Piako County Council.

Te Aroha News, Volume XIV, Issue 2070, 22 January 1898, Page 2

Piako County Council.

The monthly meeting of this Council was held at Morrinsville on Chursday, when there were present: Councillors Chepmell (in the chair). Harrison, Hunt, McCaw, Gavin and Hemes. Alleged Overcharge in Rates.-—Mr W. L. C. Williams wrote complaining that for the past 8 years he had . been paying rates on 116 acres not in his occupation. He asked for & of the Overcharge. Council decided that the valuation in rate-book must bo adhered to, and that Mr William® pay the rates as demanded. Tender.-—Or Harrison notified that as empowered by Counoil he had opened and dealt with tenders for formation on Cambridge - Tauranga Road, between Mangawhara fingerpost, and Waihou bridge, he had acacepted the tender of G. Giles at 4s Id per chain. Slaughter Houses.- -Constable Wild who held the appointment of Inspector of Slaughter Houses in the Te Atoha and Waitoa ridings, and Constable Brennan,- Inspector of Patetere and Matamata ridings, having been transferred to other districts, their successors, Constables Rowles and Cahill respectively were appointed as Inspectors. The following applications for renewal of slaughter houses were granted: Alex Rowe, Lichfield; Frank Rose, Tirau ; D. Scelly, Waharoa; F. Marshall, Morrinsville ; Jas. Gibson, Manawaru; John Rowe, Te Aroha; W. A. Roberts, Te Aroha ; John Woods, Te Aroha; and John Walls, Waihou. Waiorongomai Tramway. The Aroha Gold Mines, ltd., wrote agree ing to pay their share of cost of repairs to this tramway. The usual arrangement, whereby they are granted use of, and become responsible for the tram, was renewed for another month. Subsidy.—Te Aroha Town Board was granted £2 lOs as a subsidy on cost of repairs to track leading to the Trig Station. Drains at Waitoa.—N. A. Larney wrote complaining about state of drains near his property, and commented adversely on the way i J .'hicli Councillors neglected to get the work done in a properly efficient and economical manner. The clerk was in structed to acknowledge receipt of his letter.

New Roads. Mr Kensington, of Lands Department, returned plans duly approved, of road to be taken and closed, through Maungakaretu No. 1 and Maungapouri No. 1, Patetere North. He notified that Council would require to get consent of owners of land and return the plans with certificate of title for endorsement.

Charitable Aid —Council passed for payment £9B 9s, being final instalment of their annual subsidy to the Waikato Hospital Board. Cambridge Napier Road.—ln answer to Council’s complaint that the Government w >rkmen leave part of this road, near County boundary unattended. Mrßeaney, Road Inspector at Rotorua, replied that instructions had been given to the overseer to have the boundary properly adjusted. Late Taotaoroa Road Board.—The Treasury Department notified Council that the inscribed debt of this Board (recently merged in the County) had now been inscribed as a debt of the Council, the amount being £ 180 3s 9d.

Road Drains at Gordon.—John McLeod drew Council’s attention to road drain and outlets on sections 4 and 5 which required cleaning out. Foreman Wattam was instructed to inspect and report on same at next meeting. Bank Balance.—The clerk reported the overdraft at Bank to be £644 lie 3d.

Change of Ownership.—The Assets Realisation Board forwarded note of sales of land recently effected in the County, and asked Council to make the necessary amendments in the rate book. Other intimations to a similar effect were received from individual owners.

Advertising.—Mr Gotz, manager of the Te Aroha Times, wrote asking Council for a share of advertisements, which were at present given exclusively tojthe Te Aeoha News (as far as Te Aroha was concerned). He suggested that Council should divide the advertisements or call tenders for advertising for a term of 12 months as was done by the Ohinemuri County Council. This, he ventured to state, would be the least expensive method. The Council, after consideration, decided to invite tenders from the two Te Aroha papers for 12 months advertising, at per inob. Government Subsidy.—lt was decided to make application to the Government for the £3OO placed on the Estimates for the Cambridge-Tauranga road. Gordon-Waharoa Road. —The Engineer (Mr W. H. Johnson) sent in a lengthy report oh the various contracts on this road. He considered, that on the whole, the work had been satisfactorily carried out,, but warned Council that much more would require to be done before they could expect a really good road, on account of the fact that the road was to a great extent taken through swampy country. He suggested that in the meantime 6 or 8 small contracts, amounting in all to about £6O, should be let, and asked that a deputation of the Council meet him, and make an inspection of the whole road. The Council agreed to do this; Messrs Herries, McCaw and Gavin, being appointed/tu m°efc the Engineer iiu a date toj> o arranged Foremen’s- Reports.—Messrs Wattam and Mahood reported on the roads in their respective districts. Wattam

was instructed to get the main drain on the south side of the Thames-Wai-kato road from Lovegrove’s to Taylor’s, cleaned out, as it has silted up, and js’ full of weeds. He was also instructed to procure the rimu timber he required from Mr Jas La very, Te Aroha. Mahood was given permission to pur- * chase a single furrow plough and s*_, one horse scoop, as asked for in his report, and also to get the rimu timber from Clifford, of Morrinsville, for redecking bridge near n ir R* He was referred to Councillor Harrison for instructions about burning off rubbish on the Kamai Track. Several specifications for new works, prepared by - the foremen, were approved by the Council, and tenders ordered to be called for next meeting. Tenders The following tenders were opened by the.Couneil: Contract No 72, 53 chains formation on Thames Waikato road near Larney’s, A J Forrest 4s fid per chain; Chas McGuire 4s per ohain (accepted). Contract No 73, 40 chains formation and gravelling at north end of Gordon Settlement : Jas Orr £79 lls (accepted). Contract No 74, 48 chains formation and gravelling near Gordon school: W. Newsome £52 10s 8d; Jno McLeod £46 (accepted) Contract No 75, 18 chains formation and grading Osborne’s hill, Gordon : W. Newsome £lB 18s; Jno McLeod Ll 7; F Walker £l7 (accepted). It was decided to inform all these contractors that. the time penalty would be strictly enforced. Railway Drain—lt was decided to ask the Railway Department to clean out the pipes under the Railway crossing, near Waitoa Station. Accounts—The following accounts were passed for payment: Waikato Hospital Board L9B 9s; Mclndoe and Hill L 7 5s lOd; James Parr Ll lfis 7d; Newson and Coulson Lll ss; H. Grant L 1 0; B Montague L 2 5; James Orr L 6 10s; F Walker Ll 5s 6d ; Jno Wattam L 7 4s; Geo Wattam Ll 3 14s; J Read L 4 19s; D Stubbing L 22 ; Geo Mahood Ll2 3s 9d; W Hogan L 4 Is; Thomsm L 4 5s 6d; Weir L 8 1 Is; C Tuatura and party LlO 10s 6d ; Puhlio Account Lll6 7s 5; Gor- . ton Estate Ll 17s 2d; W Souter and Co L 3 0s 9d; Te Aroha Town Board L2 10s; Sundry accounts L 5 Is 9d.