WAIKATO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1274, 28 August 1880, Page 2

WAIKATO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of the Council was held at the Council Chambers, Hamilton, yesterday. Present Capt. Steele, (Chairman), C'rs. R. H. D. Fergusson, Henry, Primrose, Martyn, and Kirkwood. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed and the outward correspondence was read. A letter was read from Mr. W. N. Seavanko, Returning Officer, intimating that he was likely to be absent from the district for some time, and recommending the appointment of Capt. McPherson as deputy. The recommendatian was ordered to be given effect to. Mr. T. Y. Fitzpatrick late collector for the Rangariri out-district wrote regarding his account, and claiming 13s for rate book commission on rates collected from Mr. Dilworfch by Mr. W. M. Hay, and £3 3s for attending at Hamilton to instruct Mr. Hay. It was pointed out that Mr Hay charged commission at 10 per cent, on the rates colleoted by him, and it was resolved to pay Mr Fit^patriok's aooount after deducting the amount of the commission and the 15s for rate-book, which it was contended ought to have been supplied by the collector. Much indignation was expressed at the action taken by Mr Dilworth in putting the Council to such expense to collect his rates. To get in £44 necessitated an outlay of £7 7s ; the county had been kept two years out of its money, and there was still something owing. Cr Fergusson moved, u That the clerk write to Mr Dilworth, pointing out the position in which he had plaoed the Council and asking for a refund. This was seconded by Cr. Martyn, and carried unanimously, The following accounts were passed for payment: — "W. M. Hay, legal expenses, £16 19s 2d; R. Coxhead, jun., laying fascines on Whaiarangi road, £3 15s, and a small account from W. Atkin for , printing;, J

The Cleric reported with reference to notice given by Or, Martyn at last meeting that he had sent for a copy of $he Dog Registration Act. He had got from Mr Whyte a copy of the bill as it was sent from the Legislative Council to the House, but it miyht have been very considerably altered since then. He had accordingly sent again for a copy of the Act as finally passed. Cr. Fergusson said the new Act would not come into force until January next. In the meantime, it was very desirable to levy some kind of tax. He thought they should proceed under the old Act until the new one came into force. Cr. Martyn said under the old Act they could only impose a tax of ss, and they would have to provide collar 3. Mr Fergusson thought the very fact of imposing the tax would have the effect of lessening the number of curs of all dcs« cciptions, which at present swarmed over the country. It was ultimately resolved to impose a tax up to the amount allowed under the old Act. Cr. Henry asked if the Council would vote any portion of the Government grant for works in the Rangiriri District, to construct a cattle pen at Huntley. The Chairman said the Clerk would write to the railway authorities to see if they were about to erect the yards, or if nob to ask what proportion they would pay towards the cost of erection. The Council would then be in a better position to deal with the matter. Cr. Henry drew attention to the fact that owing to the railway having encroached on the surveyed road the Engineer Militia Volunteers had altered, the road which now ran throngh the land ot adjoining settlers, some of whpm threaten'"' to fence in the road. Several of the Councillors expressed the opinion that the question was one for the Government to deal with. The Chairman suggested that Cr. Henry should get the settlers interested to bring the matter before the Council in a more detailed form, and they could then submit it to the 3ov rnment.J Cr. Fergusson said a telegram had been received in Cambridge the previous day from Mr J. B. Whyte, M.H.R., stating that Sir George Grey and his party intended to stonewall the Cambridge railway. After what they knew of Sir George Grey, this would not surprise them very much. He thought the Council ought to pass a resolution to strengthen Mr Whyte's hands. The Chairman and Cr Martyn agreed that something ought to be done. Cr Kirkwood said that upon receipt of the telegram from Mr Whyte, some of Sir Georke Grey's supporters in Cambridge had telegraphed to that gentleman urging him not to oppose the line. On the motion of Councillor Fergusson, ' seconded by Cr Kirkwood, it was re1 solved to send the following telegram j to Mr J. B. Whyte :— " County Couni cillors sincerely regret to hear that cerI tain Auckland members are strenuously opposing the proposed construction of the Cambridge Railway. They have every confidence that you will use your betst ci deavoi'B to remove opposition, and to induce the Government ,to stand by proposal recommended by their own Commissioners, and ba^ed on justice and com-mon-sense." Cr Henry drew attention to the unsafe condition of the load at the point below Meremere owing to the encroachment of the river, and he was authorised to take 1 temporary measures to remedy the evil. | Cr. Kirkwood brought under the notice | of the Council the present condition of the steep road leailiug to the bridge over the Karapero at Cambridge. He said that this road, which was the main thoroughfare for the whole of the surrounding districts, was in an almost impassable state. The road was not on the the proper line, ami to raise the bridge and rectify the mistake in the roadline, as well as to m ike the road passable, would require at least £200. He thought that if the Council would advance them half that sum, the local boards would manage to find the remainder. Cr. Fergusson said the road was in a most deplorable condition ; it was almost impossible to take a load up the hill, as the bed of a dr.iy often touched the ground. It was out of the question that the local Highway boaids could do the work, as they had their hands full already. Cr Kirkwood said the road between the two bridges was also in a very bad state. Cr. Martyn said, the road in question was half in the Town district, and half in the Cambridge Highway District. For some tune the District Board had kept a man who looked after the road between the bridges,but they had to knock him off on account of the lowness of funds. He could safely say that as soon as the Board was in funds they would contribute £50 towards tha work. Cr FfTgxi->son said it w.is too much to expect that the Town Board should keep in repair what was in reality the main Waikato Road. The Chairman, said the Counal had only some £280 in hand, and out of this £250 odd was a grant made by the Government to fho Rangaiiri District and could not bt uaed for any other purpose. He thought the Council should be put in possession of fuller information and the matter could be brought up again. There was another work which the Council would have to undertake shortly and that was the painting of the Cambridge bridge. Cr. Martyn thought that was a matter wljioh might well bo left over. The bridge would bo of very little use if they had no means of getting to it. The chairman said it was evident that the Council had no money at present. They could not desert the Rangariri grant. Cr. Fergusson said this end of the county got nothing ; they simply met together there to do Rangariri workCr. Primrose thought Cambridge got a great deal ; more than its share. Cr. Kirkwood contended that the road he referred to was not a Cambridge work at all ; it con corned the whole district. Cr. Fergusson thought it was useless to obtain information on the subject if they were to be met with the assertion that the Council had no money. With regard to what Cr. Primrose had said he might tell them that in his district (Taotaoroa) they had spent last year £500 and had only got £50 from the County. He did not consider that a fair agreement. It was agreed that the Clerk should prepare a statement showing the amount of the revenue of the different ridings and the amount of the grants made to each since the establishment of the County. This was all the business and the Council rose.

William Huntly, a pupil of George Stephensou, has just died in England, at the age of 82. He entered the first locomotive engine that drew a passenger train, under Stephenson's personal superintenence. Couxt Soyez de Brancourt' a wellknown French sporting man, has died from a bite in the arm from a stallion bought at Madrid, the animal being affected with glanders. Whimper, an English traveller, has distinguished himself by climbing Mounts Cotopaxi and; Chiraboraze. The latter baffled Huinboldt's endeavours. Its crest is 21,120 feet above the level of the sea. The first edition of the revised trans* lation of the New Testament may be expected in the Autumn of this year.