PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 200, 23 April 1887, Page 2

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the council was helil at Hamilton borough chambers on on Saturday. Present : Crs W. L. C. Williams (chairman), Crs Chepmell, Gould, Murphy and Smith. Road Deviation, Gordon Road. — A letter was icccivod from the Lands Office, stating thattheWairakau block had been absolutely granted without provision for roads, and the council must therefore proceed under the Public Works Act to get the road deviated* It was resolve J to take action accordingly. Gordon Settlement. — The Under-Se* cretary for Lands wrote, stating that Government proposed to take a vote for roads next session, when the money would be handed over to the council. Cr Murphy said the settlers were under the impression that the road grant would have been paid upon demand out of the rents. Twenty-seven of the settlers out of thirty had paid. Leasing of the Train way. — Cr Gould reported that the Warden had told him that he would not agree to lease the" t nun way. The Clerk said the consent of the Warden had been promised undercertain conditions, and no further communication had been received from him. Cr Chepmell thought there was a misunderstanding. What the Warden probably meant was that his final consent had not been obtained, meaning that the conditions required had nofc been fulfilled. / -Considerable discussion ensued, and it was decided that the Warden be communicated wif-fr at once, asking for hid written consent, the terms-. of his letter of March last having been complied with. It was also resolved to postpone tiie sale of the lease of the tramway until the Warden's approval had been obtained. The latter,, resolution was only agreed to aftermueh consideration. Cr Gould said the impression left upon his mind by the Warden's rem?rks was that that gentleman objected to leasing the tramway at all, and Cr Murphy said that on the previous night, on his arrival at Te Aroha, ho heard that the Warden would not agree to the leasing proposals on any terms. The whole of the councillors expressed much surprise at the attitude of the Warden, and thought the least he should have done was to have made the council aware af the change in his opinions. Cr Murphy hoped the delays would not prevent English capital coming into the country, and the chairman said he did not think so. Thames Hospital Board's Demand.— The Clerk reported that the Thames Board had served writs for Hospital and Charitable Aid.- Th< matter fu& been placed in the hands of Mr YV\ iVi. Hay, the county solicitor, to defend. Are opinion from Mr Hay was also read* The Clerk remarked that the auditor had intimated to him that in the event of the council losing the action, he should inquire closely into the expenditure in order to assure himself that the defence was bona fide, and not entered upon for merely speculative purposes. Several- councillors wanted- to know what the . auditor had to do with the matter, and Cr Chepmell said it waS absurd to call in question the council's right to defend the action, seeing that they were acting upon legal advice. It was resolved that the chairman and Cr Chepmell be appointed a committee to consult with the solicitor, re the appointment of counsel and other matters bearing upon the action. Waikato Hospital Contribution. — The acting -recretary of the Waikato Hospital Board wrote requesting payment of £279 10s, being the amount for , which the county of Piako was assessed. Cr Chepmell moved that the amount be paid ; seconded by Cr Smith and carried. Road to Waiorongomai. — The secretary to the Governors of the Thames High School wrote in reply to the council regretting that the Governors had no funils out of which to contribute to road works adjoining their endowment at Waiorongomai. Road to the Gordon Settlement.— The Engineer reported on the progress made upon thid road, which would bo complete. l in a short time. It was agreed on the engineer's re - commendation to vote the sum of, £80 to Mr Cox and others, being' part of the cost of drain cut and bridge erected by them at Shaftosbury. Cr Murphy said it would bo remembered that when this work was authorised there was a native reserve twenty

thains across, lying between the Gordon settlement and the south end of Shaftesbury block. It was determined then to allow this portion of the road to remain unmade, under the impression that the Government were about to purchase the land. Tins however had not been done. He would now recommend that the twenty chains bo constructed. Ihe cost would be £25. The approach to the Wairakau bridge would cost £20, and another £20 would be required for foi.ii ing a portion of the road along JVJr Koche's frontage. At present the track ran through that gentleman's land, but he might determine to fence at any moment. He would therefore move that the engineer be authorised to expend £05 upon these works out of the supplementary loan, which the council had agreed 'to boi row on his recommendation. The Clerk reported that the riding of Te Aroha was £2il in debt to the separate rate account. Cr Murphy asked what about the hotel licenses. Or Chepinell said that went into the riding account, which was thousands in debt. Cr Murphy said that debt included the goldfield account, which belonged i not to any one riding, but to the wholo county. ' The motion was not seconded i Cr Gould thought the expense should be borne by the Gordon settlers. It was agreed to allow this matter to stand over untillnext meeting. Te Aroha Cemetery.— The Trustees wrote, asking the counsel to vote a sum of £30 tcgo towards the cost of fencing the cemetery, which would cost about £50. Besides the fencing, the cemetery required to be surveyed off in \ Jots. The private subscriptions amounted to £30. Cr Smith spoke strongly in favour of making ' the grant, but as there was some doubt as to the council's power to expend their funds in this director, Cr Murphy gave notice to move at next meeting that the application be acceeded to. The Tramway Report,— The manager reported that owing to the continued fine weather of the last month it had been impossible to run quartz every day. During the time no running was made, the men were employed repairing the line, and there stili remained something to do in that direction before the line would be in good order for the winter. The revenue for the month was £08 Gs,made up as follows :— Quaita, £94 10s ; firewood, £1 10s; up freight £2 6s, tii expenditure being LSI 10s, leaving a credit balance of £10 lGs. Several councillors referred in terms of eulogy to the manner in which the i ram way had been managed by Mr Gavin. Miscellaneons. — Mr F. Puvitfc was appointed to collect the special late Te Aroha. riding at a remuneration of 7^ per cent ; a number of accounts were passed for payment and the Council rose. — Waikato Times,