WAITOMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 449, 20 March 1912, Page 5

WAITOMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

A meeting of the above Council was held in the County office on Monday evening. There were present —Crs Scholes (chairman), Johnston, Gregg, Were, Smyth, O'Dwyer, Hoffman and Berry. CORRESPONDENCE. A letter was received from tha Assistant-Under-Secretary re expenditure on Hauturu road, stating that nothing further available for authorisation on this road. From same, with reference to Waipa river bridge, stating that the Minister had stated that as the vote was provided by Parliament as a £ for £ subsidy, he regretted that no alteration could be made therein. The Minister further stated that when the money was voted he understood the local body intended to raise a loan for quota of the cost of the work. — The chairman stated that when in Wellington he had interviewed the Minister with regard to this matter, the Minister stating that next year a straight-out grant of £3500 would ap pear on the Estimates for this bridge, in place of £1 for £1 subsidy. From Minister Public Works, re widening of Arapae road, suggesting that should more money be required for this road to complete work it could be voted on next year's Estimates, though the Minister stated he was not in a position to give any assurance as to what Parliament would provide in next year's Estimates. The Minister saw no reason why the Council should not accept tender received. On the motion of Crs Were and Johnston, it was resolved that Mr T. Smith's tender of £855 for widening the Arapae road be accepted, half to be paid from loan money and half from subsidy. From Chief Surveyor, Department of Lands, re road through Kinohaku East, No. 2, section 24c, stating that it was not in the province of the department to provide roads or to incur any liability in provinding roads to the lessees of Maori land, the matter being one which the lessees themselves should take action, either through the County Council or otherwise. Letter from Department of Lands. —ln reply to letter re thirds, stating that: "When any land in raspect whereof any thirds are payable is acquired in freehold, then the whole amount of the aliquot parts of the rents or payments which would become payable in respect of the said land had it not been purchased shall be paid by the Receiver of Land Revenue." This means that in all such cases the local body receives the full amount of fitfeen years' thirds on i the land whether it remains under j Crown lease or is converted into free- j hold. j

The clerk notified the Council that he had asked for further information on the above matter. On the motion of Crs Berry and Hoffamn it was resolved that the sum of £l5O be forwarded to the Waikato Hospital Board, being part of the County levy. It was resolved that the Council subscribe to the County and Municipal Journal of New Zealand. A letter was received from the secretary of the Farmers' Union, Otorohanga branch, re bad state of Poison's Hill.—The clerk was instructed to reply that on account of the river being so high the work had been delayed and would be gone uii with when possible. Mr E. C. Murphy asked that the grant for the Waiwhakaata road into sections Ifi and 14, block 10, Pirongia survey district, be expended. —It was resolved that a reply be sent stating that this work was in the hands of the Public Works Department. Mr Roland Kidd, Aria, wrote re drains on Potaka road. —Received. Tt was resolvpd that as the stone crusher and plant ordered by the Council from Messrs Anderson and Co., to be delivered within a fortnight from date of order, had not yet come to hand, that the Council withdraw the order.

From State Advances Board,acknowledging letter from County Council and stating that the board resolved that loan of £2OOO for HangatikciRuakura Caves road and £IOOO for Caves road be provisionally approved provided the County undertakes to reduce amount of £10,500 originally allocated to the Arapae road by £SOOO. The State Advances Department notified the Council that the debenture for £IOOO, Honikiwi loan was to hand and payment was being proceeded with. From L. Lyod, re access to section at Mangaroa.Ohura.—Cr Smyth stated that the section in question was in the Aria Riding and was an Education reserve. —Resolved that clerk reply saying that at present there was no money available. The chairman presented a report of what he and Cr Johnston had done when in Wellington in connection with County matters. Proposed by Crs Berry and Were, that a hearty vote of thanks be accorded to Crs Scholes and Johnston for their services while in Wellington.— Carried. Resolved that an adjustment bs made with the Ohura County with regard to thirds. The clerk was instructed to have a legal document drawn up securing the Council in the Mangaorino loan arrangements. An increase of £SO per annum was granted to the clerk, and £25 per annum to the assistant clerk. It was resolved that the engineer be paid a salary instead of commissions as heretofore. Accounts amounting to £2046 5s Were passed for payment. Engineer's Report. Since last meeting uf the Council, ' contracts have been let for metalling two miles of the Arapae road, carting metal on Te Kuiti-Te Kumi road, also for quarrying and spaliing 3884 cubic yards of metal at the Council's quarry at Te Kumi, and for widening and formation on the Maire, Tapuae, Puketarata and Tumutumu roads. Tenders closed on Saturday for metal-

ling a further portion of the Te KuitiMokau road and for formation on the same road. Plans and specifications havu been prepared for widening a portion of the Waihohonu road and for a bridge across the Kihikihi stream on the Arapae road. I have graded the access road to the cemetery, but have been unable to get the work done. The timber for the culvert at Te Kumi and the bridge on the Otorohanga-Pirongia road has arrived, and the work will be put in hand at once. The contracts for metalling on the Tapuae and Oamaru toads have been completed. Owing to the continuous ws weather very little progress hae been made with any of the metalling contracts, but all the other contracts have been progressing fairly well. The contractor for carting metal on the Te ICuiti-Mokau road has arrived and will start metalling at the ten-miles to-morrow. The grader has been working on this road and did excellent work, but during the bad weather cut up very badly. The site for the crushing machinery at the Te Kumi quarry has been excavated and the plant will be taken down to-morrow. The tram rails and timber for the hopper are on the ground and I hope to be able to start crushing about the end of the week. —W. H. Adams, County Engineer.