COUNTY COUNCIL.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2828, 8 March 1878, Page 3

COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of the Thames County Council was held at tho Council Chambers yesterday afternoon at 2.30 o'clock. There wore present—Crs Brodie (Chairman), Mitchell, Thorp, Spencer, Thorburn and Bagnall. MINUTES. Tho minutes of tho previous meeting were read and confirmed. OUTGOING COBttESFONDKNCE. The letters sent since last meeting were read over. APPLICATION FOB WORK. A letter was read from James Jackson asking for work. The Chairman said this matter had nlready been dealt with. COUNCIL CHAMBERS. A letter was read from Mr John Thompson asking for an increase of the rent of building occupied by the Council. Referred to Finance Committee with Sower to act. A letter from the lier. G. males' ngent, concerning the rent of some buildings at the rear of Council Chambers, was referred to same Committee. ladies' benevolent society. An application from the Ladies' Benevolent Bociely for the use of a meeting room in the Council Chambers was granted. • j MBEHAINS. An application to connect the Albert street 9-inch mains with the County Supply was granted for fire purposes ooly, subject to the control of the Chairman. BITBB STEAMBR LICKNSB3. A letter was read from the Commissioner of Customs with reference to the payment of the licenses of river steamers to the County. The writer said as in other places throughout the Colony the licenses were paid to Boroughs/therequest could not be acceded to. PUXE-PASBOA BOAD. A letter wa* read from Mr C. F. Mitchell, forwarding resolutions passed at a recent meeting at Paeroa re the deviation of the Paeroa and Puke road. The resolution asked that the road be laid on tbe line put down by Mr Mackay. Cr Mitchell said that these resolutions had been upset at a subsequent meeting. BOAD TO OLD SIAH CLAIM. A letter was read from Mr Boss and party, asking that the road between the Old Biam Claim and the Borough boundary be placed in good order. Beferred to Board of Works. contbactob's gbievance. A letter was read from Mr Patterson protesting against Mr Butler's tender being accepted for a section of the Katikati road, as there were some of _ the conditions which had not been complied with. The County Clerk was instructed to write to Mr Patterson to the effect that there was nothing informal in Mr Butler's tender. .

AITEBATION OF NAMB OF KAUAEBANGA BIDING. A letter was read" from Mr E. H. Power suggesting that the name of the Kauaeranga Riding be altered. Ecferred to the Representation Committee. THE COUNTY VALTJEB. A letter was read from the County Valuator, Mr Henry Vernon, asking to be appointed permanent raluer at a fixed salary. Crs Bagnall and Mitchell Bpoke on the advisability of a permanent Taluer being appointed. The letter was then referred to the Finance Committee to report on. WAITEKAUBI TRACKS. A petition from Mr Goonan and other residents of Waitekauri, asking that (he track there be repaired, was referred to the Board of "Works with power to act. Cr Mitchell explained that since the meeting held at Paeroa re the deviation of the Puke-Paeroa road, another influential meeting was held when it was resolved that it would be inexpedient to alter the line of road at present being made:-' -— '■■''•' -./' ■ '■■■■ '•' ' BEPOBT OF BOABD 6* WOEKS. The report of the Board of Works, published by us yesterday, was then Cr Mitchell moved that the report be received. Carried. "TBe"Chairman said that Captain Fraser had proceeded to Ohinemuri in order to assess the land for the Te Aroha road, and three Natives had been elected to meet Captain Eraser j and a very satisfactory agreement had been come to. Cr Bagnall said that it had been suggested to him that it would be advisable to have the Kauaeranga Valley road declared a road under the Public Works Act. ;i It might be done by the County solicitors. . Cr Mitchell said that that waa a roundabout way, and it would be better to proclaim it a road by resolution of the Council. - Cr Bagnall moved that the County Solicitor be instructed to take the necessary steps to have the road up the Kauae* ranga Valley proclaimed a County road. Carried. The report was then adopted. -„ * PUMPING ABBANGEMENTS COMMITTEE. The monthly report of this Committee was as follows:—" On the 7th February the following accounts were examined and passed—County UiP.A. Driving Account wages, £52 4s 8d; do. Wilson's balance due, £58 3s lid; sundry accounts, £41 14s lid; United Pumping Association, £152 19s 8d ; total, £501 15s 10d v On the 25th of February accounts as TJfiSer were examined and passed— County U.P.A. Driving Account, Neil, £1 2s 4d; do. Mcßea, £3 7s 6d ; do. G. Wilson, £32 8s; total, £37 7s lOd. Cr Thorbora was authorised by your Comnittiee to attend the meeting of the Board of Directors of the U.P.A., held on the 28th February, instead of the Chairman, who' was detamed by urgent County business. Cr Thorbura was instructed to bring under the notice of the directors the concluding paragraphs of the January 'report, respecting the apathy displayed by companies in testing the value of reefs cut in the low-level drive. In the opinion of the directors the works carried on in the low level of the Euranui Hill were deemed sufficient, and gave no hope of companies extending their operations. It is therefore for the Council to consider whether the large expenditure in driving should be continued. The reef recently cut in the south cross-cut is reported by Mr Black to be a fine compact lode five feet thick, and to cut through it and drive 15 feet, an authorised expenditure of £76 10s has been incurred. A letter from Mr Tothill, secretary U.P.A., is also attached with two from Mr Black, announcing the

! rotten condition of one of the new winding ropes lately supplied by VI r Lloyd. The Council will recoenUe the necessity of acting upon. Mr Tothill's nu^stioti to prevent tlio chancca of aceinVnls. The sum of J833G0 is the rxp«'iiditurc on driving account to dat«- iLEXANDHU Buodie, Chainmin." To the report was appeuded some correspondence with reference to the n?w winding rope beiuf; rotten, through somo fault in iis manufacture. A letter from Mr Black recommended the procuring of a new rope as soon us possible. Gr Thorburn said that the County had not purchased the rope ; they had only authorised its purclmse. Tho report was then receired. I lie Chairman said that when tho Coinmitteo had recommended t!ta purchase of tho rope from Mr Lloyd they had done so with a desire to encourage local manufacture. He was sorry it hud proved a failure. , , Cr Mitchell asked leave to add the following resolution «o the report:—" That frequent representations having been made to the companies interested in prospecting as to the necessity of the drive being carried on by the Council at the 640 feet level being availed of by the companies by prospecting, and such representation having had no effect so far as the south drive is concerned, that the said driving be now discontinued." Cr Thorburn seconded the moiion.^ If the companies interested showed a disposition to resume prospecting, operation* might be resumed by the Council. The Chairman spoke iv favor of the motion. He said that the County spent large sums of money lifting the water and carrying on expensive works, and the companies did not make any attempt to prospect the lodes cut in the south drive. I The sooner that was put a slop to Mid the money spent in prospecting and opening the back country, the better. The report was then adopted. FINANCE COMMITTBB's BEPOBT. The report of the Finance was read as follows:—

Your commiteo have the honor to report tbnt on the first March they instructed the County solicitor to attend the Assessment Court ro 'objections to Valuation List, and authorised tne Engineer to dispose of the chaff-cutter to tho bast advantage. The folfollowing accounts were passed for payment: —Native labour, £550 19a 3d ; European labour, £22125; compensation for native land taken for road, £12 ; other road account*, £831 6s 7d- £1,116 7« lOd. On tho 7th instant your committee examined and passed the following accounts:—-Road works, Ohinemuri main road: Native labor, £228 10a; European ditto, £93 2s; compensation, £47 10s; H. Driver, tools, &a, £4 4s j Bertram, tent*, £4. 19s 3d—£37B 6b 3d. (The above are out of tho £5,000 vote.) Kanaeraog* Wiley road, £35; Tapu road, wages, £16 16j; Waio'ahi roud, wugea, £3019j; Kauaeranga ditto, £18 17«—£101 12s. Miscellaneous accounts, £8 13s 3d ; dog collars, £6 Is 4d ; printing uml sdrer.mni, £17 1b 3d ; valuation list (balance due), £3710* j collectors' commission, £11 8s lOd; rent, £3 15s lOd; 6iclc mid destitute,.£6; travelling and other expanse*, £32 Oa 6.1; H. Priver, ironmongery, £3 5s 4d ; U.P. Association, wages to February 16, £161 la 4d j balance of January statement, £258 18j lOd; U.P.A. driving account wsig:ee, £57 15s; ditto, tradesmen's accounts, £19 6s lOd ; dilto, George Wilson, driving, £44 2s; ditto ditto, £24 2s 9d. Total, £69110 a Id.

Adopted without comment. INSEECTOB OF SLATjaHTEB-HOUSES. .. Cr Thorburn moved the notice of motion standing in his name—" That the Council consider the question of fees to be paid to Inspectors of Slaughter-houses as provided by the Slaughter-house Act, 1877." He said he had placed notice in the book in response to a letter from Mr Bullen on the subject. The motion was carried, and it was decided to give the full fees allowed by the Act. BBWAKDS FOB PBOSFECTIWG. The Chairman moved the notice in his name "That the Council take into consideration the notification of the Won. the Minister of Lands published in the I Gazette on the 17th of January respecting I rewards payable for discovery of new goldfields and payments made for prospecting." He asked some member of the Council to take up the matter, lie considered the rewards went hardly far enough, and thought that they should be increased. Cr Mitchell said he had great pleasure in supporting that resolution. fiecently he had been bailed up by a prospector at Napier on this subject, and if he (the prospector) had riot found gold then, there was a likelihood that it would be discovered. Several parties were out prospecting in the Thames County, and \ the men ought to know exactly what they would get for discovering a payable goldfield. He referred to the niggardly economy which had been practised in the Colony as regards rewards for prospectors. The resolution was carried. Cr Mitchell moved that a committee, consisting of Crs Bagnall, Thorburn, and the mover, be appointed to report at next meeting. Cr Spencer seconded. Carried. . This was nil the business.