WAITOMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 405, 18 October 1911, Page 5

WAITOMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The annual meeting of the above council was held in the County office. Te Kuiti, on Monday evening last. Present Crs Scholes (chairman), Hoffman, O'Dwyer, Smyths, Boddie, Were and Greys. The outward correspondence having been road the inward correspondence was received as follows: The district engineer New Zealand Railways wrote re a road reserve adjoining the northern boundary of section 2a and portion of section 1 Mock 10, Orahiri survey district, stating that, as the confirmation of the country at this place renders th-? construction of a road impossible and would like to know if then. 1 would he any objection to the land being taken bv the railway department. -On the motion of Crs Hoffman and O Pwvcr, it was resolved that the request, be not acceded to. Mr R. W. Holme?, engineer in chief, wired to the effect: that the question of the Ai'apae road metalling was now before Cabinet lor approval of the expenditure. The Under-Secretary for Public Works wired that the spccilications for metalling above road ha J been approved. '

Mr G. Bartley wrote making application to the council to apply to the Chief Surveyor for a Governor's warrant in favour of Mr Cheal to survey a road through native block,T o Kuiti 2b as it was his only means of access to a surveyed road. The writer agreed to indemnity the council against the cost of such survey, Application granted. Mr Matthew Kelly wrote re gates on road fronting his property, stating that there were four gates on Che. Hauturu road, and these caused considerable inconvenience and requesting that the council take the necessary steps to have the gates removed. ---Received. Messrs Booth, Macdonald and Co. wrote re road grader. —Received.

Payment of £2OO 10 per cent on Loan. The Superintendent; of the State Advances office wrote authorising the County Council to pay the sum of £2OO to the Borough Council, for completion of the work for which it was raised. An adjustment to bo made between the county and the borough under the provisions of the Municipal Corporations Act. The Under-Secretary, office of Minister of Internal Affairs, wrote re the agreement made between the Ohura and Waitomo County Councils for alteration of boundaies, and in reply stated that the matter would receive consideration.

The Receiver of Land Revenue wrote informing the council that "thirds" amounting to £l3O Kis 4d had been placed to the credit of the council.

The district engineer wrote asking for a statement showing the number of men employed in the expenditure of road grants. Messrs C. R. Felton and L. L. Parkes asked for a transfer of their holdings from the Ohura County to the Waitomo County.—'Resolved that this request be acceded to provided that the Ohura County Council consent to same.

The Under-Secretary wrote stating that he had received the council's intimation that they had let two contracts, from a total expenditure, of £s2ti(i 15s (3d for the Honikiwi loan, and in reply stated that the request for issue of authority would receive consideration.

The secretary of the Kio Kio branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union wrote as fullows:---"I am directed to ask you if there is no way of removing the inconvenience to which settlers of this district are subjected by the action of the Railway Department in insisting on closing the station gates. The, main road at present being through the station yard the shutting and opening of the gates is considered an unnecessary proceeding especially so when the state ot the railway fences is taken into consideration. — Received.

Mr B. Buddon wrote rometa.lling the Hauturu - Otorohanga and adjoining roads. —Received.

Proposed by Cra Gregg and Hoffman that tenders be ca led for teams to work the grader throughout the coming season. Carried. A petition was received from a number of Waiteti settlers regarding their road. They set out that the road had been cut up by reason of the bringing in of the water supply to the borough. -Cr Boddie stated that it was not within the function of the borough to spend money in the county's territory without thei 1 leave. He, however, thought that if forma! application was made to the borough that they would make good the repairs. —Cr O'Dwyer moved and Cr Hoffman seconded that the borough council be respectfully asked to have ..11 repairs done on the Waiteti road or that portion of it damaged by the traffic of the said borough.

Proposed by Crs Gregg and Hoffman that the engineer arrange with Mr 11. Rothery to metal the Harturu-Otoro-hanga road from the commencement of his contract to the Whakariwaka bridge with rubble at 2s tiu per yard extra. Carried. Accounts amounting to .£72? 1 ."s lOd were passed for payment. Engineer's Report. I have let. a contract for forming sixteen chains of the Maire road eight feet wide, and clearing the remainder so as to give Mr Barrett sledge access to his section. and the work is now in hand. To enable Major Lusk to get on to his section with a waggon from tinend of the present formation on the Waipapa rnad it will be necessary to construct about twenty chains o! road, and I estimate the cost of forming a road nine feet in the solid at .£75. The road will be on a steep sideing with a little rock in places. The road reserve adjoining section 1 block 15, Orahiri survey district, which the Railway Department wrote about will, in my opinion, never be required for a road. The configuration cf the country renders the construction of a road impracticable for anything but stock. Section 0, block

15, Orahiri survey district, has not access by a sub-divisional road, but a.- access at To Kunii slat ion. The contractors havr :n:;ds> another start with the r.:o i•)] 11 non Pukearuhe road, sm! if lb'- w1 ijt'r keeps lini-;

should finish hetoie Gar is Unas. A start has ben mane <m contract No. 2'.'. The contractor has. opened out a pit, and, will start mocalling as seen as the road is sufficient I v dry. The contractor tor No. 2S is not yet on the ground, but. is expected to arrive next woo!;. I bavo also let; a contract for forming 1 |! chains at tile end of the present formal ion on the Waitomo road to al'o'v a seitier to carl timber on to bis section. Tin- contracts for widening portions oi (ho 11 ant urn, Hautuni - Otorohaiiua and Tawarau roads should ail be finished ihis week. A start was to have been made with Ihe rraoer last, week, but, was prevented by the baft weather. A man has beet) employe;! on the OtorohangaHnncatiki ami Otorohanga - Pirongia roads raking up the metal and hacking it up win re. necessary, also filling in ruts on the Kio Kio road.

\N APPRECIATION

On Monday evening the last meeting of the present Waitomo County Council took place. Cr Boddie moved that it be plac d on record the high appreciation in which the chairman (Mr Scholes), was held, also the high estimation in which the clerk and engineer wen.' held. In speaking to the motion Cr Boddie paid a tribute to the chairman for the excellent manner in which he had conducted all business. Councillors -all know that anything that was left to the chairman was properly carried out. The motion was seconded by Cr O'Dwyer. who endorsed the statements'of Cr lioddie. The chairman was one of those men who encouraged harmony and was also considerate, kind ami generous. The tribute was. carried by acclamation. After the meeting of the council, at the request of the chairman ami councillors,' the council and their guests sat down to supper. Mr A. Scholes occupied the chair, and a most enjoy able evening was spent. Justice having been done to the ;:ood things provided, a toast lis! was -one through. The toast of "The Kins.;" having been duly honoured, other toast s were proceeded with as iollows: •••• " Hie Borough Council.'' ''lite Matt. "Legal ."olvisers to the Council.' "The Ladies." ami "The Press.."