WAITOMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 48, 20 September 1907, Page 3

WAITOMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of the Waitoroo County Council was held in Mr E. Kerr's commercial room, Te Kuiti, on Monday last. There were present: Councillors Lusk (Chairman), Hoffman, Scholes, Williamson and Ormsby. CORRESPONDENCE. A letter was received from Mr Swarbrick, the Council's solicitor, expressing the opinion that Messrs Ellis and Burn and were liable for rates to the County on the Native-owned land from which the firm was cutting timber" The land tax and County rates were levied under different Statutes, and the fact that Messrs Ellis and Burnand were exempt from the land tax made no difference. It was resolved, after some discussion, to refer the matter to the Solicitors to the Local Bodies Association for an opinion. WILLOWS IN THE MANGAPU. Cr Scholes drew attention to the fact that a grant had been made for clearing the willows from the Mangapu, and said he would like to see the money handed over to the Council for expenditure. The work was one which required special knowledge and could only be accomplished to advantage at a certain period. The amount would go a long way towards clearing the river, and a large number of settlers would be benefitted. —The Chairman said he had already mentioned the matter to Mr Burd, District Roads Engineer, but had nothing definite about it. —Cr Williamson said the main thing was to press for the vote to be authorised, and he suggested that the Council should pass a resolution in that direction at once. —Cr Scholes proposed, and Cr Williamson seconded: That the Chairman interview the District Roads Engineer and ascertain if the amount has been authorised. If not, to write to the Acting-Minister for Public Works, per favour of Mr Greenslade, requesting the amount to be authorised in time for expenditure during the months of November and December. —Carried. DOG REGISTRAR. A report was received from the Council's Dog Registrar, with reference to the work accomplished to date. Mr Watts was also in attendance, and stated that owing to the lateness of the season, at which he started, it was impossible to get round every place in the district. He had registered nearly 400 dogs and expected to have between 500 and 600 before the end of the year. —It was suggested that the Registrar should make a regular round of the district and give notice to the settlers when he would be in the different localities with collars. It was also decided that legal proceedings should be taken against all those who neglected to register. OTOROHANGA STREETS. Cr Williamson submitted a proposal in connection with the forming of the Otorohanga main road from the Waipa traffic bridge to the Railway Station. The residents had already spent over £2O on forming the road, and had collected a further sum of £8 towards the work. The Council was requested to grant the _ £l2 necessary to complete the operations. It was pointed out that this road was, largely used by settlers right through to Te Rau-a-moa, and was one of the main County roads. Cr Ormsby seconded the motion, and it was agreed to make the grant conditionally on the residents subscribing the £B. THIRDS SCHEDULED. Cr Williamson applied to have the thirds accruing on sections on the Tapuae road, trQm the junction of the of the Hauturu-Gtorohanga road to section 1 arid "3, block 4, Orahiri, scheduled for expenditure. —Agreed that Cr Williamson be authorised to have the money spent. Cr Hoffman requested the thirds on section fronting the Hauturu road be scheduled for widening the road; the thirds onOamaru road to be scheduled for widening the road, taking off sharp points and clearing slips.—Agreed that the thirds on the Hauturu road be handed to the Roads Department for expenditure. Cr Scholes applied to have the thirds from Messrs Hambrook's, Bayley's, Scholes and Reynolds' sections scheduled for expenditure. —Agreed, and that Cr Schqles be authorised to have the necessary work carried out. The Clerk stated he had interviewed the Commissioner with regard to the thirds on the sale of freehold sections on Mangaorino road, and had been promised a reply to his application but so far had not received any. —The Clerk was instructed to write to the Commissioner requesting a reply. MAIROA LOAN. The Chairman the Mairoa people intended making a further application for the loan applied for last year. A reply was received from the Government in November last, stating that it was found impossible to provide for the loan on the Esti' mates last session. The Chairman wished to obtain the consent of the Council to the course suggested, and said they intended asking for the loan and subsidy to be granted in two instalments —£3500 the first year and the same amount the following year. Their idea was to secure a substantial amount and undertake the work on a comprehensive scale. If a large contract was let there would be an inducement for the contractor to instal a stone crusher and do the work thoroughly once apd for all. Some slight omissions in the way of advertising had been made with regard to the first application, and it was proposed to rectify these. —It was decided to support the application on the lines suggested. RE-ARRANGEMENT OF RIDINGS. Owing to the absence of the Councillors interested it was decided to defer consideration of the ridings. COUNTY COUNCILS' ASSOCIATION. It was resolved to endorse the Chairman's action in joining the County Councils' Association. . A flight of colds set out one day, Great ugly things, and flew away, Across the hills and o'er sea, Determined vengeful thus to be. But all at once these colds grew fewer, Vanished by Woods' Great Peppermint Cure; And so they died, all one by one, Their deadly work left all undone.