PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Waikato Argus, Volume III, Issue 174, 24 August 1897, Page 4

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the above Council was held at the Council offices, Morrinsvillc, on Saturday, 21st August, when there were present : Crs. W. P. Chepmell (in the chair), Gavio, Hemes, Harrison, Aitken, Ring, Hunt, Farmer and McCaw. New Roads.—Mr E. de C. Drury, surveyor, Hamilton, wrote, stating that his fee for surveying the new road at Rangitanuku, through Blocks XT. and XV. Tapapa, would be £S per mile if in oprn country, and £l6 if throueh bush land, which charge would include the providing of plans in duplicate and tracing for the Council. He also requested to be furnished with the Governor's warrank to carry him through the native blocks.—Mr D. Stubbing, surveyor, Cambridge, wrote, forwarding his account (£22) for survey work and plans 111 connection with closing old and opening new roads between Mr Northcroft s section and Putarurn. He explained that the seemingly excessive charge was due to the great difficulty he had experienced through discrepancies in previous surveys and plans which necessitated frequent visits to the Survey Office at Auckland, and much of the work had to be done twice over.—lt was decided to send the plans to the Survey Office to be certified to. WaiorongomaiTramway.—Cr. Gavin, on behalf of the Aroha Gold Mine, was granted the use of this tramway on the usual terms till the next meeting. Water Race at Waiorongomai.—C. Ronald Farquharson, 011 behalf of the Hauraki Deve'opment Syndicate, which holds an option over the Great Western Special Claim, applied for permission to cany water in a sluice box along a portion of the county tramway, from the Premier and Colonist Creeks to the Diamond Gu ly Creek. He guaranteed that any damage done to the tramway would be repaired at his company's expense.— It was decided to grant the permission requested subject to the Warden's consent, and also to a provision that in the event of the company abandoning the race the Council should have the light to take it away, the work to be done to the satisfaction of the Council or its appointees, Crs. Gavin, Herries and Farmer being appointed for the purpose. Damage to Road.—The Waiorongomai School Committee wrote, complaining about the damage done to the footpath from the road to the school, by Hanks, in his contract.—Decided that if the School Committee will effect the necessary repairs, the Council will grant £1 towards cost of same. Finance.—The Clerk reported that the various accounts were all in debit, as follows :—Taotaoroa Riding, £2 16s Sd? Te Aroha Riding, £lO3 0s Od ; Patctcre Riding, £lOl 2s Sd ; Mattnmta Riding, £l7 3a ; Te Aroha interest, £22 5s lid ; Patetere interest, £39 2s lid ; Taotaoroa interest, £4 10s id ; Bank overdraft, £S3S 13s 7d. —The Council decided to write off £l7 from the Taotaoroa account and to charge same to general account.—lt was also decided that expenditure on goldfields tracks, which has hitherto been charged to the Te Aroha Riding account, should in future be a charge on the general account. Slaughter-house.—John Gibson applied for a license to slaughter on Section 3, Block 1., Wairere, Manawaru.—The Inspector having visited the proposed site and reported favourably thereon, the application was granted. Gordon-Waharoa Road. —Mr Johnson forwarded sptcifications for a further contract for ballasting on this road, and suggested that the work should be let forthwith. He estimated the cosi at £3S 10s, aud intimated that this was the last woik he proposed to deal with on this road. He further advised a progress payment being made to C. Tonge for bridge erected at Waharoa.—William Thomson applied for a progress payment on Contract 33, as he had been much delayed by bad weather.—As the Council were not in possession of delinite information from the Engineer with reference to these works, it was decided to defer the requests till next meeting. Piako Bridge.— Mr Metcalfe," C.E., notified that he would place an inspector on this work to see that the piles arc properly driven. —On the strength of a certificate from the inspector as to the quantity if material on the job, a progress payment of £147 5s 3d was authorised, the Engineer to be consulted at the same time. Railway Chousing and Drains.—The District Railway Engineer (Mr Bias) wrote that he had visited the parts of the lice complained of, and had made arrangements with the Council's foreman whereby the defects complained of would be remedied. Golpfields Revenue.—A voucher for £lll 14s was forwarded from the "Warden's olfice, Thames, representing revenue for the Te Aroha district for the quarter ended 19th June, 1897. Audit Fee.—The Audit Department rsturucd the County Council balancesheet duly certified as correct, and requested payment of £2, being charge for auditing the Council's accounts. County Office.—ln accordance with notice giveu at last meeting, it was moved and carried that in future the county office shall be at Te Aroha, office hours being Tuesdays and Fridays, 10 to 1 and 2 till 4. Matamata Road Board.—The clerk of this Board wrote requesting payment of £ls, which was voted towards cost of repairs to road near Murray"s in the Matamata road district. Count? Boundaries. The Waipi County Council wrote suggesting that the Waikato river be made the boundary line between the Piako and Waipa counties.—The Chairman moved that this question be dealt with at next meeting. Foremen's Bkports.— Geo. Wattam reported that he had repaired the Katikati track so that, with care, travellers could get over. The cost did not exceed the amount voted by the Council. The Te Aroha-Lichfield road is very bad at the Te Aroha end owing to continuous wet weather and heavy traffic. Hanks has carted 1802 yards of gravel up to 4th August, but owing to bad weather there is little prospect of getting the remainder out for some tima on the Thames- Waikato road, McG 11 ire's contract at Te Aroha Railway .Station is nearing completion. Parr's contract for cleaning drains at Waitoa has not been done to specification, but the contractor has promised to put it right. The drain must be left in the meantime till the water was low enough to allow of the work being done properly. In the meantime the foreman recommends a progress payment of £3 being trade. This was agreed to, and the Foreman was authorised to put a padlock on gate of sand pit at Te Aroha. Geo. Mahood reported a great improvement in roads in his district through the spell of fine Weather a week or two ago. The TirauMatamata Koad i-s still very soft, owioc to the flat nature of the country. Mr Biss, the Railway Engineer, had been up and inspected the various places complained of. Council is to form and make up approaches to Hinuera Grossing, after which, the Department will put the rails in the centre of crossing, and gravel and maintain 33 feet on each side of rails. He (the Foreman) had graded and made wider several cuttings near Putarurn Railway Station, and had put gravel and soft stone on six bad cuttings between Lichfield and Putarurn. RotoruaTirau Road : The Government has taken their man oft" this road, and much of it will need attention soon, as several culverts require repairing. Cam-bridge-Tauranga Road : On the Kamai Track there are 32 chains of bush at County boundary. The Tauranga County Council have felled their portion and the Foreman recommends that this Council should do the same on their side of the line, as the sun cannot get at the road. It would cost £ls to fell one chain each I

side of track, and cut and jack 10 feet clear of track. The work should be done now, so that the bush could be burned m March when dry. Liehfield-To Aroha Road : Had drains cleaned up and deepened in woiet places, and will get Maungiwhari drains done up as soon as possible. The Council decided to pet the bush on the boundary line felled a.s suggested by the Foreman. Tenders.— The fol owing tenders were received for Contracts No 65 (Diversion of Flaxmill Creek) and No. 66 (ballast ine on Gordon-Waharoa Road), No. 65. : B Montague, £37; F. Walker, £2O; J McLeod, £26 18s ; Jas. Orr, £l4 (accepted). No. 6G : Jas. Orr, £OO ; B. Montague, £SO 10s ; A. Tliackray, £6l 19s ; .7. Finnerty, £ll ; W. Thomson, £34 193 (accepted). Meetings.— It was decided that in future the Council meetings shall be held on the third Thursday in each month. Accovxts.—The following were passed for payment:—Matamata Koad Board, £ls ; R. Jones, £4 2s 61 ; Taha, £0 10s; W. Souter and Co., £2 14s lid ; Kusabs Bros., £S IS* 3d ; A. Stanley, £3 Ss 9d ; H. Mahood, £lB 10s ; J. Fox, £2 Gi 9d ; D. Lcklcy, £9 7s 6d ; J. Gamble, £1 10s; G. Mahood, £ll 18s ; P. Corcoran, £9 Gs; G. Wattam, £l3 15s ; C. Tonge, £lO ss; J. Hanks, £220 7s 5d ; Jno. Wattam, £9 ; J. Read, £S ss; R. Mackie, £4 17s 7d ; E. Y. Cox, £3; A. Bossons, £4 lis ; G. P. Goodfcllow, £7 10s; B. Montague, £7 15s ; C. McGuire and Co., £35- James t'arr, £3 ; Jos. Pohlen, £n ss; F. Pavitt, £1 Is ; S. IT. Davey, 13s; W. Collins, 7s ; S. Webb, 0s ; D. M. Wallace, £1 6s 9d ; R. Johnson, 8s Od ; M. Harrison, £4 19s; Newsomc and Coulstone, £147 5s 3d ; C. Andrews, £2 15s.