TAURANGA TOPICS

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 418, 1 September 1928, Page 13

TAURANGA TOPICS

The Tauranga County Council held a special meeting on Wednesday to strike the rates lor the ensuing year. In the Te Puke and Katikati ridings there is to be a slight increase, and Maketu riding is to remain the same as last year. * * • The Mount Maunganui Progressive Association had its first meeting this week, there being 30 members present. Mr. D. Bain has been elected president, and a committee of seven was appointed. Air. H. Furgerson is secretary. Messrs. Bain and Kelly are to represent the association on the Tauranga Chamber of Commerce. For some years the Tauranga County Council has advocated that certain portions of the Tauranga-Walhi main highway should be declared Government roads. The Main Highways Board has now decided that one section shall be declared a Government road. At the meeting of the County Council on Wednesday a letter from Air. H. Watkinson. district engineer of the Public Works Department, was read. He said: **l have to infrom you that the Alain Highways Board has deedied that the length from Wainui Bridge to Waipapa. be declared a Government road, and that the subsidy toward the cost of metalling the unmetalled section of 52 miles be at the rate of £3 for £l. With regard to Hikurangi Gorge section, the board regrets that it is unable to declare this section to be a Government road. In view of the fact that there is every possibility of the Main Highways Board subsidy toward the cost of maintenance being increased from £1 10s for £1 to £2 for £1 it would appear that the Tauranga County Council should be able to put a considerable amount of maintenance in hand on this section.”