PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 357, 22 October 1898, Page 3

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of this Council was held at Morriusville, on Thursday, when there were present :—Councillors W. P. Chepmel' (in the chair), Harrison, Ring, Hunt, Aitken, Farmer, Gavin and McCaw. Tenders.—Crs. Gavin and Farmer reported that they had accepted the following tenders :—Contract No. 90, Brown's cutting and formation, D. McCarthy, £ll 2s 6d ; No. 91, Newsome's bridge and hill. R Moutague, £ll 10s ; No. 92, Gordon-Waharoa Road, ,1. Orr, £6 ; No. 93, gravelling. J. Orr, 7d per yard ; No. 94. Donovan's hill, McLeod and Walker, £l7. County Debt.—The Secretary to the Treasury wrote stating, that as the Te Aroha Borough Council had agreed to take over their portion of the public debt, viz., £B4O 9s lid, the county's debt uould now be decreased by that amount. The remaining balance now stood at £3814 8s 6d, the half-yearly interest on which would be £95 7s 2d. Valuation. —The Department authorised an alteration in the district roll, reducing J. Borrie's valuation from £llsß to £B6O (capital value). Thompson's Track. Having heard unofficially from Cr. Herries, M.H.R., that the Gorernment (who recently voted £SOO towards this track) were likely to hand over the road to the Council's interest, the Council decided to object to taking over the road in an unfinished state, as the vote of £SOO was quite inadequate to put it in good order. —They decided to wire Mr Herries, asking him to interview the Minister (Mr Cadman) with a view to getting the Go • vernment Engineer to go over the track with a committee from the Council, in order to estimate the cost of putting the track in thorough repair—as far as their portion was concerned —before taking it over as a county road.—The Chairman and Crs. Gavin and Farmer were appointed as a committee to accompany the engineer. Charitable Aid Representation.— Having been notified that three members were allotted to the combined districts of Piako County and Te Aroha Borough, the Council decided to request that an amendment of allocation of members be made whereby the Council could elect three, and the Te Aroha Borough one member. Valuation Expenses.—The Taranaki and Hutt County Councils forwarded strongly-worded resolutions, protesting against the excessive cost of the Government valuations, and asking for cooperation of the couucil in objecting.— The Council instructed the clerk to wire Mr Herries that the council joined with the other local bodies in protesting against the expense incurred. Shaftesbury and Gordon Roads.— J. Squirrell wrote asking that some money be spent in repairing the road in front of his property from Herries' gate to Roche's Gully, on which no money had been spent for 17 years.—The foreman reported that it was hardly worth spending much money on, as it was well grassed, and there was no outlet for the water. He suggested that the various hillocks be levelhd down, and the briars cleared off.—The clerk was instructed to request Messrs Roche, Herries, and Squirrell to remove all sweetbriars from their road frontages.

Gohdon Settlement.—The Secretary of the Gordon Special Settlement Association offered the Council £5 on condition that they formed the road from the boundary of the Gordon Settlement to the bridge at the south end of the Maori swamp; that the same be gravelled at the rate of 12 yards per chain;,tint a drain on the east side of the swtimp road be made, not less than 3ft. wide ; and that a culvert be formed to carry off storm water.—The foreman, who was present at the meeting, reported that the accessary works would cost about £6O. He was instructed to inspect and report at next meeting. Gordon-Waharoa Road,—The foreman was instructed to prepare specifications for the necessary works on this road, tenders to be returned at next meeting. Waiorongomai Bridge. Foreman Wattam was authorised to put two new wings at the north end, as the present ones were in a dangerous condition. "Waiorongojiai Tramway. —Cr. Gavin was authorised to employ an extra man in order to get sleepers laid on Army bridge, and to get certain timber for slabbing the bridge.

Demand for Rates.—The Thames High School Board objected to pay rates on their endowment at Waiorongomai, claiming that by a court decision given some years ago their property was exempt from taxation.—The chairman aud clerk were authorised to get legal opinion on this matter. Cambkidg e-Napier Raod.—Foreman Mahood was authorised to prepare specifications for forming aud making 182 chains of this road, starting at Carter's old stables ; also to hire an extra man and horse to enable other works to be done before the winter. Tirau - Matamata Road.—Foreman Mahood was instructed to cut a 4 x 3 ft. dram on this road between Okoroire station and Broomalow Bridge, the clay from same to be thrown up on the crown of the road. He was also instructed to sand several small bills between Lichfield and Putararu.

Accounts.—The following were passed for payment:—A. Edwards, £l2 8s; J. B. Lawton, £7 19s; J. Lavery, £8 19s lOd ; McLeod and W;ilker, £5 (is; H. Kerr, £2 lis; G. Wattam, £l6 lis Ud ; Te Aroha Times, (Is 3d ; Waikato Hospital Board, £2OO : W. and J. Glifford, £l3 9s Id : G. Mahood, £l6 15s oil ; Thomson, £3 ;A. Aitken, £2 12s; A. J. Farmer, £4; T. Gavin, £.5 5s ; N. I. Hunt, £3 ; H. Southey, 19s ; Snewin and Orr, £4 17s Id ; R. Mackie, £2; J. Read. £1 10s; M. Donoghue, £1 10-s; Waikato Argus, £2 19s 6d ; petty cash, £5 ; A. Swarbriok. £2 19s 6d; \V. Stanley, £7 15s; R. Craig, £lO 10* ; E. Barrett, £7 4s ; W. P. Chepmcll, £3 ss; W. C. Ring, £4 ; M. Harrison, £4 12s; J. McCaw, £4.