WAIPA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Waikato Argus, Volume III, Issue 223, 16 December 1897, Page 2

WAIPA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of the Waipa County Council was held at Ohaupo on Tuesday last, there were present : —Crs. W. H. Mnndeno (Chairman), R. Bell, G. Totty, F. J. Vickers, J. J. Bycroft, S. Steele, R. Scott, Ed. Allen, aud J. B. Teasdalc.

Waipa Bridge.—A good deal of correspondence was read upon the above subject. The Chairman said he had sent the following telegram to the Surveyor-General regarding the misunderstanding about this matter :—"The Waipi County Council do not object to contribute, but only to the amount pro posed to be levied. The Council wishes a commission appointed in accordance with Section 113, Clause B Public Works Act, 1894, when they will be enabled to raise the loan without a poll." Mr Barrow replied by wire that there was no power to deal with the question under Section 113 of the Public Works Act unless the local bodies interested took the proper steps thereunder, and this had not b'-en done. The position was unsatisfactory and the Council's action was practically a refusal to pay the whole of the £3OO allotted to it.—To this the Chairman replied to the effect that at the outset the only demand ever recognised by the Council was made by the Ngaruawahia Tou n Board under clause 113, Public Woiks Act, which gives 6nc body power to levy upon another. Except under this compulsion the Council would never consent to contribute anything like the amount in question. He then detailed the action of the Council in lodging the objection, and said it appeared to the Council that the next step should be to appoint a commission to apportion the cost of the work. The bridgo \\ ould be ot very small utility to the great bulk of the ratepayers of Waipi, and the Council would not be justified in finding so large an amount out of ordinnry revenue. —The action of the Chairman was endorsed.

Closing Road. —Mr H. W. Brown, of Ngaroto, wrote, giving notice that he intended to close the road running through his section 298, Parish of Ngaroto, on the Ist of February, 189 S, unless au arrangement was made before that date. —The Chairman explained the position thoroughly. The land, he said, was only half an acre, and the roid had been opened over 30 yeais.—Cr. Tcasdalo said the land was valued at about 30s an acre, with improvements.—After some discussion, it was decided to write and info m Mr Brown that as it had been a public road for over 21 years the Council considered he had no title to the land. Whatawhata Swamp Drain. —Mr Hickey, the contractor for this work, wrote informing the Council that he would re commence work as foon as possible. — The Clerk was instructed to inform Mr Hickey that the contract must be completed by the end of February, or the penalty would be enforced. Fuotpath.—Mr C. Ellis, of Kihikihi, asked for permission to concrete the footpath in front of his store and stretch a chain along the outside of the verandah, to keep horses off the. path.—Mr Ellis was referred to the Kihikihi Town Board, which has charge of the footpaths. Ngaruawahia - Hamilton Road.—ln response to an application from the Ngaruawahia Town Board, the Council expressed its intention of attending to the township end of the HamiltonNgai uawahia road as soon as funds will permit. Sinks and Drains.—The Clerk of the Kihikihi Town Board wrote stating that the Board would not undertake to state any sum for which it would maintain the sinks and drains in the main street ; but would call for tenders and submit them for the Council's approval.—The matter was left to the Chairman of the Council to deal with.

Bank of New Zealand. —The manager of the Bank of New Zealand, Te Awamutu, wrote enclosing an authority for signature regarding the charge of 10s 0 i each half year for keeping the account.— The Councillors, as a whole, considered the charge an imposition, and refused to sign the authority until further information had been received. Dog Taxes. for tenders for the position of dog registrars for the various ridings and the supply of collars for the year 1898. The figure was fixed at 5s for sporting dogs and '2s 6d for all others. Tramway.—The Chairman raised the question of the erection of a tramway across the Mangapiko, near North's brick yard, for the purpose of obtaiu'nq gravel from the opposite side. He said he thought the work could be done for a very moderate sum, and there was no doubt about the quality of the gravel.— On the motion of Cr. Allen, seconded by Cr. Steele, the Chairman and Cr. Teasdale were authorised to interview Mr Taylor with a view to the purchase of a couple of acres of land at the locality, and to carry out the work if the negotiations were satisfactory and the cost reasonable. Stores' Road.—ln accordance with* the suggestions made in the chairman's report regarding the road between Stokes' farm and Pirongia, the Council decided to alter the Hue of the road.— Crs. Bell and Totty, who had inspected the place in company with the chairman, favoured a direct line being taken from Stokes' coiner across the town belt and several vacant allotments, and the Council agreed to have eight chains of ditching and 40 chains of formation done. Meadway's Road.—lt was decided, on the suggestion of the chairman, to form about 10 or 12 chains and put in pipes at Meadway's corner on the Tuhikaramea Road. Accounts. —The following payments were authorised :—O. Alexander, £2 10s; C. Crouch, £l2 15s ; Geo. Berry, £2 5s Gd ; Bcarsley and Bygrave, £26 2s 3d ; lligginson and Offerson, £l2 10s ; Souter and Co., £6 Is lOd ; Jos- Frear, £3 13s (3d ; T. A. Alexander, £ls ; V. Papesch, £5 ; R. Carter, £2 6s ; J. Charleston, £2 10s 9d ; K. Waitc, £ls IDs ; P. Guthrie, £1 13s 9d ; W. Mawhiimey, £2 2s. Tenders.—The following tenders were received for various works within the county : —Grading on Innesfallen road : R. Carter—formation, 8d (accepted). Formation Tuhikaramea - Whatawhata road : R. Carter—formation 4s 6d, carting and laying pipes £1 2s 6d (accented). Box culvert, Rice's Gully : P. Rice—No. 1 £l6, No. 2 £l2 10s ; Higginson and Offen-ou-No. 1 £l3 12s, No. 2 £l2 (accepted). The Chairman was authorised to imert pipes instead of culvert if found practicable. Koromatua bridge approaches and formation at Whatawhata; Win. Mawhinney formation, 4s ; earthwork, 8d ; pipes, 10s (accepted); J. H. Charlestonformation, 5s ; pipes, 15s ; no tender for earthwork. Formation and grading Cambridge - Rotorangi Road: W. J. Harris —formation, 6s chain ; earthwork, Is 5d yard ; other formation, 7s; 0. Crouch —formation, 5s 3d ; earthwork, Is 3d ; other formation, £ls 10s ; Geo. McGhie—formation, 0j (id ; earthwork, Is 2d (accepted). C. Crouch's tender was accepted for the MoanavaleRotorangi formation. Formation Cam-bridge-Ohaupo Road : Thos. Cowley—formation, 2s Gd (accepted) ; Jas. Williamson—formation, 3s. Kihikihi Orakau Road : Gordon and Ingham —formation, (is; earthwork, 8d ; pipes, 15s ; watertables, 2s Gd (accepted); Geo. McGhie—--6s 6d, 7.',d, 7s Gd and 4s. Formation Ohaupo-llamilton Road : R. Waite formation, 3s 3d (accepted). As uo tenders were received for cutting drains, sanding, etc., on the Ohaupo Flat, the Chairman was requested to get the woik done at a reasonable rate. Whatawhata Swamp Road.—The Uhairiiuu was empowered to engage Mr Mawhiimey and expend £3O of the grant upon the improvement of the Swamp Road. Loan.—Cr. Teasdale briefly explained his proposal regarding the raising of a

loan for expenditure upon the County roads. His idea was to set aside a portion of the genera! rate to pay the interest on a loan to be obtained under the Government Loans to Local Bodies Act, 1886, of £6OO, and he submitted figures to show that an eighth of a penny ivould practically cover the amount. Cr. Totty seconded the proposal, which on being put was lost, only the mover and seconder nippcrting it. Next Meetixo.—lt was resolved to allow the January meeting to lapse, and the Council will not meet again until the second Tuesday in February. The Chairman and two Councillors were authorised to accept tenders and in the iuteiim.