COUNTY COUNCIL.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4476, 10 May 1883, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual meeting of the Council was held yesterday afternoon. Present— Crs Brodie (Chairman). Bull, Deeble, Bagnall, Coutts, Murdoch, and Fraser. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The County Solici tor advised the Council that the Parawai Eoad District haying failed to elect a Board, during the first week in May, th» Council was competent to elect that body. On the motion of Cr Bagnall, Messrs Gillespie, Creighton, Flett, Osborne, and Stillwell were appointed members of the Board. The application of Stone and others for an expenditure of £10 in repairing the worst parts of the Kauaeranga road was referred to the Works Committee.—Crs Coutts, Fraser, and Brcdie were appointed to represent the Council on the Hospital Committee. —A complaint about a pigsty was referred to the Inspector of Nuisances. Mr Casey complained that he was suffering loss in having to repair the damages to the Tararu tramway, caused by the traffic of the settlers beyond it, and wished to confer with au appointee of the Council regarding the question. It was resolved that Mr Casey be written to in the same terms as were other tramway lessees.—The residents in Irish town asked that the water be laid on in their portion of the County, and that repairs be effected to their roads and footpaths. The Secretary was instructed to inform them that the water would be laid on upon the same terms as it was in Block 27. and it was resolved that the other work they asked for should be done. In relation to an appli cation from the manager of the Queen of Beauty mine for the free use of water issuing from the tail race of the pump iDg turbine, to be used by machinery bow being made, the Water Race Committee recommended that it be granted, with the proviso that in the event of the water being used for crushing quartz or treating tailin s for the public, the monthly subsidy now being paid should be discontinued during the periods of such crushing. Mr Kelly the contractor for making a portion of the Earangahake road sent a statement showing money expended by him to the amount of £198 in wages alone, and pointing out that he had only received £68 from the Council on the contract. This was referred to the Board of Works. The application of the Secretary of the Obinemuri School Committee that repairs might be effected to footpaths leading to the school was referred to the Engineer, as to cost. A letter from the Borough Council refusing to pay rates on the Borough Endowment, owing to the Wai~ toa Road Board being the proper body to make the valuation, and not the County, was referred to the County Solicitor, It was resolved to carry out the work of repairing Upper Waiotahi road in accordance with the Inspecting Engineer's recommendation. The work of widening the road between the battery and claims at Otunui was authorised to be carried out at once. In reply to a communication from P. Austin, Esq, J.P., who had presided at the inquest held at Waihi on the body of the boy who was drowned while crossing with the mails—forwarding the •iJer of the jury; the secretary was instructed to inform Mr Austin of the position of the Council in the matter. A license was granted to Eollerson and Co. to sell kerosene, and it was decided to frame by-laws regulating the sale of dangerous goods. The Council resolved that their limited means would not allow them to increase their grant for the Thames-Tairua road, as requested by the Union Sash and Door Co. In reply to the Chief Postmaster, who stated that the contractors for the conveyance of mails to Te Aroha could not go over the roads owing to their bad state, and inquired whether the Council intended to repair them, it was decided that the Secretary inform the writer that nothing could be done until the votes under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act are received. The clerk was authorised to inform Mr Mitchell, who wrote requesting that a number of ratepayers' names might be added to the Ohinemuri roll, that the law regulated the placing of names on the roll. The Engineer was instructed to report on MrGillespie's application for the remission of rates on the ground that a road formed by the Council had dcs» troyed his fence.—The committee appointed to act inthematterof the County's claim for an ears of revenue in connection with the Ohinemuri goldfield were authorised to again petition the House on the subject.—The offer of Mr E. M. Hawkes to pay £4 per month toward keeping the Hastings-Mercury Bay road in repair, provided the Council would pay £6 per month toward the same object, was referred to the Board of Works with power to act. The committee to which was referred a claim made by the valuer for compiling a valuation list, recommended that the sum of £20 be paid to the valuer for the work done, provided it be received in full of all demands.

The Financial Statement was as follows :—Receipts : Government subsidies, £170 13s 4d ; gold duty and goldfieds revenue, £250 9s 3d ; water race, £117 9s 9d; County rates, £76 13s 6d; aue* tioneers! licenses, per Customs, £10— £1625 5s lOd—To balance, £5813 5s 7d— £7438 11s sd.—Disbursements: Bank overdraft Ist April, £6734 12s 4d : March accounts paid in April, £703 19s Id— £7438 11s sd; balance brought down, £5813 5s 7d: A pril accounts : For public works, contracts, and wages, £436 3s: water race maintenance, £37; aid to drainage of mines, £30; collector's com* mission (balance due), £7 14s ; printing and advertising, £36 19s 5d ; stationery, £20s2dj legal expenses, £48 15s 3d; travelling expenses, £2013s 6d; sundries, £14 9s 6d; salaries, £54 3s 4d—£6B7 18s 8d ; total, £6501 4s 3d.

It was resolved that Mr dimming be paid £& on account of damage to his crops. The water race committee recommended that the consideration of Mr Geo. Law's letter re his contract for tha water race maintenance be deferred until after the term of his contract (Ist Jane) shall hare expired. It was resolved on the motion of Cr Bagnall that the maintenance of the water race be undertaken by the Council, as the tenders sent in for maintaining it were too high, and the water race committee was authorised to arrange for the working of the race after the present contract expires. It was decided that the surveyor should lay off a road from Hikutaia to the river without delay. The important question of providing a horse for the use of Councillors was left to Crs Fraser and Deeble. This concluded the meeting.

"How are you todayPV aaked the benevolent Dr. P. of one of his Irish doctor," groaned the poor fellow, " I'm that patients at Gay's Hospital. "Faith, paid if anyone was to tell me I was clean dead, I would not be snrpriied at ail."