PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 2666, 13 August 1889, Page 3

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL

The ordinary monthly meeting of thnabovo body was held in tho Council Chambers, Cambridge, on Saturday. It commenced at 11 a.m. and lasted until late in the afternoon, a vnst amount of important business being transacted. There were present: Crs. Chepmell (chairman), Brunskill, Mills, Murphy, Horrell, Williams, Hunt and Heaney. Both the County EngineersMessrs Sandes and Pavitt—were present; Oapt. Bayley and Mr A. Isaacs also waited upon the Council to explain matters affecting their lands. The Vacasx-v.—Tho Clerk reportod that Mr Hanmer had been elected to till tho vacancy in the Waitoa riding, caused by the resignation of Cr. Browning. Anothicu Ovkiwkakt.—The Clerk said an application had been made to the bank manager for an overdraft of £800, and all the necessary information, such as the legal limit, which by the-way is £5,819, had been furnished, but as yet no formal reply had been received; but the cheques had been duly honoured. Thk Mkmbkus.— The members for the Counties of Tanrnnga, Waipa, and Waikato, having been requested to support certain loans, etc., and oppose several Bills now before the House, they had replied expressing their willingness to do so. Mr Whyte wrote:—" I duly received yours «f the itth, enclosing petition, which will receive due consideration. Tho Hospital and Charitable Aid Bill will probably be dropped, or certainly be radically amended. I shall bo glad to support a grant being made towards the widening of the Katikati tiack. I have also seen Messrs Kelly and Jackson with referenco to the threatened (.•Iteration in tho Counties Act relating to the coat of auditing the accounts, and we have arranged, in conjunction with other members, to resent any such alteration." Thk Tb Ahoha Clbrk.—Mr Lawlor, the To Aroha Licensing Clerk, wrote that he was not aware the Council had made provision for his remuneration, or he should have applied for his salary ere this. He enclosed an account for £4 for the last two years. Thompson's Track. — Messrs Hesketh and Richmond wroto for information as to Ihe terms of the agreement, and under what process the lands had been taken for tho road.—The Clerk had replied that no such agreement had been entered into.—lt was thought this was the result of the Council refusing to widen the track as far as Mr Mackie's property. Thk £500 Grant. —In reply to the Council's application to the Government for a £500 grant to extend the Premier track towards Katikati, tho Minister of Mines replied offering a subsidy of £ for £ to the extent of £250.—Mr Kelly also wrote ro this matter.—The Chairman said it practically settled the matter as far as they wero concerned.—Cr. Brunskill stated that a large sum had been placed upon the Estimates' for goldficlds, and it was a pity they could not get a bit of it.—Cr. Williams thought tho Te Aroha people should keep on agitating till they did get some of it. Claim for Damages.—Messrs Roberts and Littlejohn, butchers, of Waiorongomai, forwarded a claim of £7 15s, their horse having fallen into the Diamond Gully, in consequence of the defective stato of the track. They also stated that if the track was not repaired very probably human life would bo sacrificed as nearly all the miners ride to their work.—The Engineer was instructed to inspect the place and report if the accident had been caused by neglect; he was also instructed to get the necessary repairs done at once—lt was resolved to take counsel's opinion as to the liability of the Council for accidents happening on the gold Held tracks. Okouoiui Block.—Mr Bayley, on behalf of the A. A. Co., asked to have the road through the Okoroiri block diverted to run alongside the railways. Tho present road left a narrow strip of land that was almost useless to the Company.—The Chairman thought that as the A. A. Co., wanted the road diverted for their own convenience, they should pay the cost of construction. He did not think it good policy to put roads alongside railways, as accidents often resulted from it. The Company had doubtless received compensation for the depreciation from tho railway authorities.— Mr Bayley said they had not.—Tho Chairman thought it unfair to ask the ratepayers to pay it.— Cr. Heaney said all that had been done to the. present road was, a little bit of ti-tree hud been put in a swampy place.—The engineer was instructed to inspect and report to the Council upon the alternative lines of road, from the Okoroiri station, and to t'o on towards the Matimata boundary if the road was not connected. EsciNKKit's Kki'okt.—Mr Kandes reported that he had In id out the Tanmanci road contract. He thought the money voted would hardly be s'.iflicient, although ho had designed a bridge as cheap as ho could consistent with safety. (This contract was subsequently let to (Jeorge Floyd, at till! 2s fid, he being the only tendeicr. The amount was slightly in excess of the engineer's estimate.)—Mr Rose had kept his bridge approaches in good order, and had topped them up prior to the expiration of his contract next month. He had surveyed Walker's deviation, 100 chains in length, and had prepared plan.s for approval. The usual stops could now be adopted for taking the land under the Public Works Act.—Cr. William* asked if the bridge on the Ttimnnngi road was not in the wrong place.—Tho Engineer said he had put it partly on and partly off tho road to avoid a spur of solid rock.—lt was resolved, if the owners of tho land would agree, to t ike a little more land at this point.—The Engineer said Mr Bates wanted £10 compensation for the deviation of the road through his land, but he had allowed the time during which he should have objected to lapse, and the alteration would only affect him to the extent of ten .perches of land.—The report was adopted. Thk Railway Commissioners.—The Waikato County Council wrote that the Railway Commissioners wore shortly expected to visit the district, »nd pointing out that it was desirable that joint action should be taken by tho local bodies to induce the Commissioners to reduce the rates on agricultural produco and requisites.—Crs. Brunskill and Williams were appointed delegates to meet the representatives of the other local bodies. Slaughtkrinu Licknsk.—Mr Alfred Comes, of Te Aroha, baring complied with the formalities required by the Act, was granted a slaughtering liconso lor his new premises. Tub Tk Aroha Councillors.—Mr Alex. Jamieson, of Waiorongomai, wroto to the Chairman under date <Hth inst. : " As you justly refuted some of Cr. Murphy's misstatements in last Wednesday's Te Aroha News, 1 wish to trouble you still further, and ask you is it a fact that Crs. Murphy and Mills were the only dissentients when the matter of voting a sum of money for the Te Arnha-Waiorongomai Road came before a recent meeting of your Council. Cr. Murphy stated at a public_ meeting held here recently that the Council were unanimous in proposing that instead of voting money the Te Aroha Silver and Gold Mining Company should be sued for damages to the said road. I respectfully wish to know is this statement correct."— Cr. Brunskill moved that the letter be received.—Cr. Murphy moved that all possible information be supplied to Mr Jamie-., son.—Cr. Hunt: Let it Jie on the table.— The Chairman : Let the matter drop and take no notice of it. Thk County Rolls.—A lengthy communication was received from the Colonial Secretary, stating that as the period in which the times for doing the Acts required to prepare and complete the county rolls can be extended under *ection 322 of The Counties Act, 1S80," is limited to 21 days before or after the dates fixed by the Act, it is impossible this year to give the relief contemplated by the section quoted, the result of which will be that the existing county rolls must romain in force till the new one for next year can be made out." It further stated that thirf is to be regretted, but that no blame could be attached to tho Government for the delay.— The Chairman said the roll was made time enough for the Government to have completed it in time. The consequence would be there would be lots of names upon the roll that should not be there, and vice versa. Mktal for Tb Aroha Roads.—Tho engineer, according to instructions from the Council, had endeavoured to secure a supply of stone or gravel in the neighbourhood of Te Aroha. He reported that a man named Michael would sell his unexpired leaso of 14 years, of a section leased from tho natives, for £20. — The Chairman doubted if they could take the land without giving the native's compensation.—Cr. Williams remarked upon tho high price demanded by Te Aroha people for stone, and objected to the Council spending monoy in that district to be fleeced by the inhabitants who received the benefit.—After some further discussion the matter dropped. Waihahakkkk BuilXiK.—Mr Pavitt reported that he had ascertained that the above-mentioned bridge was in the Waitoa riding; the duty of re-building it will there-

fore devolve upon the Road Board of that district. Finance.—Tho following is tho report of tho Finance Committee appointed on July ICth to enquire into and report upon the financial position of the Council:—Gentlemen, —Your committee consisting of Crs. Horrell, Brunskill and myself, met at the Council Office, Cambiidge, on Saturday the 13th day of July ult., and went fully and carefully into the financial condition of the Council, and I have now to submit the following report:—Tho available assets at tho 31st day of March last, were £654 17s 7d ; and the liabilities upon that date £103 17s 2d ; leaving a credit balanco of £551 0s 3d with which to begin tho current financial year. The receipts for the current year, from all souices, exclusive of rates y°" r committee estimato at £942 10s which, added to the credit balance at Ist April last, v/ill make a total available for expenditure of £1493 10s od. estimated expenditure for the current financial year, exclusive of the cost of forming and maintaining main and county roads, bridges and feriies is £1,03$ 3s Id, leaiing ■a balance available for expenditure upon public works of £455 7s 4d. With referenco to main and county roads your committee is of opinion that tho time has now ariived for tho Council to take over the control and maintenance of the more important roads throughout tho county, and therefore recommend that the following district roads be inado county roads :— 1. Tho road commencing at the western boundary of the county near Cambridge, and running eastward to Oxford, and known as tho Cambridge-Oxford road. 2. The road commencing at tho junction at Norris' corner, and running to the south-eastern boundaiy of the Matamata riding, and known as the Cambridge-Tauranga road. 3. The road commencing at a point on the western boundary of the county, and running through Morrinsville to the Waihou river opposite the Te Aroha township, and known as the Thames-Waikato road. To provide the funds for the maintenance of tho foregoing roads, together with those that are already county roads, your committee recommend tho levying of a general rate of one halfpenny in tho £, over the Waitoa, Patetere, Taotaoroa, and Matamata ridings respectively, and ot three-farthings in the £, over the Te Aioha riding. The total ratable value of the county, exclusive of Crown and Native lands, is £1i50,5.53, and the rate would produce £1510 6s 4d, which added to tho balance left from revenue from other sources, after providing for cost of administration, charitable aid, etc,, (£455 7s Id) would leave available for expenditure upon public works the sum of £1965 13s Bd. This sum your Committee propose to allocate as under: Building bridge at Waiorongomai and forming approaches thereto £639 Is (id. Maintaining ferry from Ist April to opening of bridge fur traffic £14 16s. Maintaining roads : — Cambridge-Oxford road, £100; Cambridge-Tauranga road, £300; To Aroha-Lichfield road, £150; ThamesWaikato road, £250; Total for main and county roads £1,453 17s Od, leaving the sum of 45512 available for appoi tionment among the ridings of the county, in accordance with sub section 4 of section 145 of " The Counties Act." Tho sums the respective ridings would bo entitled to upon appointment would be as follows:—TeAroha, £193; Waitoa, £139; Patetere £124; Taotaoroa £12; Matamata, £35; Total £512. Te Aroha special rates: The valuation of tho Te Aroha Riding having shown an increase, the present rate will be sufficient to meet theinterest payment'. £88,740 at 4.d £92 8s 9d ; amount required annually ; £82,105. This rate was not levied for ISBB-9, and owes tho goneral account £145 15s lid for advances made to meet the interest as it fell due, and your Committee call special attention to the necessity of the amount being refunded to the General Fund account. Owing to the great difficulty in collecting this rate, your committee suggest' that it should be collected yearly instead of half-yearly as at present. Patetere special rate: This riding having decreased in value the special rate will have to be amended. The present rate l-12th of a penny in the £, it will, under the present valuation be necessary to raise it to 1 -10th of Id. £214,297 at l-10th of ald —£89 5s 9d. Amount required annually £84 9s Bd. Te Aroha Riding account : Your committee recommend that this account bo re-written, and all items of either receipt or expenditure on account of tho tramway being eliminated therefrom, as the tramway is, in the opinion of the committee, a county work, and should not be charged to the tiding. All subsidies towards the maintenance of the punt at Waiorongomai should also, the Committee think, be charged to the general account and not to the riding. William P. Chki'mei.l, chairman. —The Chairman asked it anyone required further information.—Cr. Murphy asked what tho £150 for the Lich-tield-Te Aroha road meant ?—Cr. Brunskill said it was to maintain that road, which the Council were taking over.—Cr. Heaney tnove4 that the report, as read, be adopted.—Seconded by Cr. Brunskill.—Cr. Mills thought it was a mistake not to make provision for the main road through Te Aroha, which was very much cut up by the goldtields traffic. — The Chairman asked what was the use of tho Council taking over the road when a petition had been got up and an application made to Parliament to declare Te Aroha a borough. —Tho motion was then put and agreed to. County Roams. — The Chairman said that consequent on tho report being adopted, tho main roads mentioned in i t were now caunty roads.—Cr. Murphy said tho Council should make provision far keeping tho road from the railway station and the wharf to the battery in repair. It was in a bad state, and the rates would not be sufficient for the purpose.—The Chairman said he thought it was an unreasonable request'in face of the petition for. a borough.— Cr. Mills: Let it rest for two .months. Okoroiri Sanatorium.—Mrs A. Isaacs wrote, offering to pay £200 towards making a road from the Okoroiri flag station to the boundary of her property at the Hot Springs. She also pointed out that she had already paid £15 survey costs, and had fixed culverts and made ditches to the amount of £30. In a second communication she stated that the county engineer (Mr Sandes) estimated the cost of the road at £500. A petition, signed by fifteen ratepayers—among which were several large ones—of the Patetere riding, was likewise received, praying the Council would make the road, as it would increase the value of all property in the district and be a great convenience to those travelling between the railway line and the Te Aroha-Lichfield road.—Cr. Williams asked if the money could uot be borrowed for the purpose.—Cr. Heanoy stated that he was authorised by Mr Rich to say that Mr L. 1). Nathan would advance the money, and that he (Mr Rich) was prepared to supplement Mrs Isaacs donation by a further sum of £50.—Mr Bayley did not think the road could be properly made for much under £1000.—Mr Isaacs offered to do tho work for £500.—Mr Bayley said the Auckland Agricultural Company did not wish to stand in the way, but they wanted the work well done. He intimated that the Company would only charge about £1 per acre for the land if the road was put where they wanted it.—After a very lengthy discussion, it was resolved to take initiative Bteps to borrow the money to make the road right through to the Te Aroha-Lich-field road, on the distinct understanding that|the donations of £200 will still be made. •Rates.—lt was then resolved to strike the rates, mentioned in the finance report, at tho next meeting. Road Maintenance.—The Councillors representing tho various ridings were empowered to put on surfacemen, if necessary, to keep the roads in outlying districts in repair until such time as the Council make other arrangements for their maintenance. Finance Committee.—The Chairman, Crs. Horrell and Brunskill, were appointed a standing Finance Committee, two to form a quorum, to examine accounts. Waitoa Briimsb.— The reported the Waitoa bridge unsafe for traffic. He was ordered to prepare plans and specifications for a new one. Traction Engines.—On tho motion of the Chairman, it was resolved to take preliminary steps to form bye-laws to regulate the traffic of traction engines. He stated that it would perhaps be best for each County Council to make their own, and the Clerk whs instructed to write to the Waipa and Waikato Councils to that effect. Camhridgk-Tauranga Road.—ln consequence of the Bank overdraft standing at £010 lis lOd, the Council decided not to proceed with the deviation works upon tho above road until after the next meeting, when the rates will be struck. Accounts. —Tho following accounts wero passed for payment :—C. Murphy, £3 10s ; T. Wells, 15s; G. Walker, £60 4s 9d; P. Ham, £9 19s; A. Heaney, £4 7s; A. Bremn », £1 3s 2d; J. Ilott, £11 5s ; T. M. Lawlor, £4 ; C. Tuck, £15 3j 7d ; C. Collins, £4 7s; C. Ahier, £30 2s 7d ; MoMiinnermaiin, £5; W. Ilethonngton, £3; M. Powell, £16; J. Emmett, £10 7s ; J. Orr, £2 10s ; J. Robinson, £9 2s; T. Bain, £2 10s ; I<\ Pavitt, £9 8s ; J. Mills, £4 7s. Total, £258, 18s lOd. Tins was all the business.