COUNTY COUNCIL.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4318, 2 November 1882, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of tha Thames County Council was held yesterday afternoon. Present—The Chairman, Crs Porter, Bull, Deeble, Thorburn, Coutts, Fraser, and Murdoch. MISCELLANEOUS. Mr J. M. Kobson asked that an expenditure of a few pounds upon the road from Paeroa to the Junction be authorised.—On the motion of Cr Porter, it was

resolved that Mr Littlejohn be authorised to pmploy four men upon this work.

Mr Beere, engineer in charge of the Borough Waiotahi aqueduct, applied for permission to lower the County main a depth of one foot for a length of a chain or thereabouts.—Permission granted. The Warden forwarded a copy of a petition presented by Mr C. F. Mitchell to the Goldfields Department, praying that a vote be provided for the erection of a bridge over the Ohinemuri river, at Mackaytown, to facilitate access to the mines at Karangahake, and asked the opinion of the Council thereon.—rlt* was decided to reply that the Council had no funds at its disposal for this important work, but would urge the matter upon the attention of the Government. r -

Mr Miller withdrew the. attachment served upon the Council laying an embargo upsn moneys in this estate. Mr Kelly notified that he was now able to resume his contract.

Mr R. Hudson desired permission to! insert a siphon in the water race running ! through his property.—Granted on terms of :6 per cent, of the annual value of the property, and that the water be only used for domestic purposes; Mr J.R. Perry, through Mr Lawlor, wrote in reference to the water supply to his mill.—lt was decided to inform Mr Perry's agent that the water would be severed in accordance with his own re» quest, and if he required it he would need to apply in the usual, way. Mr. T. B. Hicks, manager of the Caledonian mine, applied fora supply of water sufficient to drive a 20-stamper battery by water-engine or turbine. If this could not be granted he asked whether the Council would guarantee sufficient for boiler and table supply, and at what rate. —Referred to the Engineer, aod the Chairman authorised to communicate that official's views to the applicant. THE WAITBEATTEI BOAB.

Mr P. Nolan, as Chairman of a meeting at Waitekauri, forwarded resolutions passed at that meeting-—" That while the Engineers were paid large salaries by the County they were of opinion it would be waste of money to pay £50 to any outside party for laying off roads, as this was the business of the Engineer." Further resolutions passed a vote of censure upon Cr Porter for his action regarding the.hill track, and provided that the committee formerly appointed to wait upon the Warden lay the whole matter before him. —•The Chairman did not see what the Council had to do with the meetings held at ' Waitekauri, and • characterised the proceedings as a piece of impertinence. He was averse to taking any notice of the matter, being irregular.—Cr Porter upheld the matter as one of privilege. His reason for moving that the bonus be offered had been that persons resident in the district had asserted that such a road could be made, which he (the speaker) doubted. As regards the vote of censure, the, persons passing it had since reversed it byssigning a petition which now lay on the taSle upholding the Engineer's recommendatism as against that of Mr Corbett. As to hvs" action in connection with the hill track he might refer the gentlemen to the Warden, and if they could see his minutes they would find that he had on three occasions advocated a road from Coal Creek to the Welcome, but the goldfields' authorities were unable to grant it. He had many times become personally responsible for expenditure in the district until he could get a vote from the Council. He had had many such votes of censure, and had no doubt, if he lived long enough, he would have many more, but he was quite;prepared to take them at the rate of a dozen a week from these gentlemen. He hoped something would be done in reference to the road, and that if they could not have a dray road they would at least have a foot track. If they could get one main road into Waitekauri it would be as much as the Council would be able to do, and conflicting petitions from small sections of the icommuuity only served to defeat their own ends and delay the matter. Messrs Ralph and others forwarded a petition re the road to Waitekauri district affirming that the one road surveyed by the Engineer was that from which, if formed, most benefit would accrue to the district. On the other hand, they strenuously opposed the formation of the road laid off by Mr Corbett, which, if formed, would benefit only one.person, and so far from facilitating the transit of quartz to the battery, would put it entirely out of the question.—A letter from Mr J. Brown upheld Mr Corbett's proposal.—Cr Fraser, in presenting the petition, said that at the last meeting the Engineer had been instructed to report fipoa this road. ° He found that Mr Aitken had been to the district, but Mr Corbett had been absent, and be would be unable to report until next meet ing. The matter should be entirely in the bands of the -Engineer as to which road was the most useful and practicable, and "form the road the Engineer recommended after examining each of the proposals. He moved that the consideration of the petition be deferred until next meeting.—Cr Porter moved, as an amendment, that tenders be at once called for improving the road from Kinsella's to the top of the hill, from Gordon's to the Waitekauri battery, and the portion surveyed in Diamond Gully. He had found that not one of the persons through whose sections Mr Corbett's road, would pass were prepared to give their consent. The present road could be improved by the expenditure of about £200, and. the balance of the sum available could be more advantageously spent in other portions of the Waitekauri district. The Chairman, in explaining the present position of the grants for this road, referred to the copy of a circular which was recently received from Government and published in these columns. Resolution carried, deferring consideration of the petition until next meeting. Cr Fraser explained that one of the first principlesof the (enure of these agricultural sections was that any road required through them should be allowed to pass without compensation.

BOARD OF WOBKB. The Board of Works report was adopted as follows :—(l.) That Mr Eobert Stone's tender for building a ferry punt for the settlers at Eaugiora be accepted. (2) That the letter attached, from Mr James Porter, of the Waiotahi, re a right of road to a waterstand-pipe,' be submitted to the Council, and the Warden be requested to declare the footpath in question a public thoroughfare. (4) That the Council should not dispose of the Nelson , wire tramway. (5) That the surveyor be authorised to invite tenders for building a bridge over a creek on;the Otunui road.

GOLDEN POINT BOAD. Cr Deeble said that the residents of Hastings riding, regarding whom a resolution had been passed at last month's

meeting, were unable to deposit one-third cash, but they would do one third of the work.

It was resolved on the motion of Cr Thorburn that the engineer be authorised to remove the slips on the Golden Point road down to the battery. sttbveyob's eepobt.

"Hastings Biding: On the road between Tapu and Waikawau there are a considerable number of slips, and an expenditure of £10 is necessary to clear them away and render the road safe for traffic during the summer. The Hastings . and " Mercury Bay road is not open for traffic, as none of the slips that occurred during the winter have been- removed. No work has been done on this road during the past nine months. The removal of 'slips, shingling about ten fchains, clearing drains, and cutting twelve chains of new drain, four culverts, cover* ing fascines, and making up low portions of road would cost about £70.' The claims now. being worked at Golden Point would be enabled to transmit quartz to the battery if this road was made passable, and a large trade in mining timber and shingles would give profitable employment to the residents of the district. A considerable amount of work has been done during the month on the road between Thames and Tapu. The road is passable for horse traffic, but a large number of slips still require removal, and. many portions of the road require to be made wider. Men have been em* ployed repairing and improving the road between the Upper Waiotahi and the Homestead selections on the range at the head of the Waiomo Creek, but more work still requires to: be done.— Waiotahi Eidiug: The principal work done during the month has been on the main Waiotahi road. In accordance with • the resolution of the Council a branch track has been made from the main road to Papakura and Columbia. claims— Kauaeranga Biding: The roads and footpaths of the Eiding hare been repaired and maintained during the month. A considerable amount of work has been dooe on the Hape Creek road, and during the present month 'this road will be fit for dray traffic to the head of the old tramway. The bridge across the Hape Creek, at the foot of the hill on the Otunui road, has been constructed, and proves a great convenience to the large number of miners and others who are working or have interests in the mines at Otunui. Two men have been employed on the Otunui road during the month, and a large amount of titnber has been taken down to allow the- "sua t and air free access to the road. The contractor for constructing the road from the claims, at Otunui tp the junction of the Otunui and Mangakmkiri Creeks is proceeding fairly with his work. The couutry through wbich f this road passes is' of an exceedingly rough and difficult character, and it is being rapidly changed in appearance by the construction of the road. The contractor for that portim of the Otunui road, leading from ■, the Kauaeranga Valley, is getting on very 'Veil and about three-quarters of a mile is near Ij^m pie ted.—Pawral Biding: The roads au&. footpaths in'-tbis Biding have been attended to during the month. On the Kauaerangir^Yalley road men: have been employed in repairing, draining, and widening, and a very great improvement has been effected on this road. Tito-foot* bridge across the Hape' rCreek at'Olarenc^ street (half of the cost of which-has to be paid by the Borough) has.;been eon* structed, and gives great' satisfaction to the residents in that locality... At an early date a supply,- oP?metal should be obtained for the Parawai main road, as many portions are much in need of it at present,* and the road throughout* should be patched before next winter. I Tiave inspected the injuries to Mr licid's property at.Parawai, and beg to report that a sum of £20 will be required to prevent future damage, remove slips, and put the road in a passable condition.—Totara Eiding: During the early part of the month three men were employed on the Oliinemuri main road. This is the only work that has been done in this Eiding during the month. If it is within the means of the Council steps should, bo taken at an early date to metal a considerable portion of the main road, as without metalling it will again be impassable next winter. This work is now more necessary than formerly, as a contract has been entered into for the conveyance of ihails from Thames to Paeroa, Tauranga, and Te Aroha, and without a considerable extent of metalling tbe pon- , tractor will be unable to comply with*, the -„ terms.of his contract.—Ohinemuri Biding: -- 1 On the Te Aroha road one man has been employed, and the road is in a,passable condition, but, like the Ohittßtnuri main road, a considerable portion will. have.to be done to make it fit for winter traffic*.. On the Katikati road four men have been been employed, who are making the road fairly passable for summer traffic; metalling will also hare to be done on this road to keep it open for- traffic during the ensuing winter. The bridges on the Waitawbeta road have been repaired. A tender has been received for building a punt for tbe Thames Birer at Komata. The tender is more than the amount authorised by the* Council, but it is as cheaply designed as is consistent with the ; work it will have to do. The absence of Mr B. M. Corbett during my recent visit to Ohinemuri prevents my reporting on the line of road advocated by him; it wjjU be inspected and reported on at an early* date. I spent three days in examining tbe country in which the recently discovered reefs at Karangahake are situated. It is of a very broken and difficult character for road making, and much care will have to be exercised in laying out roads suitable for the development of the field. As a first step to assist in rendering the country more acceplable, I would recommend a good bridle track from Mackaytown south to the Hauraki mine, with - better and more uniform grades than the track recently cut by the claim holders, and thence round the spurs of the Martha Claim. , This track would open up nearly the whole of the ground at present in : occupation, and would be of great service to the field independent of future roads for the conveyance of. quartz from the > claims to'the batteries.. The, district requires to, be.better known, and the position of future battery sites fixed before'tbe -lines of road for the conveyance of quartz can be determined on.—ALEX. . Aitkek, County Surveyor.