PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2305, 19 April 1887, Page 3

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of the council was held at the Hamilton borough chambers on Saturday. Present: Mr W. L. C. Williams(chairinan), Crs. Chepmell, Gould, Murphy and Smith. Road Deviation, Gordon Road.—A letter was received from the Lands Office, stating that the Wairakau block had been absolutely granted without provision for roads, and the council must therefore proceed under the Public Works Act to f?et the road deviated.—lt was resolved to take action accordingly. Gordon Settlement.—The Under-Secre-tary for Lands wrote, stating that Government proposed 'to take a vote for roads next session, when the money would be handed over to the council.—Cr. Murphy said the settlers were under the impression that the road grant would have been paid upon demand out of the rents. Twenty-seven of the settlers out of thirty had paid. Leasing the Tramway.—Or. Gould reported that the Warden had told him that he would not agree to lease the tramway.— The Clerk said the consent of the Warden had been promised under certain conditions, and no further communication had been received from him.—Cr. Chepmell thought there was a misunderstanding. What the Warden probably meant was that his final consent had not been obtained, meaning that the conditions required had not been fulfilled.—Considerable discussion ensued, and it was decided that the Warden be communicated with at once, asking for his written consent, the terms of his letter of March last having been complied with. It was also resolved to postpone the sale of the lease of the tramway until the Warden's approval had been obtained. The latter resolution was only agreed to after much consideration. — Cr. Gould said the impression left upon his mind by the Warden's remarks was that that gentleman objected to leasing the tramway at all, and Cr. Murphy said that on the previous night, on his arrival at Te Aroha, he heard that the Warden would not agree to the leasing proposals on any terms. The whole of the councillors expressed much surprise at the attitude of the Warden, and thought the least he should have dono was to have made the council aware of the change in his opinions.—Cr. Murphy hoped the delays would not prevent English capital coming into the country, and the chairman said he did not think so.

Thames Hospital Board's Demand.— The clerk reported that the Thames Board had served writs for Hospital and Charitable Aid. The matter had been placed in the hands of Mr W. M. Hay, the county solicitor, to defend. An opinion from Mr Hay was also read. The clerk remarked that the auditor had intimated to him that in the event of the council losing the action, he should inquire closely into the expenditure in order to assure himself that the defence was bona fide, and not entered upon for merely speculative purposes.—Several councillors wanted to know what the auditor had to do with the mattp.r. and Cr. Chepmell said it was absurd to call in question the council's right to defend thu action, seeing: that they were acting upon legal advice. —It was resolved that tht chairman and Cr. Chepmell be appointed.h committee to consult with the solicitor, re the appointment of counsel and othei matters bearing upon the action.

Waikato Hospital Contribution.— The acting-secretary of the Waikato Hos pital Board wrote requesting payment ot £279 10d, being the amount of which the county of Piako was assessed.—Cr. Chepmell moved that the amount be paid; seconded by Cr. Smith and carried.

Road at Waiorongojiai.—The secretary to the Governors of the Thames High School wrote in reply to the council regretting that the Governors had no funds out of which to contribute to road works adjoining their endowment at Waiorongomai. Road to the Gordon Settlement.— The Engineer reported on the progress made upon this road, which would Incompleted in a short time.—lt was agreed on the engineer's recommendation to vote the sum of £30 to Mr Cox and others, being part of the cost of drain cut and bridge erected by them at Shaftesbury.— Cr. Murphy said it would be remembered that when this work was authorised there, was a native reserve twenty chains across, lying between the Gordon settlement and the south end of the Shaftesbury block. It was determined then to allow this portion of the road to remain unmade, under the impression that the Government were about to purchase the land. This however had not been done. He would now recommend that the twenty chains be constructed. The cost would be £25. The approaches to the Wairaknu bridge would cost £20, and another £20 would be required for forming a portion of the road along Mr Roche's frontage. At present the track ran through that gentleman s land, but he might determine to fence at any moment. He would therefore move that the engineer be authorised to expend £65 upon these works out of the supplementary loan, which the council had agreed to borrow on his recommendation.—The Clerk reported that the riding of Te Aroha was £241 in debt to the separate rate account.— Cr. Murphy asked what about the hotel licenses.—Cr. Chepmell said they went into the riding account, which was thousands in debt. —Cr. Murphy said that debt included the goldfield account, which belonged not to any one riding, but to the whole county. —The motion was not seconded.—Cr. Gould thought the expense should be borne by the Gordon settlers. —It was agreed to allow this matter to stand over until next meeting. Te Aroha Cemetery. — The Trustees wrote, asking the council to vote a sum of £30 to go towards the cost of fencing the cemetery, which would cost about £50. Besides the fencing, the cemetery required to be surveyed and laid off in lots. The private subscriptions amounted to £30.—Cr. Smith spoke strongly in favour of making the grant, but as there was some doubt as to thecouncill's power to expend their funds in this district, Or. Murphy gave notice to move at next meeting that the application be acceeded to.

Engineer for Patetere.— Mr F. D. Rich, as a large ratepayer in the county, applied that Mr R. R. Earl, residing at Liclified, be appointed surveyor and engineer to the Patetere outlying district. —The Chairman supported the application, on the ground that it was hard on surveyors living in different ridings that work within their boundaries should be done by outsiders.—Cr. Smith objected to the appointment, and said they might as well have an engineer for every riding.— The Chairman did not see why they should not. —Cr. Smith said the fewer the engineers they had the better. If they required an engineer for tho western side of the county, Mr Sandes would be the most suitable person, as he had occupied the position for some years. He moved that the Application jbe not acceeded to.—This was' seconded by Cr. Chepmell and carried.

The Teajiway Report.—The manager reported that owing to the continued fine weather of the last month it had been impossible to run quartz every day. During the time no running was made the men were employed repairing the line, and there still remained something to do in that direction before the line would be in good order for the winter. The revenue for the month was £98 6s, made up as follows:—Quartz, £94 10s ; firewood, £1 10s; up freight, £2 6s. The expenditure had been £81 10s. leaving a credit balance of £16 16s. Several councillors' referred in terms of eulogy to the manner in which the tramway had been managed by Mr Gavin.

Miscellaneous. —Mr F. Pavitt was appointed to collect the special rata T" Aroha ft n 'r»mnnwtt,?nn of 7% T' ei " a number of acts were passed for payment {Hid the Council roae.