WAIPA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2471, 12 May 1888, Page 3

WAIPA COUNTY COUNCIL.

TltE usual monthly meeting of the Waipa County Council was held at the Couucil Chambers, Ohaupo, at 10 30 o'clock 011 Tuesday. The following members were present : Crs. Lang (chairman), Grice, Finch, Taylor, Hunter, Farrell and Smith. Mr A. Armstrong, county engineer, wo.a in attendance. After the minutes of last meeting had been confirmed the outward uorrespoudence was read and adopted. E.N'Gi.VKKli's Report.—The Engineer's monthly report was read as follows : — I beg leave to report that the following contracts have been completed sinCe the last meeting of the Council : — Contract No. 77 : Works in Lyon and Whltmore-street, lvihikihi. Contract No. 78. : Grading Kihikihi-Orakau road. Contract No. 80.—Gravelling Rotorangi Swamp road, Contract No. 81 : Reforming near Ohoto Creek Bridge. Contract No. 00: Milking up side of Rotorangi Sivamp Road, where destroyed by fire. The following are the contracts in operation -.—Contract No. 82: Reforiningand (travelling OhaupoCambridge road. This work is in an advanced stage, and will, in all probability be completed this week. I recommend an advance of £12 on this job. Contract No. 83 : This work has not been quite carried out in accordance with the specification. I have pointed out the defects to the contractor, who has promised to rectify them. I recommend an advance of £10 on this contract. Contract No. So : Reforming and gravelling portion of the Te Awamutu-Alexandra road. The contractors have got this job well forward. I recommend an advance of £20 011 the work. Contract No. 87 : Reforming and gravelling road near Mr Blackett's, Tuhikaramea. This contract is also well forward. I recommend an advance of £!J on this job. In connection with this contract, I may just mention that after the last meeting of the council, the chairman suggested, that as the tralKc was light over this portion of the road, that tho quantity of gravel per chain might bo reduced with the view of making the money go further. I have therefore arranged with tho contractor, that only two-thirds of the specified quantity should be put on, and of course to be paid for accordingly. Contract No. SS: Forming portion of the Kihikihi-Cambridge road. This contract is completed with the exception of one or two matters that require a little attention, which the contractor has promised to carry out. I recommend an advance of £8 on this job. Contract No. 89: Removing roots itc. from road through the lvihikihi bush : The contractors for this work have got the most of the roots and logs removed from the line of road, but the surface of the road for the most part has yet to be reinstated. Turfing water-table past Ngaruawahia brewery : I have arranged to have this turf re-laid, as directed at the last meeting of tho Council. Walker's Gully Bridge: Although I have not made any special reference to this bridge tor .several months past I havo nevertheless made regular and-careful inspections of it. The return just handed in shows that during the past 12 months the Cambridge abutment of this bridge has been very gradually pushed out of plumb lj inches, and no doubt but for tho steps taken rather more than two years ago to shore up this abutment, the destruction ot the bridge from failure of this part would have taken place ere this. About two years ago I began regularly to measure the distance this bridge was going each month, after the shore was put in, but it is only during the past 12 months that I have kept record of these measurements. When the record started the abutment was inches out of plumb, now it is Gj inches, shiwing as I have already stated, that it has gone l.j inches to the bad since May last. However, on referring to tho paper, you will see that for the past few months, its progress in this direction has been much less than formerly, the measurement for May being the same as that for April. I may state in conclusion that the bridge is in anything but a satisfactory condition, and I am afraid the rebuilding of it cannot very much longer be delayed.—l am sir, &c., &c., Ar.K.x. AinrsTUOMi, County Engineer. Kihikihi, 7th May, 188 S.

The report was received as read. Walker's Gr i,i,v Bkiixje.—Cr. Fane 11 said that after the engineer's report, he thought some representations should he made to the Government for assistance in this matter, as the council of themselves would not be able to build a new bridge, the cost of which he understood wouid be about £1000. He would move therefore, that the engineer be instructed to draw up an estimate of the cost either for erecting a new structure or repairing the present one.—Seconded by Cr. Grice and carried. On the. Engineer recommending that if a new bridge be erected it be made

somewhat higher than the present one, (Jr. Smith moved that when it is necessary to build a new bridge it be raised ten feet.—Seconded by Cr. Hunter and carried.

Railways. --A copy of the report on the railway systems of Europe and America, by Mr J. P. Maxwell, General manager New Zealand Railways, tvas laid 011 the table and attentively perused by some of the Councillors. Public Works Act. —The Whangerei County Council forwarded a copy of a petition to be presented to the House of Representatives, praying for the amendment of the Public Works Act for the simplification of tho means of acquiring or exchanging lands for public roads by local bodies, and asking for the co-opera-tion of the Council. It was resolved to sign the petition on condition that Local Bodies are inserted instead of County Councils.

MaNUAI'IKO LIOENtiINO C'IMM [TTEK — Tlie Clerk reported having received a telegram from Mr T. Kirk asking whether the Council would appoint Mr N. T. Maunder as clerk to the Mangapiko Licensing Committee and if so would he advertise the annual meeting to be held on .June 7th. The Clerk stated that as an immediate answer was requested he had replied " i r es."—The Chairman moved that Mr N. T. Maunder be recommended to the Government as clerk for the Mangapiko Licensing Committee.—Seconded by Cr. Hunter and carried.

i'l.wus, —The Clerk reported that the overdraft at the bank on the sth instant was £1281! 7s Id.—The Chairman moved that ccnsidering the state of the funds of the Council no more money be allocated and that only such works, as repairs to roads and bridges, as were absolutely necessary, be proceeded with, the money to be deducted from the next allocation at the end of the year.— Seconded by Cr. Finch and carried unanimously, JDoo-tax Ooi.i/e<Tok.->.—The Chairman moved that the various collectors furnish monthly reports of the persons who have paid the tax,—Seconded by Cr. Dawson, and carried.

Special Hospital Rate.—Cr. Dawson moved that 110 extra allowance be made to Uie clerk for collecting this rate — Seconded by Cr. Hunter.—Cr. Finch asked, now that the Council had suspended all works, if it would be necessary to strike the rate, or would not the Bank wait for a little time now, seeing that tiie Council were trying to economise.—Crs. Smith, Taylor and Finch reported that the striking of the special rate was meetin" with general disapproval throughout their respective districts.—Cr. Farrell movec' that the special rate be not struck. —Seconded by Cr. Taylor, and carried.— Cr. Dawson's motion therefore fell through. Balasck-subkt. —The balance - sheet for the past year showed the receipts as £1007 12s 10d, with an expenditure of £31(11 (Sh lid, thus leaving a debit balance of £ 1583 14s Id.

Payments.—The following accounts were passed for payment:—Waikato County Council, £41 2s Sd ; Webber, £4 .-,8 ; The Waikato Times, £G 7s Gd ; Clerk, £12 4s; Reynolds, 10s; Ryburr, £0 ISs !)d ; Waite, £10 5s ; C. S. MeCallum, £!); Potts and McGee, £5 13s 9d ; Cowley, £12 Is Gd ; Riley and Corcoran, £7 ; Millars, £1 Is Gd ; Higginson and Olt'ersou, £20 17s 7d ; Daley, £8 15s ; Given and Sons, £10 14s Gd ; Ricketts, !)s Gd ; Thomson, 12s; A. Armstrong, £14 17s 2d.

This being all tho business the Council rose.