PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 180, 27 November 1886, Page 3

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual monthly, and also the annual meeting- of the above council was held at the council offices, Cambridge on Wednesday 24th inst. Present : Crs J. C. Firth, W. T. Firth, Caepmell, Smith, Gould, Brunskill and Murphy, In the absence of the chairman Cr J. C. Firth presided. Correspondence : - Inwards^ -—From *Mr Hay, solicitor stating he was. of opinion that section 40* of *the 'Hospital and Charitable AM Act, *885;> amendment Act 13S0, controls and repeals section 30 so far as the Former is repugnant to the latter. The effect of this construction would be to exempt Piako County Council from liability to contribute to Thames District after August 17th, and probably to render recoverable after April Ist next, such monies as have been paid to Thames District by Colonial Treasurer, without councils consent. From Mr T. Lawless requesting the Council to issue an auctioneers license for balance of financial year, viz., till April for half ordinary fee, viz., for L 5. Request refused. Clarks Drain. — Mr Robert Mackie was in attendance, and being granted a bearing"stated his case with respect to obstructing Clarkes drain for which he was fined 5s with £5 11s costs at the last court held at Te Aroha. He now requested the council to forgive him the fine and grant him £5 compensation. Cr Murphy moved that the request be granted as Mr Mackie was a man with a large family, but the motion lapsed for want of a seconder, the council being of opinion that Mr Mackie had brought this expense on himself, by peisistentely obstructing the drain, after he had repeatedly been warned not to do so. Loan to Te Aroha Riding. — Cr Murphy spoke in favour of the Council burrowing a sufficient sum cf money under the new Loaus to Local Bodies Act, to construct a good road from Te Aroha to Shaftesbury and through the Gordon Settlement, as far as the Wairere Falls, a distance of about 15 miles ; the work to include the improvement of Bridge street, To Aroha, also widening the bridge in Whitaker street to full width of the street ; and the construction of a bridge at Wairakau at the junction of the creeks. For the proposed work he thought about £1500 would be sufficient. By adopting this course a really good road could be constructed, which would be far cheaper in the end than continually patching the existing road ; besides, they would have 26 years to pay it back. After considerable discussion, Cr Murphy proposed, That application be made to Government by telegram for a loan of £1500 under and in terms of the Government Loans to Local Bodies Act, 18«6, to make a road from the northern to the southern boundary of Te Aroha Riding, terminating at the Wairere stream. Proposed work to include Briilge st.eet, Te Aroha, and the road from Murphy's Landing through Wilson's section to Kilgour street, Waiorongomai, and the construction of r.ll necessary bridges and culverts ; the money to be entirely chargeable to Te Aroha Riding, and repayment secured by special rate thereon. The motion was seconded by Cr - Smith, and carried. „ Cr Murphy further propose J, with respect to this road, That Mr F. Pavitt, engineer to the connty, be instructed to prepare plans and estimates of the proposed work, to be laid before next meeting. Such plans to include plans of all bridges, estimates with regard to cutting and filling, etc., at a cost not exceeding £10 10s, to be in three sections ; one being that portion of the Riding proposed to be constituted a Town District, so that the exact amount required for each portion of the Riding be known. Seconded by Cr BrunsUill, and carried. Gordon Settlement. — Cr Murphy said he believed about £100 would be coming to .the Gordon settlers from Government soon, being proportion of rent allowed for -road works, and he now moved, That application be made to Government to have the amount of money available for road works on the settlement handed over to the Council for expenditure. Seconded by Cr Gould, and carried. Town District for Te Aroha. — A letter was read from members of a committee appointed to have Te Aroha constituted a Town District, and of T< Aroha Improvement Committee to the Council, stating they had requested Mr J. Ilott to present a petition to the Council for approval, and generally to act on behalf of the petitioners with respect thereto at the Council's meeting The petition, which was one praying that Te Aroha be constituted a Town District, and signed by considerably over one hundred resident householders met with the hearty support of the Council, and a resolution was carried unanimously approving thereof, subjeel to a slight alteration in the westerr boundary b=ing made, to which Mr Ilott said he felt certain there would not b( the slightest objection. Letter from Mr James Mills. — A communication was read from Mr Mills relative to a petition to have Te Arohi and Waiorongomai constituted a Borough under the Municipal Corporation! Act, 1886, was read ; the Council, how^ ever, were of opinion any such com mnnication was quite premature, as i related to a petition under an Act no ,'yeti in force. „ ' Pant for Gordon Settlement.— A the request of Cr Murphy, the Clerl was requested to writs to the Ministc of Lands and ascertain if any provisioi had been made for a punt and landing

on the opposite side of the Gordon settlement. O J. C. Firth snid r.e would assist by giving the necessary land without charge. Waiorongomai-Tui Prospecting Track — The following tenders were accepted for the above work : No. 1 section : T. Donovan, £16 10s ; No. 2 section : P. Dillon, £19 5s ; No. 3 section : T. Donovan, £19.