COUNTY MATTERS.

Shannon News, 13 December 1927, Page 2

COUNTY MATTERS.

MAKERUA SUBDIVISION HELD UP At tlie llorowhenua County Council meeting on Saturday, a letter was received from the Treasury stating thai the Loral Bodies' Loans Board, on November 25th, considered the application for sanction to raise the MakeruaRangitane and Seifert's Roads and Bridges Loan of £12,000, but declined it. Reports received by.the Board indicated that the proposed roads were not necessary in order to meet the requirements in respect of through traffic, and were apparently being constructed primarily for subdivisional purposes. Attention was also drawn to the increase that would be made in the loan indebtedness of the land thai would be rated for the scheme.

The chairman said he had discussed the matter with Mr. Seifert, who wished the Council to realise that, while this subdivision would benefit the people holding the land, it was not designed solely for that purpose. Close settlement on a big area like that must be advantageous "to the local body. Further a large sum of money had been spent on flood protection and the land was carrying a large number of sheep. There was a chance that, in the absence of roads, there would be u difficulty in removing the sheep quickly in tiood time. With regard to the Board's objection that this was not a through road, half a mile more roading would join it up and it wouuld be possible to go in at Makerua and come out at Tokomaru or Raugitane. Mr Seifert would try to form a large special rating area to embrace this work, which would be a great advantage. lf that were done a new scheme could be submitted to the Loans Board. Sub-division must be of advantage to the local body in this case because he did not know of any richer land in New Zealand than this.

Mr Barber asked whether a new bridge would not be necessary at Raugitane to replace the present swing bridge and would not. the cost of that be put, upon the land. The chairman said this opened up a more far-reaching question. If a bridge was built at Raugitane, one would not be needed at Longburn.. He thought the Government would probably build the bridge when it was required at Raugitane. The Council resolved that the matter be further represented to the Local Bodies Loans Boards on Air Seifert getting the district enlarged and the road further extended to connect with the Raugitane and Ashlea-Te Mukanui roads.

Air ,A. Seifert wrote forwarding plan of the sub-division of the Seifert Flax-dressing Co.'s lands near Makerua. The Council had agreed to take over the road shown on the plan from the Makerua Railway Station to Seifert's main drain, about 14 miles of road, and he asked for the Council's endorsement of the plan. The Clerk stated that a committee was set up at the last meeting to draw up conditions. That agreement was not completed yet, and he suggested that the matter be held over till next meeting. This' course was agreed to.

MIRANUI TOWNSHIP

M,r 11. R. Farquhar wrote with reference to Webb Street, in the new township of Miranui, stating that the Lands Transfer draftsman reported that no certificate of formation had yet been supplied. The writer would therefore be glad if the Council would forward it, under its seal.

The Clerk said it appeared that the land comprising the road had not been formally dedicated to the Council. On the motion of Cr. Barber, seconded by Cr. Whyte, it was resolved that Mr Soifort be'asked to formally dedicate to the Council the land known as Webb Street.

A letter was also received from Mr Farquhar asking for a certificate of publicity for Toi Toi Street and Lot '-, Te Mukanui, near Tokomaru. It was decided, on the motion of Cr. Whyte, seconded by Cr. Barber, that, providing the surveyor in charge of the subdivision supplies a description of the land, a certificate of title for Toi Toi Street and the road along the Main Drain be granted. BEACH ROAD FLAX. • Pani I'iu wrote offering lis per ton royalty for the flax on the roadside of the Beach road.—As stated in the Engineer's report, the land in question, as in the case of an application by Mr J. Williams, is not under the control of the Council.