WAITOMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 31, 24 May 1907, Page 3

WAITOMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usu"l monthly meeting of th: Waitomo G.unty Council was hold Te Kuiti on Monday last. there were present: Councillors Lusk (Chairman), N. I. Hunt, Lovedny, McCardle, McGechie, Scholes, and Ormsby. Leave of absence was granted to Cr Hoffman. CORRESPONDENCE. The Clerk of the Clutha County Council wrote, forwarding a resolution from the Clutha County to the effect that the cost of valuation by the Government was excessive, and pressed'unduly on the already heavily burdened taxpayer, and that the work could be done much more cheaply by the County valuers, and requesting the co-operation of the Waitomo Council in agitating" for an alteration in the system.—Received. A letter was received from Mr J. Walker, of Mangapeehi, requesting a copy of the law dealing with the dog tax. —Received. A letter from a Native (woman) ratepayer at Whatiwhatihoe, applying for an unused road by purchase.— Received.

Cr Hoffman wrote that the work on the Tetahi road was done satisfactorily. The Clerk of the Kawhia County Council wrote advising that Crs McCardle and Shaw had been appointed to act with the Waitomo Council representative in conferring with the Minister for Public Works. A letter was received from Messrs Ellis and Burn and enclosing a communication from the Land Tax Department, which stated that the firm was not responsible for rates on the Tiroa lands. —Resolved !that the letters be forwarded to the Council's solicitor, to secure his opinion as to whether the Council's claim was on all fours with that of the Land Tax Department, and if so, seeing that the land was revenue yielding, were the Native owners liable for taxation.

J. Morgan wrote, drawing attention to the state of the crossing from Rora Street to Alexandra Street, leading to the Te Kuiti saleyards.-—Re-ceived. RAGWORT. The special order, declaring ragwort to be a noxious weed, was, on the motion of Cr N. I. Hunt, seconded by Cr McGechie, duly confirmed. THIRDS ON NGAPAENGA ROAD. Mr T. Porter waited on the Council with the request to have the " thirds," accruing from the sections on the Ngapaenga and Tawarau roads, scheduled, with a view to having the same spent on the roads in question. Mr Porter stated he had been delegated by a number of the settlers to make the request, and certain work could be advantageously performed at present.—lt was decided that Mr Porter should point out to the Clerk the sections interested, and that the necessary steps be taken to give effect to the request. THIRDS IN TE KUITI RIDING. The Clerk stated that thirds to the amount of £33 had been scheduled in the Te Kuiti Riding, and £ll 18s 2d on the Hangatiki side of the Mangarino road. —Cr Ormsby stated that he had inquired at the Crown L':nds Office at Auckland about the "thirds" on the sale of Te Kuiti village sections, and had been informed that no "thirds" were allowed in case of cash sale?. —It was decided to instruct the CJerk to write, on behalf of the Council, to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, requesting definite information on the subject. OTOROHANGA BRIDGE. Cr McCardle drew attention to the fact that the petition sent by Mr Vicary had not been signed by the Council. Mr Vicary had requested him to have the petition given to someone in Te Kuiti to obtain signatures. —The Chairman seated that, while all were in sympathy with the object, he considered that all petitions for works in the County should be made through the Council, and not direct to the Government. The Council was the representative local body. The bridge was an urgent work, and the Council would do all in its power to have the work done. MANIAPOTO - STREET, OTOROHANGA. Cr McGechie stated that the main street of Otorohanga, leading to ICio Kio, was in a very bad state. The residents interested had collected £8 for the purpose of cutting down Kakamutu hill, and he suggested that the Council endeavour to obtain the use of the road grader from the Roads Department, for doing portion of the work. —The Chairman suggested that as the Kio Kio settlers were mainly interested, portion of the "thirds," accruing from the Kio Kio sections should be allocated for the work, if neceessary.—Cr McGechie moved a resolution to that effect, which was carried. WAITOMO ROADS. Cr McCardle stated that he had shown Mr Williamson over the roads proposed to be widened and improved. Mr Williamson's estimate for the work was about £3600. The settlers interested had decided that the amount was too large for a small community to undertake, arid were in favour of vyaitiqg to see what could be obtained from the Government in the way of grants, before going further. The estimate would stand good in case the work was to be undertaken later. —It was decided to pay the workmen, engaged by Mr Williamson, out of the general revenue, but the cost of obtaining the estimate would eventually be charged to the "thirds," accruing from the sections interested. WAITOMO RIDING THIRDS. On the motion of Cr McCardle, seconded by Cr Scholes. it was decided that the "thirds," accruing from sections I, 2, 3 and 6, block 10, be scheduled for payment, and used for widening Waitomo Valley road, from the junction of Tumu Tumu road to the western boundary of section 2, block 10, Orahiri, and the "thirds" from Tooman's, Hall's and Robertson's sections be scheduled for widening and culverting Tumu Tumu road, from the junction of that road with \Vaitomp Vr.iley road, to the eastern boundary of Hall's section. HANGATIKI SCHOOL ROAD. Cr Scholes produced the plan of the proposed road, and requested the authority of the Council to pay the amount owing for the work done.

The cost of the work, which had been undertaken by Mr Wilson, was £l7 19s 2d, and that gentleman had given his amount as a donation, leaving a balance of £8 19s 2d. —It was decided to accede to the request. TE KUITI STREETS. With reference to the crossing to the sale yards from Ror Street to Alexandra Street, Cr Ormsby stated that it was necessrry to have something done immediately, otherwise it would be impossible to obtain access to the yards. The filling of the drain would also lead to the flooding of the streets as stated by Mr Morgan. The formation of a footpath to the school was also a necessary matter. The residents would no doubt be willing to contribute towards the object, but he considered the Council should endeavour to help them. —After some discussion with regard to the position of the Council in the matter of the TeKuiti township. the following motion, proposed by Cr Ormsby, seconded by CrScholes, was carried : That an amount, not exceeding £lO, out of the rates collected in the Te Kuiti township, be granted towards making an approach to the sale yards, and a footpath to the school, the mover to collect from the parties interested, sufficient to do the work. SLAUGHTERING LICENSE.

A license was granted to J. Ormsby, of Otorohanga, subject to the usual fees being paid.

COUNCILLOR'S RESIGNATION.

A letter was read from Cr McGechie, announcing his resignation from the Council, as he was leaving the district. NEXT COUNCIL MEETING.

It was decided that the next meeting be called by the Chairman as soon as possible after the return of the delegates from the conference to be held between representatives of the Raglan, Kawhia, and Waitomo Councils, and the Minister of Public Works at Wellington, at the beginning of the Parliamentary Session in June.