COUNTY COUNCIL.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4602, 4 October 1883, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

[After we went to press yesterday the following business was transacted:—]

Ec the Moanatairi tramway it was resolved to inform the deputation that until the matter between the Council and Messrs Small and Gordon was settled, no arrangements for bringing down quartz can be made. ' LETTEBS WERE BEAD ' From W. S. Greenville, asking the Council to remove the bridge across the Karaka Creek, and to reconsider his claim for damages.—Resolved to remove bridge, and utilise it for County parpoiW From the Public Works Department asking the Council to reduce the amount' applied for under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act to £5000, in accordance with clause 6 of the 'amended Act.-r* Referred to a committee consisting of Crs Brodie, Bagnall, and Fraser.

From Mr C. J. Stone, offering to p.iy half the cost of the new road afc the booms, provided his share did not esjec i £80.—The Engineer reported tk»t the cost of making the roud, 18lfc. wider, would be £140, without compensation for land taken, and the site would be a bad one, being liable to slips. The cost of raising the present road above flood level would be £375, and it could be put in repair for £35,—1t was resolved to refer the matter to a committee consisting of Crs Brodie, Fraser, Murdoch, and Bagnail. From the manager of the New Columbia ' G.M.Co., asking the Council •■ to further assist him to make the sidling track from the company's tip to the County road, the £5 voted not being sufficient.-—Resolved to vote another £5.

From the Kuranui r Hill G.M.Co,, asking the Council to reduce the w^ter rate of £2 10s .per week, as the battery had only worked 29 days in the past six months.—-Referred to Water Race Committee to report.

From J. 0. McEoberts, asking the Council to enlarge the bridge across.the Weipapa Creek at Totara Point, as at present the water was dammed back, overflowing the gardens.—Referred to a committee, consisting of Crs Brodie, Bagnall, and Eraser. ; ;

From P. Trainor, who had lost £200 while carrying out a contract on the main road to Eatikati through an exceptionally heavy flood, asking them to take his case into their favorable consideration.—Cr Eraser said he had mentioned the matter to Mr Hales, District Engineer, and he declined to recommend the Government to do anything in the matter, but would for* ward to Government any letter written by the Council.—Resolved that Trainor's letter be forwarded to Government, jrith) a certified statement of the estimated damage sustained. • ■ I 3

A letter was read from Mr G. M. Morris, M.H.R. for Taurar ga, stating he had, in answer to an enquiry by the Minister of Mines, as to .whether he thought the Upper Country goldfields worthy of assistance in the way of subsidy, replied that he.considered they were. The writer stated that Mr Gordon would shortly visit the districts on behalf of Government, and asked what sum the Council would be prepared to grant in aid ; of works upon the^e fields.—Cr Porter proposed that the Councjl vote ,£6OO for this purpose, which. when subsidised would amount to i£lßod. In support of his motion he pointed out' that no less than £1875 bad been received from Karaß^ahake in goldfields' revenue for the pastj^juarter.—Carried. From/G-; Cribb, Puriri, asking for assistance to enable him Jo erect a bridge across the Puriri Creek, as owing to the drainage from the hills swelling the creek he was unable to approach his house by any other waVj-rßeferred to the Engineer with powV-W*WftT'•' From J. Garvey, manager of theEi-ight Smile G.M.Co., asking the Council to expend the money voted by Government on,, the Waiotahi road, as it was in a very bid state.—Resolved that tenders be at once called for the work. From C. F. Mitchell, asking thejCou.ncil to give the Foreman oLffloxfy/.Cte poliae officer permission ioArosecute, a man named Patrick O'Nem for ploughing up Willoughby street, Paeroa, and sowing it in grass.—-Besolved that action be taken on Mr Mitchell proving to the Council's solicitor that the street in question is a public road. • " "

?"Spm:>!VGfa<WW* asking the Council to pay him £54, the balance of contract money, held back on account of his being behind time in completing the work, which he said was owing to bad weather.—Re - £a 6 7 En S'neer tq report to the Board of Work., they to have power to aot.-% Eptjert e lly, .ajso. wrote in reference to a dispute between him and Woonsn yelatire to the contract in question, and asking the Council to pay accounts to the tune of orer £94, which he bad incurrod for the contract, but wJ lch, should haTe beaa paid by Goona^, who had taken over the eanjvaot from bun.—Resolved, tbftt the Council had no fiends at its disposal to pay the accounts.

OTHEE BUSINESS. ' The Water Bace Committee presented, a statement of the resolution agreed to, at tie conference with the Borough/ Council submitting it for th,e approval of the Gouncil,,~T>he report was adopted and the Chairman and Cr Murdooh were author*

ised to represent the Council on the Joint Water Supply Committee of the County and Borough Councils. Tha monthly financial statement was as follows:-—Receipts: Goldfields revenue. £3950 19s lOd; Government subsidies, £271 17s 6d ; water race payments. £94' Is 7d; rates, £25 12s 7d ; miscellaneous, £5 ; to balance, £2742 16s Id—£7o9o 7s 6d.—Expenditure : Bank balance, Ist September,. £6046 17s; payments in September, £773 Is 2d ; bank interest for half-year, £270 9s sd; balance brought down, £2742 16s Id. September accounts: For public works, £491 Os Id; water race expenses, £71 13s 2d; cemetery committees, £25; printing, £7 7s; aid to drainage, £20; Public Health Act, ss; Gas Company, -£1 ss" 9d; sundry accouuts, £14 7s ; legal expenses, £29 ;• salaries, £53 3s 4d— £3455 17s sd.—Adopted, and accounts passed for payment Mr Littlejohn was appointed Inspector of Nuisances and Dangerous Goods in the Ohinemuri district.

The action of the Board of Works in informing Government that the Council was not in a position to take ad vantage of a grant under the District Roads provisions of the Roads and Bridges Act for the construction of the bridge at Waihi township, was confirmed.

The Chairman brought before the Council the case of a packer named Pearoe, whose horse had broken its leg owing to the defective state of one of the culverts on the Kauaeranga Valley road.—Cr Murdoch suggestt A that the Council pay the man £7 or £8, aa he was poor and unable to work at present owing to his arm being broken.—-Crs Praser and Pozter were of opinion that if the Council acknowledge} their liability in this case they would soon have a number of similar claims to deal with. —Ultimately the matter was referred to a committee, consisting of the Chairman and Grs Fraser and Murdoch, to deal with it under the 109 th section of the Counties Act. '.;•' /■ ;: ■= \'' ■ ■

It was resolved that prior to expending the rotes under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act, as many Crs as could do so should visit the sites of the propose 3 works.

I Cr Porter moved, in accordance with previous notice, as follows :-—'• That the recdmmendation of the Gommitfr3, in reference to payment of commission to the Engineer, be rescinded." He spoke at some length i* support of his motion, averring that the Council had taken advantage of the absence of himself and another member to pass the motion, in* stead of waiting for a full meeting. Their action was'also illegal, as the commission, £37, had relUy'been paid before, the report of the committee recommending its nuyment had been adopted;T>y the Council. He also pointed out the desirability of leaving such .propolis; till next year, a 9 the commission for this year coaid not reach more than £4$ whilei next year he hoped they would be spending ten times the amount they had done this, and the Engineer would have r.s . much work as ever he could get through.-— Crßull seconded—Or Fra%erj one of the Committee, said there had been no intention of acting illegally when the money was paid; baying power to act^ they did. not see any harm in drawing the cheques. —The Chairman said everyjth^h^.htid been done decently and in order j;.no_tiee wa3 given of the motion, which had been carried because it was thought desirable, and not because Crs Porter end Bull were absent.—Cr Thorburn thought the work performed by the Engineer was fully equal to his salary, and if the Council wanted to, keep a good man, they must expect to have to pay him a good salary.— Gr Bagnall considered it a great mistake to be always changing salaries, and the amount paid to the Engineer was not too much., He thought the Council should, in the coming year, turn its attention seriously to reducing the overdraft, and thus doing away with the targe amount of interest which was now beiDg paid annually.—After some further discussion, Crs Porter's motion was put to the meeting and negatived, only the mover and seconder voting for it.

Ct Bull moved, as he had already given notice — " That the resolution passed ou August Ist, that the County Clerk shall receive commission on rates collected, be rescinded." He did not consider that the Council should increase the salaries of their officials while they were unable to keep the roads in repair.— Cr Porter seconded.—-The Chairman considered the notices of motion jusfe moved were simply a ruse, to gain a little popa« larity oatside.-r-Cr Eraser disagreed with the last speaker, and gave Crs Porter and Bull credit for being sincere in their propositions.—The motion was lost on the voices.

Cr Porter's resolution, "That the Council apply for a subsidy out of the £10,000 vote for works on -goldfields, for districts which are prepared i 3 find onethird of the monies for such application," wes agreed to after come discussion. The following motion by Crßagnall was postponed till next meeting :—" That in view of the desirability of a re-adjust-ment of County representation, to enable that of the outlaying districts to be increased thereby, - a Committee of this Council be appointed to investigate and report upon the following questions: (1) In which of the ridings the representation may be fairly reduced ; (2) in which of the ridings should representation be increased; (3) whether it is desirabJle or not to make any alteratioa.B m existing boundaries of the County ridings. The Committee to ©assist of Crs Brodie, Bull, Thorburn, Murdoch, Porter, and the mover, and their report to be brought up: at the monthly meeting in January, 1884,