COUNTY COUNCIL.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3829, 6 April 1881, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of this body was held this afternoon. Present—the Chairman, Crs Porter, Greenville, i Thorburn, Deeble, Brown, <Jarpenter j Ooutts, and Bagnal!. OUTWABD COBBESPONDENCE. A precis of outward correspondence since la£,t meeting was read over. THE PUMP. A letter was received from the secretary to the Pumping Association remindthe Council that the County's contributions for February and March had not been paid. MATA CHEEK. A letter was read from James Campbell, stating that he had taken up 150 acres up the Mata creek, and asking assistance from the Council to make a track. TEABOHA BOAD CONTEACT, A letter was read from Mr J. Punch, eontraotor for the Te Aroha road, asking that the contract be taken over, and an allowance of £50 made in consideration of the expense he had been put to by traffic going over the road while iv process of construction. MONEY. A Treasury voucher for £65 155,-gold-fields revenue, which had been paid to County Fund Account, was received. A NATIVE COMPLAINT. A letter was received from the Attorney--General, forwarding copy of a letter he had received from liapata te Pokiha, of Ohiuemuri, and asking what the Council iv tended to do iv the matter.— Jiapata stated that the Hon. Mr Sheehan, in the presence ol Mr Brodie, had promised to build him a house if he gave the land for a road in connection with the Ohinemuri bridge. Subsequently the road was made, but the house was not yet built. Mr Sheehan lately explained the matter to Mr Bryce, who said the Council was to build the house. OLIVE TBEEB. A letter was received from Patrick Hennessey asking for two or three of the olive trees which Sir George Grey had presented to the Council to plant in his garden.—A similar application was made by Mr J. L. Roberts. £BANGH*BOAD. Garvey and party wrote applying for a branch road a chain long from Waiotahi J road to enable them to get their quartz to the mill. Donnelly's conteact. P. E. Donnelly and party wrote asking the Council for the £37 overtime and percentage money stopped from them for noncompletion of contract. The stone they had broken had afterwards been used by the Council. MERGING PABAWAI. The following" letter was received from Mr Miller:—-"I have been requested in the event of a commission of enquiry being held to act on behalf of the petitioners for merging Parawai district into the Borough. As I hold a general retainer from your Council, and the matter being one which to some extent affects the County will you be, good enough to inform me whether you will require my service in the matter. From what was reported to have taken place at your meeting in January last, I was led to believe you approved of the petition for merging, therefore my services would not be required on your behalf. WAIHOTJ BEIDGE. A letter was received from the Town Clerk suggesting that the County determine to make the Waihou bridge at a point where the Waitoki block and Borough endowment face each other. BEMIBBION OF KATES. A letter was read from Mr David Downes asking a remission of rates. SUBSIDIES. A long letter was received from the Colonial Secretary, explaining the deductions from the County's subsidy on behalf Hospital and Charitable Aid, quoting sections 5 and 6 of the Financial Arrangements Act. CBOWK LANDS. The circular of the Manawatu County Council, with reference to Crown Lands and other matters, was read. OHINEMUEI AND OMAHU BOAD. A letter was received from the Public Works Office, promising that the Council's request of an advariee of £600 on account of the Paeroa and Omahu fioad grant would be dealt with at once. ■* - VOUCHEE. A treasury Toucher for £238 7s 3d subsidy, etc., was received. MINEES* BIGHTS. A letter was received from the Receiver of Goldfields revenue, Mr F. I. Burgess, forwarding a list of, persons to whom miners' rights had been issued during the past 12 months. V

THE MONTHLY FINANCE. Beport of the Council showed that the total ordinary "receipts for the month had been £1199 18a 9d, including £120 3s 6d water race; £208 10s 9s, rates; £251 Os 6d, gold duty ; and £600 balance of vote. The expenditure was £1093 8s 4d, includ£Bo to Pumping Association, £30 to Mr Puckey, £36 travelling expenses and £75 Is on the Water Hace. .engineer's eepoet. To the Board of Works, Thames County Council. Gentlemen,—l have the honor to report as follows on the roads and works in the County:— Hastings Riding.— On the road between Tapu and Waikawau a small amount of work has been done during the month. Slips have been cl ared away, and several improvements made, and the road, although narrow, is now in good condition. A survey of the road is now being made, j that contracts may be let for widening and further improving this road. Slips have been cleared from the road between the Thames aud Tapu, and it has been maintained in a good passable condition. Surreys are now being made for improving and widening, the worst portions. The retaining wall authorised to be built where the road passes through Mr Carran's land is now nearly completed. In accordance with the resolution of the Council a sum of forty pounds (£4O) has been expended on the upper Tararu road, aod the settlers and prospectors in that locality are now enabled to pack provisions, <&c., to portions of the back country hitherto inaccessible to horses. Waiotahi Hiding:-The roads in. this riding have been maintained in good con-, dition during the month. The Waiotahi Creek road had a considerable amount of labor expended on it, as the traffic is still large. An inspection is now being made of the country between Punga Flat and the head of the Tararu Creek for the purpose of finding the best line for a road to open up that part of the country. The road up the Karaka Creek to the junction of the Lucky Hit Gully has been completed, and quartz is. now beiDg carted to the batteries on the flat. An extension of this road to the Lucky Hit machine site is much required, as at present quartz has to be sledged from there to the end of the dray road at considerable expense. Kauaeranga Hiding.—On the lower portion of the Karaka Road considerable improvement has been made and it is now in good order for dray traffic. Tho Te Papa road has also been repaired and improved. The other roads in this riding have been attended to during the month. Parawai Hiding.—No work has been done in this riding during the month.

Totara Riding.—The contract for cutting and forming a portion of the Kauaeranga Valley road - has been done also forming and draining other portions of this road. The road from Puriri to Tairua has had a little work expended on it, and repairs have been effected on the plank crossings and culverts on the Ohinemuri main road.

Ohinemuri Biding.—The traffic on the KatiKati road is now rery considerable, repairs have been effected on some of the culverts and plank crossings which were in blfPcondition. Several other of the old crossings andculverts which were originally constructed of bush timber require to^p replaced by new ones of sawn heaf||jMlEauri. Recent fires have brought down;a large number of trees on the road which should be at once removed and the road repaired where damage has been done.—The contract for widening portions of the Te Aroha road is nearly completed. A start has been made by the contractors for enlarging the outfall drain near TBbrp's paddock.—The work authorised by the Council on the Waitawheta road has been completed, one half the cost has been paid by the settlers and the other half has been charged to the County.—l am, &c, Alex. Aitzen, County Engineer.—April sth, 1881.