month as follows: — I have the honour to report as follows : — Main Highway Tauranga Road: — The Awahou Bridge has been completed and the approaches will be metalled as soon as crushed metal is available. Re Cottage: Cotter is now in occupation. He is at present' doing half a day's work in ldeu of rent. Maniatutu and Kaikokopu Road. It will cost approximately £40 to put these two roads in order and I understand that some of the settlers are prepared to assist. Metalling Clayton and Valley Roads The Public Works Department intend to commence this work as soon as satisfactory arrangements are made re quarries. Water Reserve Fence: I under stand that Starr has left his property. Metalling: The two trucks have carted metal on to the following roads during the month: — Tauranga Road, 206 yards rhyoli.te; Mamaku Streets, 84 yards rhyolite; Valley Road, 66 yards metal; Atiamuri Road, 20 yards metal, 30 yards pumice; Oturoa Road, 105. yards rhyolite; Matai Road, 46 yards crushed "metalp Okere-Hiamu-rana 20 yards rhyolite; Utuhina Streets, 6 yards metal; Te Waerenga Road, 15 yards, rhyolite. Building Permit: One building permit has been grahted to the value oi £100. . Depot: The buildings dn the yard have been painted. Unemployed: Unemployed have been

in welterweight events is next with 10.9 and is on the same level as Wine Tray and Chesham. Lochaby and Arabliss, who are comparative. novices, make up the field in which the favourites may be Luna Lux High Falutin Gold Ruler A dozen are carded for the June Steeples with Birkbeck who ran a second over hurdles at Foxton on the top. He is a useful sort over brush fences and has an Egmont steeples and Wanganui steeples to his list. On this form he should be hard. Adventus has a good reputation as a hurdler but has yet to prove that he can accomplish the major journey. However, he has the condition. Acervate on her Ellerslie showing, is sure to have friend's and considering that she went three miles with 11.7 to run second should be in the hunt. Red Bank has been working well and has had successes over the battens as well as steeplechasing last year. . He is likely to go well. Luna Lux is a very promising sort and her wins last season were full of merit. As she is in the Corinthian Plate it is hard to say which she will prefer. If she is reserved for this she may be very hard. Fine Acre has won over hurdles of late and may run well. Hard Gold shaped very well at Trentham last year and was one who was jotted down for future engagements. With 9.3 he will probably be close up for his jumping was clean. Jen is not a bad sort, but Coonoor and S'ir Red are novices. Kaokaoroa showed good form two seasons ago. It is a hard race to sum up, but when the tote closes the favourites may be

The Winter Handicap of a mile has 14 of a field, headed by Courtyard, with 10.2. She has form and so has Princess Bell, while Walton Park the other day ran into the money. Chief Marionette, Fondle., High Grader, Bonnie Vale and Bothwell can all handle winter going and the race may fall to

Seven are left in the Kidnapper's Handicap and ori her running at Foxton, Foreign Queen will have support. Her most dartgerous opponents may be Royal Hunting, Hunting Jay and Aesculus and the favourites

There are fourteen in the Heretaunga Handieap, of 6| furlongs, and anything should 'have a chance. Among those likely to dispute favouritiSm are