COUNTY COUNCIL.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 4043, 13 December 1881, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual meeting of this Council should have taken place last week, but it will be remembered it lapsed for want of a quorum—all the Councillors being absent on electioneering business. It was consequently adjourned until to-day. Present —Cr Brodie (in the chair), and Crs Fraser, Murdoch, Coutts, Porter, Deeble, Bull, Bagnall, and Thorburn.

The following was the— engineer's beport. ; s : The road from Tapu to Waikawau has been maintained and repaired during the month, and it is now in excellent condition for traffic. A small amount of work has boen done on. the road from Hastings to Mercury Bay. The contraofc for cutting and forming the lower portion of this road has not yet been completed according to specification. Men hare been employed during the month in clearing slips and improving portions of the road from Thames to Tapu. The three contracts recently let on this road hare not yet been completed, and a sum of money has been deducted from each to ensure the completion according to specifications. The old track by Puru Creek has been cleared during the month for a considerable distance up the creek, with a view of continuing the track to the road now formed between the head of the Waiotahi and the homestead selections at the head of Furu. The contract for clearing and forming the road from Candlelight Saddle to the head of Furu is not completed, and a fresh contract has been let during the month for the continuation of this road to the homestead selections. Waiotahi Kiding.—The heavy rains during the month of November did a considerable amount of damage to the roads in this riding, especially to the main road leading up the Waiotahi Creek, and a larger amount of labour than usual to repair the damage done and keep the roads in passable condition. The flooding of the Waiotahi Creek cost considerable loss to the contractor for the supply of metal for the Waiotahi road, and a large quantity of broken metal was washed away. Kauaeraoga Biding.—The heavy rains did a considerable amount of damage to the roads and footpaths in this riding, and caused a considerable amount of extra labour for repairing, and in keeping them in a passable condition. Considerable repairs have been effected in the culverts in this riding and several new ones had to be constructed. Parawai Hiding.—Repairs have been effected during the month on the roads and footpaths in this riding and the two bluffs near the Orphanage* have been made passable for dray traffic, but they have not been completed. Totara Kiding. — Improvements. have been made in the Ohinemuri main road by cutting down some of the steep pinches between Puriri and Omahu. Two coaches are now flonstantly running on this road, between the Thames and Puriri, besides a large amount of other trails. Ohinemuri Biding.—On the Te Aroha road the contractor for filling^in the large swamp between Paeroa and'Botokohu is getting on rapidly with too work. A plank crossing has been built across the large outfall drain, and this road will be open throughout for wheel traffic before Christmas. On the Katikati road there is a large amount of dray traffic, and men are constantly required to keep it iv repair. I would recommend that provisions be made for the metalling of the worst portions of this road during the summer, as Waihi and Waitekauri will tend to increase the traffic on this road. The contractor for repairing the bridge across the Waitekauri creek has completed the work in a very satisfactory manner. Tenders should be called for at an early date for the construction of a bridge at the Waibi township as the

crossing in its present state is very bad and the construction of batteries and buildings cause a large amount of traffic. A lice of road is much required from the kauri bush to the claims iv Waitekauri to enable miners to get timber direct from the bush, instead of going round by the Waitekauri battery, where i| may lie for a length of time before it can be taken out of the tramway. The other roads have been maintained and repaired during the month.—A. Aitken, County Engineer. [Left sitting.]