COUNTY COUNCIL.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2953, 2 August 1878, Page 3

COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of this body was held at the Council Chambers, Pollen street, yesterday afternoon. Present—Crs Mitchell, Bagnall, Thorp, Spencer, and Thorburn. On the motion of Cr Spencer, Cr Bagnall was voted to the chair. MINUTES. The minutes of the last ordinary meeting were read and confirmed. The minutes of the special meeting re County representation was also read. Cr Mitchell objected to thorn being confirmed at this meeting, as minutes of a special meeting could only be confirmed at a special meeting. The Chairman thought that the confirming of the minutes should be done now—that is, the confirming as to their accuracy. The confirming of the minutes did not affect the resolutions in the minutes. A further special meeting was to be held.

Cr Mitchell said that them affirming the minutes now was unnecessary, as a special meeting was called to affirm them. They should act strictly within the limits and bounds of the law. He objected to the confirmation of the minutes, and subife&ed his objection to the Chairman's ruling. The Chairman ruled that the minutes be read at this meeting, with a view to confirming them as to their accuracy. The minutes were then confirmed with one dissentient, Cr Mitchell.

The minutes of the special meeting re the striking of the rate were read. Cr Mitchell raised the same question re the confirmation as in the other matter, and the Chairman ruled that they could be confirmed. They were then confirmed, Cr Mitchell alone voting against their confirmation.

OTTTWABD COEBESPONEENCJt. The precis of the outward correspondence was read over., MOANATA.IBI TBAMWAY. A letter was read from Mr James Garvey, an Old Whau tributer, stating that though he had. made repeated, application to the lessees of the tramway, he could not get his quartz down the tramway to the mill. There was some damage done bythe Alburnia to the No. 10 section. The writer asked an enquiry into the matter. Referred to the County Surveyor. " COLONEL*' BICHAED DAVIB* GAEDEN.

A letter was read from Richard Davis, E.opu, asking compensation for his garden fence which had been removed for the road to Kopu. He asked three pounds, as there were " three chanes of fencing," which would take him three weeks to replace. The Chairman remarked that Mr Davis was a:squatter. Received. OHINEMTXBI TBACKB.. A letter was read from Mr E. M. Corbett drawing attention to the dangerous and impracticable state of the roads from Paeroa to Waitekauri. The writer specified several of the bad places on the roads. /

Cr Mitchell said the range tracks were in a better state now than they had ever before been. He thought that complaints should not be made. Mr Corbett's letter was ordered to lay on the table.

DETAINED (JOLD DUTY. A letter was read from the Treasury with reference to the detained gold duty, acknowledging the receipt'of the joint telegram from the Town and ; County Clerks, agreeing on the basis whereby the duty would be divided, and stating that in future all duty they were unable to allocate specially would be divided on the same basis, until the Treasury were initructed to the contrary. Received.

COUNTY OFFICES. A letter was received from the Crown Lands Office stating that the blocks at Paeroa which the Council wished to acquire as a site for County offices, were not Government purchases, and had not yet passed through the Lands Court. Cr Mitchell moved that the Clerk write to the Chairman asking the state this matter was in. He said this matter was in a!hopeless muddle. Gaffied. APPLICATION FOR INFOBMATION. The Chairman of the Coromandel County Council wrote asking information re .the working of the Counties Act, and if the Chairman of the Thames County Council-thought it desirable to bring it into force in Cororoandel. The required information bad been sent. FINANCE. A letter was received from the Public Works Office stating that there was £4450 still due to the; Council for sundry roads out of the" £7950 promised. The £4450 would be placed to the County's credit as soon as the Imprest Bill was passed, which would be early in. August, deceived.

PUBIBI

A letter was read from Mr Eobt. Kelly calling attention to the want of means of communication between Puriri and Thames, as the County road was unfit for a dray, and there was no boat trading there at present. The writer_suggested the making of a landing stage and road near the lauding, for which latter he offered the land. Referred to the Board of Works.

'./OTKEB TABABTf'. A.letter.waajvfcadiroin about 30 miners, bushman, and others working at Tararu Creek, drawing attention to the bad state of the road and bridges above the tramway. The writers sfcnted that 30 or 40 men were constantly employed in this district, and a large portion of the mining timber and firewood was derived from it. Referred to Board of Works. MOANATAIBI CBEEK FOOTPATH. Several ratepayers and residents of the Moanatairi Crpek wrote to the Council asking that a footpath 25 yards long be made from the Golden Calf brace to Mr Carter's, Moanatairi Creek. Cr Mitchell, with reference to this matter, said that it would be well if people petitioning the Council would bring the wants up through their member, who could make themselves acquainted with the circumstances. He moved that the signers of the letter be requested to communicate with their representative. Carried.

Another letter, also with reference to the Moanatairi footpaths, was similarly treated. In the meantime the surveyor will ascertain the cost of these works.

BOABD OP WOBKB. Cr Mitchell brought np the report of the Board of Works :—

3Tour Committee have tho honor to report as follows :—The whole of the County roa3s have had men employed thereon during the past month in clearing drains and in otherwise mainfaining and repairing them. The footpaths of/ Kauacranga and Waiotahi Ridings have received attention, and great improvements have been made thereon by Ravelling

them and clearing the water tables and courses. The whole :r.{ the works referral to by your surveyor have been exeouted as required by the applicants, with the exception of the To Papa Gully roa'l and the extension of the Titpu Greek road. Both these works are recommended by your surveyor to ba done, because thoy will open out a district from which quartz of payable quality can be, and i? now being obtained.—-O.F. MITCHELL, Chairman of Oomnoitteo.

The report was received and adopted. FINANCE COMMITTEE'S KEPOBT. The report of. the Finance Committee was brought up by Cr Spencer :— Your Committne have the honor to report, at. fi race! in.r held on Ihe 12ih «ji July, the following accounts wore examined and passed : Wages Ea'ikftliroad, £5 ; travelling expenses, £18 9i. And at a meeting hold on the 24th day of July :—On account of road york, £251 4s lOd j Unit.?d Pumping Association, £242 8s 6d; arbitration Aroha road, £10 10s; printing and stationery, £1 lls ; expenses £6 4s—total, £535 7s 4d. On the Ist of August the following accounts were examined and passed :—Salaries, £74 la 8d; Mr Wilkinson, £13 15s 3d; Mr McCuHough, £12 8s 9d; rent, £4 6s 8d j wages oh roads, &c, £<!3319a lid; Taipari, £2; A. Aitkon, £5118 a —total, £592 10s 3d.—Thos. Sffnof"*", Chairman Finance Commtfee. The report was adopted. • PUMPIKG ABBANG-EMENT COMMITTEE'S ' BEPOBT. Cr Thorburn brought up the report of this Committee :•—

Your committee have the honor to report that at their meeting on the 24th July the question of disposing of the £50,000 securities by tender was again seriously discussed, and the annexed notices for public notification was presented, together with an inventory of the various properties held under the mortgage deed. As instructed by the Council, the securities were offered to the United Pumping As ooiation, but no reply having been received, your chairman attend; d a meeting of the aisociation in Auckland on the 24th ultimo, when the question was discussed, but no tangible offer was then made for their redemption. Under these circumstances, your committee resolved, after hearing your chairman's explanation, to again refer the matter for final consideralieu to the Council. There can be no doubt the properties have been largeiy improved by the Oounty and Borough expenditure, and some immediate steps should be taken to realise upon the securities and secure, by the formation of a new or a re-organisation of the old company, a continuation of the works after the Ist of February next It will be necessary, before the above notice appears in the public press of New Zealand and Australia, the Council should engage the services of an active and reliable agent who.is well acqu""nted with the value of the properties and the inducements .they offer for investment.— it, J. HAQXAtt, Chairman. The report was received and adopted.

KOPU WHAEF,

The Chairman said that Cr Spencer and himself had been requested by the Harbor Board to bring the matter of the Kopu wharf under the notice of the Council, and see if they would contribute to the construction of the wharf. He stated the steps that had been taken by the Board.

Standing orders were then suspended, and

Cr Mitchell moved—" That this Council will contribute towards the construction of the wharf at Kopu half the cost, the amount to be paid out of revenue, if any, which may hereafter accrue therefrom, or out of any loan raised upon the foreshore." He spoke on the necessity of the wbarf, and related several incidents of /his. travelling experiences on the Thames river, when the want of a wharf at Kopu was much felt. Cr Thorp seconded.

Cr Spencer supported the motion. Or 'ihorburn moved that the Council contribute one-third of the cost of the wharf. The Council had made'the road and would have to keep it in repair, and lie thought one-third was as much as they could afford.

The Chairman explained that the Board had not funds to do the wharf by themselves, and said he feared if they did not contribute the half the work would be slielved. Cr Thorburn withdrew his amendment and the motion was carried without dissent. SNAGGING. Cr Spencer brought under, the notice of the Council, the necessity of having the Waihou river snagged. The Chairman informed that steps had already been taken, this being part of the business Cr Brodie will undertake while at Wellington. r This was all the business.