WHANGAREI COUNTY

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 45, 16 May 1927, Page 5

WHANGAREI COUNTY

MEETING OF COUNCIL (From, Our Own Correspondent.) WHANGAREI, To-day. The Whangarei County Council, presided over by Air. L. Webb, held its usual monthly meeting on Friday. The treasurer’s financial statement showed £6,979 3s 8d to the credit of the county fund account, £2,767 8s 4d county loan fund account, and £1,650 loans at fixed deposit. General rates collected since April 1 total £1,653 4s; amount expended since April 1, £1,397 13s lOd. Total expenditure on county main roads since April 1, £252 4s lid; main highways maintenance account, expended since April 1, £229 16s 4d; position to-day, £471 11s 2d debit; main highway's construction account, total expenditure, £3,056 Os 8d; paid in since April 1, £2,492 16s lid; position to-day, £563 3s 9d debit. It was decided to have all county contractors’ trucks measured, suitably branded and registered, showing various quantities of metal carried and delivered. The charge for machinery hiring was considered insufficient, and a resolution was carried that in future machinery accounts be separated, so as to show (a) repairs, (b) labour in connection with machinery, (c) cost of spare parts and new machinery, and that in future hiring charges be increased to 9d per cubic yard on metal crushed. It was decided that in view of satisfactory outside competition for metal cartage, it be the general policy of the council to discontinue the use of county trucks, and that they be kept in the shed. The clerk was given authority to engage assistance in writing up ratebooks, etc. Councillor Johnson said his riding could not raise rates enough to keep the Onerahi main road in repair, and asked that the subsidy for this road, which, although one of the most heavily traversed roads in the county, was not declared a county main road, be raised to 30s for £l. The matter was deferred pending a report of the committee interviewing the borough council.