PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2412, 24 December 1887, Page 2

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The regular meeting of the Piako County Council was held at Morrinsville yesterday. Present: Mr W. P. Chepmell (chairman), and Crs. Murphy, Dibble, Williams, Mills, Gould, Brunskill and Heaney. The minutes of the previous meeting were road and confirmed. CORRESPONDENCE; TRAMWAY LEASE. — Mr Hay, the council’s solicitor, wrote, giving an account of his meeting with Messrs Firth and Clark, the tramway leasees, explaining the subsequent arrangement come to, which to a certain extent altered the original intention of the council in respect to damage sustained on the tramway. The chairman pointed out that the alterations were not of a material character, and that as the lease was now duly signed and registered, there was no good purpose to serve in further discussion. Haulage Charges ox Tramway. —The clerk read his application to the tramway lessees, applying for payment of haulage charges. The secretary to the tramway company in reply, said the company had been prepared to pay upon application, but that an impounding order had been served upon him at the instance of the Thames Hospital Board, which he had to conform to. The unsatisfied claim of the Thames Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, upon the Piako County Council amounts to some £713. The tramway company also asked for an allowance for wear and tear, and for a share of the profits accruing to the council, since the tramway had been leased, but before they had been put in possession. The council resolved that no allowance could be made in either case as the rent of the tramway only commenced from the time the lease was signed, namely November Ist. Am.iL'ATiox tor Loans.—ln reply to the council’s letter asking when the dale for applying for loans would be fixed, the Colonial Secretary replied that no date would be fixed until the result is known of the proposal to appropriate £IOO,OOO for loans. Gordon Settlement Road.—A letter was read from Messrs Cox and others protesting against any further expenditure upon this road. Letter received. Camdridgb.Rotorua Road.—ln reply to an application from the council asking the Government to carry out the necessary repairs on that portion of the road between Taotaoroa and Oxford, the Government declined to incur any further expenditure, stating as a reason that since the opening of the railway this road had ceased to have the character of a colonial road, and steps would be at once taken to vest it in the, council. Matamata Telephone Wire. Mr Pavitt wrote stating that complaints had reached him that the telephone wire from Matamata was down in several places, ami was a source of danger to the public.—The Clerk said he had written to the manager, calling his attention to it.—Or. Dibble said it had been decided to do away with the telephone, and the work would be taken in hand on Monday, so that the matter was virtually settled. Clarke’s Drain.— Mr Clark wrote asking that immediate steps be taken to protect his property from further drainage, caused by the drain running through his property. —Cr Mill’s said in reference to this letter, that he considered Mr Clark had a grievance, he had examined the drain and found that considerable damage had been done by the breaking in of the sides of the drain, and was of opinion that about 2 chains of lluming would remedy the evil complained of. The chairman thought it would be better to consider the question of diverting the water into the drain alongside the road. It was resolved that the engineer be instructed to examine and report as to whether it would not be better to carry this water into the drain alongside the main road. The report to be considered next meeting. Road Through Native Land at Maiingakawa.— The Native Department wrote, stating that a complaint had been received from Hargreaves and other native property holders, against the taking of land for this road. The correspondence between the Waitoa Road Board and the Survey Department was read, the chairman explaining that the natives suffered no wrong, and that they had used the roads for years past. Resolved that the clerk forward this correspondence for the information of the Native Department. Application por Slaughter-house License.— Mr Marshall’s application for a slaughter-house license was ordered to be held over till next meeting, to allow of his complying with the Act, as to advertising for four consecutive weeks. Pur on the Roll. Applications were considered from Mr Hunter, of Matamata, and from Mr Grant, Waitoa, asking that their names might be placed upon the roll, as occupiers of the respective estates of which they are managers. The clerk was ordered to take the necessary stops to carry this into effect. Judgment por Rates.— The clerk asked for instructions how to act where judgment had been obtained for rates, and owners had either left the district or become insolvent. The Chairman moved that the clerk proceed in regular form against the present owners.—Seconded by Or. Brunskill and carried. Tk Aroua Loan.—Cr. Murphy withdrew the notice upon the subject standing in his name the chairman having explained to him tiiat this riding had borrowed up to the limit allowed by the act. Advertising. —Cr. Gould in referring to the notice he had given last meeting said ho considered that a mistake had been made in altering their arrangements for advertising. He failed to see what could be gained, The Waikato Times circulated throughout the whole district, and this was a most important matter when calling for tenders. He would therefore move tiiat the resolution in reference to advertising passed at last meeting be rescinded. Seconded by Cr. Williams. Cr. Heaney said he thought the resolution befote the meeting cast a slur upon the chairman, as the Council might fairly entrust to the chairman the question of deciding in what paper advertisements should appear.—Cr. Brunskill said he must oppose Cr. Gould’s motion on the ground that the representatives of the ridings of Taotaoroa, Ratctere and Te Aroha were in favour of giving a share of the advertising to Mr Russell, and in view of the low rate of Is Od per inch, half the price they were charged by The Waikato Times, he considered it was their duty, in the interests of the ratepayers, to save what they could. He quite concurred in the line of argument taken by Or, Gould, that the question of circulation should be the basis to guide them, but he bad the statements from the representatives of the Patetere •nd Te Aroha ridings that Mr Russell’s paper had a considerable circulation in thoir respective districts. —Or. Murphy concurred with what Cr. Heaney had stated, aud

thought the matter miu'ht be left with the uhaitman, the pi jisfij1 i-.-as..n guiding him in his previous vut.e w.i, tint, Mr Ru-ull’.-oifor uf Is (id tier inch wuaM bring duwn the Te Aroha X —a-.- and The Waikato Times to tills price, anil thus give the Council more vatic 1 -r in cr nr nay. Cr. Gould, in reply, said it appeared to him. Cr. Heaney, from what he had -aid to day, unit'd to realize what had happened in reference to this matter last meeting. Hitherto the question of deciding in what papers advertisements should appear had been lelt in the chairman’s hands. The motion carried last meeting had altered this. Tne effect of the motion he was about to propose would simply place matters in the same position as in former years. For the motion: Crs. (lould, Williams. Dibble and Ghepmell. Against; Crs. Murphy limn skill, Hcany and Mills.—The chairman gave his casting vote in favour of the motion, and declared it carried Main Road Napier and Taito.— Cr Heany moved in accordance with notice given last ineetingth.it a sum of £IOO be expended on that part of the road between Lichfield and the southern boundary of the county to be expended at the rate of ft? a month in the employment of a surfaceman. Cr Heany urged upon the council the claim this part of the comity had upon them, from the fact that the Patetnre company had spent hundreds of pounds in opening up ami maintaining of roads in the I’.ileterc riding, and all that was now asked from the council was this small outlay, extending over many months, simply to keep roads in repair that have c ist the county nothing for formation. Cr Williams seconded the motion, but in doing so, said he was afraid under the circumstances the council would be unable to undertake the expenditure. After some further discussion Cr Heany consented that considerarion should he deferred until the financial position of the council had been placed before them. Financial Position ok the Council. —The ’chairman said ho had carefully gone into the matter of the financial position of the comity with the clerk, with the following result: —The expenditure and liabilities up to date reached a sum of £3(i!IO fis, including the overdraft of £0044. The approximate estimate of amount of revenue for the current year, in order to ascertain the amount of the liability that may legally he incurred during the next financial year amounted to £2(j3-S lis. According to this estimate, if no further expenditure is incurred before the 31st March, Ifififi, the county would still be £1052 beyond the legal limit. To this sum must be added the Working Expenses of the council, interest upon Loans and Debentures, their share of maintenance of the Waikato Hospital, Ac., Ac., making an estimated total of £2302 11s fid to be provided for. A rate of id in the £ would bring in about £2OOO. Goldfields and other revenue would pay olf the £302 11s fid, leaving nothing to spend on works. A rate would have to be levied but could he varied so as to provide for special w irks in any particular riding. The council concurred with the view of the chairman who then moved tlm following resolution, “That this council at its next meeting make and levy a rate of id in £ in the ridings of Waitoa, Taotaoroa, Matamata and a rate of : ,'d in the £in Patetere and Te Aroha ridings. The additional farthing vote in these two ridings to be a separate rate for special works.” Cr. Murphy seconded, and it was carried unanimously. Re Place ok Meeting. —Cr. Murphy said he considered Morrinsville an inconvenient place for the meetings of the council and gave notice that at the next meeting he would move that the meetings of the council for the future should be held at Te Aroha. Dog Registration. The chairman pointed out that fees for dog registration should now bo fixed in order to allow the collection of same. Cr. Heany proposed, seconded by Cr. Rrunskill, that the registration fee for sheep and cattle dogs fur current year be 2s (Id each and 10s for all others. Mr John Simpson was appointed sub registrar for the Matamata riding. Standing Orders.— Cr. Rrunskill gave notice that at the next meeting of the council (he should move that standing orders be prepared for consideration of the council, in order to facilitate the discharge of the business of the council at their meetings, and referred to clause 11 fi of the Counties Act bearing upon the question. Te Aroha Prospecting Company.— Cr. Mills, on behalf of the Te Aroha Pros|)octmg Company made a forcible appeal to the council for their countenance and assistance in carrying out the objects of the association, and gave notice that at the next meeting he would move that this council do subsidise the Te Aroha Prospecting Company. Accounts. —Accounts to the amount of £52 3s were passed for payment. No further business being brought forward the meeting closed.