OHINEMURI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 161, 17 July 1886, Page 3

OHINEMURI COUNTY COUNCIL.

+ The usual monthly meeting of the couucil was held in the council Chambers, Paeroa on Saturday last. Present : Crs F. Cock (chairman) Corbett, Strange, Butler, Aiooie, Walsh, aud Humphreys. Minutes of the previous meeting rrere first read and confirmed. Correspondence. — Outward : Road Contractors — To the various contractors for road maintenance, warning them to put on mure men and push ahead with the work contracted for. Assets and Liabilities. — To the Colonial Secretary, stating the councils inability to prepare 'a balance sheet as required by the Counties Act, 187G, their representative having Mr C. J. Dearie having been refused access to the books of the Thames Council. General Rate. — To Colonial Treasurer, stating that a general rate of in the £ had been levied. The total rateable value of property within tue County, was set down at £88,054 ; a rate being equal to L 277 0s 10^d, and an advance of 75 percent on the amount of Government subsidy was asked for. County Offices. — To Mr H. Kenrick, R.M. and Warden for the district asking his co-operation and support! in a request being made by council to Government for a grant for the erection of a public building to be used as county offices. R.M and Wardens court, etc. To Miuister Public Works, requesting a grant of £500 for the erection of such offices ; and stating that Government are in possession of a freehold site, given by the native owners for the purpose of public buildings, Main Roads. — To Mr L. M. Grace, M.H.R. requesting him to support the councils application to government for the following grants for main roads, viz : Paeroa-Hikutaia, £1500 ; Pae-roa-Te Aroha, Ll5OO ; ThamesTauranga £2.000 ; Waitoa Riding £1500. Also drawing attention to the Ohiiiemuri river at Waihi, the construction of which would gieatly benefit settlers at Kati Kati, etc., probable cost, £500. Owharoa Low Level Tunnel. — To Minister of Mines requesting progress payment. Parakawai — To Native Minister requesting a grant of L 201) for the formation of a road to the new diggings. Correspondence : Inward — County Offices. — From Mr L. M. Grace, M.H.R., stating he had seen the Minister of Public Works re the council's application for a grant for the purpose of erecting public offices, which would receive consideration. From Mr Kenrick, Warden, R.M,, expressing regret that owing to the small amount of work transacted at Paeroa at present, he couLl not apply for a grant for the erection of a Warder.'s Court, but stating if Government gave a grant for the erection of county buildings, which might be used as a Warden's Court and Office ; he would willingly render any assistance he could in the matter. I Tui Dray Road. — From Chairman ! Te Aroha Improvement Committee, stating he had received a communication from MrJ. B. Whyte, M.H.R., stating there might be a grant given tjy Government, for the construction of proposed road, but probably only on the L 2 to Ll principle. The subject of proposed road evoked some discussion, the general opinion expressed being, that having pledged itself to form their i portion of the sledge track to connect Waiorongomai tramway and Tui district, and being short of funds council could not undertake the work now ; it was resolved on the motion of Cr Humphreys : That the clerk be instructed to reply stating that having no funds available) the council could not subsidise the work at present. Cr Humphreys in proposing this resolution said it would simply mean the council making itself liable for LlOOO. Gold Duty. — From the Colonial Treasurer in reply to a letter from the Council applying for the duty on quartz from Ohinemuri smelted at the Thames, referring council to the Gold Duty Act 1882, and Amendment, and stating government could not interfere in the matter, as the declarations made under said Act by the purchasers of gold constituted the basis on which the duty was paid to local bodies Cr Moore : said, when recently at the Thames, he saw the bank manager

on tho matter, who told him, they, as a bank, could not interfere ; the books of the smelting company would tell them where tue quarts came from, and from this a fair estimate could be arrived at. • O Corbett : From the register kept &i all batteries, and reduction works, the owner has to furnish a return every month to the Mining Inspector, stating the amount of quartz received, where brought from ; amount of gold obtained therefrom, etc. ! Cr Moore : I don't think the furnace was contemplated when the existing act was framed, it may do for butteries where every lot is cleaned up separately; whereas at a furnace a clean up takes place only occasionally. Quartz now lies at the smelting works at Thames, not having 1 been put through ; we must wait until the remaindcr < ~of the stuff at Thames has been treated, and try and get our proportion of the total bulk. Resolved, on the motion of Cr Humphreys : That the secretary of the smelting company be written to, asking him to furnish full particulars respecting all stuff sent to tho furnace ; showing where it came from, etc. lload to School. — From the teacher of Paeroa school, requesting that the road to tho school house b<» improvedi Referred to Foreman of Works with power to act. Hospital Mid Charitable Aid. — From the secretary of the Thames Hospital and Thames and Coromandel Charitable Aid Boards, requesting payment of second quarter's contribution. Cousiderable discussion took place re this application, a general feeling of disatisfaction at being connected with the Thames Board, being freely expressed. Cr Corbett said : If any alteration were being made it would be far better for Ohfncmuri together with Piako to be constituted a separate district, with a small hospital at Te Aroha, if necessary The Chaiiman, Cr Strange, and other Councillors warmly supported the proposition to join Piako. Hesolred on the motion of Cr Corbett, seconded by Cr Strange. 1. That the clerk be instructed to wire to W. L. C. Williams, Esq., chairman Piako County Council expressing a desire on the part of Ohineiuuri Council to go in with Piako ami be constituted a separate district. 2. That the chairman and Crs Nicholls and Butler be empowered to to act on behalf of the council in this matter* ftesolved on the motion of Cr Strange secended by the chairman. That this council decline to further contribute to the Thames and Coromandel Boards. From the Thames Charitable Aid I Board lequesting council to support their objection to any alteration being made in existing boundaries. Letter received. Intension of time. — Mr Deverill contractor for delivering shingle, wrote requesting extension of time" for his contract owing to the state of roads, wet weather, etc. Cr Humphreys . said : Tl.is work should have been completed in April. The way some of the contracts were beins: carried out was disgraceful. On principle he should object to any extension of time being given in this or any other contract. The council had at their last meeting passed a resolution to the effect that contractors be kept up to time and specifications, and should abide by it." Other Councillors were of same opinion, and it was resolved that Mr Deverill be paid for the amount of work already done, the contract terminated, and that ail account for Ll6 expended in road repairs could not be entertained. Puke Paeroa Road.— A petition was received requesting that a crossing be formed for the convenience of children going to school. Referred to Board of Works. Codlin Moth. — A number of proposals, with the object of stamping out the Codlin Moth peot, as drawn up by the newly foimed Oliineinuri Horticultural and Agricultural Association, were read by the chairman, approved of, and it was -resolved that they be adopted and forwarded to Government. The Chairman ami Cr Corbett whilst freely recognising the necessity of information being at once given respecting those whose trees were infected by the Moth, considered the clause absurd and^ unworkable inserted by the Waikato Association, which offered half the reward to be paid to any informer, whether the party informed against was aware of the existence of the moth or not : If such a regulation were adopted, probably many would have the Codlin Moth who would not have had it otherwise, owing to the reward held out. Slaughter House Licenses. — Resolved that licenses be issued for not less than twelve months. ;|d Rate. — On the motion of the chairman it was resolved that the resolution be confirmed levying a general county rate of three fatbings in the £. Rangiora Roads. — A petition from ratepayers in Waitoa Riding was read suggesting the opening up of a road through Messrs Charlton and Moore's land as the most direct and cheapest to keep in repair. Referred to Board of Works. ' Suspension Bridge. — Resolved • That sledge or wheel tratfc be prohibited from crossing the suspension bridge. Roads at Waihi. — Cr Moore stated that 120 tons of quartz from the Union mine was about to be treated at the Maitha battery, and moved that L 5 be expended in improving the road to be traversed. Carried. Tui-Waiorongoruai Track. — Resolved that the Piako County Council be informed that Government had consented

to give the subsidy asked for, and that the council would procoud with the portion of tlieir worlc in the county; with aa little delay as possible. / Lower Drain Road, Waitoa.w-Mr Pavitt, Engineer, reported, as requested at last meeting, on .this proposed road, known as Bowler's and forwarded sketch plan, and stated that by forming a good drain on its southern >side it would i not only drain the road itself, but a large area of Government land on south' side, and also stop the flow of surface water that would otherwise run over Government land on the north side. By formation of this road, there being a dry fern ridge, general traffic could be conveyed to the present railway station with comfort at small cost. Monthly Report — The Foreman of Works reported on the various road maintenance contracts as followi : Pao-roa-Hikutaia section: T. M. Ritchie contractor. A considerable amount of work had been do*e on this contract,' but additional hands "would have to be put on* Section No. 2 ; E. Bain contractor. A good deal of forming had been done, but water tables and fascining soft places, required prompt attention of which the contractor had been notified ; also to commence putting on metal at Koniata. Paeroa-Te Aroha, sections 1 and 2 : 12. Bain contractor. These sections were reported as being in anythi-ng but a satisfactory condition through lack of water tables, fascines, etc. The contractor had promised to attend to those matters, but complained of the injury done by mobs of cattle from East Coast. Thames-Tauranga Road, section 5 : "W. Barrett, contractor. Section G : P. Tray nor contractor. This road had suffered greatly owing to the mobs of cattlo from East Coast. The contractors had promised to put on more bands. Rahu Deviation.-*-R. M. Smith, contractor. This contract was reported as completed. The foreman recommend that 300 fascines be laid down. Various other contracts were reported as completed. Acccounts.--Accounts to the amount of L 145 8? 7d were passed for payment.