WAIKATO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 923, 23 May 1878, Page 2

WAIKATO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting 1 of the above Council /was held at the Council Chambers, Hamilton East, on Friday last, the 17th inst. There were present: Councillors Clarke, dimming, Gall, Kirkwood, and Whyte^ Letters were read from the Chairman, Cr. Claude, and Cr. Leslie, stating that they were unable to attend. In the absence of the Chairman, Cr. Clarke moved and Cr. Cummiug seconded the motion, " That Cr. Whyte take the chair," which was agreed to. The minutes of the meeting held on the 12th April were read and confirmed. The correspondence received since last meeting was read, and the following accounts were examined, passed, and ordered to be paid, viz., Mr Birrs, £1 10s; Waikato Steam Navigation Company, 4s; Rysdale and "Wilson, £39 17s ; Mr Montgomery, £1 11s; Mr Maclean, £2 los 6d; Wilson and Horton, £1 2s Gd ; Mr Kirkwood, £2; total, £51 13s. 'There was £9 10s 6d chargeable to the general amount, and £42 2s 6d to a separate account. ; Subject to the approval of site by Crs. Clarke and Kirkwobd, licenses to slaughter cattle were granted to B. Garland and 8.. Swayne, both of Cambridge. The very great expense of maintaining a ferryman at Whangamarino Creek was discussed, and it was unanimously resolved, " That Cr. Gall be empowered to proceed to Mercer ror the purpose of paying and discharging tho ferryman, and either purchase or hire a boat, to be moored at the Greek, for the convenience of any person who may desire to use it m crossing cattle." A letter was 'read from Mr Stewart, C.E., m reply to a communication from the Council, stating that he had been authorised by Ministers to grant to the Council the services of an engineer of the Public Works Department, to make plans and specifications and superintend the reconstruction of the bi*idgc. The plans would be ready m a short time, and forwarded to the Council for approval. A letter was read from. the Chairman of the Hamilton Highway . District, Mr S. Steele, giving cover to copies of letters written by Mr D. A. Tole, Waste Land's Office, Auckland, and Mr Morris,. Chairman of the Puketo School Committee, relative to a landing' reserve at Pukete, Avhich. Mr Tole intimated was about to bo granted to Mr L. B. Hams, of Ngaruawahia, m exchange for othev land. Mr Steele pointed out that the proposed, arrangement would be of great inconvenience to the public, and introduced two settlers residing one m Pukote and the other m Kirikiriroa (near the opposite Landing), who gave evidence to the Council m support of Mr Steele' report. It was resolved to apply to the Minister of Lands to cancel the instructions given to Mr Tole, and to ask the latter to stay proceedings pending the Minister's decision. The resolutions passed by the ratepayers m the Cambridge district to stop a road m. that locality, notice of which was given m the Waikato Times for ten days before the meeting, was duly confirmed by the Council, m accordance with law, no objection having been lodge* with the Clerk against it. Cr Gall presented a petition ti> the Council from Messrs Wilson and Graham, residing m the Eangiriri district, askingthe Council to expend a sum estimated at £(50 m making a 1 dray track to their furins. The Council sympathised with Messrs Wilson and Graham m the matter, but as a large sum has recently been .spent m the liangiriri outdistrict m road making" during the past .summer, it was deemed expedient to aHoiv tho question to stand over for this season.'. Another petition was presented by Cr Gall by the S3ttlor3 of liangiriri, relative to the position of the railway station at thab place. They affirm that if it were moved some short distance ifc would be accessible by road ; at present it is not so. They offer to assist m the removal l>3 r doing some necessary levelling free of charge. The Clerk was instructed to write to the Minister of Public Works recommending that the prayer of the petition be favorably considered. The Ulerk reported that, m accordance with the instructions of the Council, he had prosecuted the Chairman of the Cambridge Town Board m the Resident Magistrate's Court at Hamilton for failing to furnish information to the Council which by law he was bound to give. He added that of course the object of the Council was to obtain payment into the County Fund account of Dog Tax collected m Cambridga since Is July, 1877, and he had boon legally advised that if the Council wished to bring the action for the money direct, that a nominal sum might be sued for. The general desire, however, appeared to bo to sue for the net sum actually collected, and Cr Gumming moved and Cr Gall seconded a resolution that an. application for the required information be a'tun made to Major Clare, and failing to receive it within eight days from dato, that the Clerk again prosecute. At the request of Or Kirkwood, who intimated that he would endeavour to obtain the payment of the money into the Bank within a week, Cr Cumming consented to allow his resolution to stand over for that period, and failing payment the Cleric to Act without further instructions. The Clerk was instructed to write to the Government m reference to the £40,000 granted to the North. Island with the view' of ascertaining whpn it is likely to v bo apportioned to counties. Cr Clarke reviewed the subject . of representation of Sidings. He stated that as the annual return from Ridings had now been received, the Council was ill a position to go into the matter of adjustment upon a good basis. 44} admitted that Taumhero "jscas ovpr represented, and as ho intended to move m the matter, he iioav moved that a special meeting of the Council be held on Friday next, the 24th inst,, whea ho would move that the representation of Ridings be readjusted by fixing tho number of Councillors for "Can bridge at three, Tamahere one, Kirikiriroa three, and Eangiriri one; total, eight coni)(dlloi'jj. This m effect would take . s

one member from Tamahere and add one each to Cambridge and Kirikiriroa. Cr. Kirkwood seconded the motion. ■■'-■■ Or ' l( ?ftjA.that he had not had tim>^^togy!bly*td f think over the matter. He wWTa^not oppose the motion for » special meeting, but if, m the interim, he could devise anyftetter distribution than that proposed bf 4pr. Clarke, he -would move it fjptHfay o||imendment. The mcjfaon fpr|a, special meeting- on the 24th" : instant^was therefore put and agreed to. '"■; .^ISpV' ' The „OlotK' c ' having reported that a portion of lot 411 m Hamilton East had been granted as a site for the Council Chambers,, he was ordered to obtain a tracing from the > Land'Office T'of 'the site, and take steps to have it enclosed. This concluded the business.