WAIPA COUNTY COUNCIL

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2264, 13 January 1887, Page 2

WAIPA COUNTY COUNCIL

The usual monthly meeting of the council was held at the chambers, Ohaupo, on Tuesday. Present: Mr J. B. Teasdale (chairman), Crs. Riddler, Hunter, Corboy, Lang and Moncrieff. Enginkkh's Report. — The following report was read by the engineer:— To the chairman, Waipa County Council. —Sir: In compliance with the instructions of the council I have taken the levels and prepared sections and specifications for grading at Mrs McCabe's, on the Ohaupo road, and at Rayries' on the Hamilton road ; also for the formation of the road from Steele's farm to Thomas' bridge, on the Newcastle-Hamilton road, and for improving the road near the Council Chambers, and also at Williamson's gate on the Hamilton road. Tenders for these several works are duo to-day. I arranged to have the watering trough put up near the Narrows bridge, which I quite expected would have been erected by this time, but owing to a difficulty arising in getting planks at sufficient breadth for the sides this work has been somewhat delayed. The timber has, however, now been got, and the work will be proceeded with at once. The necessary repairs have been carried out on the approaches to Halls culvert on the Te Rore road, Whatawhatihoe road, and partly on the Alexandra road. The repairs to the approaches to the Mangapiko bridge, Alexandra, have not been done, but this work will be taken iti hand at once. I | do not think while the present dry j weather continues it would be advisable to sand _ the approaches in question, as it would simply be kicked about and blown away. In the meantime I will re-form the waterworn parts of the approaches, and sand same when there is some chance of rain. Ihe part of the Kihikihi-Te Awamutu road known as the Kihikihi cutting is getting into a very bad state. The improvement of this cutting is one of the works proposed to be carried out during the present year, but as this question has yet to be settled it is absolutely necessary that some repairs should, in tiie meantime, be done. The road is very hollow in the centre, and wearing into benches or steps, and requires reforming in a move or less complete manner, according to the intention of carrying out the projected improvement or otherwise. In the event of funds not being available at present, this piece of road as far as the Alpha Hotel, Kihikihi, should be reformed and heavily gravelled, from Coinbeston's pit. This work would cost about £40. Combeston gravel pit: The pipes for conveying the water underneath the county road, for draining the pit, have been got, and are laid down at the site. The work of laying them will be undertaken at once. The improvements to the county road in Te Awamutu, carried out in conjunction with the town board, are nearly finished, and will be a great improvement on this part of the road when completed. The finishing of Gapes' contract for painting Cambridge bridge was relet to William White for the sum of £14. The work has been completed in terms of the specifications, and I recommend the payment of his account. It was found necessary to replace several of the decking planks in this bridge, which were showing signs of decay. While doing so it was found that decay had set in to a certain extent in the deck beams, and in all probability in the course of another year the whole of the decking and deck beams will have to be renewed. I am informed by contractors working on the brk'ge that no attention is paii by teamsters to the notices re driving at a walking pace over the bridge, and I think it would be well if one or two cases could be got to serve as a caution to others. D. Bartle, the contractor for grading near McFarlane's, has taken up his contract, and is making fair progress. I recommend an advance of £(> 5s on thi3 work. The contractor, Mr Reid, for grading near Blackett's, Tuhikaratnea district, is also making fair progress with the work, and I recommend an advance of £10 lira on this job. The contractor for fasciniiig and claying the Whatawhata swamp road had nearly completed his contract when I last visited the works, but as there was no one on the ground to assist me in measuring the works any advance on this job must stand over till next meeting of the council. Mr Stewart, contractor for claying the Rotorangi swamp road, has taken up the con tract, but owing to the holidays, and als" on account of being stopped by the lessees of the property from taking stuff from the old pit, he has not made any great progress with the work. Arrangements have been made whereby this trouble can be avoided, and the work will now be carried on without further interruption.—l am, &c., Alex. Aumstkong, County Engineer,

Kihikihi, 10th January, 1887. The Chairman remarked that the only item in the report calling for the attention of the council was the Kihikihi hill. —Cr. Moncrigtf said the hill was in very bad order.—The Engineer said to make a good job the work would cost about £10. — Several other councillors agreed that the work was a very necessary one.—Cr. llidler said this was the day upon which the riding accounts were to be presented. When they knew the amounts coming to the different ridings they would be better enabled to apportion the expenditure.—The Clerk presented the following statement Mangapiko, £299 ; Rangiaohia, £421 ; Newcastle, £203; Pukekura, £47 ; Tuliikaramea, $79; Hamilton, £173. —Cr. Hunter drew attention to the dangerous condition of the road at the junotion of the Hamilton-Cambridge roads, and also Cowley's bridge. Mr Lake had made complaint to him, and but for his recent accident would have written. He (Cr. Hunter) thought the engineer should be empowered to attend to small repairs, when only a day or two's work was required.—The approaches to the Mystery Creek were also in a very bad state, and positively dangerous. —Cr. Ridler corroborated the remarks of Cr. Hunter. —The Engineer said there were many other similar things in other'districts besides Pukekura. He was perfectly aware of all the matters referred to and a great many more, but it was simply a question of money, lie could spend the whole of the county revenue in three months if he attended to all these small works. — Cr. Lang said it would be better to divide the revenue between the ridings, so that the engineer would know how much he had to spend in respect of each. He would like to know how much there was available for roads this Chairman said th^

subsidy was oafcon up in the Hospital and Charitable Aid, and if they paid off their overdraft there would ba practically nothing left. However, ho supposed there would be another subsidy this year. The amount of the subsidy was based upon the road board rate. It was possible that the county would win the case against the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, ia which case tl.o county would bo several hundred pounds better off. Meantime they would have to be as economical as possible. They had no money to expend upon new works, in eonsequenco of the failure to obtain a loan.—Or. Corboy s;iid a, statement .should be prepared, showing exactly how the council stands, the amount to be paid in salaries, and the proportion to be paid for thU purpose by the respective ridings. When thin was done they would then bo able to determine at once the amount of money available for expenditure on the road.—The Chairman said there would be about /L'2oo coming to them from other sources than the rates including, the dog-tax, about £50, which, however, was falling off every year, the publicans' licences, £35; the slaughterhouse licences £28, £01 from the Government on account of repairs to the Whatawhata swamp drain, and £25, amount of refund from Waikato county, on account of the Cambridge bridge they would have to continue to work on the overdraft.—ln reply to Crs. a statement of the charges upon revenue on account of salaries (£380), interest (£ r )0), repayment of debentures under Loans tu Local Bodies Act (£80) was made.—The Chairman said it would thus appear that as the rates amount to £1500, and the other items of revenue to £200, then would remain a Riun of between £1200 and £1300 for expenditure. —Cr. Lang proposed that the money be divided between the various ridings.— The clerk said they must not forget that they would have to provide for hospitals and charitable aid, whether the money was paid to the Auckland or to the Waikato Board.—Cr. Lang said he did mean that

the whole of the money should be spent becauso it was allocated.—The Chairman said there were objections to the scheme proposed. Take Cr. Lang's own riding, for instance. The amount due to that riding might, and indeed probably would not, be sufficient to meet their requirements, and he thought the stronger ridings should help the weaker. —Cr. Lang quite agreed with this. —Mr Ridler was in favour of making a division of the money, as a guide to the engineer.—Cr. Hunter was in favour of allocating the money to the various ridings. If any extraardiuary occasion arose in any one, if a bridge gave way, for instance, then the county could make an advance to such riding.—The Chairman said they must depend to a great extent on the report of the engineer.—Cr. Lang said the engineer would be in a better position to determine what work was required in any district if he knew what money was available. —Cr. Moncreiff moved that the money be

allocated to the various ridings after deducting proportion of expenses of the county.—Cr. Ridler seconded the motion, which was put and carried. Thb Ngahuawahia Pi'NT. —Cr. Corboy reported that the Ngaruawahia punt sank about a month ago, and the town board refused to have anything to do with it. It was only rotting where it was, and the county had better sell it if not required.— The Engineer said the rope was done. — After some further discussion, the engineer was instructed to examine and report on the punt in his next visit to the district, and ascertain what amount of traffic

formerly passed over it. Fleming's Couvkr and Mystery Cheek. —The Engineer having explained what work was necessary to bo done at these places, it was resolved that he_ take steps to have them put in safe condition. Damage to. Phopkktv.— Mr G. Eltnsley, chairman of the town board, wrote, renouncing all claims for damage done to his property in Lyou-street, Kihikihi, through the lowering of the street. Accounts.—The following account* were passed for payment:—Engineer, £10 7s 3d ; Clerk, £13 ;j. G. Brown, £1; .T. O'Connor, £2 8s ; D. F. Scott, (is Gd ; Te Awainutu Town Board, £5; W. J. Hurst and Co., £(> 10s Gd ; New Zealand Railways, £2 12s ; Morris, (is; R. Norrish, £15 ; W. White, £21 5s 2d; W. Raid, £10 15s 7d ; D. Bartles, £G ss; J. R. Burns, Gs ; T. J. Meredith, £1 IGs. Cajibhiiigk West.—The Colonial Secretary wrote, intimating that the petition from the residents ot Cambridge West, in favour of the formation of a unvn district was insufficiently signed, and the Government could not see their way to grant the prayer.—Cr. Hunter said he was very glad. He never regretted anything more than his action in voting for the petition. Charitable Aid.—The Secretary to the Treasury, wrote, intimating that the sum of £190 19s 8d due to the council for subsidies had been retained on account of Charitable Aid.—The Chairman explained that he had on behalf of the council decided to defend the action brought against them by the Hospital Board, and he thought it 'vas right that they should write to the Government protesting against the seizure of their subsidy, seeing that the Auckland Board had refused to take patients from the county. [Cr. Germann here took his seat.] More than this, they had their own charitable aid fund to provide for.—lt was resolved in accordance with the chairman's suggestion. —The Bruce. County Council wrote, asking the council' to assist them in getting the Hospital and Charitable Aid Act amended in the direction of ?nakingthe County Councils Act in the capacity of Charitable Aid Boards, and to pay towards hospitals on the basis of so much per patient.—The Chairman said this was what they wanted.—Cr. Germann said he would Igo a step further. Ho was in favour of making the road boards administer charitable aid.—The Chairman said the proposal would have suited them better some time ago, but they had obtained separation from Auckland, and were relieved from the disability under which the county of Bruce appeared still to labour. He thought, however, that they should assist other county districts to obtain privileges similar to those enjoyed by themselves. He thought they should ask their representative in Parliament to assist the Bruce County.—Cr. Germann moved a resolution to that effect, which was seconded by Cr. Ridler and carried.—The Chairman reported what stops had been taken in regard to defending the action against the board. The Chairmau's action in the matter was approved.—Some correspondence was read regarding the case of an old man named Morgan, living at Paterangi with Mr Barker, who refused to keep him any longer. The case was referred to the police at Alexandra by Mr Barker, and Constable Jones wrote to the chairman of the Waikato Hospital Board, Mr W. A. Graham, who referred the matter to the chairman of the council. Constable Jones explained that the man was in a pitiable state, and without means. He owned a fifty-acre section, which it was understood hard been conveyed to Barker, the consideration being the payment by the latter of £10 per annum to the former. Several councillors were of opinion that the case was one calling for medical opinion, but in the meantime, and pending enquiries into the old man's condition and affairs, he was a fit subject for charity, and the chairman was requested to report favourably on the case at the meeting of the Charitable Aid Board to be held at Hamilton the following i day.

Tendkks.—The following tenders were opened:—For footpath at Ohaupo: Nor rish, £1Q ; gravellijig, Ss ( Jd per yard j roac formation at Williamson's gate, Hamilton road, 5a per chain; T. Cowley, (accepted] £4 los, 3s (id, and ~>s. Hamilton-Ngavna' wahia road : R. Waite, (at prices whicl would amount roughly to about £30). The Engineer said there were no tenders for the works at McCabe's and Hibbs'. The prices in Waite's tender were very reasonable.— Or. Hunter thought they should put this contract back to enable others to tender, and meantime plans and specifications should be on view in'the district.—Or. Ridlei moved that Mr AYaifce's'tender be accepted. —This \yas seconded by Or. Corb<>y, and carried.—lt was resolved that tho eiiginoer lake stops to get the works at McCabe's and Hibbs' done by next mooting. The Hospital Boaud.— Or. Germann tendered his resignation as representative of the county in the Hospital Board. He would be unable to be present at the next meeting, and, as it was likely to bean important one, he wished to resign now, in order that the council might elect a successor.—On its being , pointed out that the Act did not make provision to lYjoet "fclje case. Gr. Gferinanii withdrew Ijis said he would endeavour to attend. This was all the business, and the council rose.