COUNTY COUNCIL.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2885, 15 May 1878, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

ANNUAL MEETING.

The annual meeting of this body was held at the Council Chambers at 2.30 today. Present—Crs Brodie (Chairman), Thorburn, Bagnall, Mitchell, Spencer.

The Chairman read the clause from the Counties Act regulating the business of the annual meeting, and the County Clerk read the notice of the meeting, and also the annual financial statement (which is published in our advertising columns). Cr Spencer moved that the statement be received. Seconded by Cr Mitchell. Carried. ' :

t Cr Mitchell moved that the statement be signed, and in doing so, said he complimented not only the County, but the public generally, on the success attending the working of the Counties Act. When they resumed work this year, he did not think that they would have been able to spend more than £6000. When the. Lands Court had met there would be 1,000,000 acres of land in the. p< ninsula in the hands of the Govern* ment. He commented on the different charges, but said h« did not think that any sensible man could .challenge the economical administration of the County affairs. He was perfectly satisfied with, the statement, which was very elaborate and satisfactory, and gave all particulars necessary in such a statement. -; Seconded by Cr Spencer and carried. -. The County Clerk then read the balance sheet. The statement was received and adopted without amendment. Annual Bepobt of Boabd of Woeks. Cr Mitchell brought up, and read, the above report as follows:— ''.'... The monthly reports of your Board hare fairly dealt with the works undertaken by the Council and with the negotiations with the Natives for acquiring the right to extend the County roads commenced during the past year. It is therefore only necessary in this report to give a concise review of the various works undertaken, completed, and in progress. The total length of roads cut and formed in the County is shown- in the surveyor's report. These roads (excepting the bridge approaches) will hot be metalled until the coming spring. The object to be obtained was to force on each road as quickly as possible through native reserves and cultivations, as the terms were agreed upon, and by prompt action avoid the hitherto inevitable procrastination attending Maori negotiations. The system has proved entirely successful. The native hapus have been entirely engaged in making the roads and draining the swamps, oh their respective lands, and notwithstanding the results, as compared 'with European contract labor, have not been so effective as could be desired. A fair amount of work has been well done, and a great moral victory gained-over native prejudice and obstructiveness. The system possesses many merits. It has excited emulation in the native mind, forced them to labor for the wages they received, and made them alive to the advantages of a good road, and Jhe enhanced value it gave to their estates. The European contracts, excepting those for skilled ' labour, have been taken at a low figure, in miny cases 30 per cent, below the estimated cost. In a few instances it has been absolutely necessary the surveyor should exercise a discretionary power, to enable the contractor to earn a bare subsistence out of the .price of his tender, and in such cases that gen* tleman's action has been sanctioned and approved by your Board. It is not desirable men should work without reward. The nine bridges spanning the streams on the road have all been well and faithfully constructed. A uniform design has been adopted which admirably answers the purpose of a pioneer bridge. The largest of these works is over the Kauaeranga stream. Your surveyor's report furnishes the details of all these and other works. The small, bridge over the Ohinemuri river was pur* chased from r the directors of the Morning Light G.M.Co. for £50, and will be useful until a new bridge takes its place. The most important work in the County is the Ohinemuri main road, for which tha Gcrernmeni voted £5000. It was formally opened by H:i Excellency the Mevquis of Noimanby in the presence of a large assemblage of both races. Its great public utility is acknowledged by all; Its extension through the Komata block is merely in abeyance. • The authority given to the Council by the Government under the Public Works Act Will enable them,to carry it through at no distant date. Recent events in con* nection with the disputed Puke-Paeroa road, conclusively prore that the old chief Tukukino cannot resist the demands of the Maoris for roads, and employment in their construction. The Paeroa and Kati Kati road, for which £1000 was placed on the estimates, is being rapidly pushed forward, a large portion being completed. The remain* der is being executed by European and Native road parties. When finished it will place Tauranga in direct communication with Ohinemuri and Thames, and saye _ 13 miles in the present route. A continuation of the road through the Hikurangi Gorge is in course of forma* tion, for which £250 has been allowed by Government out of a grant for roads in native districts. Other roads and tracks are detailed in your surveyor's report. The cutting through Bewi's hill, as the commencement of the Kauaeranga Valley road, has been completed as far as the contract is concerned, but it will be necessary to metal it before the rainy season sets in. The extension of this road will open up a valuable country for settlement. The establishment of important industries at Tairua and Wangamata render^ it advisable an effort should be made to place the Thames in good road communication with these districts. Applications for branch roads have been received, and measures can be taken under the,, Public Works Act to acquire land for this pur* pose. The Aroharoad through Botokohu lately ceded to tbto Council by the natives of that district for a moderate compensation is being cut and formed by them. The road is already passable /or eight miles, and greatly diminishes the distance between the Thames and Piako and Waikato Counties. For this road £500 was appropriated but of the Native grant. The Natives, however, are not satisfied with simply a defined road, and have signified their determination to petition the Government for a grant to construct a carriage road., In the County ridings about 35 miles of goldfields roads and tracks hare been either cut and formed, or largely repaired with corduroy and fascines. In some instances the old track has t'uu been greatly improved,

in others deviations striking out a better and more direct route hare been explored and selected. Numerous petitions from miners for roads and tracks iv the several ridings 'hate been received and carefully considered. The surveyor has examined and reported upon them, and when the estimated cost has been within the means of the Council the work has been done without delay. There can be no doubt of the policy of cutting tracts into the heart of the back country as a means of prospecting, and strenuous efforts should be made by the Council and the people to secure an appropriation in aid of this undertaking during the ensuing .session of Parliament; Nothing could better exemplify the advantage of these works than noting the results from the Waiotahi and other similar roads and tracks in this riding, the facilities they afford to miners for resuming old workings with remunerative returns, and taking up well known large reefs of comparatively low grade, upon which the saving in transit upon these roads furnishes a margin of profit.. (The remainder of this voluminous report is unavoidably excluded )

He moved the receipt of the report, which, was seconded by Cr Spencer. Cr Mitchell, in moving the adoption, said he was glad to see the report took notice of the future of the children in the district, and fully concurred with the votes of thanks to the gentlemen enumerated, and especially to the County Surveyor, A. Aitkin, Esq. Cr Bagnail seconded the report, and, with reference (o the development of the resources of this, district being pushed ahead for the purpose of employing the youthful population, he said be thoroughly coincided with the report. No one so well as an employer of labor know the number of young men growing up without employment. _ , Crs Spencer and Thorburn expressed : their approval of the report, which wai then adopted, together with the Surveyor's Annual Statement, which was appended. Annual Refobt of the Finance Coif* MITTEE FOB THE YIAB ENDING 3I«T Mabch, 1878. This report was read as follows :— Tour Committee do not consider it necessary to report at length upon the balance sheet, which speaks for itself, but in accordance with the Chairman's request the following return of all monies received by him during the year ended the 31st of March, 1878, is furnished for general information:—Salary, £208 6s 8d; travelling expenses and conveyance, £86 9s. Total, £294 15s Bd. The travelling expenses and conveyance of members attending Council and committee meetings are £169 15s 6d. Attending meetings on County matters, and of the directors of the United Pumping Association in Auckland ; meetings. npon native and other business in the outlying districts of the County in connection with roads and other works are charged to the proper accounts, and amount to £69 Os 6d. The Committee desire to place on record the clear and methodical manner in which the County Clerk has kept the records and accounts of the Council. A detailed statement of the rates collected and unpaid in each riding is also appended. -

The report was adopted after some slight discussion and the -Council adjourned.