PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2615, 16 April 1889, Page 2

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL

Tint monthly meeting nf the above Council was held on Saturday in the offices, Dukestreet, CurnbriduH. Present: Crs. Cbanm«!l (olmirm-iii), JSi-unskill, Mills, Murphy, Horrell. Williams and Heanoy. The County Engineer*, Messrs Sandea and l'.ivitt, were also in attendance. The minutes of the meeting held ou March iltli were read and duly confirmed. Gordon Skctlkjiknt Road.—At the previous meeting Mr vim Sturmer had applied to have some of the grades on this road lowered—Mr Pavitt said there were nine places that wanted lowering, and he estimated the cost at £14 10s. The road would also need repairing in several swampy places, as it had been cut up by heavy loads of timber being taken over it. This he estimated to cost £5 10s. Mr Hutherington sometimes took a waggon loaded with 2,000 feet of timber, drawn by six horses, along the road, which ho thought was too much. The cutting near Munroe's was very steep ; he thought it should be changed to another place where there would be a good block cutting.—Cr. Mills asked if it would avoid the swamp. —The Engineer said it wouH, and as there were two more flax mills going to be erected in the Gordon Settlement, he thought the road should he made as good as possible. The cost would be about £40.— Cr. Mills said that the place indicated by Mr Pavitt was a reserve, and indeed, a somewhat large one, in consequence of the creek bank being very steep at that point. —Cr. Murphy said the cost would be paid by the Te Aroha riding, but he considered it money well spent, as the flax industry would employ a, large amount of labour. He then proposed that the work he done. —

Seconded by Cr. Mills and carried.—Cr. Murphy said the work would, of course, be let by tender, and he suggested that two insertions »f each advertisement be put in The Waikato TiMKs and the Te Aroli.t paper, instead of four in the latter, as had been done with some oF the late tenders. They generally received a good response to advertisements inserted in Thk Waikato Tunis. — The Chairman said the suggestion should be attended to. It was generally understood that the advertising should be divided between the two papers.—lt was subsequently arranged that the tenders should be opened by Cr. Mills and Mr Piivitt, at Te Aroha at an early date, it , being considered necessary to proceed with the work at once. The Road Along the Banks of The Waihou.—The clerk had written to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, asking him to define the road along the bank of the Waihou, from the Wairere. stream to the northern boundary of the County, as it was of great importance, and indeed imperative that no doubt should exist as to the Council's jurisdiction. No roply had been received. The Clerk said apparently the Commissioner would not admit that the plan that had been forwarded was wrong. —Cr. Murphy said he remembered a case that appeared in the papers, whore a chain reserve on the bank of the Waikato had been washed away : but the Government still claimed a chain of the land as a reserve.

Flax on tub Waihou Banks.—The following letter had been received in replyto an application to soil the flax on the Waihou batiks :—Sir, I am directed by the Hon. Minister of Lands to acknowledge the 1 receipt of your letter of the ]Gth March, applying for permission to dispose of the flax growing on the road lines along either bank of the Waihou river, and to inform you that there will be no objeotion cm the part of the Lands Department, to the county selling or disposing of the flax as proposed.—l have the honour etc., H. J. 11. Elliott, Under secretary.—Proposed by the chairman, seconded by Or, Murphy, that tenders be called for, for thn right to cut the flax, —Carried. —Cr. Murphy said the settlers had in tnany instances ruu their fences across the reserve right down to the river. He trusted the lessees would not destroy them. —The chairman thought they could not interfere in the matter.—Cr. Mills thought the Hax would all be. taken away on barges.—Cr. Williams said no one had a right to fenoe aoross reserves.—Cr. Murphy said they should protect the settlers as much as Dossible. If they were doing well, they would be the bettov able to pay the rates.

Tkactio.v Engines.—A letter was read from Mr Primrose, chairman of tlie Waikato County Council, giving an extraot from the minutes of a meeting of the Council hold on Miiroli S&nd, and further adding that "it was resolved to defer further action, as it was considered that local bodies and the public were sufficiently pro-" teeted by provision contained in the Public Works Act,"—The Chairman said Mr Hay's opinion had not been received when tiie above was written. He thought they were wrong in their opiniou, It would be poor consolation when a man had his neck broken through carelessness. He would see Messrs Primrose and Ridler again upon the subject. Letter received.

The Waihou Burnoß.— Mr J. 0. Firth wrote under date March 3-W). :--"I understand that the Council is about to build a bridge over the Waihou river at Waiorongomai; as it may have been overlooked that the Waihou is a navigable river, I wish to remind the Council that it will be necessary in building the bridge to provide for the passage of steamers and barges so as not to impede the navigation of th.ei viver."—The Chairman said the letter showed how little relianco could be placed on verbal statements. He understood from young Mr }firth that his father had, no objection, to

tlie bridge. —Resolved to reply saying the in'ittiT had rccrived dm consideration. SIIAITBSBUHT ROAD Olt.-MS.— Mr P. T. .T.-ui en of Wairaiißouui, wrote: —"I am tutting a drain through part of iny swamp, :mrl tliii only ««ntf:i]l for the wnt.'.r U in'o illu Miid drain running into che creek known as J-insen'.-!. siloiisr Hie rihaftexliury road, and it i.s full up of rnblrxli and fallen in in places, so ihere is iin run for the water u>kii off the main road. There is about 10 or 12 chains of it, and I offer to do itdual) it out and widen it in places— sit 3* per chain, and rlo it to tJio satisfaction of the priginner.—Mr Piivilt said the natural outfall of the water had beon stopped.—Or. Murphy said not. within lii.i luemory. Mr Mackay had objected to a drain being made across his Und near there. The engineer was instructed to get the work done if it was necessary; but to mind and not interfere with Mr Muckay's drain. This Waiouongomai Lowkk Road.—Mr P. Ferguson, of Waiorongomai, wrote on April 2nd :—" I beg to request that you will bring before the notice of your council the urgent necessity of having the lower road up the Waiororignmai creek made fit for traffic. The first shipment of mining and grinding material for the Ferguson Syndicate Company (Limited) has arrived in Auckland, and will be landed here this week, but owing to a few slips on the said road, and the decking; of Diamond Gully bridge being rotten, no carting can be done. The benefits your council will receive -the result of the Company's expenditure—l submit fully justifies your council in repairing and maintaining the .said road."—Mr Pstvitt said the work would cost £20. —Cr. Murphy stated that if the new process paid the Council would get tenfold the amount oack again.—On the motion of Cr. Murphy, seconded by Cr. Mills, it was resolved to do the work. Snicging Logs.—The Engineer read a letter he had received from Mr Einmett, complaining that the snigging of ]ogi broke down culverts on the roads.—Cr. Murphy said sledging would not hurt the roads, but snierging logs would do great damage.—lt waa resolved to poet up notices, forbidding the enigging of logs on the Waiorongomai lower road.—Gr Mills and Cr. Pavitt were authorised to let the work on thu road by tender. ShaftkburyDiagonai, Road.—Mr E. Y. Cox, of Shaftesbury wrote : "I and the adjoining owners have at our own expense, cleaned out the large drain on the side of the diagonal road at Shaftesbury, and put in a new drain on the other side. I now beg to apply to the Council to have the stuff spread on the roads before the winter eets in, or I will undertake to have it done for £5, if you will grant that sum for the purpose. As the new road from Tauranga, now being made, comes in at the top end of this road, it is desirable it should be put in order. Last winter it was quite iinpassable part of the time. I have explained what is required to be done to Mr Pavitt. It is also desirable that something should be done at the Shaftesbury corner of the main road which was very bad last winter. £2 would clear out the drains and put some stuff in the low parts.—lt was resolved on the motion of Cr. Murphy, seconded by Cr. Mills, to spend £2 on the junction of the Shaftesbury road, and that the other work stand over for the present. Cambiiidoe-Tackanga Road.—Mr T. G. Sandes, the engineer of the south-western portion of the county wrote : " I beg to inform you that I have carefully gone over the Catnbridge-Tauranga road as instructed, and have laid it out for making, so that tenders can be called for forthwith. I enclose a copy of my estimate. I find that a long deviation has been made on the old survey and this will requiro to be surveyed, and the land for the new road taken under the Public Works Act, the old road being closed at the same time. To have made the road as originally surveyed would have

cost at least £150, more than will be required for the present road, against which must be put the cost of making the fmrvey, etc., which amounts to about £25, thus saving some £125, and getting a much better road."—Cr. Heaney said the riding ratepayers would not care about having a rate struck to make the road. The clerk said it was a county road and would have to bo paid for out of county rates. At this point a letter was read from Mr (r. Walker, offering to do the work at a similar price to that paid fur No. 3 contract lately finished.—The Chairman said they could not entertain it. He asked if the deviation was necessary.—Mr Sundae replied that it wan. as at present the road went through Mr Walker's paddocks, which ho threatened to fence off.—Cr. Heaney stated there would be no traffic alonpf the road.—Cr. Williams strongly objected to Cr. Heaney making such statements.—Cr. Heanoy said the Thames Valley Land Company would be the only ones using it. — Cr. Williams contended that was just the same as it there were 50 settlers upon the land.—Cr. Murphy supported Cr. Williams, and stated that Mr Walker had been put to endless trouble by having bis gates left open, and being broken. —Cr. Heaney said the plans had been prepared, and there was actually a tender received for doinethe

work.—Cr. Williams denied that it was so; but the matter mu«t bs taken into consideration when the new rate was going to be struck.—The Chairman said there was no doubt the work was required ; it was only a question of whwn it should be done. If it was required at an early date, the plans had better he prepared.—.Proposed by Cr. Heane.y, seconded by Cr. Horrell, that plans, &c, be prepared of the deviation, and that steps bo taken to take the land under the Public Works Act. Carried.

I Thames -Tk Ahoha Railway.—The Thames town clerk forwarded a circular, asking the Council to adopt the following resolution, which was done :—" That in the opinion of this Council it is important that the Government should proceed without delay to complete the railway from Thames to Te Aroha, and that if it was so completed it would be highly advantageous to the district as well as remunerative to the Government.' , Matamata-Oxfoud Road.—A plan was received from the Survey Department, showing a portion of the road through the Auckland Agricultural Company's land near Oxford, as closed.--Mr Sandes said the road that was marked on the plan as closed was a portion of tht; main Matamata. Oxford road, and in fact, was in use at the present time. He had never heard of steps being taken to declare it closed.—The Chairman thought that if the Auckland Agricultural Company wanted the road altered for their convenience, they should pay for its being done. The plan was marked, and it was resolved to point out to the Department that the mad between the points marked, was n oonnty road and had not been olosed with the consent of the, Counoil. The Okoboiri Springs.—Cr. Williams stated that Mr Isaacs had induoed Mr Hudson to issue special excursion tickets to Oxford, so that tourists and others might visit the hot springs • and as the question of road making would probably soon crop up again, ho thought it would be well for the Council to appoint a committee to view the place, and they would then be furnished with reliable information when the time arrived.—The Chairman said they were not asked t<; do anything at present, and the matter dropped.

Nativk Hates.—The amount of £59 being Native rates, allocntod to he spent on the Lichfield-Te Aroha voad, having been received, it was decided to proceed with the work at once, and Mr Sandes was instructed to get it done according to the resolution passed at a previous meeting. —The Chairman was deputed to open tenders.—£lo, also for Native rates, was ordered to be spent upon the HaneA cutting, under tho supervision of Cr. \Vil. Hams, Slaughterhouse Licbnsks.— Mr Geo. Walker, junr., of Tuaramraharaha, wan granted a renewal of his license, and Mr Harray, of Richfield, was allowed to transfer his lieense to Mr Donald Gordon. •■' Hospital an-d Charitable Am.—A longthy communication was received from the Secretary of the Hospital Board, stating that the amount dut from the Piako County was £431 8* Id.—lt was resolved to at once pay half tho amount. s# , A Credit Balance at Last.—The Clerk reported a, credit balance at the bank of £460 17s Id. This is the first time that the Council has had a credit balance, while at one time the indebtedness was about £13,000. Tho clerk was congratulated upon the favourable turn in the monetary affairs •f the Council.

Accounts.— The following accounts were passed for payment:— J. Hnlly, £10 Hβ 4d ; (i. Wattam, £1 2s; A. Bremner, £6; K. Pasooe, £1 6s; J. Simpson, £2 Is ; 0. M. Brunskill, £3 15s Gd ; A. Heanev, £8 Sii ; J. S. Bond, t'2 os (id ; Waikato Timks, £2 11s ; I). Murphy, £2 18a | C. Murphy, £3 l(is ; B. Ward, £1 ; t). Walker, 10s • 0 Tuck, £?7 \a 3d ; J. Orr, £12; JF. H Jimmett, £ ; W. Uape-Brown, &. 12s 6d • W. Cookc, ISs; J. Lavory, i'lOQ- J" Pavitt, £19 2s ; R, Michael, £7 3s 2d : J Mills, £4 10) j T. G. Saudes, £& 18s 6d • Waikato Hospital Board, £21G; WaiUa Road Board, £46 8s 6d. This <jun.Qltt.ded. the businee*.