VISIT TO WELLINGTON

Thames Star, Volume LII, Issue 13933, 11 July 1919, Page 1

VISIT TO WELLINGTON

A; COUNTY DELEGMirON. The County clerk, reporting to last County, Council meeting, said that, he and Or. Adams visited Wellington recently on behalf of the County Council. They laid) proposals for grants totalling- .£9,4:50 for mining! tracks, ©xpilaining how these had gonei back, and how ■ necessary the expenditure was if mirih ing were to be revived. ' The; ■ Mink\ter was sympathetic, and in . regard to the W'hangamataJParakawai track, promised to; advance <£200, and place another £200 on 'the estimates to enable mining machinery to be taken in. The other' apiplications had been, referred to the ■Inspector, but the Minister promised 1 'to do his best to geti them on the estimates. - . MAIN ROADS SUBSIDY. The Minister of Public Works was Biomewha't~diffidenit., at first, said the clerk, but the delegation managed to convince him of the need itar subsidising , their tar-grouting scheme. He agreed to put om this year's estimates ,£3OOO pa •■• account of .£6OOO, .the 'balance coming next year. He aUo £600' for the Wharehoe Road (Bond Bros.). if his. engineer were satisfied with the specifications, ®n& '£4:00 oot pi £.600' % for formation and metalling for Ngatipua Road, Turua. 'JDniae the Minister was satisfied ■ that' th* tbarrgroutirig work wias permanent work, and that the County was finding £;40,000 to £60,000 ifself, the Minister did not object to -tht subsidy, especially when he leiaa*nec that thei object was to get ,th©; p'oJlucts to the factory. '• / TIMBER ROYALTIES. ( The ol&rk went on to say- thai they then went to see Mr. Gkitihrie Minister, of Lands, in ..iregardl^ tc timbea- halves, buit it was explain.cc that this branch 'had.recently beer taken, over by Sir Francis Bell, wh< was then in Westland, receiving i deputation, on tlialt veiy subject. Th< faot s in the Thames CSounicil's olain weire that in 1913 a blocli of timbet land in the Tairua district was sole by laiuction, 'the upset price bain| £12,000. Another bush was aisa sold in the Coa-omandel Coun.ty, tin latter asking for half. The Re ceiver of Land Revenue replied tha a isale by public auction did not en title the Council to a (royalty. Mr Burgess, lGoi<ioimiainid&l l Campy s©lici tor, was of opinioin that the Counoi wea'e entitled to royalty, an( advised his Council 1, to take sum mons. .out against thei Receiver .o: Land Revenue and Aittwaiey-tienei-ral bein.o" of opinioiii that the Couiii cil would be successful. ' Coutinuing, Mi-. • McElroy saic that he would advise the Council tc place^ tthe .matter a leadinc Aatcldand solioitoir, and in the even: of hifs ■ api'iidom coinciding with Mr. Burgess', to ' join, Cor© maaidel Council" in am acitdon '!< recover the lialves. The .Thames ' half would -be afc leasti £6000. . Cr. McMahon: We should wai till .we hear from Sir Francis Bell —He moyed, ;Cr.^Bateman; second i ing, that, the Council take no ac tiooi till (advice'was received from I Sir Francis Bell, and if that wer imifirvouiraible, the (Council then a.p , proach iCoromandel to jointly ob [•- tain, an Auckland legal opindoin!.Carried. ■