WAITOMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume II, Issue 87, 19 June 1908, Page 5

WAITOMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

A meeting of the Waitomo County Council was held at Te Kuiti, on Tuesdav last. There were present — Crs. Lusk (Chairman), N. I. Hunt, Ormsby, Hoffman, Johnston, Scholes and Gregg".

A NEW COUNCILLOR. Cr. Gregg, the newly-elected representative for Otorohanga riding, was welcomed to the Council by the Chairman. premier's visit. Mr Hine, Secretary of the Te Kuiti Reception Committee, waited upon the Council with a view to arranging suitably the order of deputations to interview the Premier. It was decided that the Council should deal with the following subjects :—Roads (generally) ; roads through Native lands ; the willow question ; thirds ; and the site for a Council office. Mr A. C. McCardle waited on the Council, and requested that the formation of the Te Kuiti-Waitomo road via Oparure should be urged upon the Premier. Mr McCardle also drew attention to the action of the Railway Department in stopping the traffic through the station yard at Te Kuiti between Rora and Carroll Streets. .

CORRESPONDENCE. Letters were received from the Hon. Dr. Findlay and the Minister for Lands with regard to the Council's application for an office site on the Government property at Te Kuiti. The Minister for Lands stated that as the property had been purchased by the Public Works Department it would be necessary to apply to the Minister in charge of that Department for the site. —Received. Mr C, W. Hursthouse wrote forwarding a form to be filled up in connection with the future management and expenditure of Government money. —Received.

A letter was received from the Chief Engineer of Roads stating that the application for a £ for £ subsidy for the Mairoa loan would be considered in framing the current year's estimates.

B. Budden wrote requesting permission to erect a fence encroaching in places on the Onga Onga road line. —Resolved to reply to the effect that the Council offered no objection, but that it be understood Mr Budden fence at his own risk. Mr*R. Were wrote drawing attention 1:0 the fact that nine or ten months ago he applied to have accrued thirds on the Tawarau road expended in replacing rotten bridges. The Council had then decided to have the work done, but, so far, no action

had been taken. The writer also stated that Mr Burd informed him that any thirds placed in his hands for expenditure would be expended under the direction of Mr Williamson in a proper manner. —The Clerk was instructed to reply staling the County Engineer reported that it was difficult to obtain the necessary labour.—-The matter was now in the Engineer's hands. Mr Shakespeare wrote drawing attention to the state of the OtorohangaPirongia road. The writer had also written to the Government Roads Engineer, who stated that nothing could be clone until the next appropriations were passed. Mr Burd suggested that as the County Council had charge of the expenditure of thirds and .rates something might be ddne by the Council.

Messrs Ranby and Carlyle also forwarded letters on the same subject. The Receiver of Land Revenues notified the Council that the sum of £912 15s lOd, representing scheduled thirds and fourths, had been placed to the Council's account. A letter was received from Mr Crean, of Otorohanga, complaining of the esplanade fence, the same being an obstruction to the public road. — On the motion of Cr. Hunt, seconded by the Chairman, it was resolved that the Ct. for the Riding, and the County Clerk, interview the parties concerned, and that Mr Quinn be notified that the fence must be moved to the satisfaction of the complainant.

A letter was received from the secretary of the Mangaroa Domain Board, asking for a grant of £lO to go towards the fencing of same. —Proposed by Cr. Hunt, seconded by Cr. Johnstone, that the letter be received. —Carried. A letter was received from the Inspector of Noxious W r eeds requesting that the noxious weeds on the. road between the Mangaokahu stream, and the main road to Waititi, be cleared.—On the motion of Cr. Hunt, it was decided to leave the matter in the hands of the Chairman and Cr. Ormsby to deal with.

FORFEITED CONTRACT. Mr. P. A. Larritt applied for the return of his deposit of £5 in connection with the contract for sanitary pans for Te Kuiti. Cr. Ormsby explaied that owing to a mistake in a quotation received by Mr. Larritt from an Auckland firm the tender of Mr. Larritt was considerably lower than the work could be done for. As Mr. Larritt had been misled in the matter, and the Council had suffered no loss, he moved that the deposit be returned. Seconded by Cr. Johnston and carried.

A HEAVY RATE CLAIM. Mr. H. Valder, of Messrs. Ellis & Burnand, waited on the Council with reference to aclaim for £157 for rates. Mr. Valder explained that his firm had no knowledge that they were on the roll, and had not the opportunity of objecting. Portion of the claim was an old one from the Clifton County before portion of that county had been taken over by the Waitomo Council. The Land Tax Department had made a claim on the firm, but, upon perusual of the deeds affecting the area, had concluded the firm was exempt. This had been communicated to the Clifton County, and nothing further had been heard of the matter until the present claim was made. The Chairman stated he was sure the Council had no desire to take advantage of a technicality in advancing the claim. They had obtained two legal opinions on the matter and both agreed that a definate conclusion was impossible without perusing the deeds. He suggested that the deeds be forwarded to Mr. Martin, solicitor to the County Councils' Association, and the Council would be guided by the opinion thus obtained. Mr. Valder stated that the deeds were now in the hands of the Native Department, but he would give authority for Mr. Martin to peruse them. RESOLUTIONS. The Chairman proposed, and Cr. Gregg seconded, that a sum not to exceed £7 be granted, to be spent on the Mairoa Cemetery Reserve. —Carried.

Proposed by Cr. Hunt seconded by Cr. Johnston that the Chairman and Cr. Ormsby be deputed to place the matters arranged by the Council before the Premier.—Carried.

Proposed by Cr. lohnston, seconded by Cr. Hoffman, that 'Mr. John Ormsby's application for a slaughtering license at Otorohanga be granted. —Carried.

Proposed by Cr. Hoffman, seconded by Cr. Gregg, that a sum not to exceed £3O be spent on the OtorohangaPirongia road, under the supervision of the Engineer. —Carried. Proposed bv Cr. Ormsby, seconded by Cr. Hoffman, that the Whitefield patent sealed pan be the authorised pattern for Te Kuiti. Resolved that the Chairman and Cr. Ormsby be authorised to draw up by-laws dealing with the regulation of traffic in Te Kuiti, the same to be submitted to the Council at the next meeting.

Proposed by Cr. Gregg, seconded by Cr. Hoffman, that a sum not exceeding £2O be expended to open up the drain near Mr Johnstone's property on the Te Kuiti-Otorohanga road, the grant to he expended under the supervision of the Engineer. — Carried. SPECIAL MEETING. On the motion of Cr. Ormsby, seconded by Cr. Hoffman, the special order making the special rate for the Te Kuiti Special Rating District was authorised.