PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1572, 1 August 1882, Page 2

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Special Meeting.

Te Aeoha Tramway.— Aspecial'mecting of the council was held on Friday evening last for the purpose of considering the matter of the Te L Aroha tramway. There was a full attendance of councillors. Cr. Whitaker explained the matter of delay at some considerable length, attributing the same to the bad weather and the difficult nature of the ground for engineering purposes. A letter was laid on the table from the engineer who was detained up towards Rotorua-on account of the impassable nature' of the roads', also explaining the cause of delay "in not bringing forward his report on the work. The tramway committee 7 laid a brief report on the table, but of no importance. —On the motion of Cr. Maclean, it was resolved that the committee already appointed be continued in operation, and that as ; s66n ! as Mr. Stewart has the plans for the tramway ready that he be authorised to call for tenders. Morrinsville-Te Aroha Railway.— Cr. Whitaker tabled the following reso;thi§ dpunctt fully urge upon the Government tne immediate necessity for continuing the construction of the Thames-Waikato line from Morrmsyille to Te Aroha on the following grounds.—(l.) That'the conn* try through which the proposed line passes while eminently suitable for the construction of a railway is from its low lying aud swampy nature' of such a character that roads can only constructed and maintained at very great expense. (2). That the local bodies are quite unable to provide funds to maintain the present line of road, which is practically impassable during the .winter months 1 . '(3)-* Tha't any road sufficient io carry the contemplated, or even existing traffic an expense quite out of the*" the local bodies to contribute." Carried unanimously. Ordinary Meeting. f,-,,The ordinary i mpnthly i meeting Vi o,f i .the, council followed. The usual' preliminary' was disposed of." ' ' l? structed to write' to7,Captain|rTifrnej, £n?bndge i,isM6t s Me£r?''c'omlis^

his extended c'dritract expired on the 31st July, and .enquiring if. th'e bridge will be ready for traffic oii that date.

Licensing Act Expenses.—The clerk read a statement showing the cost of carrying out., the Licensing Act in the county, l , and I the revenue derived licenses. The Aroha district licensing income amounted to £152, against which there was an expense of £lB 15s 9d. In the Waitoa district the revenue was £IOO, •and the' expenses £lO 14s 2d : , thus show-; ing a cost of about 15 per cent on the entire revenue for expenses. Chairman's Resignation.—At the unanimous request of the council, the chairman, Mr R. H. D. Fergusson, consented to remain in office for some time longer. ... <

The Grant and Foster Settlement. An application was received from Messrs Grant and others to have a road made across their new settlement in connection with the road to Katikati and Taiiranga, on certain conditions. The letter was ordered to lie ;on the. table for further consideration. Cambridge-Tauranga Road.—A report was received from Capt. Turner re the proposed deviation of that portion of the above road between Taotaoroa and the Hinuera plain. On the motion of Or. Campbell it was unanimously agreed to write to Mr J. B. Whyte, requesting him to get a sum of £2OOO placed on the estimates for the construction of the said line of road. It was also agreed that a certain line of road mentioned in Capt. Turner's plan should be adopted.

Goldfield Tracks.—T'le cleric was instructed to apply for a progress payment of £SOO on aceount of the Government grant promised for the tracks at Te Aroha. Cr. Whitaker was authorised to spend a sum not exceeding £SO on improving.the tracks up the Wairongomai creek. Financial.—The clerk read a statement of finances which showed that the bank overdraft was £4OO 14s 2d. Several accounts were passed for payment.

KIHIKIHI HIGHWAY DISTRICT. —. * Annual Meeting.

The annual meeting of ratepayers of the above district was held in the Town Hall, on Thursday evening. The attendance was very good, and the interest shown in the business was proportionate. Mr W. A. Cowan was voted to the chair, and opened the proceedings by reading from The Waikato Times the advertisement convening the meeting. Major Jackson, the chairman of the outgoing board, said, before proceeding with the financial statement he wished, amongst other things, to make a few remarks re the large nnmber of rate defaulters on the books, and in doing so, he would refer to a letter received from Mr Gresham, the board's solicitor, in which that gentleman considers that they acted "imprudently" in not availing themselves of the stringent powers against absentee rate defaulters contained in the Rating Act, 1876, and arguing' that, they should have sold their allotments for the rates. He instanced its success at Kirikiriroa, Newcastle, Tuhikaramea, •and Raglan. But, notwithstanding the action of these boards in this . mattter he, the speaker, could not see his way to. recommend that for so small a sum as Is lOitl, just one year's •'rates, any poor man's freehold should be thus mercilessly and irretrievably Jost to him. What, he would ask, if they were to act in this manner, and some unfortunate man returned to the township after a few years absence and found his acre solcf by this board for the,paltry sum of 3s 9d arrears. No, he was certain that no ratepayer present would be a party to such an unfeeling mode of procedure. He thought if they wanted to increase their revenue, and they unquestionably did, they should come unclw the Towns Act. They would then get the license fees, dog taxes, and other local emoluments to assist them. The road from Te Awam'ufcu to this place was in such an execrable state, that he last week represented to their member, Mr F. A. -Whitaker, at Wellington, that the Government ought to keep it in repair, as it is the main thoroughfare for all the wheeled traffic to the. large farms : in the immediate vicinity of the confiscated boundary, the owners of which are not liable for rates. The dilapidated state'of the Post and Telegraph Offices in the township has also, at the same sime, been brought under the notice of the authorities.'

The. following is a statement of receipts. and expenditure for the past year, viz.:—Balance from last year, £25 Is 3d ; rates, £2412s 6cl; county council, £2 3s 6d; Government grant, £ll 13s 9d; sale of old timber, £4 ; total, £67 lis. Repairs and improvements, £4B 5s 6d ; culverts and material, £3 12s 6d; printing and advertising, ; £5 19s 3d j collecting rates (two years), £5 Os 6d ; telegrams, postage and stationery, £1 Os 9d; total, £63 ISs 6di Balance, credit, £3 12s 6d. After some discussion, id which nearly everyone present took part, as to the unfairness of spending all the money to improve and beautify one favoured quarter while' other localities were impassable and there'was not a shilling spent on them, the; accounts, as read, were in due, form passed, and the election of trustees proceeded with. Of the seven, candidates proposed; the .following five gentlemen received the' highest number of votes, and were declared duly elected :—Major Jackson, Messrs W. Hi Grace, 'Corboy, Farrell, and Anderson; Auditors : ; Messrs Forbes Gordon and D. Donovan, r: Fence Viewers : Messrs Moncrieff and> Qualtrough.!. A ; vote of thanks to the chair plowed the proceedings, and the 'meeting ' for the 1 election of trusteesifor the Kihikihi "Recreation Reserve,<to be brought underfhe Domains Act,opened,; and-after some delay the following residents were nominated : Messrs Cowan; Grace,' : - Elmsley,: Gorboy, Farrell, Maunder and Tristram, and the meeting terminated^; v.': ' " - ' ; ' • ; At the first .meeting of the new town board', ' Major ' Jackson was <~ re-telected chairman'. •' :«'■';;'..■: hr* :•*?'']:'' v r -