PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 93, 14 March 1885, Page 2

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of tbe above was hold at Cambridge on Wednesday, the /Utb inst. Present: Crs Williams (chairman), .Ohepmell, Gould,' Smith, J. O. Firth, Murphy, Maclean, antf Brnnskilli ' ' " The minutes of last meeting were rea<>l 'and cunfinneU.

It nppearelt that some misunderstanding exjstkl with regard to Mr John Bennef's' letter,' laid before the 'council last "meeting, the "answer given' by Cr J. C. Firth. It will be romeiubered Mr Be.nney asked at whose expense the connections were made with regard to ? 'the'Ne\v'Fihd, Colonist, Premier, "Canadian, Diamond Gully, Eureka) etc., mines with county tramway. Cr J. C. Firth now stated that the connoctioti-. b«twoen the mines and Oounty tramway, i.e., the shoots and hoppers were made by tho respective companies ; there were no branch iron tramways other than county property, The branch iron tramway to New Find and Werahiko were really part and parcel of the mai.i line.The hoppers respecting the other mines referred to, were immediately gvqv the main line, and trucks were loaded whilst stationed on main line ; therefore 1 no connections in the form of branch lines woro made or required. ' Mr Firth said he gave the answers to the council generally (not to the chairman, or as in reply to the public mooting questions in particular) because he as chairman of the Tramway Comm.ttee was the only person present who could give the information direct. It would be very easy and simple for him in future to let them get their information as best they could ; and in future he should decline to give any information. Re Trestle Work at Battery.— Th>> Chairman referred to the questions submitted at the last meeting by Cr Murphy on behalf of a public meeting at Waiorongomai. At tlu last meeting the councillors were under the impression that tho trestle work was mainly on the battery company's property. Since that meeting he had been in Auckland and had seen the plan of Te Aroha Goldfield, from which it appeared that only about some 15ft (exclusive of the platform) was on tiio Battery Company's ground. Cr Goul 1 :,Is this 15 ft of trestle work county property? Cr'j. C, Firth : Certainly. All the tramway is county property. Valution of Arohi Riding. — The Chairman stated that Mr John Hunt had informed him t'lat the w >r'c in conupttion with the valnt.ion in Te Arohn Iliiling wad so much more t.ian lie expeetel, that lie had bten unable to get through wita ifc iv time for tho present meeting. Tho Chairman stated be had received a letter from Mr Wm. Hunt asking to have a drain and culvert on the main road attended to. Had asked Mr Pnvitt to report on it by next, meeting. Council Mectng at Te Aroha. — The Chairman said ho understood th\t it was generally desired in tho Aroha district that the council should hold their next meeting there, as several people wished to lav certain, matters before them in person. Cr Maclean said he had received a letter inviting him to visit Te Aroha, that he miGflit. the better understand the j requirements of thp district, and he understood that Cr Brunskill had been written to to the same effect. He would be plensed to accede to t-he request. He wished to state, however, that he had since seen in the Ahoha News a report, of a public mooting recently held at Te Aroha, by which it appeared Mr J. C. Firth's name was intentionally omitted from the list of those proposed as a deputation to wait upon the Minister of Mines. This, he considered, was a piece of great discourtesy, which could not be overlooked. The following reply from Mr H. J. H. Elliott, Under-Secretary for Goldfields, re application by council for grant of £12Q0 unler the £2 to £1 system for construction of hranch tramway to connect the new battery wilh the county tramway was road, stating that Mr Warden Ken rick had been communicated w th on tiie snbjpet, prior to the receipt of letter suggesting tint .«uch a course be adopted. Mr pavitt's (county esginsrjr) report. Te Aroha, lOtfi March, 1885. The, Chairman Piako County Con noil. Sj Ri — X beg to report as follows :—: — Murphy's Landing : The work of maleing the approach to the landing I let to C. Murphy for £0, and ho has completed tho work to my satisfaction. Main Roarl near Basket's Farm : This work is pompletod at. a cost of £12 15s, and great j?ood will result from the work. Road to Mr Craigs : Mr Craigwill contribute one-third of the cost of making the road I reported upon at the last meeting of the Council. Mr Downos will not contribute any portion of the cost. Footpaths, Te Arohn : The cost, of forming the footpaths at Te Aroha, 14 chains in length, i.e., from Warren's Hotel to Wilson's corner on the west side of Whitaker street, and from FarrelVs corner to the ,a:ate of the Hob Springs on the east side, will be about £25. Of this amount, I have obtained promises from the residents to subscribe £7. I propose to form watertables, and a footpath twelve feefe wide' on each side of Whitaker street, between the points stated above, but if wooden kirbing is fixed, the cost will be for 924ft run, equal H chains, about £25 more, or £50 for the whole. Tramway Connection : The tramway hands have ! been occasionally employed on the tramway connection, the cost of which has been £49 10s 7d since the lasj; 'meeting of the Council, 1 Main Roads and Hil! Tracks :> I would suggest that tenders be called for. keeping in repair all main roads'artd gold (folds tradka^for say' six months, as I am certain the cost would !be less than employing- (through the winter months) day labour.-^-I am r etc i " Fkanois Payitt, , Engineer Te Aroha'fitding.

Proptysed hy'fiv G(mM, seconded *b^ Or Murphy, that Mr^Pnvitt \)e\instra<K ted to have the road Mr Oi'H'i^'s farm, constructed atT'ft-cost^not exceeding^SOOonsiderable discussion took place relative to thp improvement of footpaths in Te Aroha. The desirability of having tUb wofk carried ont was generally admitted, but the general feeling of the meeting was decidedly that the residents .aught, be williug to contribute niore liberally than to the extent of £7, knowing full well as they did the present impeennioua state of. the. county.. , . , Or Murphy urged that the Te Aroha people were very short of funds also, and pressed that the council vote £18 towards the woik. It was resolved, on the motion of Cr Gould, secou-led by Cr Smith, that- the county contribute half the amount exponded on improvement of footpaths, the' total amount not to exceed £25. The work not to commence until halt' the sum had been paid up by the residents. A communication was received from the Governors of the Thames Hgh School, declining to sanction the formation of a road through Wilson's leasehold, between the landing and the township. PETITION FROM WAIORONGOMAI, The Chairman Piako County Council. giRj — We, the undersigned residents of, the Te Aroha Riding, view with regret the reply given by tbe Governors j of the Thames High School Endow- 1 ment re road through Mr Wilson's section. The Governors say said road being made would be of no possible use to either the property through which it passed or the township ; whereas it is a fact that if said road was made, the distance from Te Aroha or Waiorongomai Landing to the mines would be 6U chains shorter, besides supplying a level road to the township, instead of the prebend hilly and swampy road. We, theicfore, respectfully request that you will, a« | soon as possible, take steps under the Public Works Acfc to have said road pioclaiinetl a public road. — We are, efc, (Here follow 40 signatures of Waiorongomai residents.) Cr Murphy supported tho roqnPßt of the re>idents, and said the fact of such a road not being available was a drawback to the district. On the motion of Cr iSmith, it was agreed to write to the Warden, requesting him if in his power, to take the road. The matter of fenc ; ng said road to stand open until a reply was received from the Warden. Mr Dillon Applies for a Traffic Bridge. — A letter was read from Mr Patrick Dillon, Te Aroha, requesting the Council to have a traffic bridge constructed across Lipsey's Creek at tho junction of Kotuku and Kenrick streets, as at present he was unable to bring a vehicle to liis place of residence. Others would be conveniunced by said bridge as well as myself. Ho hoped the matter would receive the most seiious consideration of the council. The letter was received Boad to Mr Gold worthy's.— John GohUworthy wrote complaining that since the Wairakau run had been fenced in he had been closed in entirely. He could only get out by going through Mr JBaskett's property. Cr Murphy, urged the necessity of making the small culvert asked for by Mr Goldsworfchy, and staled £3 would I c sufficient to do the work Resolved, that the council vote £3 for said work ; to be expended to Cr Murphy's satisfaction. AROHA : KATIKATI TftAOK. The following letter was laid before tho meeting by Cr Murphy. .Te Aroha, March 9, 18<j5. Mr I). Murphy, Waioron<?om u\ Dear Sir, — Under direction of the committee a}»j»ointe I at tne bite public meeting, I beg' to bring under your notice tfie urgent necessity of Imvinir t.'ic present bri.Ue track over lite hill to KaLikati put in a state of repair at once. [ woul.l further urge upon you to use every e.ndeavuir to eret the county council ro apply For £400, plnced on thy , Intimates last ses9 on, for the purpose of widening the present track to a coach road. I need hardly mention to a gentleman of your experience the great benefit it would be to this part of the county to lnve a good coach road to Katikati and Bay of Plenty settlements by the time our railway is completed, as Te Aroha must naturally be for a number of years the nearest point, of railway communication between the Bay of Plenty settlements and Auckland. Hoping this matter will have your eailicst attention, I remain, etc., Edw. Pbet,, Sec. to Committee. The Clerk stated the grant bad already been applied for, and the following reply received : — 'Public Works Department—Wellington, 2-ith Feb., 1£85.— Re Improvement of the Katikati-Te Aroha Horse Track.— Sir,— ln reply to your'letter ->f 261h nit., requesting that, the £400 voted last session for the improvement of the Katikati-Te Arolia Horse Track might be handed over to your county for expenditure, I am directed by the Minister for Public Works to express his regret* that -your,. request cannot be complied .with, as arrangements have already .been made for the expenditure of the vote, through, tho Department's own officers. „ ' ( Te Arolia Vigilance Committee. — ■ The following communication was received Fram the above body :■— ,lV Arohn \ 9th March. Sir,— I beg to inform you a deputation of ratepayers % will .vjsit.thf. county orficq for the. purpose of inspoctingftib pl'rtris/ specificatiiortis, uc^ count-, books,. youo l li'ors,'&o., rekting to, '

the costtp^construdion of county tram \' way, and'fgeneral expenditure ot publi '. monies i%i6he Arolia Riding. — Your < 'respectfullyil'^^wAßD Peel, Secretary Vigilance Coniu.ittee. • The Cleric said the Vigilance Coml mittee or any person might see the ac- , counts (i.e., cash book and ledger), t>afc as to the other thinpd, such as vouchers, plans, &c, there was no law to cmi power them to see these. i Cr"Fifth said, jailging" from the report of the so-called Vigilance j Commitjbee, there appeared to be a' 'certain 'Vmouht of want- to- know-you-knof : ''as**fco the' ex- ~ pendituve on the tramway. Judging from a report he had seen in* "the Auoha' News jhe supposed that ' committee had applied lor a commission from Government He was not aware, however, 'if they had received a reply, but to meet the case he would now propose, " That Government be requested to cause an enquiry to 1 be-inade into* the particulars of the construction' of the tramway, and that all documents connected with the same be put at the disposal of such an enquiry." This to&ukl in.any case strengthen and support lh"e committee's application, if they had made one Carried. Slaughterhouse Licenses.— The applications of Thomas Wood 3 l rind R. Mackie for 'licenses for Te Aroha jV^est and Thames High School Endowment, respectively were grauted, both applicants having complied with the act.. Unregistered Dogs. — It was, agreed to write to the dog registrar of each riding. instructing him 'to proceed against all owners of unregistered dogs. Special Meeting. — It was resolved to hold a special meeting of the council on Wednesday, Ist pr'»x., for the purpose of lovj ing special rates on the Te Aroiin, Wai' o.i, ami Taotaoroa Ridings. It was further resolved that the next oniinary meeting bo held on same date. Te Aroha Pound.- -The pou id keeper, Mr J. W. R. Gnilding, supplied a very detailed account of toe transactions of the pound for the past twelve months (covering several sheets of FooUcap). This statement showed a profit to the keeper of £19 8s for the year. It was agreed, on the motion of Or Murphy, that Mr Guilding be re-.ip-pointed for the ensuing year on the same terms as before. His remuneration being all food under the act, payable to the local body. - Te A roh a- Waiorongomai Road. — Cr Murphy drew attention to the fact that as yet nothing had been done towards putting this road iv proper repair. The grant of £129, irom Government was now available, and he would propose ihat the work be proceeded with without delay. Cr Murphy moved, " That tenders be at once called for the work, so as to be opened by next meeting." Seconded by Cr Smith and carried. jf Hill Track. — Cr Murphy was authorised to employ a man such times as found necessary to keep the .lowe * track open, whilst the machinery • Wjas v being conveyed to the new battery. ... « •. Mr Smardon wrote r< questing paynrnt of his account for erection of stable at Fern Spur. Sliortlaivl Saw Rf-iU — The SlWtland Saw-mill Company,, .wrote asking for the amount of their aogpuut £60, intimating that unless the same were paid forthwith, legal proceedings 'would be instituted. It was agreed to inform the company that the account has been passed for payment, and a cheque for the amount would be forwarded as soon as fund? are available. Tramway. — The following monthly report waa laid before the meeting : Waiorongomai, March 9th, 1885. To, the C .airnan an<-l councillors of the Piako County Council. Gentlemen, — For the last four weeks, the output From the mines has been limited, and, consequently we have not been particularly busy wit'i t'ue tramway. This is in'ich to be regretted, For hud we continuous \vor>, there would be no dilriouitv in finding a respectable monthly credit balance. During the whole of the four weeks, we only worked the tramway 10 days, conveying in that time 5(54 rrndes. making a fraction, river #7 trucks per dny. The tramway generally is in fair working order, the late heavy rains causing no material damage. Fergusons Tramway. — The forming of the upper self-acting grade would probably be completed about 3 weeks from date, but as we are likely to be running quartz three days a week, the time for the completion of the above will thereby be doubtful. I await Further orders respecting the lower grade of this tramway. Since- writing this report several small slips haveoccured which will necessitate a snnll outlay for removal. I hnve the4ionor to be Gentlemen, your most obedient servant. ;<E. Gooksox. Freight on Fern Spur. — The following letter from the Battery Company was laid before the meeting :—Auckland, 21st Feb., 1885. The Chairman Piako County Council, i Dear Sir, — This company propose to get 100 tons of quartz from Lord Stanley mine, ami to crush the same at its battery. In getting this quarts down to the batteiy it will be sledgea by horses to the top of the Fern Spur grade an ! transmitted thence .down t,hat grade. I shall be glad to be informed what the rate per truck will be for transmitting this quartz clown the Fern Spur grade only, to the battery. I am, etc., H. Gilfillan, Jun., Sec . The Tramway Manager. J\ad, written .• to the effect that 3s 6d would be a suiW able charge.' ' " ' 's> v '* rl Cr Murphy said a considerable reduction ought to be male, a's the^^lisbaiu'e was only soino 10 chains;, ' Elje i believed 'in encouraging these tviaj|r\ts(art£s; atid V I young companies trying .W develop tfcio ;