PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 66, 6 September 1884, Page 2

PIAKO COUNTY COUN CIL.

,Thk- usual monthly meeting of the Pinko County, Council was held at the Council Cbaihbers, Cambridge, on Wednesday evening, August 27th. Present : Crs W L. C. Williams (chairman), Ciiepinell, Gould, J. C. Firth, W. T. Firth, Brunskill, E. K. Cooper, and Maclean. New Memker.-yMr E. K. Cooper, the newly elected councillor for the Aroha Riding, took his seat for the first time. Miscellaneous Correspondence. — A letter was read from Mr J. B VVhyte at Wellington respecting certain mattes referred to him by the council He stated that these would have his best attention as soon as the Government of the country was once more in working order. The clerk had written to the Warden at Te Aioha asking him for the monthly returns of the gold field. A r (> ply was read to the effect tnat the required information would be scut as soon us pov si'llej Lower Road, Waiorongom li. — A letter was read from Mr P. Ferguson, Wiu'orongomui, informing the council that at a hearing of an application m.i lo by him for permission to form a ro id -it \V«uorou.{om<ii, -md widen applie ition had been objected to by the Piako County Council, the road being alivady parti \ formed by them, the Warden had expressed a desire to further in every way the formation of goldhVld roads, but in this case would hold over his decision until the Piako County Council had neen eommunic.Ued with by him, askjny them if they intended abandoning the Lower Road, ns trie road apj>Hed for was evidently a conn ry and therefore apublic road. The writer continued: "Tli? Warden at the same time suggested that 1 should write to your Council requesting them to make an application for a subsidy from grants to goldfield, and as soon as he was informed by you that such application had been made he would write to the Government strongly supporting such application. If a sufficient sum, say £400, svas acquired, I should state I was prepared at once to undertake the work of widening the road to eight feet, and thus render it fit for traffic if the County would pay over the subsidy to me and guarantee the balance required from gold field's revenue derived from claims and persons benefited by the work. If the council would apply for this subsidy at once there woul I be a great probability of some grant being made for the purpose of widening the road, and as- 1 am now engaged in tie work, and hare incu-red a large liability for the necessary expenditure, J certainly have a right to expect that every assistance will be given to recoup my in a substantial manner. I hive no desire to 'acquire sole right to the road, but would certainly expect to have the cost of improving t.ie road refunded to me, an 1 tuink with the Warden that an application for a'suhsi ly in the. way mentioue. I, and awarding my a portion 1 of revenue,

s the easiest, vrnyy' rha'tf the Omint^^! Council at. present JrflvV'in s I heir "potyekfl W Hr-r/'ei-iiu Uio intV^te i of jfchi* 'lseld';/Jj> ft. is, h-irdly weccMft.iry foivuip,,to point |i ut thit «ny -ip* lit'jition fo^jigranf must, ;^ '<' made wit' onf ile'siy, and 'tfiatr'if the ■ ;• natter re«ts until next meeting 'of the > Council it may be too late. T^iyWjir'en suggested that I shouM n i q(ios't^,«'»u •to call ;i meeting of the council, r; or fciifit you should authorise t-he Seen?- ' f'lr.v oF your Council to wrif* to Wel-'/j lingso 1 making application for n grant >f nionpy for the purpose of* imjVr6vtTi# •ho mail, and if. woul I receive the recommendation of thp Warden, stud probivbly hp available in a short timo." ~" ' The Engineer reported on the subject •is follow* : " I have the hononr to state t.'iat I have in^peete I the Lower Roa I with a view to a^certaiirnvr (he pro'»aliility or otherwise of the Connf.y tra nwiiy being injured through slip^, &'•.. !>y clearing and widening the Lower Road, and I am of opinion that the only portion of the tramway w iich is= likely to be affected hy the above work is t/'e northern entrance to thp tunnel, whicii is built np on made ground. By cutting the road throng!) below that place, and so taking away the supports, the male •rround would be apt to -dip. The ereclion of a small hri li>e there woul 1 avoid t.ie risk to the tramway, and would improve the road, as it woul 1 cut oil an awkward bend." On the motion of O J. C. Firth, "eeond^d by Or Cooper, it was resolve 1 to apply fur a sum of £1000 tuuaris improving roads and tracks on the goldUel.l. The Council approved of the suggestion of the Engineer to erect a small bridge at the nortiiern entrance to the funnel, instead of making the cutting originally suggested. Cr CJooper approve! of the idea of a bridge in preference to a cutting, and thought £2o would be sufficient. Repairing Footpath, &c — The Engineer report 'ii : " With lelerence to the loot i ath from tne Post-office to Whitaker street, Te Aroha, I would suggest that itbe gravelled and the drain infiontofthe Post-office be supplied with pipes and tilled in almost to the surface, just leaving a sufficient water-table for the surface drainage of the road. It would also be necessary to open a drain on"' the eastern side of the road, and connect it with the present drain in Boundary street. This would catch the water coming through from Whitaker street. Cost as under : Making drain, Bc..ains, at Bs, £3 4s ; drain pipes, 66rt at Is, £3 6s ; gravel, 20yds at 2s Gd, £2 10-; spreading gravel, preparing bottom of . I rain for pipes, laving pipes, and filling in drain and ivmoving plant crossing, £2. Total £11./ On the motion of Cr J. C. Firth, secon led by Cr Cooper, the E lgine r was authorised to qi j t the work dtrne providing the cost does not exceed £11. Hewi Street Drain. — The Engineer •suggested the advisability of having t..e remainder of the prescu: lr. in in Reui street filled in as soon as fun is peimitted. Bridge at Racecourse. — T.ie Engineer reported : With referaivc to the biili^ near the racecouise, ho :vd male oidy teinporory repairs to ktvp the road open lor triffic and protect t.ie bri Ige for t time beinir. Unless something permanent wa.» clone, however, before t.se ue>t flood, he was afraid both Ihe i>ri ! ge and part of the road would be was he i awa-. . He would suggest constructing a breakwater witu boulders at the spot, so as to withstand the wash of the current. Estimated cost. £20. It was agreed, on the motion oF Cr .1. C. Firtt, seconded by Cr G-uild, to authorise the engineer to get the hridge repaired at a cost not exceeding £20. Te Aroiia-S'iaFtesbnrv Ro.j.— A letter was read From .Mr P. T. J.msen, of Waiorongoinci. drawing attention lo the state of the road, \v hich at one part was almost impassable, heini>' floo \t\ . Cue culvert on this ro-nl was too hi>/h to carry off the storm water, and hence i he road suffered damage at every heavy fall of tain. With regard to tins the Engineer ieported as follows : " Tnere is a sill l>ri Ige required in the main road just beyond the branch road to Waioiongotnai. Tue owner of the section on tue 'ipper side iias opone 1 out the stream, and the water comes down witli such a ru^h t lat the present culvert is not lartre enongh to carry it, and consequently a portion of. the road is washed away with each flood." i The suggestion of the Engineer to erect p mII bridge in the place of the present culvert, was approved oF, but it was decided not to undertake the work •it present on account of want of fun IsInstructions were given to make jnsfc what repair* are absolutely necessary. Road .Repairs — The Engineer reported : " Between the last mentioned culvert and Mr Baskett's house, there are several very bad places W'lic'i require fascming 'at once, as dray traffic is already stopped, ami it is with diffculry that horsemen manage to pnll through, [ had started the surface ueii e.utling lacines For this, but had to pirt fiein on the road nearer Te Aroha, filling in some bad holes " Nothing was done in this matter. Ruiikaka Bridge. — Tue engineer sent in the following report respecting this structure. : — The bridge over the stream between the Aroha and Ruakaka Block lias suffered considerable d image through the last (100 I. Tne north eastern sfT<* has been washed away., and the two piles adjoining h »ye. been almost uu lermined by t'.ie was'i from the strean. Tuo approach is also falling in, an! is dangenous for i riffi. 1 . \n my opinioir tne he^t nvMin> to re?u ily tie d-tnngo-aud prevent \W i epetiti^i*, is to irive »