OHINEMURI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 174, 16 October 1886, Page 2

OHINEMURI COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of the above Council was held at the County Chambers, Paeroa, on Saturday evening la^t. Present— Crs Cock (chairman), Corbett, ( Moore, Nicholls, Walsh, and Strange. After the minutes of the previous 1 monthly meeting had been read and confirmed, the outward correspondence was received, and the inward letters, &c, dealt with as Follows ; — Wages. — John Bryne wrote making application for payment of £4= wages due to him for work done. Referred back for particulars Financial.— The balance-sheet showed the assets and liabilities of the County to date as follows : Assets, £818 133 7d ; liabilities, £IG7O 14s Id. Contracts.— Thomas Stanley made application for balance of amount due to him for contract work completed some time since. Referred to Finance Committee. Read Maintenance. — William Barrett wrote asking for time to complete his maintenance contract on the main road ; also for payment of £4 on account of work done. Agreed to. County Rate.— Bagnnll Bros, wrote enclosing a cheque for £1 9s 6d payment oE rates on the Kihakaputa block, and declining to pay any further amount, as the land upon which it was charged did not exist. The Property Tax Commissioner had sent them notice of valuation, so that they had no opportunity to object Received. Litigation.—Patrick Twiner, contractor under the Council, wrote stating that he would indemnify the Council from any other legal or other expenses incurred in any lawsuit that might arise between him and his paituer, Joseph Punch. Received. Gold Duty. — Tho manager of the Bank of New Zealand, Thames, wrote as follows : In reply to yours of the 17th ultimo, regarding the declaration made by the depositor of the bullion from the New Zealand Smelting works, Thames, I lh\d it stated as from the Boronyh of Thames. The manager of the NZ. Smelting Company, forwarded a statement., showing the results of operations to be ns follows : " The whole of the stone treated was obtained from the Ohinemuri district, and the number of tons were 140, results being 5790zs 12d\vts lOgrs pure gold, and 2oSiozs 17divts ldgrs pure iilver ; total value £2889 3s 2d. Referred to fhe Finance Committee. Public Buildings. — In response to an application from the Council for a grant of £500 for the above purpose, tho Under- Secretary for Public Works wrote as follows : '* I have to inform you that the Hon. Mr Richardson is unable to to see his way clear to accede to your application, as the purpose for which the .grant is asked for, is one for which the Government would not be justified in providing funds. Received. Engineer's Expenses —Mr F. Pavitt, county engineer, sent in an application for £70, being the amount due to him for work done, also a request to pay the wages men who repaired the Tui Greek track. Referred to Finance Committee. Financial. — The following telegrams from the Colonial Treasurer were read : " About £300, payable to County, detained for se f tlement of liability of original County Thames, re debentures overdue, of which amount was £358 14s; if you agree with Thames County, regarding your share of the liability so far as debentures are concerned, the matter can easily be settled. I will wire to Thames." The Chairman of Thames County telegraphed : " Your share of overdue debentures is £221 7s, do you concur, and shall I adjust accordingly." The Chairman of Thames County wired as follows on the same subject : "Always willing to settle amicably ; appoint committee of your Council, with power to act, and meet councillors of our county i in this office, as all books and papers are here." The Auditor-General also wired i for information as to when the council would be ready for him to adjust the accounts. After a good deal of discussion, it was resolved to ask the Auditor- General when it would be convenient for him to meet delegates from the Council re adjustment of accounts, and whether an adjournment of the inquiry could be obtained, in order to allow the delegates time to collect evidence on the subject, and it was also suggested that Mr C. J. Dearie's services be engaged for the occasion. I Maintenance Contracts. —Mr P. Trainor wired, in response to a notice from the Council, that he had instructed men to fix the bad places on his section of the main road, Also requesting Council to pay amount now overdue for work done. A long discussion ensued as to tho manner in which his work had been carried out, several councillors giving it aj their opinion that no attempt had been made to comply with the specifications.

Cr Walsh said that he had put on one man during tho week, under instructions received from Mr Trainor. At length it was resolved that, unless Mr Trainor puts men on at once to comply with the specifications, the Council would do so, and charge the cost of Same against the contract. In reference to the above, the Chairtoau said that the terms of all the above contracts expired on tho 24th inst., and he suggested that a committee of the Council should visit the roads in the County, and it was finally resolved that Monday, the 18th inst., should be the day for inspection. Rangiora Road. — The Assistant Surveyor- General wrote, saying that he could not send anyone to inspect the above road, pending receipt of plans and specifications for same. Resolved that the request be complied i with. Subsidies.-- -The Treasury Department wired to tho effect that a sum of £113 13s 4d had been placed to the credit of the County fund account in the bank here, on account of Owharoa tunnel and Kui Creek track expenditure. Received. Orders. — Mr Geo. Colcbrooke made application for the sum of £9 due to D. McLean, and for which he had sent in an order some time since. Referred to Finance Committee. Contract Money. — The manager of the Bank of N.S.W. wrote asking for information with regard to monies due to Mr J. Punch for contract work completed. Received. Defaulting Ratepayers. — Mr Buchanan wrote, sending a cheque for £3 2s Id, being payment of rates charged against him, and declining to pay rates on a block of land in which he was interested, on the grouud that it was still native property. The Chairman explained that Mr Buchanan should have sent his objections in to the Commissioners, and that part of the land was heli under the same conditions by Mr Thorp, who did not object to pay his portion of the rate levied. Motion. — Cr Corbett understood that the rates were coming in very slowly, and moved that all outstanding rates, not paid before the next meeting of the Council be sued for without further notice. Seconded by Cr Moore, and carried. Mining Subsidies. — A letter received from the Mines Department informed the Council that all unexpended grants and subsidies would lapse on the 31st March, 1887, and the money would not be available unless re-applied for after that date, and granted as a new work. Received. Main Road. — Mr L. M. Grace wrote, enclosing the following letter f.om the Public Works Department, with reference to an application msule for a £500 grant, to be expended on OwhaioaMackaytuwn section of the above road : In reply, I am directed to inform you that in accordance with the verbal promise made to you, a emu of £500 for the above-mentioned purpose, was placed on the Supplementary Estimates, nn>l it ia has been voted by Parliament. It, however, now remains a question for Government to carefully consider as to whether or not it is advisable that the Government itself should carry out the work, or intrust the County Council with it. Resolved that application be at once made for the grant to be expended under the auspices of the Council. McCabe's Contract. — The County Engineer 9ent in a letter to the effect that McCabe declined to accept the cheque forwarded as part payment for work done on the sawmill road, and demanded payment in full. Cr Nicholls stated that the extras on the work in question amounted to nearly double the contract price. When the first cheque was sent to McCabe he only claimed £17 11s 4d, and now he had rendered an account for £32. The late County foreman of works had no authority from the Council to give extras on any contract. The Chairman said that in company ■with the late foreman of works Cr Corbett estimated the quantity of earth shifted from the cutting at 450 yards, whilst the County Engineer made it out to be 150 yards. Cr Corbett explained that he knew nothing about the quantity of stuff removed, but the place he measured was shown to him by Mr Sims, who might have been mistaken with regard to the points, and he would back his measurement against that of any engineer. After & rather warm discussion, during which reference was made to a difference in the Measurements of another cutting, as between the late foreman of works, Cr Corbett, and the County Engineer, it was resolved on the motion of Cr Nicholls, that the sum of £10, being amount due on the mill road contract, be paid to McCabe, and that the balance in the way of extras be left standing for the engineer to report thereon. Payments. — Accounts, salaries, and wages, amounting to £34 Bs, were duly accredited. Dog Collars.-— Crs Corbett, Walsh and Moore, said that there were quite a number of unregistered dogs in their several districts, and they were of opinion that the collector was neglecting his duty. The Chairman stated that the remuneration — Is per dog — was not sufficient to "compensate the collectors for loss of time sustained iv ■ visiting the districts named. Notices of Motion. — Cr Nicholls moved that the resolution passed afc a pievious meeting, reducing the county slaughtering licenses from £5 to £2, be rescinded.

Seconded by O Corbett, nnd carried. Or Corbott moved that tho resolution passed at a previous meeting of the Council voting the Chairman an extra salary of £50 per annum for acting as cleric and treasurer, be rescinded. Seconded by Cr Moore. Cr Nicholls moveJ an amendment to the effect that the Chairman be paid at the rate of £50 per annum for clerical assistance instead of salary ; such payments to date from the 11th Sept. last. Seconded by Cr Strange, On the amendment being pur, the Chairman. Crs Nicholls and Strange voted for it, and Crs Moore, Corbett, and Walsh against it. The amendment "was carried on the casting vote of the Chairman. — Thames Advertiser.