COUNTY COUNCIL.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5061, 2 April 1885, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting was held at the Chambers, Mary street, last evening. Present: Crs Brodie (presiding), Coutts, Greenville, McCombie, Moore, Murdoch, Pitkethley, Steedman, and Townsend.

The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed.

CORBESPONDENCE.

W. H. Craig and P. Trainor both wrote claiming to be the lowest tenderers for the metalling of portions of the' ThamesOhinemuri road, between Pariri and Hikutaia, the contract for which was let to Maxwell and Short.—The, matter was slightly discussed, and was then referred to the Board of Works, who considered it after the close of the' meeting and adhered to their former decision—the acceptance of Maxwell and Short's tender.

The contractor for the Karangahake suspension bridge, Mr B. M. Smith, was granted an extension of time for one month owing to an accident to his derrick.

A letter from F. Day, applying for £40, salary as clerk to the Parawai Highway Board, was referred to the Finance Committee.,

An application from Mr J. Butcher for a road to be laid off at Totara Point to connect with a landing at his place, was refused, it not being considered needful.

In reference to a letter from Chas. Wright, re trees on the upper part of the Waikawau road, it was resolved to put a second man on to clear the track.

A letter; from Mr Lush, on behalf of Mrs Good, who broke her arm some time ago through her horse stumbling on the Tapu road, and contending that she had an equitable claim for damages, was referred to the Charitable Aid Committee.

Mr F. C. Dean wrote, suggesting that the County Chairman should represent to Government the good which would be done to the place if lands could be thrown open for settlement by miners, such land to be freehold, but subject to the goldfields' regulations as to prospecting, &c. There was a quantity of land suitable for agricultural purposes between the Thames and Coromandel which "could thus be utilised for settlement purposes, and enable miners to remain in the district even when work was slack.—Resolved that the letter be forwarded to Government, with a strong recommendation in favor of the scheme.

It was resolved to call for tenders (not to exceed £15) for improving the road between the Hauraki and Martha claims, Karangahake, the money to come out of the grant for tracks at Karangahake.

In reply,to a letter from Messrs' Way, Taylor, and McCormick, urging that metal should be spread on the road between Thames and Waiomo, it was resolved to call tenders for the work to the Take of £20.

The Public Works Under-Secretary wrote that it would be necessary for the Council to apply before June 30th for the Cemetery road being made as a district road.—The Engineer stated that plans, &c, were now ready.—On the motion of Crs Greenville and Pitkethley it was resolved to forward the plans at once, and to ask the co-operation of Messrs Fraser and Cadraan, M.H.jß.'s, with a view to having the work authorised as soon as possible. ,

A request from Mr Thomas, for the timber of an old tramway bridge in the Earaka Creek, to use in mining work, was referred to the Engineer with -power to act. .. ':.."•■ .■"■"' „ ■' " ''■ ■■•.'■. ' "";.

A grant of £5 was voted to the Tairua Public Library funds, upon the application of Mr Kylands, Secretary. The Secretary of the Union Sash and Door Company drew attention to the bad state of several tracks in the Tairua dig* trict, and asked that £95 be expended in improving them, under the supervision of the Engineer, before the winter set in.— Cr yteedman spoke in support of the application, the repairs being urgently needed, and moved that the amount asked for be granted.—Cr j?itkethiey seconded, -f Carried.

EEPOE^S. The phinemuri Cemetery Oommitlee's report was adopted. It stated that Cr Moore had been appointed Chairman, and Mr Littlejohii clerk i thai tho portion of the ground marked A on plan be set apart for burial purposes, and B and C sold by public auction, the proceeds to bo devoted to improving the grounds; that an acre be set apart for the Roman Catholic denomination, and that lots be pegged, off for public and private intermenta^in answer to Crs Moore and McCombie, the Chairman said the r^rve had not been bought by Government grant, but by the Council, had a clear title to it.—The bye* laws (already published) were apjpjQved, and ordered to take effect f^cai the date of gazetting. The Bc*fcl of Works report, as published yesterday, wai adopted. ; The County Engineer repo?t«4 chat the cutting down of Arney atreet, Paoroa, would cost £4^; a portion of Normauby street qbould be metalled before winte? set in.—The 1 necessary plans for the works were ordered to be prepared, the money to come ou,t of t^e vote under the Roads aod

Bridges, Construclien Act, and the remainder of the rote was ordered to be spent in metalling Takarei's hill. ' [ The Finance Committee's recommendations were adopted as follows :—l. That the messenger's wages be raised to 25s • week. 2. That the Council should insist upon a more energetic enforcement of the Dog Begistration Act. 3. That Mr Goonan's application for a refund of £42 be not acceded to. —The Chairman stated that the Treasurer had been unable to draw up the usual statement, owing to the bank-book not being obtainable; the monthly accounts had been examined by the Committee and passed for payment. The Water Race Committee recommended—That the application for water to drive the Caledonian Loir Level aircompressor be granted. That all com. panics, and others using the water eon«. tinuously for motire power, shall after this date, when a scarcity of water occurs, be placed upon equal terms, and the periods during which machinery is enabled - to work,'shall be also divided between the parties equally (the Queen of Beauty ex« cepted). That more frequent visits be paid to the machines, and the water used by them measured, and the quantity regit* tered by the surveyor. That G. W. Bull's . request for aid to lay down service mains to his battery, be recommended to the Hon. the Minister of Mines, when he visits the Thames. ' Last months report . was submitted in an amended form, as follows : That' a stop valve be adjusted on the service pipe to the Golden Crown battery. That when the residents in Hill ani Cook streets, who apply for water, shall have paid one year's rate in advance, the service pipes will be laid down.—Cr Coutts thought that as the Golden Crown company had always been considered to have a priority of right to the water, they should have notice Bent them of the pro- ' posed change, and he accordingly moved that three months' notice be given.—Cr Moore seconded.—Cr Pitkethley contended that the Crown had no prior right; they bad it when they applied for three years' water, but that period had lapsed long ago. No company had a first right to the water.—Cr Contts' amendment to the report^was put so as to insert, "and Golden Crown battery " after " Queen of Beauty pump," and in this form was carried, Coutts, Murdoch, Moore, Brodie, and McCombie voting for it, and Crs Pitkethley and Townsend against—The report was then adopted.

OTHEB MATTEBS. On the motion of Crs Steedman and Greenville, a resolution was passed con* stituting a special rating distriot for the maintenance ef, a high level water race. ' Cr Greenville referred to the Block 27 agitation, dwelling on the great advantage it would be to the Council if the petition. was successful, and moving that £5 5s be voted towards the fund, so that the matter might be thoroughly tested.—The Chair* man said the Council would derive no benefit unless the land was proclaimed ' part of the goldfield.—Cr Greenville said a clause in the petition asked that thisj should be done.—Cr Pitkethley seconded the motion, which was carried. This concluded the'business.