PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Te Aroha News, Volume I, Issue 53, 7 June 1884, Page 2

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

A. special meeting of the above boily was held at the Council Chambers, Cambridge, on Wednesday evening 2Hth ut. Present { — Crs. J. P Campbell (Chairman;, J. (J. Firth, W. T. Firth. VV. L. C. Williams, and Brunskill. The balance-sheet for the year, as published in the Waikato Times, was laid on the table and adopted on the ♦motion of the Chairman. Ordinary Meeting — The ordinary business of the month was then proceeded with, Trespass on the Tramway. — Tfr having been reported that children and others were in the habit of trespassing on the tramway during Working hours to the imminent danger of themselves and the inconvenience of the men. Mr Firth was deputed to make the best arrangements possible in the way of prohibiting the same. Vesting the I ram way in Council. — A. long communication was received from the Clerk of the Warden's office to the effect that the council would require to submit the scule of charges on the tramway to the W.irden for his approval, and also would haw. to take out a miner's riyht for the tramway before it could be legally vested in the council. Cr. l^irth was deputed lo make tue nouos&ary

arrangements in the matter on his nextvisit to the goldfield. Working expenses of the Tramway. — Cr. Firth, as chairman of the Tramway Committee, said the matter of keerinur down the working expenses had been receiving his earnest attention. It was of the greatest importanc that the expenses should he k*pt within the limits of the sum available from the revenue. He had taken a great deal of trouble to ensure this, and had been ably seconded in his efforts by the manager, Mr Adams. At the same time he had felt it necessary to point out to Mr Adams in a very forcibly manner the extraordinary dififculty which the council experienced in raising the funds to work the tramway. He had caused to be written to Mr Adams a letter from the secretary of the Tramway Committee, in which the manager was informed that the expenses of the tramway must be kept down to the least possible limit, and statiug the council had determined that whatever the tjiimway had cost would be charged on the mining companies using it ; and that if the council had to charge a higher rate for haulage, on account of the preseut high expenditure, the result would be that the field inevitably would be closed, as the companies conld not' afford to pay more than the present haulage rates. He had received a letter from the manager, explaining satisfactorily the reason, of the extra expense complained of during previous terms. As the water was likely to be plentiful for the next eight or nine months, he had every reason to believe that thpy would have a considerable surplus of £60 or £70 a month over the expense of working the tramway, which they would see was a considerable balance indeed. The following letter had been received from Mr Adams, which they would see was of a most satisfactory character :— " Office Piako County Tramway, Waiorongomai. To Secretary of the Tramway Committee. Dear Sir, — I herewith enclose return of quartz delivered at the batteiy for the week ending May 24th, 1884, making total return for the month as Under ;—; —

The cause of the up freights for the last week being so much higher than the previous ones is accounted for by the fact that during that week four large ropes and a wheel were sent up the line for the wire tramway, winch is being .constructed by the Eureka mine, the freight on which alone came to £6. In regard to the condition of the line I have not much to report upon this month. No damage of any consequence was caused by the late heavy rains, nor does te line require any expenditure for repairs just now. For six days during the month the hands have been taken off trucking, when no quartz has been immediately wanted at the battery, and eraployed in forming the extension of the lino fco connect with the Eureka hoppers. Tliis extension is so far completed now that the sleepers may be laid and the ballasting done at any time. Two days more with all hands should see it finished off, and as the Eureka Company are now ready to send down quartz to the battery, this will require to be done at once. As the requirements of the battery are likely to be much larger during the current month, I hope to see a considerable incivasu in the revenue for that period. — H. H. Adams, Tramway Manager." — Waikato Times.

>'o. of Keceipts Up Totals* Trucks at 4s 6d Freights* £s d Ist week 152 34 4 0 1 18 0 36 2 0 2ndwePk 162 36 9 0 1 15 0 88 4 0 3rd week 123 27 13 6 2 11 6 30 5 0 4th week 179 40 5 6 6 8 0 46 13 6 616 138 12 0 12 12 6 151 4 6 Amount of the pay-sheet enclosed for the month 140 2 4 Leaving balan in hand 11 2 2