PIA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Te Aroha News, Volume XVI, Issue 222040, 23 January 1900, Page 3

PIA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of this Council ■was held at Morrinsville on Friday 19th inst., when there were present Crs Chepmell (in the chair), and Ring, Harrison, Brady, Buckland, Farmer. 'Cox and Jackson. v >-. k Special Meeting. ~ This was called for the - purpose of a resolution passed at last kneeting, whereby, under ‘ The Govto Local Bodies Act their loans so i that the interest should be 4£ per instead of 5£ per cent, as at present. This alteration can only take effect on IstJFebruaiTLin each year, and as •to take advantage ■of it this motion having t o - weeks. .. Cr Harrison gave notice that at next meeting he would move' motion be rescinded. This is being done with a "view to making another arrangement whereby the interest will be reduced to pgjgpnf, and the duration of the ioan from 26 years to 41 The saving in interest will be about £67. per annum. - - Ordinary Meeting, Contract No. 2.—Cr Ring reported that he had refused to accept W. Stanley’s tender (the only one) for this, as he was advis id by the foreman that it was too high. It was remilted to Crs Harrison and Ring to arrange with Mr Wilson (who had offered £6 towards cost of work) to have the work done at an outside cost of £l6 or £l7. Hill on’s Drain Waihou.—Specifications for this were read and approved, ■ and tenders ordered to be called, returnfija on 3rd February, to' be Crs Farmer and JacksGn. Slaughter House Licenses. Renewals of licenses were granted to the pillowing applicants, the reports of The Inspectors (Constables Wild and McGilp) being,favourable to all cases: —A. Rowe, Lichfield; W. A. Roberts, Te Aroha.; John Rowe, Te Aroha; A. Swney, Waihou ; D. Scelly, Waharoa; Gibson, Manawaru; F. Rose, HBfirau ; F. J. Marshall, Morrinsville. ■ -- Te Aroha Road.—Foreman Wattam r was authorised to have ploughed. rounded up, and rolled, all that piece of road between Te Aroha railway crossing and Brenan’s corner. Wdtoa Bush Bridge. —As this | is in a very defective condition, foreman Wattarn suggested the purchase of a quantity of timber for piles, decking and caps. C nncil decided to let this stand over for a month in order to see if the Assets Board would share the cost of making the bridge strong enough for their traction engine to cross in the event of their wishingl to take the engine that way. ' Sand- Pit- Waihou.—Cr Farmer was deputed to further interview the manager Auckland. Savings Bank, with a view to purchase of piece of land suitable f"r this purpose, m the neighbourhood of W* ik° u - . Contract No. 129- CambndgeRoad. —Foreman Mahood reported that he had declined to pass Crouch’s contract herein, it not being up to specifications. Mahood was instriu ted to finish the work at Grouch’s expense. Kamai Track*—Foreman reported that scrub along the tr ick should be cut and burned, He was directed* to arrange for the cutting, and Cr Harrison undertook to supervise the burning, in order to obviate in chance of danger being done'to Ihe estate property through carelessness. Forfeited Deposit.—W. R. Johnson wrote asking for return of his £2 deposit on Contract No. 130. He stated that owing to his inexperience—this being his first contract—he had made a mistake in his quantities. Council >»»Kdecided to return him half the deposit ‘ —£l.

Loan Interest. —The Treasury for--warded a demand for £95 7s 2d, beinginterest on loans for half year ending 31st January, 1900. Valuations. —A circular -was received from the Valuation Department stating that in future no improvements shall be added to the Roll after the 31st March, in each year, and ashing to be furnished with a list of all properties requiring re valuing in consequence of incioasp l . improvements. Waiorons-omai Bridge. Waitoa Road Board requested payment of £l3 ss, being half cost of .raising the approaches to the .budge, and which proportion Council had.agreed to pay ‘" r .New Works at Gordon.—Mr Orr, chairman of the Gordon Settlement Association, -wrote stating that they would give £75 towards the total cost (£150) of contemplated road - ; work. Specific: tions for these works [ were submitted by foreman Wat tarn, and approved, and tenders were ordered to be called for same, return- , able at next meeting. The works are as follows:—(1) Levelling road and carting gravel in the Settlement on McLeod’s flat. (2) Cleaning drains, road formation (at Squirrell’s) and veiling. (3) Grading hills (near and forming road. (4) Reforming hill, and carting gravel (near Creamery). Thompson’s Track. —Foreman Wattam submitted specifications for widening 59£ chains—in two sections—and putting in 6 culverts (now). Theso were approved, and tenders ordered to be called for next meeting. Thames-Waikato Road. —Specifica-tions-(by Wattam) were submitted for carting sand on tnis road between Waikehau Bridge and Waitoa Bush. These were approved and tenders ordered to be called for next meeting.

Gordon Road.—Contract No. 3. John Hanks 2s lid per yard ; O. McCabe Is 9d per yard (accepted). Contract No. 4.- Carting earth and cutting drain in Walker’s R ad Wairakau. W. Brumby £ll 17s 6d ; R. T. Jansen £9 19s 6d (accepted). Contract No. s.—Reforming part of Te Aroha-Gordon road at Shuf osbury. W. Brumby 6s per chain, O. McCabe and Co. 6s per chain. This was decided by drawing lots; Brumby’s the name drawn, his tender was accepted. Bridge, Shaftesbury.—Mines Department reported that an additional £4O grant towards cost of this had been made. .

Gold Revenue.—Treasury advised remittance of £lO 9s 9d from the source. R ites. -As a r-sult of the b’gal advice taken by Council on this matter, the Thames High School -Board forwarded cheque in payment of tlieir rates, a charge they had heretofore declined to recognise. Waioron go in a i T rant way—M r H t rdy sent a Ling letter re this matter, in which he rejected the proposals made by the Council, and which ho verbally accepted at "last- meeting. Ho con sidered the haul go charge (3s 6d per truck) too li gli, especially where the ore was low grade. He also objected to paying wages of men over whom he had no control, especially as one of them was hostile to his interes s. He thought he should not be hampered too rnuchj and if no better terms were given him, he must close down the whole work under six month’s protection.

After some discussion Council docided to do nothing 'ill next meeting: Meantime the Clerk was authorised io prepare a report for next meeting, showing the revenue and expenditure in connection with "the tramway for the past month. Accounts.—J. B. Johnson 18s 9d ; Auckland Herald £1 2s 6d ; Waikato Times 12s; Ohinemuri Gazette 12s; J. McLeod 275; 0. McCabe £62; Treasury £95 7s 2d; Waitoa Road Board £l3 os; W. P. Benton £4 9s 2d; J. Lavery £l2 0s 4d ; E. Barret £4 7s; A. Stanley £7 16s; Waitnra £2 4s; F. Marshall £2 18s 4-1 ; McIndoe and Hill £7 5s )0d ; W. Brumby £2 Is; G-»Waitam £l3 15s; G. Ma hood £l4 7s 6d; R. Craig £8 Bs.