PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 273, 16 June 1888, Page 2

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary monthly meeting 1 of above Conncil was held at the Phcenix Hotel, Morrinsville, yesterday, commencing at 11 a.m. Present — Crs. Cliepmell (Chairman), Iloany, Williams, Dibble, Gould. Browning, Brunskill, Murphy and Mills. Minutes of the previous monthly meeting, special meeting on same date, and also adjourned special meeting held on May 24th for the purpose of receiving and finally adopting tho annunl balance sheet, were read and coi fi mcd. Correspondence : Proposed New Road (£l5OO loan) Patetoro Riding : — To Chairman Matamata Road Board, asking if that body would form the portion of road within Matamata Riding, if the Council expended £1500 loan in making proposed road in Patelere Riding, No definite reply had been received from the Chairman yet, as no meeting of the Road Board had since taken piece. Mr Dibble, member for Matamata Riding, stated there was a disposition on thepartof thoowncrs of Matamatu estate, not to make that portion of the road within Matamata Road District. The Colonial Treasurer wroto stating tho loan applied for, £1500, would be placed to Council's credit within a few days. Resolved on the motion of Cr Ileany that the Engineer bo instructed to call

for liMi'l'M 1 -; for I'onninc? and hi idling tin', portion of Ihf proposed rovl fro»n (Jambnd,^'- i'lUMM^i load* to Omki Or lleaney said tin's portion was through the Thames Valley L, GVs property, who were about to expend probably somo £GOOO or £7000 in bush falling etc., having already accepted tenders for falling 3000 acres of bush at 25s per acre. Cambridge Oxford I toad : — From N. I. Hunt, chairman Taotaoroa .Road Board, asking that Conned would delegate power to the TaotnoiV i Ko-ul 'Gcnid to make and maiutu'n that, noi>i ( ,n ->H,h« Cambridge-Oxford main ro.i.t wi'hm their Koad District. The Clerk stated ho had seen Mr liuuf and found that what lie wanted tv to have the portion of road referred to constituted a district road, and read section 81 Public Works Act, 1882, and amendments thereof. Cr Brttnskill moved that the portion of road referred to be declared a district road according to terms of the Act quoted and subject to tho consent of the Taotaoroa Road Board. The motion was seconded by Cr Heaney and carried. From F. D. Rich, manager Thames Valley Land Co., asking that a few pounds bo axpended on the road running through tho Co's property, Patetero Riding, and stating they would be expending from £0000 to £8000 within the next year or so, and there would be a large amount of packing to bo dene during the winter over this road. Cr Heaney said the Thames Valley Land Co already had five surface men employ pil in repairing tho road, and moved that £20 be voted for expenditure on the road, seconded by Cr Williams, and carried. From F. D. Rich, manager Thames Valley Land Co., offering to clear a read half a chain wide from Lichfield to Clarkes letter box, a distanca of about 8 miles, and to plough and harrow three times and so\r down with grass and clover ; to make tho cuttings and ' sidings necessary to make it a good passable road, and to heighten the embankment on to culverts already laid down ; to fill np the entrance at the Oraka, and to make a cutting at a steep hill, also a siding between Clarkes letter box and Oxford ; tho distance only to count from the letter box to LichfiaU. Tho prico for the whole to bo 3a per chain. Cr Ileany moved and Cr Williams seconded that Mr Richs' offer bo accepted. Cr Ileany remarked Mr Rich would probably have to expend .£lOO more than the amount to bo received from the County Council, but as manager of the Thames Valley Land Co., he was anxious to have the load through the Company's property in good order, Cr Williams said it would cost Council at least, £50 to keep a surface man on to ju^t keep the road open, and expressed the opinion that it would be moat desirable to accept such a liberal oiler. The motion was carried. ! Fiom W. A. Murray asking Council to lay off an access road from Mount PI want to Mr Russell's property. The chairman said the Council had nothing to do with that road, and tho clerK was directed to reply accordingly. Biidgeafc Wairakau : From E. C. M. Thompson, Shaftesb'iry, drawing Council's attention to the serious inconvenience residents in that district experienced owing to the approaches not being yet tnado to the bridge erected over the Wairakau stream. The Engineer estimated the cost of making the approaches to the bridge at £11. Resolved on the motion of Cr Williams that tho approaches bo made. From E. F. Roch<\ Shaftesbury, likewise drawing attention to the need of having the bridge referred to made available for traffc. Road Obstructions : From Jas. Bailey, Fencourt, complaining of obstacles in the way of gates, etc., existing on the road from Oxford to Waitoa, and asking that repairs be effected on tho Matamata-Oxford road. Cr Williams said he thought Mr Bailey rather unreasonable in complaining with respect to gates; on the line of road referred to, etc., as he had locked all the gates on a surveyed road through the Auckland Agricultural Co/s property. ' He would move that no steps bo taken by Council in tho matter. This was seconded by Cr Murphy. lie said there were only three gates on the road and considering the small traffic that way, it would not be fair to make the property owners fence so as to removo the gates. The motion was seconded and carried. It was resolved that no action be taken with respect to the second part of Mr Boiley's letter. Punt at Murphy's Landing. — From IT. J. Hawkins, To Aroha West protesting against the punt being closed at Murphy's landing after the Council had gone to so much expense to establish it. From Cornelius Murphy, giving nolice that ho would cease to run the punt after 31st July prox. Cr Murphy stated with respect to statements that had been made that the punt charges Were excessive, that the charges were never any more than were charged afc the Te Aroha punt ; and in accord an re with the original agreement. Cr Heany moved, as a possible solution to tho difficulty, that tenders be invited for the taking over of the punt on same terms as Mr C. Murphy had it. Seconded by Cr Brunskill and carried. Bridge at Murphy's Landing :—: — A petition bearing 113 signatures was read praying Council to con-

struct a traffic boidgo at Murphy's cro^STii" (1/iaiini'j.i .j.-iiil ,{, would he a great inconvenience if the punt were stopped, liufc ho failed to sec how the money could be raised to erect a bridge. Resolved that the petition be received and the petitioners informed Council have at present no funds available for constructing the proposed bridge. Or Browning said ho expected the settlors would not object to pay a toll for crossing .1 bridge if erected. lioad to Waiorongomai : From a ii'inl- < n( nsiienf-j at W»uoron£om,i?, <nkijy.; (Jouncil that the row! from tuo 'lotlo.n of Ur-hnm-sdeet to the foot 01 flu; (Jpp^r Hill Trac^ be irmdo passable, ; Mr N. [Kskefl, by permission ad'lm»wl Council ia support of the petition, and stated it was urgently required that the road referred to be drained. Something like twelve pack horses passing over the line of road referred to were daily proceeding uphill. The money now being expended on the hill track would be of little use if this connection was not made. Mr, Basuett also stute I , as a matter-of-fact, the children of four families residing in this portion of Waiorongomai township had to be carried on their parents' backs over the worst poition of this road to be able to go and return home from school. About fifty chains of draining would be required. Cr Williams said he knew the place referred to well, and the work was really necessary, Cr Brunskill remarked that nothing had been said about this road at ihu time the expenditure was asked for on the hill tjack. The Chairman wished the Crs to distinctly understand any money voted would simply be an advance to Te Aroha Riding from the general account ; he did not 9ay this as objecting to*the work being corried out, but simply that Crs might know the position of affairs. Cr Gonld said he had never before heard of any complaint with respect to j this road. Resolved on the motion of Cr Murphy that the work be carried out at a cost not exceeding £20. Tbames Harbour Board : — The ChairI man reported result of the meeting of delegates, representing the various local bodies interested, recently held at To Aroha ; and the Clerk read a draft of the letter drawn up at that meeting, to be forwarded to the Hon Minister of Marine. A letter was also received from the Marine Department, with copy of Gftzotte notice withdrawing the Proclamation granting extended boundaries. Wiiorongomai Tramway : — To H. W. Northcroft Esq., Warden, stating the present lessees of the County Tramway desired to transfer same to Te Aroha S. ami (J.M. Co., and sending draft of proposed transfer for his consideration and signature if approved. To this letter no reply had been yet received. C.»mbiii]ge-Taupo Rra i : — Resolved that the surface- man, at. present employed on the Patetere road, be employed on the Cambridge-Taupo road foi next three weeks, expenses to be charged against £16 still available from Government for expenditure on this road. Hot Springs : — From A. Isaacs requesting that Council open up a road thiough a prrtion of the Auckland Agricultural Go's land to the hoi spiings situated on the Uknroiri estato, and the property of applicant, who stated lie purposed opening them up to the public, construct baths, etc. Chairman :—lt: — It appears to me that Mr Isaacs bought this land with his eyes open, knowing there was no road, and at a value accordingly ; and it would be too much of a good thing if people could go and bny laud like that and then compel local bodies to make roads to their property, Resolved on the motion of Cr Gould seconded by the Chairman, That Council ascertain the cost of taking the proposed road and opening it for traffic ; and upon payment of estimated amount, as ascertained, by applicant into the County fund, Council will be prepared to proceed with the necessary steps for taking the road and opening it for traffic. The Clerk was authorised to take the necessary steps to have Messrs Winstone, Hunter, and Cannell placed on the Ratepayers Roll, no objection having been received to the applications. From N. I. Hunt requesting that his name be placed on the Connty Roll as manager of the Matamata estate in lien of Mr Walter Hunter, and Mr Hunter wrote to the same effect. Applications were also received from the following to have their names placed on the Roll. From Mrs E, Vojsey instead of T. Craven ; from C. Cribb, instead of H. W. Burbridge ; from F. J. Marshall, instead of A. J. Rowo ; from Cbas. Rogers, instead of John Barber. Tenders : For Road through Maori land to Gordon Special Settlement :—: — - The following tenders for the above work were received : W. Brnmby, £60 ; J, Shine, £51 10s ; Peter Rico, £49 ; Pat Dillon, £45 ; Voysey and Collett, £43 13s; Bernard Montague, £38 ; Bernard Murray (accepted), £35. A letter from the Post Master at Thames, stating he had been informed the footpath leading to the post office at Waiorongomai was in a bad state, was received. Slaughter House License : — An application by Comes an<i Murphy, for a slaughterhouse license at Waiorongomai was granted. Te Aroha- Wniorongomai RoaJ, — The Engineer stated that he could not got men to woik at repairing the road at 6s per day, and asked permission to have