Piano County Council.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4439, 22 July 1909, Page 3

Piano County Council.

Thb monthly meeting of the above Council was held in the Council Chambers, Whitaker-street, Te Aroha, ?? £ uesda y last. Present: Messrs W. P* Chepmell (chairman), T. Bellamy, J. "Hadyi T. Hughes, J. B, Thomas, and C. Manuel. Minutes read and confirmed. Inward and outward correspondence dealt with,. , , Before the ordinary business was taken, a special meeting took place, when thebalanceBheet for the year ending March 31st, 1909, Was read and adopted, on the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Cr Bellamy.

—-An Objection.— A letter was received from Mr R. Harris, objecting to a fence put across the road, interfering with his frontage.— Letter received.

—Te Aroha West.— The Te Aroha West School Committee made application to have the ti-tree growing along the road-in front of the School cut down. — Resolved on the motion of Cr. Thomas seconded by Cr. Hughes, that the request be acceded to.

—Kereone Bridge.— yThe foreman reported that Kereone Bridge would, should the weather prove favourable, be finished before the end of the present week.—lt was resolved that th» various claims for wages, material, etos be putin the hands of Mr Gilchrist. The supervisor to pass the work as soon as it isffinished. * y—Given’s Claim.— Another letter was received from Mr G. Given, as to his recent trap accident.— On,the motion of Cr Manuel, seconded by Cr Hughes, the letter was received. —llalance-Sfceet.—

The beAlnce-sheet, duly audited, was returned? fmn the Audit Office. / —Bridge Loan.— The first advance of £2,500 on account of ibe £SOOO loan for erecting and bridges in old Waitoa riding, was received from the Treasury. —Tramway Repairs.— Advice was received to the effect that the sum of £9l 7s Gd had been paid into the Council’s credit on account of grant to Waiorongomai tramway repairs. —Road Grants, etc.—

Advice was received that the following amounts had been duly paid in Council’s account: - Thompson’s Track, widening, etc., £35 ; Piako County Flood damage, £BS ; Tauhei grading and formation, £6O; Tahuna to Morrinsville, making drains, £lO. Total, £l9O.

—Waiorongomai-Waitawheta Track.— The Under - Secrotary, Wellington, advised that the specifications as submitted will suffice and is approved. Bosson’s Crossing.—

The District Engineer advised that the Railway Department will grant a level crossing over the railway line at the place indicated on the plan sent in letter ofStbJune provided that the Council pay the cost of same which is estimated at £lO9. On receipt of the amount the work will be put. iu hand. —River SiltiDg.— 1 , The Secretary of the Ohinemuri River Silting Association wrote to the effect that Mr F. Strange, would be present at Council’s meeting to place before Councillors the objects of the Association, wifcJC a view to obtaining the Cornier cc-operation and assistance. The Secretary urged that steps should be taken, JUS m S upon Government the necessity Tor prompt action beiug taken to remedy the present trouble.

—Gravel Reserve.—

Mr P. Gilchiist, Council’s solicitor, advised as to the position and title of Sections 1 to 16, inclusive Block XXI town of To Aroha in the Piako County, area 3 acres 3 roods 20 perches. It is vested in the Te Aroha Town Board in trust for a gravel reserve. The references thereto are Gazettes 1894 page 457, when it was permanently reserved, and 1895, page 767 containing the order in Council vesting it as above. It was resolved to make further enquiries re this matter. —Eating on Unimproved Value.— The Council's Solicitor (Mr P. Gilchrist) advised that the special rates of Council must now be levied upon unimproved value.

—Waihou Paddock,— The Farmers’ Co.-op., Auctioneering Company, Limited, signified its willingness to accept paddock at Waihou at *lO per annum, on the terms mentioned.

—Unpaid Rates.—

Mr A. Swarbrick, solicitor, forwarded r further Report showing the result of each rate case put into his hands for collection. Also a statement oi the amount collected, and his bill cf costs (£l7 163 6d) in this and other matters and forwarded a cheque to Council for balance in band, £2O 18s 2d. —Dog Collais,—

M. Kiely. jun., wrote to the effect that he would be prepared to accept the position for the remainder of the term for Is 3s per collar. It was decided to accept Mr Kiely’s offer. —Te Aroha C&fcage Hospital.— The Borough Council of Te Aroha, Wrote soliciting the Piako County Council’s co-operation ic the matter of the erection oi a Cottage Hospital at Te Aroha. It is proposed to approach the Government for a grant of £2OOO to pay the cost of building and equipment; the Waikato Hospital Board to take over the management and control when the hospital is completed.—The Chairman considered this neighbourhood does not want a hospital in any degree as much as the southern portion. The upcountry, in his opinion, has a greater claim, there they had neither good roads or railways. Many people had no idea .as to the expense of fitting out a hospital, and its upkeep.—On the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Cr Hughes, the letter was receive!. —Bendigo Battery— Cr Manuel, on behalf of the Bendigo G. M. Co., asked permission to take material up the tram for the purpose of erecting a battery on Ferguson battery site, at the foot of Butler’B spur. He oxpected to require the tram before, next meeting, Permission granted, provided the Company pay actual Working expenses.

—Tramway Matters.—

It was reported that the recentlv erected bridge, made out of Government subsidy, was not strong enough to carry trucks at the speed necessary for the successful working of this part of the line. The trestles were too far apart, and would require strengthening.—lt was decided to have the matter attended to.

The question of securing a new wire rope for the Fern Spur grade was also

gone into.—The Clerk was instructed to get particulars, prices, etc.

—Disputed Account.— An account received from Mr Mahood, i late Supervisor, was referred back to him.

—Tenders.—

The following contracts were dealt with :

No. 84 Building a Single Span Bridge on the Valley Hoad, near Walton A. Scherer, £36 14s 3d; A. J. Forrest (accepted) £29 10s ; Smallman Bros.. £33 ; A. W. Beeson, £42. No. 85—Building a Single Span Bridge on the Scotchman’s Valley Road at Bridgman’s A. J. Forrest, £37 8s; Smallman Bros, (accepted) £36 ; Chas. Given, £4l 17s 3d.

No* 86—Filling in the approaches to the Piako No. 2 Bridge on the Morrins-ville-Kereone Road Smallman Bros,, (accepted) £52 ; P. A. Swney, £77 ; Lennox and Corlett, £59 ; Wm. Irwin, £6B ; Stanley Bros., £SB 10s ; P. Farrington, £56. No. 87—Cleaning about 75 chains of Drain on the Thames-Waikato Boad at Proudlock’s. (Near Morrinsville) : —P. Farrington (accepted) 3/11 per chain; L. Pender, 7/- ; D. Torphy, 6/9. —Finance.— The Treasurer reported that'the overdraft, after paying accounts, would amount to £3976 3s.

The accounts passed for payment totalled £931 12s 9d, as follows : General, £459 9s 4d; Walton, £1 4s; Morrinsville, £ll3 14s 7d ; Waitoa, £55 19s 3d ; Waihou, £Bl 11s ; tramway, £4 Is ; Te Aroha, £IOB 16s 4d ; Manawaru, £3l 19s Id; Bridge loan £lO5 8s 3d.

—Printing.—

It was reeolved to get prices for print ing the balance-sheet. Willow Trees Nuisance.— Mr W. North, of Te Awamutu, was present at the invitation of the Council, and gave a few particulars as to his mode of killing willow trees, which system had met with such success in his own district. Mr North described the mode in which the tree was ring-barked for about 18in, and the wound painted with a special preparation of his own *• Noxine,” which was the result of many years of investigation on his part. The mixture is made up in 5 gallon drums, at a cost of 18s per gallon, or a single gallon for £l. Six drums would suffice lor miles of willows, labour being the principle item.—A vote ot thanks was accorded Mr North for his remarks.- It was resolved to get a drum of the mixture and experiment, Supervisor Johnson to report on the result. It was also decided to try kerosene, poured into a hole bored in the tree. This was suggested by Cr. Manuel. —Mr F. M. Strange was present on behalf" of the Ohinemuri County Council.

—Adjustment of Accounts — The Clerk of the Matamata County Council acknowledged receipt of Council’s letter asking for cheque for £1455'19s 4d, in settlement of the adjustment. The Matamata Council decided to pay the amount as soon as the necessary arrangements with the Bank are confirmed.

Mr Gilchrist was present on behalf of the Matamata County Council, and explained the inability of the newly constituted Matamata Council to strike a rate or get the necessary overdraft, until a certain time had elapsed. He asked the Piako Council to allow the account to Btand over till 31st March next, in the meantime the Council secure an increased overdraft based on last year’s revenue from the whole of the old County of Piako.—ln the event of the Bank of New Zealand not agreeing to meet the demands of the Council, tne Chairman was authorised to arrange with either the Union Bank or the Bank of Australasia, at Hamilton. The opinion was expressed that the Bank of New Zealand had been riding over them rough-shod for some time past, and it was time some alteration in this state of affairs took place. Cr. F. M. iStrange, of Ohinemuri County Council was in attendance. A good deal of discussim ensued, and the following resolution was eventually pro* posed by Cr: Thomas, and seconded by Cr. Manuel and carried : —“That we support the Association in any action that they may take in trying to induce the Government to devise a means of preventing the tailings going into the rivers. That the Government be asked to assist in the removing of the willows.” Supervisor Johnson’s report was read, and the various recommendations agreed to.

[Owing to pressure on our space the balance of the report is unavoidably held over till next issue.]