COUNTY COUNCIL.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2827, 7 March 1878, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

The following is the report of the Works Committee submitted at the usual monthly meeting to-day, our report of the proceedings of which is excluded from the present issue :—

The report of the Committee is as follows:—" Your Committee .have the honor to report their proceedings during the past month as follows :—ln reply to advertisements the under written tenders were received and opened at a meeting of the Board held on the 22nd February. (Here follow a list of tenders for various bridges on the Obinemuri road already published) On the 23rd February a fetter was received from Mr E. W. Puckey respecting the claim of the Native Hohepa te Ranhihi re land taken for the Ohinemuri main road. Mr Puckey'a recommendation was adopted, and the matter adjusted. Hastings.—The track from Hastings en route to Mercury Bay :s being re-marked in accordance with a resolution of your Board passed on the 23rd February, for the better guidance of intending contractors. Tenders will be called for when this has been done. The road from Hastings to Tararu and the Goldfields' tracks in the Tararu Creek are being maintained and improved. Waiotahi.—The contractor has satisfactorily completed his contract for improving the upper part of this road, and it is much used for carting quartz from the mines to the batteries on the flat; The Goldfield tracks in this district are also being maintained and improved. Kauaeranga. — Applications have bean re ceived from Messrs Greenville, Scott, Savage, and Kennan for branch roads and tramlines to connect their workings and the batteries with the Karaka tramway and the batteries on tin; flat. Your Board has seriously considered these applications, and instructed the Engineer to report upon the cost of these connections, and repairs required on the tramway. His reports are attached for the Council. Your Board has considered them, and, to encourage prospecting the district at tbe head of the tramway,- authorised the sum of £25 to be offered to Messrs Kennan and party to assist them in making the connection they require. The fuither consideration of the repairs required on the tramway, which are extensive and costly, is recommended to be deferred until the expiration of the present Lessee's tenure, which occurs before the next meeting of the Council. The goldfield roads end tracks are being maintained and improved in this Biding. Parawai—The cutting of Kewai's kill will be completed in about a month. Pending the issue of the meeting of the ratepayers re merging into the Borough, your Board recommend no additional expenditure upon that section of the road within the highway district, but that tenders be cailed lor cutting and forming that portion within the County boundary. Ohinemuri main road.—The contractors for the bridges upon tbis line, are busily engaged getting timber of requisite dimensions, the stoppage of the Shortland Saw Mills causing them considerable inconvenience in this respect. Jhe road from the Kauaeranga to Hikutaia is now much used: sheep and cattle are driven along it with tbe greatest ease and convenience to stock and their drivers. The stone roller used upon a considerable portion of this new formation has greatly consolidated and improved it, and your Board has authorised the rolling of other portions. The contracts between Puriri and Hikutaia are being steadily pushed forward. The contractors for clearing a road through the Botokohu gorge have completed the work, but it has yet to be measured. Te Arolm road.—Four Chairman and Councillors Mitchell, Spencer and Thorp, accompanied by Mr Puckey and the Engineer, interviewed the Aroha natives re continuation of the road from Rotokohu southwards The interview was successful, and the land for the road was acquired upon the same terms as those agreed upon with the Kauaeranga

natives Capt. ITraucr win appointed to assess the value of the land, and that gentleman is aoir engaged in that duty, a line having been agreed upon. Katikatiroad. ~More than 40 tenders were received in reply to advertisement for making five sections of this road. (Here follow the tenders already published.) The Rev. W. E. Mulgan and Mr Latimer of the Katikati Itoad Board conferred personally with the Chairman and Crs Spencer, and Mitchell asking for assistance and advice in continuing the proposed road through their district. As a considerable part of the road will take through native lands, and the owners require employment, it was agreed to send a joint telegram to the Hon. the Native Minister asking assistance out of the vote granted for native districts. It is very desirable this work should bo done. Your board hare instructed the Engineer to expend a small sum in repairing the landing stage at the Puke and in improving the grade of the road from the Faeroa wharf to the Normanby road. On the 6th iust. the chairman and members of the Council and Mr Puckey held an interview with Tukukino. The visit was of a ceremonial character. The opening of the road was discussed, and resulted in thj chirf desiring time for considering, and another interview in about a week's time. A grievance was also introduced which originated in the action of the late Provincial Government. The subject was a certain bridge, the agreements in respect' of which had not been fulfilled regarding payment of a fixed sum. The matter will be laid before the Hon. Mr Sheehan. Te Moananui was also met at Ngatoetoc. He threatened to close any road which did not follow Mr Mackay's line. This road would be a most expensive one to make, and your Board suggest the subject should be urgently recommended to the notice of the Government as complications are likely to arise if agreements previously made with those natives are not honestly carried out. As previously arranged, the conference with chairmen and representatives of Road Boards and Councils, was held at the Court House, Hamilton West, on the 15th inst. The meeting was influentially attended. Among those present were Mr Claude, chairman, and members of the Waikato County Council, Mr Hill, Chairman of the Waipa County Council, Mr Vialou. Mayor Hamilton, and numerous representatives of Eoad Boards; Thames County was represented by- the County Chairman, Crs Spencer, Thorburn, and Bagnall; the Borough of Thames by Mayor Kilgour and Cr Gibbons. The County Clerk acted as secretary. The members of Conference discussed at length various public matters of importance. 'The Eailway Districts Act was considered as not favorable to the project of the Thames Valley Railway, the guarantee required of the people being, under the exceptional circumstances of the district, excessive. It was resolved to make urgent representations to the Government to amend (he Act so as to make it applicable to those districts in which Native and Government waste lands* largely prevailed. A comprehensive system of County roads and subsidies to the extent of now accruing rates for Native lands were voted desirable. Public meetings of ratepayers will be convened by the County Chairman and the Chairman of the Highway Board, and every constitutional meam adopted to convince the Government of the people's desire to avail themselves to the utmost of the advantages of local self-government by establishing an active co-operation of the local governing bodies. The Council may be fairly congratulated on the success of the conference. Your Board desire to recommend the following resolution, passed at a meeting of the Board on the Ist instant: " That it be a recommendation to the Council that Thomas Kennedy be indentured to the Council for a period of 4 years to be taught surveying and mathematical drawing." On the 6th March your Board opened tenders received for cutting and forming 11 sections of the Tararu to Hastings road. The following were accepted. (Here followed list of accepted tenders published yesterday.) On the 7th instant your Board opened tenders received for forming and cutting 3 sections of the Eati Kati road ne-r Owharoa, and the following being the lowest were accepted : No. 35—Wm. Dodd, £5 17s 6d; No. 36—D. Healy, £29; No. 37—D. Healy, £74 18s 9d.—A. Bbobie, Chairman." To the report were appended several letters from the County Surveyor.