WAIKATO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XIII, Issue 1036, 13 February 1879, Page 2

WAIKATO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of tin ibove Council was held on frilavast, the 7th iuat. at the Counci Chambers, Hamilton East. Present: Ci\s. W. Steele, (Chairman), R cChkwood, J. Henry, W. L. Martyn. incl P. Walker. The minutes ol che previoas meeting having bean read and confirmed ; the corresp m.i.since lOt-h January was r«ad. and the following accounts passed uid ordered to b« paid, viz., Mess..* VlcLoin, W hangamarino B ii«r». contract £109; Air Q-.orgp Mi '■oad repairs, £l 8h ; Mr W. Bin-.-, ••o-id repairs, £5 4s; Mr 11, .Vlair. roafcracr w.irk Riugirin, £ls; M T. G. Sandes, £5 9s; Mr Geoiv B>yd, socket pipes, £3 12 <; iVI. \ lam Liynoiirn, bridge pla- k ng 64 lß.s 61 j Wilsons and tLorto.-. 10--J 3 Mr T. V. Frzpatrick, valuatioi* langirin, £lO 2a ; Mr Mnir neon rates c dlec'ed, £3 15 6d. Total, £lB7 19s, chargeable t, general account.

Tho following tenders for the removal and iuiprovunienb of Council Chambers were opened, anrl re*d :—Mr John Ross, ,£2ll, with extra charge for blocks; Mi- J. Q. Gulpan, £220 \ Mr J. Price, £2BO ; Mr E. Pearson, ,£3lO, with extra charge for blocks ; Mr John Thorp 6334. Councillor Kirkwood said, that he considered even the lowest tender unreasonably high. The item, for instance, for moving tho building—from £l6 to £2o— more than the Cambridge Town Board had paid for the removal of two such cottagea.

The Councillors, generally, were of opinion that an entirely, new building might be obtained for the money, and it was resolved to request the architect to niaka the plan aud specifications of a new building, and, at the same time, to make an estimate of the cost of removing the present structure and improviug it in a modified and less expensive manner, in time for consideration at noxt mooting. Mr James Stewart, District Engineer, reported the new bridge at Whangamarino finished, and the Clerk was instructed to invite tenders for th.e purchaso of the old bridge and of the boat obtained for use during tho progress of tho work —tho bridge to be removed within six woeks of tho acceptance of tender. The Chairman laid on the table a communication, signed by several settlers of tl+o district, which was road by the Clork as follows :

" Hamilton, February s>, 1579. " To the Waikato County Council. " Gentlemen, —Wo, as persona holding large interests in this county and desirous of giving an impetus to the advancement of this district, oamiofc but deplore the apathy displayed by your Couucil in respect to the Thames and Waikato ftailway, for, while great exertions has been made hf the Thames for the commencement of the line at their end, you have not taken any step.-* toward the attainment of that great object at th.3 Hamilton end. Wo, therefore, venture to express a hope that you will at once take suoh steps as will ensure a, like result— oither separately or in conjunction with the Hamilton Borough Council."—(Here follow the signatures.) Cr. Ifirkwood said that Councillors were awaro "tlpt it had qeen arranged, previous to the receipt of the letter just read, to communicate with the Government relative to the commencing of the Thames-Waikato Railway at a time when, in the opinion of the ouucil, such a step was considered necessary, lie thought the prompting of the gentlemen signing tho memorial quite unnecessary. Cr, \ Valkyr vouurkvsd &*>•, iu bh^.uwUqr.

of grammar and good tarto, the document was capable of improvement. He would move that the Clerk bo instructed to acknowledge receipt of the communication, and to ass are the gentlemen signing it they have been miHtaken in supposing that the mem bora of the Waikato County Counoil hare been indifferent in any matter affecting the interests of their constituents.

The Chairman was requested to make any communication to the Government which he deemed proper, with a view to the early commencement of the WaikatoThameß Railway at the Hamilton end of the line.

Crs. Zirkwood and Martyn introduood the subject of the Cambridge branch lino, upon which a representation had previously been made to the Government by the Council, and at the suggestion of the Chairman, Captain Steele, it was*resolved that a sum not exceeding I*3o be granted by the Council in aid of contributions from local bodies public of Cambridge, for the immejfcfißfc employment of an engineer to make a flying survey of the line, under the direotion of .the «.'ouncillors for Oambridgre, preparatory to further action by the Council. On the motion of Cr. Kirkwood, seconded by Cr. Martyn, it was .resolved to paint the bridge at Cambridge over the Waikato river, and the Clerk was instructed to have the necessarv specifications prepared by Mr T. H. White, and to intimate to the Waipa County Council that half the expense would be chargeable to that County. The Cerk reported that 'he had intimated to the Chairman of the Cambridge Highway Board that the Counoil had voted a sum 6t £SO towards the construction of approaches to the Narrowa Bridge at its last meeting, and Or. Martyn reported that the bridge would be available for traffic on the 12th inst.

P r : Kirkwood made an application, on behalf of the Cambridge North Town Board, for a loan from the Council funds of £3OO, to liquidate pressing liabilities. He stated that the township had.beenput to an unlooked-for expenditure in consequence of heavy rains, which had damaged the streets to a great extent. Generally speaking, they had "outrun the constable." The advance would merely be in anticipation of a subsidy to accrue to the Riding to March 31 next. The tOhairman, Captain Steele, stated that, as the application was of rather a novel character, perhaps it might bo better for Cr. Kirkwood to give notice of motion on the subject for next meeting. There were, on the present oocasion, three Councillors absent, and he would prefer a full meeting for the consideration of such a question.

Cr. Kirkwood gave notice accordingly. The tendev or Mr Robert .Vluir, to construct a bridge known as "Anderson's," near JJangiriri, together with the necessary approaches, for a sum of £22, was accepted, being the value put upon the work by the engineer, Mr T. G. Sandes. The Chairman called the attention of the Council to a letter from the Hamilton iWn C erk, notifying that certain Councillors had been- appointed to meet the County Counoil in conference relative to a sum of £llO, said to be due by the County to the Borough. The Chairman had instructed the County Clerk to write a letter to the l own Clerk, which had been read, asking that the grounds for the claim might be Btated, and that a copy of a letter, addressed by the Town Clerk to the Colonial Secretary in October last, be furnished, in order that the » ounty Oouncil might, as requested, appoint some of their number to confer with the delegates fr.jm the Borough. The Town Ulerk, however, had taken no notice of che communication, nor f urni-hed the information or document desired, consequently the matter would have to stand over till next meeting. This concluded the business.