WAIKATO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2155, 1 May 1886, Page 3

WAIKATO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the coun- \ oil wan held at the chambers, Hamilton * East yesterday. Present : — Mr A. Priin- { .rose, chairman, Crs, Barugh, Seddon, "Richardson, Smith, Ruucinun, Johnson, and S. S. Graham. The Codntt and Hospital Aid.— The Clerk read a copy of n letter sent to the Hospital Board, protesting against the charge made- upon the county, £156, for thepeiiod of four month*, while during tho whole of last year only one patient win tent to the hospital from the county. This was. a woman who lived at Taupiri, and she remained in tho institution only ninety-two days. For this service tho council was charged £400 per annum.— Considerable diocuvsion aroso with reference to this subject, the unanimous opinion of the council beine that the im- . ixwition of Huch high rates was most unjutt. A draft petition to the House of Representative* was prepared setting forth the grievances of the council at length. In this petition, which it is intended shall be signed by the chairman and members of council and the general body of ratepayers, it is shown that the 1- present, or valuation basis of assessment operates moat unfairly against the county. It might be admitted in the case of a country district standing by itself, but when such distiicts were joined to populous urban centres, such a basis is most unfair. The disproportion between the amount of the contribution demanded and ithe benefits received i» clearly pointed out. The petitioners ask for the return of the •urn of £149 10s, which they argue has been illegally deducted from the Government subsidies due to the council. They P * pray that the clauses in the Act with respect to separate institution! be repealed, and r that the Borough of Hamilton and the Counties of Waikato, Wai pa, and Raglan be erected into a separate district under " >); the Act.— The draft wan adopted. Auditing thb Accounts.— The Clerk re- • ported that the Government auditor had j kept the councils books an unusually lqng time for the purpose of auditing, and had ' seen fit again to endorse them with red ink, pointing «ut certain mistakes which existed only in the imagination of the ; auditor himself. He had written to Mr Durrieu protesting against the action that gentleman had seen fit to take. The auditor wa» a most efficient officer, but he was a pfreat deal too fond of uwnjf red iaU. '-*' The alleged discrepancies were explained to the entire satisfaction of the council. Proposed Borough of Cambridge.— . The Clerk read some correspondence which ; ' had passed between himself and the promoter of the petition to incorporate the town of Cambridge, but it related meroly to routine matters. — The Chairman re- • marked that before Cambridge was made a . borough there would have to be * settlement of -financial matters between the town and the county, but the matter would, of course, be brought forward in due time, Road at Whangamarino.— A number of ratepayers in the Rangiriri out-district peti- *' tioned the council to nave a portion ot the road between the Wbangamarino railway station and the Waikato river formed. The old track would shortly be fenced across, and they would then be without the means of access to their properties.— Cr. „ Johnson supported the prayer of the petition, and moved that the engineer be instructed to proceed with the work at a • ' cost not exceeding £30.— Replying to the chairman, the Clerk said that as he had only just received the books from Auckland • he had not been able to make up the riding accounts. However, the subsidy received from the Government would, he thought, put R.mgiriri right— Cr. Johnson was agreeable that the work should stand over - till next meeting, in order that the true state of the riding's finances might be ascertained, and after some further discussion it was agreed that the engineer should examine the ground, and report at next meeting. The Churchill Punt. — A considerable , amount of correspondence relating to this matter between the clerk and Mr Brooks was read. The latter forwarded a draft ■cale of fees, and made several suggestions regarding the management . and maintenance of thf punt. He depre- > cated the imposition of high fees, as they would have a tendency to deter settlers from using the punt and check settlement on the West side of the river. He was also of opinion that the punt should only be let for a period of twelve months, as by the end of that time the Counties Act would probably be in operation in Raglan county, and fresh arrangements could, in that event, be made.— Mr G. Selwood wrote offering to take charge of the punt and keep it in repair for AJ2O ppr annum. He also offered to keep the stock yards in repair for one year free. — The Chairman said he had never heaid of the stock yards before.— Cr. Johnson said Mr Brooks was • desirous that the Council should erect yards, but he (Cr. Johnson) thought the settlers should erect them if they were wanted.— The Chairman said the Council wished it clearly to be understood that they would accept no responsibility in respect of the punt whatever, and the clerk was directed to wiite to Mr Brooks to that effect, and to inform (him that if he wished to take over the management of the punt he could do so and make whatever arrangement* as to fees, &c, he thought proper. Rkcovert of Rates.— The Clerk repoited that he had experienced great difficulty in recovering rates from defaulters. When he brought the last batch of cases before the R.M., he was told that his particulars were insufficient. The defendant, in the" particular case before the court, made no objection, but the Bench did, and ho was defeated. He then asked the magistrate to indicate the course he ought to pursue, but Mr Northcroft, in the most ' rude manner, refused, telling him to look at <- ' the Act. Ho had reported the matter to the chairman, upon whose authority he had requested Mr Hay to give him a legal opinion. This he had now obtained, and would proceed upon, though he was not in a position to say whether it would satisiy tbe R.M. Slaughter-hous* Regulations.— ln accordance with advertisement inserted in The Waikato Times, the council proceeded to consider tbe question of making a new by-law to regulate the slaughtering of joattle —The Clerk said he had gone very *• "rarefully into the matter and found that I" tb6 council had no power to levy fee» by resolution, but by by-law. It would be necessary, therefore, to formally rescind Cr. Kirkwoods resolution of the 20th July, 1878, repeal the by-law relating to fees und pass a new by-law fixing the fee at £5 ss.— A resolution embodying this was moved by Cr. Seddon, duly seconded and carried unanimously. Works in Ranoiriri.— The Engineer reported that contracts Nos. 1, 2, and 3 lately let in the Rangiriri district bad not been carried out in a satisfactory manner, and he was not, therefore, able to pass the . jobs. In No. 1 the pits had not been cleaned out as measured, and he only recommended the payment of £10 instead of £12 13s 4d, the amount due if the job had been properly done. He asked that the matter be allowed to stand over until after his next visit to the district. The bridge at Meremere was a disgrace to the contractor, and as the work was not done in accordance with the plans and specifications, he could not recommend that any money be paid to the contractor, R. Mirir, until he re-builds the bridge. He asked the council to at once dismiss the surfaceman (Murphy) at Rangiriri, as he. had offered him (the engineer) £3 if he would certify to the amount of earth he claimed to have shifted in contract. No. 1. He also offered a sum of £3 if he could get him No 3 contret, originally let to P. Bolton.— The Engineer explained that No. 4 contract, let to Bolton, had been re-let to Casby, who had thrown it up. Bolton had expressed his regret, and was willing to forfeit bis deposit.— The engineer was instructed to get No. 4 contract done soon as possible, and was authorised to write to Muir asking him to complete the bridge contract according to specifications.— The council resolved to dispense with Mr Murphy's services forthwith. Forest Tbbe-planting.— Cr. Runcunan gave notice to move at the next meeting : — "That it is desirable that a sum be voted by this council to employ a man, and provision be made to grow trees from seed and otherwise for free distribution to A., B. and C, living in the county, who will make application for them, and undertake to plant them in the county under promise to fence and conserve them, &c."— Mr T. G. Sandes, engineer to the council, stated that from a comersation he had had with the hon. the Minister of Lands, Mr Ballance led him to understand that if good and sufficient reasons could be given, the Government would not be averse to reenacting tbe old Forest Tree Planting Encouragement Act. Accounts.— A number of accounts were passed for payment, and the council rose. The usual religious services to-morrow are advertised in another cQlom n.