PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 238, 22 January 1898, Page 2

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of this Council was held at Morrinsville on Thursday, when there were present :—Councillors Chepmell (in the chair), Harrison, Hunt, McCaw, Gavin and Ferries. Alleged Overcharge in Rates.--Mr W. L. C. Williams wrote complaining that for the pa3t eight years he had been paying rates on 116 acres not in his occupation. He asked for a refund ef the overcharge.—The Council decided that the valuation in rate book must be adhered to, and that Mr Williams pay the rates as demanded. Tender.—Cr. Harrison notified that as empowered by the Council, he had opened and dealt with the tender for the formation on the Cambridge-Tauranga Road, between Mansawhara finger post and the Wuihou Bridge. He had accepted the tender of G. Giles at 43 Id per chain. Slaughterhouses -Constable Wild, who held the appointment of Inspector of slaughter-houses in the Te Aroha and Waitoa ridings, and Constable Brennan, Inspector for Patetere and Matixmata ridings, having been transferred to other districts ; their successors, Constables Rowles and Cahill respectively were appointed as Inspectors. The following applications for renewal of slaughterhouses were granted : —Alex. Rowe, Lichfield : Pi auk Rose, Tirau ; D. Scelly, Waharoa ; F. Marshall, Morrinsville ; Jas. Gibson, Manawaru ; John Rowe, Te Aroha ; W. A. Roberts, Te Aroha ; John Woods, Te Aroha ; John Walls, Waihou. Waiorowqomai Tramway. The Aroha Gold Mines (Limited), wrote agreeing to pay their share of cost of repairs to this tramway, The usual arrangement whereby they are granted use of, and become responsible for the tram was renewed for another month. Subsidy.—Te Aroha Town Board was granted £'2 10s, as a subsidy on cost of repairs to track leading to the trig station.

Drains at Waitoa.—Mr N. A. Larney wrote complaining about the state of the drains near his property, commented adversely on Ihe way in which Council* lors neglected to get the work done in a properly efficient y and economical manner.—The Clerk was instructed to acknowledge receipt of his letter. New Roads. -Mr Kensington, of the Lands Department, returned plans, duly approved, of roads to be taken and closed through Maungakaratu, No. 1, and Maungapouri, No, 1, Patetere North. He notified that the Council would require to get the consent of the owners of the land and return the plans with certificate of title for endorsement.

Charitable Aid.—The Council passed for payment £9B 93, being the first instalment of their annual subsidy to the Waikato Hospital Board. Cambriege-Nai'ier Road,— Tn answer to the Council's complaint that the Government workmen left part of this road near the county boundary unattended, Mr Reaney, Road Inspector at Rotorua, replied that instructions had been given to the overseer to have the boundary properly adjusted. Late Taotaoroa Road Board.—The Treasury Department notified the Council that the inscribed debt of this Board (recently merged in the county) had now been inscribed as a debt of the Council, the amount being £IBO 3s9d. Road Drains at Cordon.—John McLeod drew the Council's attention to the road drain and outlets on sections 4 and 5, which required cleaning out.—Foreman Wattam was instructed to inspect and report on the same at next meeting. Bank Balance. —The Clerk reported the overdraft at the bank to be £644 lis 3d.

Change of Ownership.—The Assets Realisation Board forwarded a note of the sales of land recently effected in the county, and asked the Council to make the necessary amendments in the rate roll.—Other intimations to a similar effect were received from individual owners.

Advertising.—Mr Gotz, manager of the Te Aroha Times, wrote asking the Council for a.share of the advertisements, which were at present given exclusively to the Te Aroha News (as far as Te Aroha was concerned). He suggested that the Council should divide the advertisements or call tenders for advertising for a term of twelve months, as was done by the' Ohinemnri County Council. This, he ventured to state, would be the least expensive methoJ.— The Cuuncil after consideration decided to invite tenders from the two Te Aroha papers for twelve months' advertising, at per inch. Government Subsidy.—lt was de cided to make application to the Government for the £3OO placed on the Estimates for the Cambridge - Tauranga road.

Gordon-Waharoa Road.—The engineer (Mr VV. H. Johnson) sent in a lengthy report on the various- contracts on this road. He considered that on the whole the work had been satisfactorily carried out, but warned the Council that much more would require to be done before they cou'd expect a really good road, on account of the fact that the road was to a great extent taken through swampy country. He suggested that in the meantime six or eight small contracts —amounting in all to about £6o should be let, aud asked that a deputation of the Council meet .him and make an inspection of the whole road. —The Council agreed to do this, Messrs Herries, McCaw aud Gavin being appointed to meut the engineer on a date to be arranged. Foremen's Reports.—Messrs Wattam and Mahood reported on the roads in their respective districts.—Wattam was instructed to get the main drain on the south side of the Thames-Waikato road, from Lovegrove's to Taylor's, e'eaned out, as it has silted up, and is full of weeds. He \va3 also instructed to procure the rimu t mbcr he required from Mr Jaa. Lavery, Te Arolm.—Mahood was given permission to purchase a single-furrow plough and a one-horse scoop, as asked for in his report, and also to get the rimu timber from Mr Clifford, of Morrinsville, for redecking bridge near Tirau. He was referred to Councillor Harrison fur instructions about burning off rubbisli on the Kaimai Track.—Several specifications for new works, prepared by the foremen, were approved by the Council, and tenders ordered to be called for next meeting.

Tenders.—The following tenders were opened by the Council:—Contract No. 72—53 chains formation on ThameaYVaikato Road, near Larney's: A. J. Forrest, 4s 5d per chain; Chas. MoGuire, 4s per chain (accepted). Contract No. 73—40 chains formation and gravelling at north end of Gordon Settlement :■ Jas. Orr, £79 lis (accepted) .Contract No. 74—48 chains formation and gravel ling near Gordon school : W. Newsome, £52 10i 81; Jrio. McLeod, £46 (accepted). Contract No. 75—18 chains formation and grading Osborne's Hill, Gordon: W. Newsome, £lB 18s ; Jno. McLeod, £l7; F. Walker, £l7 (accepted).—lt was decided to inform all these, contractors that the time penalty would be strictly enforced. Railway Drain.—lt was decided to ask the Railway Department to clear out the pipes under the railway crossing near Waitoa station.

Accounts..— The following accounts were passed for payment:—Waikato Hospital Board, £9B 93 ; Mclndoe and Hill, £7 5s lOd ; James Parr, £1 16s 7d ; Newson and Coulson, £ll 5s ; H. Grant, £10; B. Montague, £25 ; James Orr, £6 10s; F. Walker, £1 5s 6d ; J. Wattam, £7 4s ; Geo. Wattam, £l3 15s ; J. Read, £4 10s ;D. Stubbing, £22; Geo. Mahood, £l2 3s 9d ; W Hogan, £4 Is -Thomson, £4 ss6d; W. Weir, £8 Us ; C. Tautade and party, £lO 10s 61 : public account, £ll6 7s 6d; Gorton Estate, £1 17a 2d ; W. Souter; and Town Board, £2 JOs ; sundry accounts, £5 Is 9.1,