COUNTY COUNCIL.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3701, 4 November 1880, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of the Council was held yesterday afternoon. Present—Crs Bagnali (who presided),' Carpenter, Greenville, Deeble, Coutti, Porter, and Thorburn. COBKESPONDENCE. Letters were read—From Capt. Wildman, T.N.8,, asking the Council's patronage at the Lucas benefit to-night. It was decided to comply with the request.— From Mr Carran stating that as his solicitor had received no reply to his application for compensation re the Tararu-Hastings road, he would henceforth treat the Council as trespassers. Received.—From the Under Secretary for Public Works re the County boundary question, stating that the Council's letter had been referred to the Colonial Secretary's office.—From J. Buchanan, offering to contribute part of the cost of the Toad through the swamp between the Paeroa bridge and Rotokohu Gorge. It was decided to make the road, the Council's share to come out of the £2000 vote for Te Aroha road.—From W. Howe, junior, applying for water to work a email tailings plant. Granted.—From J. F. Brown, applying for work at Tapu at 58 per day if permanently employed, or 6a if occasionally. Eeferred to Engineer. —From W. Murphy, contractor for No. 20 section of Hastings and Mercury Bar road, asking the Council to make some allowance in consequence of the unexpected difficulties met with in bis contract. Consideration was deferred till the completion of the work.—From Treasury, covering a voucher for £13 5s 6d, being Gold fields Revenue.—From the Waste Lands Board, stating that they had no funds at their disposal for BUch a purpose as making a road as requested by < Messrs Charlton Bros, of Raogiora.— | From Capt. Souter, asking a remission of the rent of the Tararu tramway until better times. Referred to Finance Committee.—From F. Strange, of Waitoa, asking the Council to authorise a road he had laid from his station to the Waihou river.—From Rawhiri, a chief at Hikutaia, asking £10 compensation for land taken for the road. Eeferred to Board of . I Works.—From Messrs Hogg, Lavery, and Cote, offering to allow the Council to construct ■ a road through their properties. The Engineer was requested to inspect and report on the cost and utility of such a road.—From Mr Elliott, of Puriri, asking to be allowed to retain this and last year's rates with a view to assist in drfraying the cost of , surveying and ditching the road now being laid off at Hikutaia. Referred to Finance Committee. ENGINEBb's BEPOBT. The monthly report of the Engineer was received and adopted, the adoption carrying with it the construction of a road on the proper left bank of Tapu Creek. WATSB BACK BEPOBT. The Engineer reported as follows :— I have the honor to 'report that the heary rains during the month caused a few ' slips on the race, and the water had to be tamed off for about a day. The race at present it in good order, bat would require to be cleaned out, especially that part of the nee passing through Block 27, where stones, garden refuse, kc., are. thrown iat? the not, I have measured the quantity of water running in the rase, and find it to ba about twenty-seven sluice heads. 1 have not'yet, measured the quantities used by each battery, but I am now having fixed permanent boxes at each place where water is used so that it can be measured at any time.—Auz, Anxnr» County Surveyor.

The report was received, and a suggestion agreed to that the new water race bye-laws be considered at a special meeting on the 25th inst. FINANCE BBPOET. . The Finance Committee reported that at their meeting held on the 6th October last, the following accounts' were examined and passed:—Per Board of Works, £715 3s 9d; water race committee, £83 13s 7d; salaries, £69 Is 8d; rent, £4 6s 8d; office effects, 18s; Harbour Board, £15 Is 7d; Hape Creek mine, remission of gold duty, £7 18s; Say, £1; travelling expenses, Cr Brodie, £8 8s; travelling expenses, A. Aitkep, £5 3s 6; cab hire, A. Phillips, £1 9s; Hauraki Pumping Association, £40; drainage tiles, £13 17s 6d; H. T. Bowe, surrey, £18 10s 3d; payment to Cr Brodie, £83 13s 7d.—Total, £1068 Is Id.—Some discussion arose over the Pumping Association item, Cr Greenville* saying he thought the £40 mentioned in the report had been paid to the Pamping Assooit* tion in error. If he recollected rightly* the Association were only to receive the. grants after the 400-feet level' had been reached., He did not suppose the Council could get back the money now, but they could stop the next £40 when due* Cr Carpenter moved that partial payment* be made until the, 400 feet level is reached; that after that the arrears be paid, and that the £40 already paid be the j .payments for October and .November.— This was carried.

Cr Deeble asked when and how an account of £18 from Mr H. T. Rowe t surveyor, had been passed. He wai a,member of the Finance Committee, and * did not know anything about the matter, and two or three other members were in, the same position. The affair seemed like sharp practice —Cr Carpenter said, < the Engineer bad satisfactorily explained the matter, and the account was in consequence passed.—Cr Deeble also drew attention to the fact that a very old account had been sent in by the Produce Company and paid, a proceeding which - ;N he thought did not look well.—Cr Carpen- '"< ter explained that the fault was his, and he apologised for it, whereupon the matter • *' -\ dropped. < NOTICES OP MOTION. The following notices of motion were « -: carried:—" That the salary of the Chairman for the ensuing year be £200." " That the resolution of the 26th November, relative, to retrenchment, be rescinded.*' "That upon the bye-roads in the Parawai riding the following sums be expended, upon condition that the residents and ratepayers contribute an equal amount:—fieservoir road, £20; Grafton road £20; Mountain road, £30.", " That a committee, consisting of the' „ Chairman, Cr Thorburn, and the mover wait upon the Warden in reference' to % vote of money from Government for the road between Thames and Coromandel." —The three first motion's were moved by Cr Carpenter, and the last by Cr Deeble. This was all the business.