Piako County Council.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVII, Issue 4466, 23 September 1909, Page 3

Piako County Council.

Th* ordinary monthly meeting of the the above Council took place on Tuesday in the Council Chambers, Te Atoha. Present:—Crs. W. P. Chepmoll (chairman), J. Thomas, J. Brady, W. T. W. H «ghes and C, Manuel. The minutes were read and confirmed and the inward and. outward correspondonce dealt with. —Walton Hoad— Prom C. Hutchinson, drawing attention. to the requirements of the road passing through “ Eversley ” up to the homestead. ' f/

—•Licem-iitya; Expenses— The Town Clerk, Hamilton, advised that the total .amount expended by the Hamilton Borough Council on behalf of the Waikato Licensing Committee for the year ending 31st March, 1909, was £25, made up as follows Clerk’s salary, £2O ; (advertising and printing, £3 10s ; J. E. 8. Richardson, expenses, £l 10s; the Piako Council’s proportion of this amount is £ll4s lid. —Disputed Account — Mr L. G. Eoberts, general blacksmith, Waihou, wrote, taking exception to Council deducting a certain amount from his cost of making a steel mould for concrete pipes. He asked the Council to reconsider his account for the mould, as the sum offered did not properly reimburse him for the work and time incurred, and he would not in justice to himself accept the amount tendered in payment, If necessary, he would bring expert evidence to show that his charge is only fair and reasonable, in support of which Mr Eoberts endorsed a detailed account of claim.

Dangerous Road— Mr E. Havill, Te Aroha, wrote calling attention to the dangerous state of the road passing his property. He [would like something done to it at once, as he was unable to bring fencing material and manures which are required at once on the land. —Waiorongoma Tramway and Park Track— The Tramway foreman, John 8. Hill, reported as follows on the tramway and pack trackA good deal of damage was done to both by the last storm and rfaa, completely stopping all traffic. Tbf pack track has been made passable. Nothing y<t \done to tramway, except putting ir/ If' new cr’vert where about 35 feet of the tram washed out. Have cut this through on one side of the old filliDg to get into solid country without going as low down as the other oue was. The manager of Hardy’s Mines asked when the train would be cleared, as he wanted to get some 1 mining material through and pack some suppliers.. Informed Hardy’s manager that Council would not permit packing [on the tramway. This, of course, would not matter just now as the the trucks are not pinning. If trucks are lanning packing would be dangerous as there are very few places where passing is possible. The Tramway Committee (Crs Hughes and Mr Hanna) \lsited the pack track and tramway, and will be able to explain the position of slips, etc. As some of the mine managers expect to be using the May Queen grade, it would be as well not to take the ropes away. A timber jack is badly needed to remove fallen trees, stones, etc. The manager of the Bendigo is satisfied with the old rope for his machinery, so it would not be advisable to cbaDge ropes just now. During the mouth goods have been taken up for the Bendigo and Hardy’s Mines. —Closing Railway Bridge—

The District Engineer for Railway advised that when the new road bridge, now being, erected at Te Aroha across the Thames river, is opened for traffic the Department intend to close the railway bridge against the public. - > Flood Damages—-

The Public Works Department acknowledge, receipt of letter of 14th inst., with reference to the vote for repa'r of flood damages within the County, and in reply f-tated that the balance of the authority ic £59 7s 9d ; and not £144 7s 9d, as mentioned in letter of 9th inst. As no work has apparently been done since payment of £BS to the Council last month, it is proposed to cancel the balance of the vote, and the Department would be glad if the Council wor’d consider the authority withdrawn accordingly. The Clerk read a reply he had already forwarded to the foregoing. —Not Exempt from Rates—

The Commissioner of Crown Lands in repily to Council’s letter of the 19th inst., intimated that F. W. Page selected section 8. block IX., Waitoa. S.D., under 0.R.P., but not under the Rush and Bwamp Act, so he is not exempt from rates.—lt was resolved on the motion of Cr. Manuel, seconded by the Chairman, that Mr Page be supplied with a copy of the reply. —Railway Drainage—

The District Engineer w jole as follows : The Inspector of Permanent Way, at Te Aroha, has forwarded your letter of the 23rd mat., re pipe being laid under railway line westward of Waitoa Station. The pipe is being laid to connect with the road drain, that being the natural fall for the water, as it would also be for a certain portion of railway land.—Supervisor Johnson considered the pipe line was against the natural fall.—Cr. Bellamy concurred with the Supervisor.—lt was resolved on the motion of Cr. Thomas that as the Railway Department make use of the drain they be asked to contribute towards upkeep of same.

—grants Required—

H. Poland, Esq., M.P., acknowledged receipt ol letter of 18th, enclosing copy of Council’s application to Minister in charge of roads for grants for the Motumaoho and Diagonal Roads ; and in restated he would do what he could to assist in obtaining grants for them.

—That Promise—

It was unanimously resolved on the motion of Cr. Thomas that the Clerk, forward to Sir Joseph Ward a copy of the promise made to the settlers re a more up-to-date goods shed at Waihou; and also urge npon him the necessity for the fulfilment of the promise.

—Contract Let—

The tender of Gallagher, at 3s lid per chain was accepted for Cribb’s outlet. The other tenderers were: Stanley Bros., ss, and A. Forrest 5s 5d per chain, —Office Honrs— The Clerk applied for and was granted permission to close the Council Chambers on Saturday afternoon instead of Wednesday as heretofore. —Statutes— It was resolved to dispose of the Consolidated Statutes for the sum of £5, and a more up-to-date set purchased.

—Work on Waitoa—

It waf .re3olved on the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Cr. Bellamy that

a letter be written to the Government, asking what it was intended doing re the above Estate. The summer would soon be over and the winter would be upon us without anything being done.

—No. 2 Road—

Decided to call for tenders for 39 chains on this road.

—Franklin’s BridgeOn the motion of Cr. Hughes, seconded by Cr. Brady, it was resolved to get this bridge erected with a" possible despatch.

—Stanley Road—

It was resolved to make application to the Government for a subsidy towards the flood damage on Stanley Road, on the Matamata boundary. A considerable number of Crown tenants suffered, as the result of the damage done. —Ploughs, Etc.—

It was decided to dispose of the ploughs, etc., at the next Waihou sale; also to get a price for putting the road machine in good repair. In the meantime information as to cost of the latest machine is to be ascertained. The price for hire of machine to contractors was fixed at 3s 6d per day [ —Poplar Bridge -

Cr. Manuel drew attention to the state of this bridge. He stated it was “ pretty rotten ” and washed out on either side. He suggested a single span pile bridge in lieu of the present structure.— Decided to get plans and specifications ready for next meeting. —Pushing on Work— It was resolved on the motion of Cr. Manuel, seconded by the Chairman, that the Supervisor instruct all contractors to push on all work—held in abeyance owing to wet weather—with the utmost expediency.

Repairs

On the motion of Cr. Manuel it was decided to have the holes filled in on the main road throughout the whole of the Morrinsville Riding. School Drain and Pipes, Manawaru On the motion of Cr. Hughes, seconded by Cr Brady, it was decided that if the settlers bring up the outlet, Council will put in a wooden culvert across the road. —Waiorongomai Tramway—

Mr Greening, manager for Hardy’s Mines, Ltd., waited on the Council, and asked that the tramway be opened as soon as possible, as he desired to take up provisions, and supplies for the mine, explosives, coal, etc. He estimated about £4O would do what is required.

—Finance —

The Treasurer stated that the overdraft to date stood at £3,000. —Letting Work — Cr Thomas said that all work should be tendered for, as it caused considerable friction and disappointment amongst contractors if work is let privately.—lt was pointed out that in some instances there was insufficient time to advertise, besides the work at times is of such a nature that it would not pay to let a contract. —Cr Thomas : Where there is insufficient time to advertise, contractors should be written to and asked to give a price. —The particular work in question was eventually left in the hands of the Supervisor to get carried out. The various works recommended by the Supervisor (whose report appears elsewhere in this issue) were ordered to be tendered for.