PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL,

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 150, 17 April 1886, Page 2

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL,

• Borough Chambers, Hamilton West. I he nsnal monthly nieMintr was held a*above ou Thursday, Anil Bth.' JVsont: Cr? Clicpmc]r(cliairmni,), (y'ould, Brunskill, Murphy, and'VV. T. Firth, The minutes ot' fhe previous mod inn were first read and conii-iHed. alto which correspondence was taken up and dealt with as Follows : lie Prospecting Tracks. — From Mine* Depaitment, Wellington, acknowledging receipt of council's letter of 15th March requesting that the promised subsidy of £300, on a contribution of £2 to £1 by the department towards tracks to claims at Buck icef ami Fern spur to Butler's spur, may be placed to the credit of the county fund, and stating in reply that payments on account of the subsidy can only be made as the work progresses, on the certificate of the chairman and engineer. Re Charitable Ait! and Ho*pit,-d Boards.—The Clerk of tho Tlian.es Hospital and Thames and Coronian iel Charitable Aid Boards wrote submitting the following schedule or contributions required from the local bodies named for year ending March 31st, 1887, viz. : For hospital purposes ; Piako County, £780 4s 9d ; Ohinemuri County, £4 »■ ; Thames County, £94 i4s 3d ; Borough of Thames, £137 16s. Total, £1056 15s. For Chautablo Aid : Piako County, £652 17s 3d ; Ohinemuri County, £35 12 3 ; Thames County, £77 8s 3d ; Borough of Thames, £113 6s ; Coromsindel County, £68 2s 3d. Total, £947 5s 9d. Considerable discussion took place with respect to the injustice of the claim. Reference was made to the forthcoming meeting of delegates to be held on the 23rd inst, Cr J. B. Smith being away in the South Island, on the motion of Cr flould, Cr Chepmell was appointed delegate to represent the Piako County at that meeting. Re Wilson's Road, Waioiongomai — A letter was read from the Auckland Survey Office .n reply to one sent by Ihe council on March 19th, ftating that the plans to which they referred were returned to the council's surveyor for correction on Feb. sth, not being drawn in accordance with the regulations. Gordon Special- Settlement.—The secretary of the above association wrote through tho engineer asking the reason the making of the road from Roches chasm to far boundary of Brown's farm had not been proceeded with, after, as they believed, the money for the purpose was voted by the council The Clerk stated that he had written to Mr P.ivitt, the engineer, instructing him to call tor tenders for the work, and these instructions were being carried out. Cr Murphy remarked the work was authorised by the council at their meeting in January, and wished toknowwhv it had not been gone on with before ; the work could be carried out at far less cost in the summer .than in winter time. If the council issued instructions they ought to be more promptly carried out, besides which it was a great hardship to these settlers to have the work: kept back so \>)ng. Tlu* Ch lirman thought they should get legal opinion .is to whether they could not come on Mr Roche for damages, as it appeared he had cut a drain through the road ; and that this was how the present chasm had originated, whereby the council hml been put to much needless expense in oider to erect a bridge at the place, etc. He would move that a legal opinion be o tame 1 as to Mr Roches liability. They could not permit their roads to be ti.us tampered with. If Mr Koch" had agreed to contribute some thing towards the cost of bridge, ho would liav.- let the matter lest. It was a veiy serious matter for any one to act in tho way Sir Roclie had done, and if it were allowed to occur in one place it might in another. Cr Muiphy said as Government had gi\en :i .subsidy towards the work he would propose as an amendment that no action be taken. Mr Hoehe was a new arrival and accustomed to clay land, and did not know the nature of the country he was dealing with, or would not have cut tl c drain as he hal done. The Chairman remarked Mr Roche h#l been written^to with respect to the matter, but had declined to contribute. There being no seconder to Cr Morphev's"amendment, the motion was seconded by Cr Brnnskill and carried. Uppei Hill Track, Wnioron^omai. — A tel.-gram was read from Cr. J. C Firth to Cr W. L C. Williams, Chairman of the Council, da led March 13: Track to mines far worse than Coum-il aware of ', Gfty pounds expended now will save out lay of two hundred in winter. If nothing bo done miners cannot get to their work in winter. Advise strongly you to authorise Adams employ two men at once till next meeting. Battery Company consent to Adams superintending. If you consent, wire" Adams. Cr Murphy spoke strongly in favour of some steps being at once taken to put the hill track in a passable condition, at. present it was is a positively dangerousstate. He had a^-ked the tramway manager (Cookson) what the probable cost would be and lie informed him £50. A portion of the track near the Diamond Gully mine was in a particularly dangerous state. In reply to a question from one of the councillor the clerk stated the had almost drawn to tho full extent possible at the bank again, the overdraft now being some £2914. Cr Gould moved that the tramway hands be employed to repair the track when, not engaged in sending down quartz, cost not to exceed £50 Seconded by Cr Murphy, and carried.

\ letter w,is read from Tip Propeitv Tax J^'part-iipni, "\V tOl ni.rhon dated Hist. RFni'i-h, «lalinir thai a voucher Ind , b'M'ii fhiwnr'od fo tiw Pione-nrv loi payment <o Ihe Count v of .£85!) ?«• Id, be,iny an advance on account of fuibsi ly under the Local bodies Finance and Powers Act, 1885, as per statement atr.ielwd, and further stating that, tlie council wcip ortifled 10 subsidy on accou.it of i-cneral county rat- 1 * levie I over lands in Matamata. Ho. id District. Wai'Mvi-gomai Footpath*, etc. — A petition from resident* fit Waioronpom. ii with 19 signatures attached wasiead, a«l<in£r that certain drsin* be cut, pipes laid, and other necessary improvements canied ont on Kenrick and Giey streets, and the foot path to popr office. The Chief Postmaster for Ihe Thames disliiet al.'o wrote drawing attention to the ncpd of im| vovini. thii foot pain r.ear the Waioronuoinai po<?t office Cr Gonl ! moved that thecommnnica tion«= be irceived, ?i«; they had no fun'! 5*5 * a\,ii!.d>le for ti.e wot k Cr Murphy -tronyiy uiv.ed the carry iiii.' out of the v oil*-, leteired io at once, it being absolutely necessary there should be no further delay in the matter, and moved as an amendment that £12 c expended on the work, and if the council so wished let them charm? it against the roxt separate rate. He was fairly astonished at Cr Go" Id, a gentleman with Ins land almost, within a stones throw of the gold field, always so opposing any money being expended in the Aroha Riding. Was not the value of his land grently enhanced by its proximity to the goldn'eld? With all 'dm* respect to the councillors, it really appeared to him, when the council objected to carry ont such needful work as that in question, as if i+ were an institution for distributing charitable aid. The applicants in this casJdid not seek charity but only that justice be done 'them Several separate rates had been levied on the Aroha Ruling} bnt'very little expended thereon. He believed that ever since Waiorongo'nai had become a township the council had only expended some £65 in improving it # There being no seconder to Cr JVEurphey's motior , the original motion was seconded L»y Cr Brunskill, and carried. To Aroha Footpath. — A petition was read asking that the footpath be formed from Jiank of New Ztnland corner to Mr Brennans boot makers, having 20 signatures attached, the estimated cost being £12. Cr Murphy spoke in favour of having the work carried ont. Petit ion received. Finger Posts.— Mr A. H. Clarke wrote setting forth the need of a finger posts for the benefit of travellers, at the junction of the Te Aroha — Katika^i track and the main road to Shaftesbury, and stating that since the railway to Te Aroha had opened traffic over this route had greatly increased, and from the absence of some land mark, several travellers had gone miles out of their way. Cr Murphy spoke in favour of the posts being erected, the cost would be very trifling. Cr W. T. Firth remarked the people interested should see to it themselves. Letter received. Tramway report. — The number of trucks conveyed during the previous month was but small, viz., 398, owing to the scarcity of water, causing battery operations to be greatly curtailed. With respect to the probability of the branch line to the New Era Battery being soon at work, the manager wrote asking if Mr P. Ferguson would be held responsible for anr damage which trucks might sustain whilst on his branch line. The Clerk was instructed to apply in the affirmative. With respect to Mr Fergusons branch tramway, the council decided that hhs they had never authorised the work they should recognise no claim with respect thereto. Clarkes Drain. — Letters were again received from two or three residents affected by this dr-.jn., which has been the cause of so much discussion already. Cr Murphy said there could be no doubt the natural ' water course wa& thio'fgh Clarkes sections, and ifc shouM never have been diverted therefrom. Ultimately it was resolved, ou the motion of Cr Murphy that a committee composed of Crs Cheproell, Gould, and the mover, be appointed to visit the place and examine the grievance. Carried. Engineer's Report. — Mr Pavitt, engineer, wrote stating that the works in hand were progressing favourably, and stating that the Te Aroha road would require more metal pat on. He estimated the cost of a foot path 8 feet wide from the post office to Rol'eston street at Ll3 12s. including n bridge across the creek. He reported having let a contract for the futther work of improving Kilgour street, Waiorongomai, for L"2O to the previous contractors. The engineer drew the' council? attention to the great need for some sanitary measures being., brought into force, by bye law or, -otherwise, at Te Aroha and Waiprongomai. \j > Cr Murphy said there was much need that an Inspector of .Nuisances \>e appointed,'and suggested tile* portion being' offered' to &ergt: Emerson. .\ r „,- .' On the motion" ofr Cr Gould, the matter Was' tallowed 'to stand, over till next meeting, the clerk ,in meantime to look up the Public Health Acts, etc., see that -steps ought be taken, and report at next council meeting Contractor's Complaint. —Mr B. Montague wrote comphining that hittender tor Roches bridge contract, bad not been accepted being the lowest. Cr Murphy said he considered Mi Montague had not been treated well in this matter, and it would be a bad prec«u«iut not to accept the lowest tender,

The Clnirman' remarked that the council wens not to accept the Invest tender, they could exem'pe their own discretion in such rtiatters . he had no complaint to briii" against Mr Monta u<\ but the decision in thp«»t matters rested with tin; majori f yof the council. Cr Biunskill sii-i that at tlie meeting referred to he alone supported Mr Montague's Under being accepted. Letter received. Sleiltfo Track to Tni. — Cr Murphy SHid ho wished to briny before the nmneil the desirability nf hating a ,«li'.l{>e track made to connect the main Tui track with the county tramway ,it the foot of the Premier mine. lie wouhl not a^k the council to vote any money now tor the woik, but was anxiom than some steps should be once taken v. wards having that best line marked „ff. There was a belt of nuriferour, country that vouhl be then {;pened \\\i 4 and he was sure Ohinetuuii County Council would, it written to, tn> willing to do their sidy of the boimdaiy line. He behoved tli« distan<e b.'tvM-,-n the wo points indicated was only rtl">nt J^miles. He wonl-l theipfor- muse r,i it Mr Cookson, tramway niaissi-ter, De lequested to prospect for tiie l»e s t line for a sledge track, blaze same, and report as to probable cost of formation to next council meeting, and tlmt I\ir McLiver, who was a splendid bus. imtn, be requested tf> give H'iy .u.sistanco lie could to Mr Cooksou in the matter. Carried. The meeting rose soon after noon.