PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 116, 22 August 1885, Page 2

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of above Was held at Cambridge on Thursday last. All members present with the exception of Cr J. B. Smith. Te Aroha-Katikati Track. — A communication was received from the t/ndeT- Secretary of Pul'Hc Workg td the 1 effect that in accordance with the request of the council, men were now employed in clearing the road and executing the necessary repairs'. The Engine. — It was agreed that the engine lying at Waiorongomai be forwarded to Messrs Morrin and Co., Attckiaildj for dale, the same not td be sold for less than £400. Turn 1 - Table -4fc was agreed to irifdrrti .*lr Ferguson, in reply to his offety that the spare turn, table was not for sale. Road to Pukahu. — Percy Gage Brown wrote complaining: of the want of a road to his property. It was admitted the Council had no funds to tmdertake the work at present, but it was agreed that the County Engineer be instiucted to report upon the work Aroha Cemetery. — A latter was received fro.n Jas. Lavery on the state of the cemetery, A committee of trustees having be*n already appointed tmd gazette I. tiuI Council decided they could do nothing 'in tho matter. The trustees had tin* necessary power to t-ffecfc improvements. striking a County Hate. — Cr J. C. Firth proposed that not'ico be given of the intention oi the Council to strike a general County rate of: in the £„ The various ridings of the County would naturally feol it a hardship fcnab tuoj should I)h culled upon :o pay a rate for n work in tho Aroha Riditi}<-, though that work might be very considerably to their advantage. He suggested that when the Aroh v gold field became pro* perous the revenue of that riding, suui. as gold duty, &o , could be give.n to th" other ridings as a refund. It was therefore merely ft loan which they proposed to raise by this rate. Cr Chepmell said they had no occasion to make any much con Htion They could do what they like I with the revenue. The Council would be perfectly justified in spending the gold revenue where it liked in the County. Ho wonld second the proposition. Cr Maclean voted for the rate on the distinct tfmlffrs funding that the money thereby raised be devoted to clearing off their indebtedness. Motion carried. Cr Brunskill only dissenting 1 , Mr Halcombe of the Thames Valley Land Settlement Company was in atten dance, and protected against the striking of thio rate which meant about £600 to the company which he represented. H» complained that in the past though they had contributed a large amount in rates, they had never had any county money spent in their district. This expenditure of the Council was altogether illegal. They had got into* debt to the extent of £10,000 solely on account of the Aroha tramway. Evidently his Company wonH have, 1 to contribute a .i further £600 next year* Etc protested against the levying of this rate, and declared his intention of resisting it by every legal means in his power. To Aroha Tramway. — »The manager's report stated that he hoped ne#t month to present a more favourable report as from the Colonist idine alone 80 trucks of quartz a week were expected, anl that he had every reason to believe that the output of quartz from the New Find for the next month would also be sensibly in-creased. The tramway returns for the month showed that a total if 390' trucks had been sent down : revenue therefrom £87 15s. Deficit for month's work, £20. The Chairman suggested either raising the tariff or having more quartz sent lown. * The Clerk stated that atone £200 was duo the tramway hands, who 1 had not been paid for the previous month. Mining Companies owed £94 6s 6d 'reign t. Tho Chairman said they would have ,o charge the actual cost of carriage of juartz. Cr Firth opposed this course". , He ■elieved next month would mnko a great lifference, v and the quarts supply be

]ftrg<3ty\ increased. Another conipanjri was about to start sending down dwatttil*' They would then be getting about 800 '" tons a month. " ' „ . Or Murphy agreed with Or Firth, and considered the present charges were quite heavy enough. A telegram was read from Mr H. H« Adams to the following effacfc :— "Would you kindly instruct Cookson to work tram, the present system greatly humbugging." .-- » ; :^, w * The chairman said thai, on receipt,, of this telegram ho had wired back to : Mi? Adams asking him to furnish partictf- ,; lars of Complaint but had received no reply. .