PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2588, 12 February 1889, Page 2

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL

The above Council met in Cambridge on Saturday at 11 ii.ui. Present: Or*. Chopiiiell (chairman), lJrunskill, Mills Murphy, Hoiiii'd, Williams, Hunt and Heaney. The County engineers, Messrs Sundes and P.ivitt, were in attendance. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. L'hk U.N'i'.ui) Audit Account.—The following letter had been received in reply to the objections raised by the Council to the demand made by the Auditor-General : — Audit Ollice, January 19th, 1889. Sir,— I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of vour letter of the 20th December, stating the grounds on which you decline to p.iy Ihe fee fixed by Order in Council for the audit of the accounts of the Piako County. I have referred your letter to the dm eminent for the consideration of tho L.iw Officers; but I may point out to you th.it Parliament fully understood that these fees were to be paid, and abated their estimated amount on the Audit vote, as you will ibid en referring to the estimates ; and I am instructed that should the technical legal objection you raise, be held to be good, Parliament will he asked next session to correct the verbal error m the statute.—l Inivh tho honour to be &c,—.l A.MICsEdwaHD FiTzr,::ii.\i.!i. To the. Clerk Tiako County Council. — The Chairman said it seeu.ed a rather whining letter, and partly admitted tlii't the Dαp.utinent "were wrmiff. It was no part of their business to refer to, or be guided by the estimates; the Act was suiiicie.nt guide for them, and if the AuditorCeneiai choso to act illegally, that was his look out. Up. (the Auditor-Genend) evidently thought they ought t<: have paid the money ; and yet, if they had done ■e, it would have been his duty to have surcharged the members of the Council with the amount, i.e.. if their interpretation of the Act was the correct one. He thovght they ought not to sit still and let the Department do as they liked with them. He did not know whatsteps tho neighbouring Councils were taking in the matter; but he thought they should unite and urge their respective representatives to oppose the passim; ot what lie. thought would be an iniquitous law.—Or. Brunskill thought by the tone of the letter that the Council held the reins. The matter was then allowed to stand over.

A Sujwidy PvK.ITSKn.— The following reply was received to an application for a subsidy towards erecting a bridge over the Waihou, :—General Survey Office. Wellington", .1 miliary 21th, 1889.— Sir,—l have been requested to acknowledge tin receipt of your letter of the 29th nit., addressed to the Hon The Minister of Public Works, in reference to the. necessity for tin; erection of a traffic bridge over the Wailinn river at Waiorongomai, and asking for a subsidy in aid of the work, estimated to cost i'oOO. in reply, .1 am to inform you that the Government has given your application careful consideration, but has to express its regret that in the present state of the- finances it is unable to comply with your request.—l have the honour, etc., J. McKehkow, Surveyor-General.—The Chairman said it was only what they expected. No reply had been received from Mr J. B. Whyte, M.H.R. on the matter.

Tin-: LathPuisuc Works Department..— A circular letter was received from Hon. Mr Mitchiilson, statins: that the Public Works Department had been abolished; and that in future all communications to the Government, including all applications to take lands by proclamation for roads or other local undertakings, must be addressed to tlin Hon. Minister for Lands.

CHARITAM.fi All) AND THE A r ATIVES.— A letter was received from the chairman of the North Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, enclosing a petition to Parliament re the natives not being rated, and yet being allowed cliaritablo aid, which he asked the Council to consider, and if approved of, authorise their chairman to sign. —The Chairman said there was a great deal of truth in the statement of the grievance in connection with the natives. Their own Hospital Board had felt it. They could not distrain on native lands, and although the majority of natives would not go into the hospital, there were a few old slaves, who appeared to be turned adrift as soon as they were past work, who would have to be looked after. Ho thought it would bo well to forward a petition themselves, embodying the substance of the. one now before them; but with some alterations.—Cr, Mills said if that went on, they should soon have to support a great number of natives. —The Chairman thought that when the natives found out that some of them were being .supported, many more would soon apply, and the Hospital Board could not lind out if they were able to pay. He moved that a reply be sent to the North Auckland Board, stating that they could not sign the petition as they objected to tho wording of it; but that they would forward one to the (loverninent contain!.');? the substance of theirs.—Or. BrnuskUl seconded the motion, bnt said the natives would not go into tho hospital; and as they appeared to confuse that and Charitable Aid, they would not accept the latter.—Cr. Hcanoy said he could lind one hundred that would accept it at a day's notice.—The Chairman thought a portion of the rates from native lands, which had this year been appropriated to other purposes, should have been reserved for hospital purposes.—The motion was then put and was carried. Si.u:inii'KKi.v<i Lk'KXmw.—Renewals of slaughtering licenses were granted to tho following :—"\V. Harray, Lichfield ; l<. J. Marshall. Morrinsvillo ; A. Comes, To Ai'oha; Greaves and Baskiville, WaiTm: Flax o.v the Roads.—The fnllowino- olier to lease the Haxurowing on roads and leserves was received :—" Auckland, February -Itlt, 1.-W.S.—T.. the Chairman Pii-ko County Council.-Sir,—l hereby apply for the sole right to cut, flax 011 the reserves or roads along the Waihou River, between the mouth of the Wairere stream and the railway bridge at To Arolia, yj\

both sides ;'f the liver, f-v a period ot five vrn* at mi iinnuiil m,1.:il i>f £-'.>, payable iii"-uivancc. This n|.|>lieati,m applies only t<. smih reserves oiM.uds idn-ady u.ilr-t,-•nil .fee, AV. T. l-'niTH."—Tiio Clerk said Mr luitli had told him thai ho was giniiß t<i suuplv the "nils that alrundy existed with flux anil was n>-t i,'>iin:,' to inamitachiif it liim'-t'lf —The Chainuan doubted if they could let the n.ads for Hve ye;us ; at least, hot\..m S ht they should havele-al opinion befui-e doing su.-Ur. Williams said the down L.imls Department let the „,.,,„.(!, _.(j r . Murphy said it would be V-< per annum t<. tin) Oum-il, and would require .i lot of lHlmnr.-Cr. Hunt tii..iiß..t it should be tendered for.-Or. Mills mmed tint a k'"td (.pinion bo taken, and if it proved satisfactory tenders bo called for the (I ix or the roads and reservations on the b-iiik'i of the Wiiilitm, as far as the oomity extended, for a Period of five yeavs.Seeomlod by the Chairman, and earned. Noticb ok Motion.—(_r. Horrell pave notice that at the next meet,us nt the Council lie should propose the f..llmvme resi.lution:—"That this Council meet quarterly in lieu of monthly, the intersince being tilled by a committee of three councillors to be called an executive committee, two to form :> quorum, as per Counties Act, section 11-), u> conduct the business of this Council—bnrriiif; now and extensive lintlertakiiiss-piiying Councils leal demands, advise as to the Council s correspondence, exe.-ute any necessary small bridges or culverts, form any fuch roads not exeeedm.,' i'l'O ; also execute any repairs to bridges, culverts or roads bcinf? ncte.Hsai v and in the char-e of this Council and' that Messrs Chepniel , ., Brunskill and Williams do form the above exeetiI 'Kn«ini>. — The Chairman stilled that he met Messrs Primrose ana Jlidler, the representatives of the Waikate and Wai|M County Councils, respectively, on the (ith of the month, but, by an error, the latter had not seen the draft bye-laws, which however, did not much matter, as they 'had omitted to live the requisite seven days' notice of the meeting; they 'had, theiefre, decided to meet aL'an, on tli.; (itb proximo. Mr i'nmr.-sc objected to'claus-s 10 and 11, ivUtii.Ef to engines beiiiK left on the road side, as the l'o.ice OfVenc.es Act provided a remedy, and he (the Chairman) would not push the, matter if the other delegates wished tnem ex''"(""iSTHrrriONS ON' THE ROADS. —Cr. Williams >t.ted that drain pipes were fiequrotly left on tl,.< s.dos of the roads, usually iP-iir fitting, in .-ucii a position as to fvHiten spirited bones.-1 ho engineers woru" instructed to see that contractors remedied this in the future. W\ito\ limiiiiK at Uiciimoxi).—Cr. Williims aske.d if this bridge belonu'ed to the Council. It was K7 feet span, and needed repairincf.-The Chiirmin said it beiii" over l>o feet span did not make it a county bridge. 'J-'' lo lidi'ifl would have to do the repairs. Who Owns thh Bhidgi-: .'—-Mr hamlos, the on.'infer, havina at the previous meetj.,,r vecommeiidßd that a bnd-e at Taotaoroa bi-°niove.i from where- it now stands—in the liii-l' 11.* of a swamp—on fi> tin; main road, the matter e;ime up a-ain for discussion — The Chairman .-latt-d that by an error the bridp.'. had been crect-d on private property and he doubted if tl.ey C'uUl move it if they waiitnd to.-Cr. i;rii.-.k-ki]l--wlio Is •iN-i chairman of the Taota-.r-.a lioad board _ : The bridge belongs to tho Taotaoroa Jload l'.oaid: and what is more, wo mean to have it.-The Chairman : It belong to the person on whose, property it is stai.dinc —Ur Bninlckill : It was intended to be on the main Ciimbrid«e-Tauran<,'a nad. It is ne.rly on it, and I. intend to take steps to have it moved. —The Chairman said that plans had been, some time previously, prepared at an expense of t"iO for a deviation on this road • '<ut as the Taotaoroa and Matamata. ridings had taken it over, ho thought they should have the plans.-On the motion of Or. JJninkskill, it was agreed to hand the plans over to them._ Tin: Dmiirif: ovi:i: Tin: W aiiiou. — .Mr J'avitt handed in plans and specifications of -i lirid.'t' to be erected over the \\ anion ne.i'ir Miuphy's binding. The length of the bridge will lie, H.'ifi-., the. piles b>'iu;< L'ofc. distant from each other, the whole structure ln-int,' light and yet st-ronsr. The Engiwv "-aid the water w:i-i only oft. (mi. in the deepest part, and the bottom was a «..od one for pile drivimr. The plans were critically examined by the members, who up-p-.aivd thoroußhly sati'-tied with then, -- Cr. lleaney moved that the be eroe.ted aeeoidintr to the plans and spt-ch-c-d-oiis fin niched by Mr l'avitt —Seconded bV'Cr. Mills.--Cr. 1 lon-eil ;u;ked if it would n'ot be better to wait nn-il the new linan-ci-d yi-.r was in.— Ti.e Chairman tixmglit if it'was to be. ((reeled that it should be done at once.-The Clerk said tho overdraft wis now down t> -£100 IS-i.-Cr. Hiunskili ,-i.,!;ed who was going to pr.y for if.-The Chairman said the punt was coding tliem i-iii per innuni, and lie thnughtthe bndgo would'be a. very pood investment for the c.unty.-C.'. Brnn-kill said he would propose an amendment, lv.it lie. could see the voting would so ilK ainst, him -The motion was then put and earned.-Cr. J.rmisln'l l,i-o|i.,-"d that after the hndirn was erected, ll,e riding of Te Ar..ha and Waihoii defray all cost of maintenance.—tf.-conded by Cr. Jliint, but upon put only the mover and seconder voted for it, and therefore it was iost. \V\IOHONGOMAI-SirAl-TI-:SI!UI!Y I>OAl>.— Cr. Murphy drew attention to the bad state of'thfi nboVo road, and the engineer was instructed to have it repaired at a cost not exceeuhif; £!■">. Anothkii L'oi.mn'c Tt.Af.'i: Wanticd.—Cr.

Murphy pointi'tl out that a groat injustice was (i'.iio to about ."0 settlers at Wamou, who, if they wished t" vote at the licensing election, -vould, according to piosenl arrangements, have to tv> to luorrinsville, ii distance, of twelve miles. He thought this very unfair, as it compelled working men to lose a day's pay. There were places that could be had for a nominal sun., and lie. proposed that a polliiuc place be appointed at \Vaitou.--Cr. Mill* supported and seconded the motion. —On being put the voting was equrd, Ors. Murphy, Mills, r.mnskill and Heaney buhii? for it, and Cm. Hunt, Williams, Horrell and the Chainrian against it, and it was therefore lost on the casting vote of the chairman. Liciii'iixii-TkAuoha Roar—MrSandes reported that contracts I!, 1, 5 and Ii on tlin above road were finished, and the work had been done to his satisfaction. The three latter contracts had been undertaken by natives, arid they had don:; tho work in an excellent niiuincr. He found the natives much more, tractable than European*. Jhe whole of the work had been completed for Ul.->:i'l <U Id, which 1.-ffc .f-'iO of the loan in hand. There would probably be a little extra expense, say £10, in protecting the embankments, and the balance, with the native rates allocated to that portion of the

district, would, if used for that purpose, complete the road the whole distance. Tub Doskky Ewink.—.l. Heatheotes tender of €17 for the donkey engine was accepted. Tlio.ru was no oiler for the wire rone, and tho Chairman was authorised to dUtio-e of it if ho could find a purchaser. ■VccoUNTS.—The following accounts were parsed for payment :-,T. H. Emett, iM -Is; i; W Russell, 7s Gd ; T. Wells, 11s (id ; J. Bates! fcLo*2d;T{.M. Courts To and Cambridge, £10 iis; C Tuck, ig> 13* "d • \) Craig, IT ~>* i N- Uaskett, £3 18s ; J On £5; K. I'i.vitl. AllO 10s ; CI. Walk..', i.-']i;s l-Js Id ; Te ICawau, 17 3a !)d ; T. U. Sanders i - 13 ; C. Miirpliv, £•"> L'a; U. Murphy, J.T. L's. Total, ifUl. lS.s Gd. This was all the