WAIKATO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XVI, Issue 1395, 11 June 1881, Page 3

WAIKATO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The regular monthly meeting was held at the Council Chambers yesterday. Present, Capt. Steele (chairman), Crs. Kirkwood, Wells, Cutnining, Fergusson, and Primrose. The minuteb of the previous meeting and of the special meeting were read and confirmed. A petition, signed by Messis. Arnold, Hoy, Norgrove, and Coleman Bios., was presented, asking for a reduction in the scale of charges, pointing- out that the rates were double those charged in Auckland, and that they used their own slaughteryards. Cr. Fergusson said with regard to tho petition, he did not think the butcheishad much to complain of, V>ut one poition of their letter, referring to having to u.se their own slaughteiyaids, ho ceitainly thought, deserved the consideration of the Council. He was of opinion if from a Banitary point alone — it was desirable that public slaughterhouses should be erected He would therefoio move the following resolution :— " That this Council think it highly necessary to erect abattoirs in Cambiidge, and that Cr. Kirkwood be empowered to obtain plans and estimates, and report to next meeting." Cr. Kirkwood fully concurred in the necessity that existed for the erection of a public slaughterhouse, the Act as at present woiked was a faice. Either adopt mean*, and appoint orficials to give effect to its measures, or abandon the whole thing. It was no proteotion to stoekownerw, the main object for bringing" tho Act into foice in the County. Cr. Cuinming seconded tho lesolution, which was coined unanimously. Mr Henry wrote i« cattle pcn 1 ? at Huntly, that although tho Council had handed over the sum promised, nnw neaily rhiee months ago, nothing had been done by the lailway official*. The Clerk w.is instructed to write to the Geneial Manager on the subject. Mr M. Walsh's tender for the Matahuia load works was accepted, conditionally on tho Engineer reducing tho cost to the limit of £150 allowed by the Council. A letter was read from the Chairman of the Taotaoroa Highway Board, asking the Council to assist in putting in repair that portion of the road between the Knappra Bridge, and the bridge over tho "W<uk.ito, thence through the town bolt; that the Cambiidge Town Board and Taotaoroa Highway Board had each agreed to supplement any grant for tho piupose by a sum of £5. Cr.Fcrgusson in referring to this matter suggebted that the county should take it in hand, as it was a work requiring immediate attention and charging ;he cosl thereof to trie Cambridge Hiding. Ci.Wellbin speaking on tho subject ! said the question of ownership of this particular portion of load had been a vexed one for some tune past. The Gazette notices of the amended boundaries > had ovei lapped each other m many various ways until, in placo of having but one paternal relative — the Cambridge District Board — it could albo by the samel authority look to Taotaoroa as equally l near, and as he could show the Council, by inference, the Cambridge Town could I also be claimed ; in fact it was in that] position of being too much owned, but as a considerable expenditure was now required at once to keep the road open, 1 he would move the following lesolution : — "That the work be taken in hand byj the county, cost of same to be charged) to the Cambridge riding upon the follow-! ing basis : Cambridge Town to contri-i bute four-ninths, Cambridge Highway, District three-ninths, and Taotaoroa high-j way district two-ninths, to be deducted from the share of the county iund accruing to the Cambridge riding. " This resolution was seconded by Cr. Fergusson. and carried. Cr. Kirkwood drew the attention of the Council to the great necessity there existed for including some protective works for the safety of tiavellers, either by fencing, or planting willows at the approachej! of these bridges and along the side of the.«road towards the river, and thought tfaiat might be included in the works about, to be taken in hand by the Council, he pointed out many dangerous parts of the road which were difficult to avoid, even by those well acquainted with the^route, and feared that uulpss some steps were taken in the direction indicated they would ere long hear of some accident that would startle them. Cr. Primrose made an application for the sum of £50 on account of the Kirikiriroa Highway Board, in anticipation of the share of the county fund, On the motion of Cr. Fergusson, seconded by Cr. Camming, the sum oi £30 was granted. Cr. Wells moved, "That the County

strike a rate of Js in the £ for the outlying district of Bangiriri." This was carried unanimously, Cr. Wells thought some action should be taken by the Council to obtain possession of the Hospital reserves and endowments. Many of these throughout the district could be leased at considerable rentals, and, as so large a sum was regularly being deducted by the Government from the Council's revenue, under the head of aid to charitable institutions and hospitals, he thought as these lands at the present time gave no returns, there should be no hesitation on the part ot the Government to place them in their hands. He would leave the matter with the Chairman and Clerk to take what steps they deemed advisable to further the object in view. (Several accounts were passed for payment, and the meeting closed.