WAIKATO COUNTY COUN OIL MEETING.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 784, 26 June 1877, Page 2

WAIKATO COUNTY COUN OIL MEETING.

Tho Waikato County Council held their ordinary nieetin-j on Friday, the 22 id inst. There were- present, I<' Jtt Claude (Chairman) with Counciliots - Clarke, Cummiug, Gall. Kirt wo 3d aud Leslie. 'the minutes of laat meeting were read and confirmed. Letters l'eseived and despatched sines 25 0h May were also read.' ACCOCTNT3 : The following asc mnts were passed, and ordered to be paid, viz : — £ a d Mr Well3, Mercer 4 3 6 Mr Birrs, Rangiriri 2 11 0 Mr Sauces, Hamilton .. ... 8 8 0 Mr Joshua Smith, Hamilton... 74 0 0 Total ' ..£B9 2 6 Of the foregoing, £82 Sa Od was directed to bo charged to soparate account, aud £6 143 6i lo general account. SWAMP BOAS. Councillor Clarke took exception to a charge made by tha Swamp lioad Contractor, for deepeoiog the outfall drain. He was under the itnpresaiou (and he thought the unsuccessful tenderers were of the same opinion) that tho out-fall, if required, was included in the sum tendered to form the road at per chain. A note was taken of the objecion. ENGINEER TO BOAKD. Tenders for the~offi.ee of Engineer to the County (five in number) were opened by the Chairman. Mr Kichardson, of Cambridge, offered to supply plans, &c , and supervise work, at four and a-half per cent of the cost .of such work, together with travelling expenses (bona fide) not exceeding 13s per day, or, he would take two pounds per cent, with 17s per day for travelling allowance. Mr James Calderwood, of Hamilton, tendered to perform the duties of Eoad Engineer, at a salary of £lOU per annum. Captain G B Beere offered to perform all Engineering business required by the Council for any term of years, at £1 10a for each day employed, findingJhimselE in assistants to the extent of two men. Messrs T H White and T & Sandoß, Architects,Surveyors and Civil Engineers, tendered to perform the services required

for a commission of £5 per cent on all work exceeding £100 in outlay. Secondly : Field or office work, £2 2s per day, and ' thirdly and lastly,' travelling •expensds to be charged at £1 Is per day ou all works beyond six miles from Hamilton. An explanatory letter accompanied this tender, by which, the Council were informed that the charge of £5 per cent would include supervision, reports, &o, as well as field and office work, and any necessary assistance. And with regard to the charge, 'Field 'and office work, £2 2a per day,' the letter stated that it should have been £1 Is.

The next tender was from Mr Win. Reid, of Tamahere, who offered to perform engineering work required by the Council, at any lime when called upon, for the remuneration of £1 per day, finding and providing for bis own horse.

The tender of Mr Win Reid being the lowest, and his character and ability being highly spoken to by Councillor Leslie, the Council unanimously resolved to accept it, the motion being made by Councillor Leslie and seconded by Councillor Clarke.

SLAUGHTER HOUSES,

Licenses to slaughter cattle within the County were applied for and granted to Mess ia Small and Clarke, and u temporary or conditional license to Thomas Kiug to kill and sell a few pigs. It was notified by the Chairman, that Mr Potter and others had failed to comply with the 10th clause of the by-laws, but, as some reason in writing had been requested, and was expected, it was decided to defer any action in the matter till next meetiug.

At 1 p.m. the Council adjourned for an hour.

CORRESPONDENCE ON SWAMP ROAD.

Upon resuming, at 2' o'clook, the Chan-man adverted to correspond en ce wit j. the Hon Mr Whitaker, in the matter of the Swamp road. It appears from the correspondence, that the line of railway no vv being surveyed through Kirikiriroa to the Piako and Thames, does not follow tbe line cut and pegged off by the late Mr Simpson. The Attorney-General was under the impression that it did, and learning that the County road started

from Mr Coates' farm (some 25 chains further south than the line being jurveyed), he (Mr Whitaker) telegraphed to the Chairman of the Couuty tbat, he was a pending money on a line of road never authorised or contemplated — happily for the County, the Minister had got the wrong eud of the stick, as no doubt he id now aware, from the reports of the Government Euginetjr.

The Counoil resolved to leave the matter in the hands of the Chairman, »ho will, if necessary, proceed to Auckland, aud see Mr Whitaker on the Bubject. - - 1c was decided that Mr T G Sandes a vould conUuue to buporvise the Swamp road contract. '•

EATS COLLECTING.

A tender was received from Mr Eobert Muir, of iUngiriri, to collect ail rates, depasturing fees, dog-tax, &c, levied by the Council iu the KAngiriri Hiding, for the sum of £10 per cent of the amount collected.

The tender was accepted, and the Cleik ordered to prepare the necessary agreement.

RESERVES,

Some time ago, the Council applied to have all reserves within the Cuunty hauded over to them, to be utilised for the benefit of the County. Before handing them over, thd Government wish to kuow definitely what is to ba done with them, aud as nobody had a scheme cut and dry, the Churuiau was requested to prepare one by next meeting.

WAIREKGI ROAD.

A petition was presented by some ten settlers at Wairengi (Ranginri Kiding), praying that the Council would make a road, to their settlement, and that, provided the Council would abstain from levying a depasturing fee, they would contribute to the cos? of the road.

The Councii did not bee how they could comply with the prayer of the petitioners at present, as the Karapere Bridge will probably coab more monsy.thanthey have at their dispo&a 1 , but, iu order that action may be taken at a more opportune time, the Clerk was instructed to request the Engineer (Mr It aid) to survey aud make au esttinatd o£ the work proposed, as early »i convenient.

THE GBEAT SOUTH ROAD.

Some di^cusiion arose as to the Bridges on the Great South Iload,, and several" members complained that the Government have treated them rather harshly iu re gard to these bridges. It was said that, with oue exception, they want entire reconstruction, beiug entirely rotten. , 'JLhe Chairman said he had written to, and hid seen the lion Mr Whitaker on the subject, bub had failed even to get a Government Engineer to report on their state. As it is considered only right that these bridges should have been handed over in good order, it was resoved taat the Chairman, with Councillor Gumming, be appointed a committee to draw up a petition to the House of Representatives on the subject, and that the Honorable Member for Waikato be respectfully requested to present it. This concluded the busiaes3 of the ordinary meeting. . ' SPECIAL MEETING. The same Councillors bhen assembed in special meeting, upon a requisition signed by the Chairman, dated the 12th June, for the purpose of making some formal revision of the by-laws for the slaughteriug of cattle withing the County. The Chairman tabled a revised set of by-laws, done In accordance with the 1 (» d vice of the Colonial Secretary. A motion was made by Councillor Kirk wood, that they be adopted. Seconded by Councillor Leslie. NOTICE OF MOTION". Councillor Kirkwood further gave notice that, at the mesting to be held on the 20 th July, he would, in accordance with provisions contained in the Counties Act, 1876, mova 'That the foregoing resolution b3 confirmed.' This concluded the business.