PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2146, 10 April 1886, Page 2

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL

c. THE oidmary inont'.iv i'u •tmfj <>f l!ncouncil wan held it the 13 ioi^li Count. i Chambers, Hatriltou, <m Thursday. Pieaant: Crs. Chepm>ll (hi tlu chair), (Jould, W. T. Firth, lima-lvill, .uul Mur|iliy. Tryokk os (Joi.i>ru:i i» -In rej>ly to the council's .tpplic itin;) f ft. >t the unexpended balance of grant foi tracks mi goldheldii, a communication was ipceiwd from the Mines Department lntim.tlmg that thi* money could only he gi anted a* aid while the work progievcd. Hohi'iTAi^ axd CHAUir\iUiE Am.— Tin; clerk lead a demand "from the Th.uneHospit.il Board for £780 4s !M, h«mg tlio Piako County's --hare of ho-pit.il contiihu tions ; also a. demand fiom tin- United Board of Thames and Ooroin.indul foi £632 17a 3d for charitable lid purpose-, making a total of £1133 2-.— Cr. Gould remarked that thi- was ii pietty respectable sum. It was some comfort to know that the Government could not pay it all out of subsidy, as the latter would only amount t<» about £1000.— The Chairman thought it would be well to lay the demands before their solicitors, in order that they might an opinion on the question. He would like to know whether tho .subsidy could legally be stopped.— The clerk said perh.ip-. it would be wise to defer consideration of the matter until after the meeting of delegates on the 23rd inst. Ho then lead a letter from the Hamilton Borough Council, inviting the council to nominate a delegate to represent them at the meeting referred to.— The suggestion was agreed to, and Cr. Chepmell was appointed a delegate, as Cr. Smith, the council's representative in the Thames Hospital Board, is at piesent away in Canterbury. Road to Gordon Settlement.— The clerk reported that the engineer had now called for tenders for the completion of this road to Waiharakeke, which would be in by next meeting. — Cr. Murphy understood that the engineer had received instructions to lay out the whole work and invite tenders in January last. He Asked why the instructions 'of/ ihe Council had not beeh carried out. — On reference to the minutes it was found that Cr. Murphy was right. — Cr. Murphy said his reason for.bringing the matter forward was this. He had informed people in the district, notably people interested in the Gordon settlement that the work ought to have been let, and he wished to set himself right in their eyes. He thought it was a great pity the work had been delayed, as it would have cost much less to do it in the summer than in the winter. However, he would not pursue the subject further. — The Chairman said there was a matter in connection with this subject that called for the Council's attention. It seemed that a bridge was rendered necessary by the action of a settler, Mr Roche, in cutting a drain acioss the road and forming a chasm. He moved that the council take legal Advice with a view to ascertain whether they could compel Mr Roche to pay for the damage done. It was not right to allow the roads to be tampered with.— Cr. Murphy was averse to adopting any harsh measures. When Mr Rocho cut tho ditch referred to, he was new to the country and did n °k understand the nature of the soil. He had come from a district at Home where the soil was composed of clay, and the pamice formation "deceived him. Mr Roche was a considerable loser also, having several acres of land destroyed by the action of the water. Further than this he (Cr. Murphy) knew of his own personal knowledge that the ditch cut by Mr Roche followed an oid water course. —The Chairman thought tho least Mr Roche ought to have done under the cirrmn'tances was to make a contribution toward- t!i j cost of the bridge. No one had any ri^h t t>> touch a public road. — Cr. Murphy s»air! the. total co.*t of the road, including the- Ik id,c\ was not great. The council only contiibnted one half, which amounted to about £100, and it was scarcely ju-l t-» expect settlers to put their hands in theiv pockets in these bad times.— Cr. Gould said, people in other parts of thecountiy were glad enough to contribute towards the cos 4 ; of road formation. — The Chairman's motion was seconded by Cr. Brunskill, and carried, an amendment moved by Cr. Murphy, to allow the matter to stand over for consideration at a full meeting, failing to find a seconder. Condition of the House Thacks.— The Clerk read a telegram received from Cr. Firth, drawing the attention of the chairman to the condition of the horse tracks to the mines at Waiorongomai. He said an expenditure of £50 now would save £200 in the winter, and suggested that a couple of men should be engaged to carry out the necessary repairs until the following meeting.—Cr. Murphy said something was badly required to be done to the tracks. He had seem the tramway manager the the night before, and was informed by him, that some portions of the road were positively dangerous. A horse had been badly lamed, in going up, and two of the bridges were quite rotten. Near the Diamond Gully claim the track was in a very bad state. The track was much used by "the public and should be seen to at once. He thought the tramway hands could be employed on it when not doing anything else.— The Clerk said the battery was again stopped. — Cr. Gould moved that a telegram be sent to tho tramway manager, instructing him to employ his men on the track, when not otherwise engaged, the cost not to exceed £50 in the meantime.— -Cr. Murphy seconded the motion which was carried unanimously. Improvements at Waiorongomai.— The Chief Postmaster, Thames, wrote drawing the council's attention to the necessity of irnprot ing the approach to the post-office at Waiorongomai, and a petition signed by 19 residents was read, calling attention to the same work, and indicating other urgently needed repair*, the cost of which was put down at £12.— Cr. Gould moved that the petition be received. They had no money. —[The Clerk said the o\erdraft was £2914, close up to the limit].— Cr. Murphy moved that the sum required be voted. He was fairly astonished at the attitude taken up by the council. Anyone would think that they were a body for the granting of charity to the people of the goldfields. The petitioners did not want charity : they only wanted their honest rights. With all due deference to the clerk he did not think the Aroha riding was very much in debt to the county. The residents were, however, quite willing that the £12 should be a charge on the next nepivrate rate. — Cr. Gould said it was no use to talk ofseparate rates when they had not got the money. — The Chairman said it was purely a question of money,— Cr. Goulds motion, which was seconded by'Cr. Brunskill, was then put and carried. Finoeb Post.— Mr A. H. Clarke wrote, asking the council to erect a finger post at the junction of the Shaftesbury and Katikali roads for the convenience of travellers. The population of the district was rapidly increasing, and the need of a finger post was much felt.— Cr. W. T. Firth thought the council ought not to be troublad with matters of detail such as this. Those interested could easily erect a finger post good enough for all practical purposes.— The letter was received. Footpath at Te Aroha.— A number of the residents at the south end of Whitakerstreet wrote, asking the council to form the footpath.— The letter was received. Enhineer's Rbport.— The Engineer reported on several small worka finished and m progress. He drew attention to the necessity for having an inspector of nuisances appointed with a view to the avoinance of an outbreak of fever or other epidemic—Cr. Murphy moved that Sergt. Emerson be appointed inspector of nuisances at a salary of £12 per annum.— After some discussion, the matter was left in the hands of the clerk to find out what powers the council possessed under the act. A Complaint.— Mr B. Montague wrote complaining of tho action of the council in not accepting his tender for certain road works, his being the lowest. He particularly objeoted to the action taken by one member in objecting to his tender.— Cr. Murphy thought the council were establish, ing a very bad precedent in not accepting the lowest tender. If men found their tenders rejected without any cause being given, they would be discouraged from competing again. He wished to know if the conncil had any complaint against Mr Montague.— The Chairman said he waa not aware that they had. Tho acoeptance or or rejection of a tender rested with the majority of the council.— The matter was then allowed to drop. The Tramway. — The manager forwarded the usual report. He wished to know who was responsible for the trucks after they went on the branch line to Fergusons battery, the council or Mr Ferguson.— lt was resolved to inform Mr Cookson that the responsibility rested with Mr Ferguson. Track to Tui Creek. — Cr. Afarphy said a good track could, ha bettered, be made from the Premier to the Tui Creek, and he would suggest to thfc council that they should instruct the tramway manager to prospect in and blaze a track. Mr Cookson would ba able to get ample assistance in. tho work,

ami he ini^ht be ahl" t ( i fmiii-'i the council with nti estimate "f ti.i c of making a sledyv ti.uk, winch sull answer [ until t!i<" council f-mnd it *• "ith Humi while to extend the tramway. The distinct; from the l'tt iiii< i hriji,)*!-. t<i t'-.o c> m»v li'iun dary w««s about a milo, ;iii'l th^nci 1 t<> Nn. 1 Cb.'unpiDii Lifli! in the Tm Crock th.' ilntanc W.K only about a qn 'il iof a mili». He \\,\% not asking t!i n I >i mi'ii"\, l>ut "mcu'ly for tho m*\ '..«-• uf fcho ti.innv.ly man >f;i*r. Hi' fc't sin .• th \t in thn e\ •it of any uuik b.Miiff ini'l. it iki'i) tho (Him<Mnuri ('••uticii \Miuld en upiMvto hcutilv witli them. — Thf* -u^h 1 "-ti >m wa«> agie-'d to, an«i tin- clork 'vii I'iNtincti'd to c >iiiuiiiiitc lto with Mi fJo(ik-.on as soon a^ P"snil)lc (Ji \pi A. \i.N^r nn: Coivcil — It w.i> docideil tliat .o the n-mk-, pjifoi uifd liy Mr I'Vigiwui and eh ii^i*! .i^.unM tlic c nincil woio »it aiUhdiiscd, the claim bu not iccognised. ArcouNTs — Tr.'.niwny accounts nmount iiipf to t')4 10-> *!d, and niiiui>Uanßi>us accounts i('i>i.*-ii v ntii)g £I">7 IS-> Od, wuro passed for p .yni^tit. N'kxt >rr:r;rivt:.— lt wai rcwhed to hold tho nt>\t iiiopinijf .it the miiic place on Thursday, the Oth Miy, and tho council rose at noon, the biu>ini*ii h.niiiif occupied barely an hour.