WAITOMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 361, 17 May 1911, Page 5

WAITOMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

| MONTHLY MEETING. | The usual monthly meeting of ! Waitomo County Cviiineil was held on I Monday night at the Council Chnm- | bcrs. ' Present: Cr A. Chairj man), and Crs Were. Gve?g, Joan- ; stcn, Hoii'man, O'Dwyer and -Smyth. Accident Insurance. —The Clerk to Raglan County wrote that his Council had discussed this question., and come to the conclusion that with a combination of local bodies a much cheaper method could he instituted. Ho asked what amount the Council had paid in accident premiums during the past five years, and whether they would be willing to join such a scheme. —The Clerk (Waitomo) said the Council had paid £2O odd last year. Rangitoto-Tuhua Block. —Mr H. M. McAdam applied asking the County to apply to the Chief Surveyor for a Governor's warrant authorising Mr R. C. Jordan to survey a road giving access through Kinohaka East. —The Chairman said that before discussing this matter, he thought a resolution should be passed requiring the estimated amount to be deposited with the County before they proceeded with the work. —It was moved by Crs Scholes and Were that in future where any persons interested applied to the Council to get a Governor's warrant for the survey of any road and guarantee the cost of such survey, the Council insist upon the approximate cost of survey being paid in advance. —Carried.—Crs Johnston and Were moved that Mr McAdam's request be | acceded to on the necessary guarantee being deposited.- —Carried. —Mr R. C. Jordan waited on the Council with > reference to • Rangitoto-Tuhau Block. ; He stated he had not exceeded his j instructions one iota, and would go j into the matter with any of them if j desired. | Arapae Road.—The Public Works j Department wired that the plans for j this road had been approved and re- j turned to the District Engineer. j Otorohanga Township.—Mr John j Ormsby wrote asking how much had been collected in rates, how much was ; owing up to March 31st, and how ! much had been expended by the Council. —The Clark said Mr Ormsby had attended and got the necessary information.

Financial Statement. —Credit balance, Bank of New Zealand, April 2Sth, £314 8s 9d; receipts to date, £307 Is 3d; accounts passed last meeting, £737 14s Bd. Engineer's Report.—The County Engineer reported that the contracts for the expenditure of grants, on the Owaikura, Kumara, OtorohangaPirongia, and Ngapaenga roads had been completed, and several others were near completion. The metalling contract on the Otorohanga-Hangatiki road was almost complete. The contractor for metalling the OtorohangaPirongia road had only finished about three chains and the time allowed would expire on the 20th inst. The contractor for metalling Poulsen's Hill had finished twelve chain 3, and would complete the contract in about a fortnight. Specicfiations and plans had been returned with approval for widening and formation on theArapae and Otorohanga-Pirongia roads, and tenders were* being called for both works. Plans and specifications were forwarded to the Public Works Department for approval on April 4th and 12th, but had not yet been approved, although one lot which was sent on April 12th had been approved. Plans and specifications for the expenditure of the balance of the grant for the Arapae road had been forwarded to the Public Works Department for approval. The contractor for metalling the Pukearuhe road had erected his plant and quarried a considerable amount of stone, and would start metalling the road that week. The new culvert near the creamery at Kio Kio was completed. Engine on Road. —Crs Were and Gregg moved that the owner of an engine on the Pungarehu road be requested to remove the engine, failing which the Engineer have it removed at tho owner's expense.—Cr Were said the engine had been lying there since Easter, being in a very awkward place about 4J mile from Mairoa.The motion was carried. County Maps. —Cra Hoffman and O'Dwyer moved that the Clerk obtain maps of the County and forward them to each Councillor. Quarry Reserve —Cra Hodman and O'Dwyer moved that the Council take one acre of section !! block 10, Orahiri Survey District, for a quarry reserve under the Public Works Act. — Carried. Scenic Reserve. Mr J. J. Thomson, of Oparure, produced a letter from the Department of Lands stating that section 12 block XI, Otanake Survey District, set aside as a scenic reserve, had been made a gravel reserve and stock reserve. He asked the Council to fell the bush at the back of the reserve- -The Chairman said it would be necessary to fence it all round ii they used it as a stock reserve. —Cr Were said the Land Board were giving the whole of the reserve and two a ere 3 would be for a quarry reserve and the rest for a stock reserve. He had recommended the Land Board to leave the stock reserve in the hands of the County Council.- Cr O'Dwyer said he thought it only right they should fell the bush. —The Chairman promised the Council would keep applicant's suggestion in mind, and discuss it when they had a proper title. Riding Rolls.- —Crs O'Dwyer and Smyth moved that, if necessary, the Clerk proceed to Auckland, to the Valuation Department, for the purpose of adjusting the riding rolls of the County, and adding all occupied Native lands.—Carried. Destruction of Willows in Streams. -—The Treasury remitted £IOO, being a contribution by the Railway Department towards the cost of the destruction of willows in streams between Otorohanga and Hangatiki. Rating Native Lands.--Some discussion arose on the general question of : . recovery of rajes from Natives , owning and occupying lands, and

[several instances were quoted of i Natives who had never paid rates, j The general feeling was that Euro- ! pc-an occupiers should first be put on the j roll and proceeded against if they failed ; to pay rates. Irish Envoys.—Crs. O'Dwyer and Hoffman moved that the Council assist | bis Worship the Mayor and citizens jof Ta Kuiti in arranging for a nieot- : ing for the Irish Envoys, when visiting Te Kuiti on June loth. —Cr | O'Dvvycr said as an Irishman and a i "Home Ruler" he appealed to them. I He understood the Mayor had called a I meeting and Mr Dines had written Ito the Secretary about the visit of I the Irish Envoys. He wanted noj thing for Ireland thsy had not got !in New Zealand. They did not want ] separation from the Empire. He I believed it would be a cruel blow if they were separated. They had no quarrel with the Crown. They asked to be allowed to manage their own affairs. From his twenty-three years' experience of New Zealand, he knew that the people were liberty-loving. It would be a great treat to hear the Envoys. He asked the Council to lend their aid and pass the resolution. —The motion was carried unanimously. Rate Defaulters. —Crs O'Dwyer and Hoffman moved that the Clerk write to all defaulters ra rates, informing them that if their rates were net paid by June 10th next, proceedings will be taken to recover the said rates, and that the Clerk have power too collect all rates without referring to the Council. —Carried. General Rate. —Cr Were gave notice of motion that he would move a resolution at the next meeting of t he Council, to be held on Monday, June 19th, 1911, to strike a general rate of Id in the £ on the rateable j value of ail properties within the Te Kuiti, Waitomo, Otorohanga and Te Rau-a-moa Ridings, and a general rate of jd in the £on the rateable value of all properties within the Mairoa, Hangatiki, Aria and Paemako Ridings, as provided in section 117 of the Counties Act, 1908, and the Rating Act, 1908, such rate to become due and payable in one sum on 31st July, 1911. Accounts. —A large number ox accounts were passed for payment.