WAITOMO COUNTY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 356, 29 April 1911, Page 5

WAITOMO COUNTY.

The usual monthly meeting of toe Waitomo County Council was held last night at the County chambers. Present, Or A. Scholes (chairman), and Crs Boddie, Were, Gregg, Johns- ' ton, Holt man, O'Dwyer, and Smythe. SPECIAL MEETING. 1 Otorohanga-Pirongia Loan, £750. | A special order authorising this loan '■ j was duly confirmed, on the motion of ■ j Crs Gregg and Hoffman. ; ORDINARY MEETING. ■ The Late Clerk. —A motion moved i by Crs O'Dwyer and Smythe: That this Council place on record its appreciation of the services of the late clerk, and deeply regret his death. Also that a letter of sympathy be forwarded to his relatives, was unanimously adopted, the members all standing. Crs O'Dwyer and Smythe voiced the sentiments of the members of the Council in the loss they had sustained by the death of Mr Shaw. Ring-barking Willows in Streams. —The Chairman said the Council had authorised him to pay the amount. but the amount had not yet been received. Hangatiki to Waitomo Caves. — The Director of the Tourist Department wrote that Mr C. J. Kirk had brought under notice the condition of j this road, which had been brought ] under the notice of the Minister in I charge, who wished to inform the j County Council that the question of | granting assistance towards putting j the road in order had been referred to ; the Minister for Public Works, who j advised that a .£1 for £1 vote was on j the estimates on account of £4.000, ' which had been offered to the. Council : towards effecting necessary repairs. | Such being the case, the Department j was not prepared to take action, and \ urged that something be done by the ! County to keep the road open during the winter months. —Cr Johnston said j there were only three or four Euro- ; pean settlers on the Hangatiki road, j and those were the only properties they [ could rate at present. The road would be ; quite impassible if not repaired. The \ people on the Caves road had gone in for a loan of £2OOO, but it was very '■■ ' much in the distance.- —The Chairman I said there was only one remedy the i Hangatiki road wanted metalling.— Received. i It was decided to ascertain the j amount of "thirds" available on the J Hangatiki road, and to expend them ! if any money was available. Otorohanga Township Roads.--Mr i John Ormsby wrote drawing attention j

to the bad condition of Maniapoto and Te Kanawa to Maio steels, which were really arterial roads, and should be county roarig, A sum of £6O expended on fixing up bad places would be sufficient. —Cr Gregg said if the work was in their jurisdiction they ought to do it. —The Chairman said he had told Mr Orrnsby he did not think the Council would object if legally entitled to do the work. One particular hole was a bad one.-—Cr Hoffman said they had been collecting rates there, and wouM be for some time. There was no likelihood of Otorohanga being a working body for three to four months. If the Council had any money in hand it ought to spend it. The road to the creamery should have been done long ago. Ic was a dis-grace.-—Cr Boddie said the Town Board had been brought under the Town Boards Act in 1908, and had not become operative. He was sure the County had no jurisdiction. If it could be shown they were entitled to anything under an adjustment let the matter be adjusted at once.—The Chairman said they had only collected about 5s in Otorohanga.—lt was moved by Cr Boddie, that the matter be left in the hands of the Chairman, the Councillor for the riding and solicitor to ascertain the legal position.—Carried. Alteration of County Boundary.— Messrs A. R. Keighley, R. P. Coburn, R. H. Gardiner, A. J. Keighley, C. Bisman, J. P. Kenny, N. McKenzie, W. H. Keighley, H. T. McFadgen, C. F. Hearn, D. Finnagan, K. A. Johansen, and Jas. McGrath petitioned for an alteration of the county boundaries between Ohura and Waitomo Counties, so as to include their sections in Waitomo County. — Mr L. L. Parkes wrote in similar terms. —The Clerk to Ohura County wrote that his Council approves of the secession of sections 2, 19, 20, 21, Block I, Aria S.D., sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, S, Block V, Aria 5.D.., and sections 1, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, Block VI, Aria S.D. -Cr Smy the said anyone who knew the configuration of the country could see that the district ought to be in this county. It would also help in the raising of loans, and the metalling of roads. The boundary at present was very unsatisfactory, and there should be no difficulty in this county accepting thern. Crs Boddie and Smythe moved that the action of the Chairman in writing respecting the inclusion of the district be approved. —The Chairman said it was the Ohura County Council's duty to make the application, not Waitomo. The districts were in their county. —Crs Boddie and Johnston moved that the matter be left in the hands of the Chairman, Clerk and Engineer to get the plan and take the necessary steps to have the sections transferred to Waitomo County.—-Carried. Drain Work. —Mr W. Davidson, of Otorohanga, wrote asking whether anything was to be done to the creek near his place.—The matter was left in the hands of the Engineer to deal with.

Road Work.—Mr E. V. Collins, of Otorohanga, also wrote asking whether any road work was to be done.-*-Received. Waitewhena Road.—Mr T. S. Hukman drew attention to the condition of this road, suggesting that the Waitomo County should obtain a portion of the grant from the Ohura County for expenditure on the road as nothing had been done.—deceived. Oamaru Road. —Mr C. Redwood wrote respecting the condition of this road. —Received.

Paemako Road.—Mr R. Livingston wrote re the way in which the worl wag being done on this road, trustim to see deeper water-tabie3 and mor< culverts in the future. —Received. Paraheke Read. —Mr W. H. Keigh Isy wrote re "thirds," which h would like expending on this roaci : when taken over by the Waitorm ■ Count;.".- -Received. Financial Report.—The Count; . Clerk, Mr P. Mora, presented a finan cia! report, which showed a credi , balance at the bank of £3ll 8s c Jd cash in hand £251 7s sd. Account: presented for payment at the meeting amounted to approximately £6OO i £750 had been claimed from ths Roads Department. Outstanding rates |at March 31st for 3910-11 were £1 IS" 18s Id; for 1909-10 £l9O 10s tid 190S 9 £9S 19s lid—a total of £l47^ 12s 6d. £2OO had been collected since. Caves Road. —The Assistant Undersecretary Public Works Department wrote with reference to the subsidy voted for this road. The Minister was unable to give an absolute guarantee that the money would be revoted, but the Council's application would have his favourable consideration. The amount was £250 (£ for i £ on £22so).—Received. ! Taking Land for Road. —The Public ! Works Department wrote enclosing a I copy of the proclamation taking land for a road, and closing a road through Block XVI, Kawhia South S.D., Waitomo County.—-Received. Application for Payments for Work Done out of Grants. —The Resident Roads Engineer at New Plymouth advised that these matters were under the charge of the assistant engineer at Te Kuiti.—Received. Otorohanga-Pirongia Road Grants. —The District Engineer wrote that proposals for widening about 55.60 chains of road, estimated to cost £22 10s, had ben approved. He was un able to approve the proposals for the expenditure of £1350 for further metalling work and returned the plans and specifications. Received. Subsidies on Appropriations for Roads.—The Minister for Public Works wrote Mr Jennings, who forwarded the letter to the Chairman, that the Council, in making arrangements for raising a loan from which to provide the subsidies for these votes, had given an earnest of its intention to proceed with the work, and the re-providing of these votes on next year's estimates would receive favourable consideration. In the case where only £250 on account of £4OOO was voted, it was because it was not anticipated that a greater amount than that would come to charge during

their financial year.—deceived. Appointment of County Clerk. —Mr jP. Mora was appointed County Clerk, ■ Treasurer, and Returning Officer at a ! salary of £2OO a year. i Aria Special Rating Area. —Messrs !R. Kidd and others wrote re the I above, and asking to know whether their objections were to be heard I before a magistrate. A further ietter I from the same writer expressed surprise that the loan had been carried, and that objections would be heard ;by a magistrate.—A further letter j said the Clerk's explanation was very | satisfactory as far as it went, and jdiscussed in detail the procedure J again.-—Received. j District Health Officer. —It was J decided to subsidise the District i Health Officer to the extent of £5. | Arapae Road. —Cr Boddie said a i few pounds was wanted for the re- | moval of slips before the winter ! came on. A resolution to cover the ; necessary work was carried. | Mangaotaki - Pio Pio Road. —Crs ! O'Dwyer and Were moved that seeing I the Council had authorised the expendii ture of £4O on this road, and as it I was in a very bad state, it was ad- | visable to have it expended at once. — j Carried.