HAWERA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 November 1920, Page 6

HAWERA COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. *The Hawera County Council met on Saturday. Present: Crs. J. B. Murdoch (chairman), li. J. Linn, K. Waaler, It. Douglas. A. Larcom, and W. Williams. Apologies for absenco were received from Crs. Lysnght and Hawken. HARBOR BOARD RATES. The chairman referred to the contribution ra'd by the County to the Patea Harbor Board, anil said it was another result of the Injustice of the new valuation. The contribution this year was practically doublt what it was last year, and If last year's rates were reasonable, then this year's rates were excessive. It had been nuggested that one way over the difficulty would be for the Harbor Board not to collect any rates from the Hawera County next year, but he did not think the Board could do this. The only thing for them to do would be to gee Mr. Corrlgan, the Council's representative on the Patea Harbor Board to go into the matter for them. It was a question of what should be done to brine about a fair adjustment and it might be advisable to get up a petition protesting against the excessive contribution. The new valuation of the Kltham County would be available shortly, and th:« would enable them to consider tl:o questloi better.

Or. Larcom said several ratepayers had protested to him about the matter, and he thought it should bo attended to in order to bring about a fairer system of allocation. MT. EGMONT QUARRIES. A copy of a resolution urging upon tlu Government (he necessity of at once openhif up the Mt. Egmont quarries, was received from the Eltham County Council. The chairman reported that the District Engineer of tl:e Public Works Department had inquired what quantities of the metal the Council would require, and had suggested that the local bodies do tho crushing, as this wtfuld enable them to utilise the mien who quarried the stone, and who could not work at the quarries all the year Yound. The chairman said that Hawera quite a°reed with the Eltham Council's resolution as regards the quantity of metal required; 3000 yards were needed for three roads alone. Cr. Linn remarked that it had been suggested thai the Government might take over the main roads. The chairman replied that if this was done it would not be fair to place local bodfes which had tarred roads oh tl:e same basis as those which had interior roads. It was decided to inform the Public Works Department ihat the Council would be prepared to take Jo.ooo yards of the metal, i the cost to be 8s per yard.

TAXATION OF DEBENTURES. Air. \V. D. J'owdrell, ar.P., wrote in- reply 10 a protest from tlte Council against- the j>r/>r>oßii) to lax local body debentures, stating tliat ho fell sure members of the Council did noi understand ilip position. For instance £10,0(10 of income derived from local body debentures would pay 2fl in the £ and would b*> collected by the local body concerned, and £IO,OOO income from debentures in companies would be subject, to 3s in the £, while £IO,OOO income from mortgage would pay income, tax equal to 8s 9d in trie £ received. If Australian money was Invested in local bodies here the income tux T»ould be charged iri Australia and not in New Zealand. Local body debentures already issued should pay 2s tid in the £ of income derived, but as many debentures are ibetrct Aot«s they neap* taxation aitogathar-

The Act would f»omppJ lendm to ipwl io local bodies In preference 1o others. The chaiwnan said rh.it tie position simply was tli.it the Council would have to pr-y more for itn money, although (hero would ho r.ome measure of adjustment to the extent, that where rhe debenture holder's total inco;ne was below £IOOO per year, he would not ray the tax. The letter was received.

COItIIESI'OXDEXCE. Tie Haivera Borons!] Council notified tli.it ii search had revealed that the zinzag reserve was vested ill Ihe Count) Council. The Council also intimated that arrangements bad been made with tho Railway Department relativo to (lie Tawihiti Road, and (he work would he proceeded with in due course.— Received. Regarding a letter from the Hawcra Hospital Hoard, the chairman stated tlrat ihe Council could not remit the rates on tile land recently purchased for a new hospital.

A telegram from Mr. VV. D. Powdrell, .M P , stated that the following rates had been placed on the Estimates for work in the County: Patete Bridge (oil account, £ 1000), £230; Tongahoe Villley (on account £2,500) £ 1500.—Received.

In response to a request from Ihe chairman of the Hajvera Technical High Srl-00l Committee, for the Council to appoint a representative on the Advisory Committees, Ihe chairman was appointed. Tile. Department of Lalior wrote askim; whether. In the event of the Department, building twelve or more houses in lredale' Road, off Beach Road, the Council would he prepared to form and metal the now existing grass road, and form a footpath on tre town side of the road.—lt was decided <o write to the Auditor-tienern 1 asking if the Council Jiad power to spend money on ihe road, anil if they had such power to take steps to raise a special loan. Mr. J. (I. Johnston, Praser Road, wrote stating that on the Ngawlne Road there were seven or eight farmers who had to convey their unilk to tl.e Ararata factory over as bad a road as any in tlhe Dominion. In wet weather it took the heat teams all their time to reach the factory and considerable expense was entailed in extra horses and wear and tear. Sometimes the suppliers barely reached the factory in time.~ The Council recognised that the road badly needed repair, and it was decided to reply stating that something would be done to improve tl:e road at an early date.

FOREMAN'S IiEPOItT. The County foreman (Mr. Jfuggeridge) reported as follows: Kelennrao Road.—About Uiirty chains of tile lower portion of this road ha; been metalled during the jinst month, and is now In first-class older. Ohawe Road.—The metalled portion of this road has been scarified, re-graded and rolled. Tangalioe Valley Road.—The late rains hate caused considerable damage to this road will: slips and wash-outs. The lower side of tue road going in a good many places, tills causing more damage than a slip on the upper side, fen It seems of very little, use Ailing them up with earth as they nearly always go with the nest heavy rains and the road has to be widened oul or' tl-oS solid. There seems to b» a greater tendeily of the lower side to go in all the gorge country during tho past twelve mouths, and it is sorting a serious matter. The men who should have been getting up shingle for tarring have ! . e :1 taken out to the bad; country to clear ihe slips so as to get the timber down for the Kirilao Bridge. We have managed to get one load out but there is considerable wnvj; to 1)0 done before tie road will be cleared to Its full width, and it would be a mistake to shift the men until this work is finished.

Tangalioe Bridge, Ohaugal Itoad.—Ttie approaches to the Tangalioe bridgi on the Ohangai Road are. now finished ami metalled and a feneo erected to the approach on |l-j ;i side. A fence will be made on the other side as soon as pf.ssible. The Mimes cost £777 i7s, and as has been poitifed oul in tanner reports the high costs nf this was on account of tho long carting of Ihe earth for this work.

Morea lload.—There is a washout on this road on tie other aide of .Mr. Duckworths wool sited, and three feet pipes wU' have- to be put in as soon as opportunity occurs to get tlieni carted. \\e have enough pipes in stock for .this job.

Kotukutuku Bridge.—The Public. Works Department has practically agreed to the shorter plan submitted for this work, and the excavations w'lll be proceeded with in a fewdays.

The chairman said that in regard to tl c Olinwe Road, the traffic was very heavy and the Council might find it advisable to have ii tarred In order io save expenditure on repairs. Regarding the Tongalioc Bridge np preaches, the subsidy was not sufficient, ami it would be necessary to apply to the Gov eminent for a further; subsidy when particulars were available. GENERAL. A deputation waited on the Council and complained of water collecting on the jranauapou Road, and also complained regarding Ihe condition of the Nowell Road. .Mr Nowell who complained regarding 11* Jailer road, said that a loan bad been proposed for the work some time ago, but was not gone on with. lie suggested that tlio work, about 25 chains, might be done out of the Council's ordinary funds. »

Tie foreman was instructed to report on the deputation's requests. The chairman reported that the committee appointed to consider the question of purchasing a motor truck, had met lie agents for the Leyland I ruck and after going into the matter had purchased a Lcylaud trticl' witli dump attachment at a cost of £2o2 ! > The trucks would bo delivered in Hawera in about, three week's time, \iud the Council would have the use of it for three -months, and If it. was found to be satisfactory in every respect, then the Council would p ik y the agents.—The action of the committee in purchusing the truck was confirmed. The Council went into commit too to consider the question of raising the wages of th© employees, but did not report on resuming. It was decided to contribute the stun of £lO 10s to the Taranakl Progressive Le.igno. It, was decided to accept an invitation from the Hawera Town Planning Association to attend a lecture on "Landscape Pardoning," to be delivered by Mr. Peter Black, of Pdmerston North, in ihe Borough Council Chambers on Thursday afternoon. The chairman said it was the last meeting of the present Council, and he wished to take the opportunity of thanking the numbers for the support they bud accorded him as chairman. Tin? work of (he past year had proceeded most satisfactorily, by: they bad been unable to do much they would 1 ke<) to have done. Considering that, the receipts now amounted to about £30,000 as compared with £300(1 ten years ago/ it, was astonishing where all the money went to. Ho was glad to be able to say that the Council had maintained ils roads almost entirely out of revenue, and there was not really one bad road in the country. They had, of course, some clay roads, hut in proportion to the mileage of roads, [lie county was in a good position. lie noticed that there was to be an election hi the Mnkoia Riding only, and he hoped to see the old councillors come back again.