TRAMWAY REPORT.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 173, 9 October 1886, Page 3

TRAMWAY REPORT.

The following report, was road at the List meeting of the Piako County Council:--Waiotongomai, September fc>7th,ldbG. To the Chairman and Members. Piako County Council. Gentlemen, — I have the honour to submit the following report on the wo iking of your tramway for the past four weeks, or during the time I have had charge. On the 31st of August, I went over the line and took an inventory of the property a copy of which I now attach to this report. On the Ist of September, I took charge of the line, and X at once proceeded to cut down the expenses by reducing the staff «; I discharged the carpenter on that date and on the 4th I discharged another man and put one horse out to giass. and I have been working the line since that date with five men and one boy including myself, and I find with that number and the thiee horses I could send from 1G to 20 trucks per day to the battery, ; but at present I am not able to obtain that number, as there are so few miners at work, as we have not been kept fully employed in running quartz, I put the men in the spare time ro repair the line, and get ready for shifting the breaks on Butler's Spur, and had I been able to get sufficient quartz from the mines to enable nn-Jto stop the line for two days, I 'would have had the brake shifted but' I am obliged to run some down every jday in order to keep the battery going. I have now got the trenches cut and all ready to shift when f get an opportunity, which I am afraid I won't get until the battery stops, to clean up at the end of their month. I have had to cover the brakes on Butler's and May Queen spurs with iron, in order to keep the rain off, for when the winter sets in the brakes will not hold, and the trucks go at such great speed that they were liable to bo smashed every time. The cost of this covering will not exceed £2 10s, including our own labour. We had one slight slip during the bad weather, which was on the horse grade between Butler's and May Queen spurs. It took the men about two hours to clear. There was no other damage during the month. The blacksmith has been kept going during his spare time shoeing the horses, repairing tracks, and making iron work for the rollers for Butlers spur. The amount of revenue for the four weeks is L7l 13s 3d, which was made as follows: — Quart-/,,

£GG los ; firewood, L 3 Gs Gd ; up freight, LI 11s 9d. Tho expenditure for the sumo period is LGS Gs 7d, which includes wages, horse feed, iron, coal, etc., nnd leaves a credit balance of L 3 (»s Bd. I wish to lemintl you that the contract for the supply of horse feed was up wlun I took charge, and that it would be advisable to call for tenders lor six months supply as soon as possible. J also wish to inform you that tho men cutting" firewood complain that the charge for sending it down is too high, as it has only to be sent over one giade, while quartz is sent the full length of the lino, and tho charge is only one shilling per truck more. It would be advisable to make a scale of charges according io the distance carried. I regret that I cannot send a report on the track fiom Waiorongomai creek to Tui claims, as I have been kept too busy on the line, and have not been able to go over the supposed line, and though 1 am well aciuuinted with the countiy, I would not attempt to report on the track without caiefully examining the route, which I will do at my first opportunity, and will forward report immediately after. — I remain, gentlemen, your obedient servant, Thomas Gavin, Manager.