PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2909, 7 March 1891, Page 2

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

TllK above Council met at Morrinsville on Tuesday at 11 a.m. Present : The Chairman (Cr. W. P. Chepmell), Councillors J, Howell, A. Heaney, N. I. Hunt, W. H. Herries, J. S. Browne and M. Harrison. The minutes of the previous meeting, held iu Jannary, were read and confirmed. Isaacs' Road.—Mr A. Isaacs wrote asking the Council to take over the road he had made near his property at Okoroire, and stating he would guarantee the platform bridges for five years.—Cr. Browne said the traffic would be heavy up in that road in a short time.—Mr Sandes said the

bridges referred to were not strong enough, the ordinary coach traffic passing along the road had already injured one of them and he was sure they would not stand heavy traffic.—lt was resolved to inform Mr Isaacs that as the engineer reports tho bridges are not fit for the probable traffic, the Council cannot take the road over until the bridges are erected to the satisfaction of the County engineer. The Tramway at W.uorongo.uai.— No reply having been received from Messrs Heskcth and Richmond or Mr Gilfillan re tho transfer of the tramway lease, and no rent having been paid, the clerk »vas instructed to write again asking that the matter receiv'o prompt attention. The Fight Over the Audit Fees.— The clerk having written to the Colonial Treasurer asking for a refund of £l(i, stopped out of subsidy due to tho Council, for audit fees ; the Chairman had received the following reply -.—Wellington, 12th February, 18'Jl.— Sir,—l have the honour by the direction of the Colonial Treasurer to acknowledge tho receipt of your letter of the 30th ultimo objecting to the deduction of £113 made by tho Treasury from moneys payable to your Council, at tho instance of the Controller and Auditor-General, being amount duo for audit fees, and applying for refund of the amount. In reply I am to inform you that cho audit fees are payable under section 0 of " Tho Public Revenues Act, ISKIi," as amended by section 3 of " The Public Revenues Act, 1800," and the deduction from subsidy of the amount owing was made in accordance with the provisions of section 12 of " The Appropriation Act, 18' JO." I am to add that the Government feels sure the Council would not desire to put the ratepajers to the expense of compelling the Controller and Auditor-General to set tho machinery of tho law in motion to recover a sum lawfully payable by tho Council. 1 am, etc, Jas. B. Hey wood. Secretary to the Treasury.— Tho Chairman said it was truly wonderful to find how the Auditor-General and Treasury could Map their wings and hop from one perch to ainther, ot as soon as they were tackled on one point change to another. He had not the Act with him but as near as he could recollect section 12 of tho Appropriation Act ISOO, stated " The Colonial Treasurer is hcrehy authorised to issuo and pay out of consolidated fund, by way of temporary advance, anv sum or sums, not exceeding £1000 in the whole, for the purpose of defraying any charge or expenses incurred by or on behalf of any local governing body. All such advances shall lie repaid to the consolidated fund out of the first moneys thereafter accruing tn such local governing

body, and mav be deducted or recovered by the. Colonial Treasurer accordingly. Local body means County Council, Town Board, R"ad Bard, River Board or Education Board, or any other body or person to whom moneys are paid or payable out, wf consolidated fund." The Chairman continuing said it was a short act that was enacted from year to year to meet cases of emergency and certainly was not intended to authorise the Treasury to advance money to pay charges unlawfully made. He thought they should write back to tho Colonial Treasurer and answer his letter seriatim, pointing out the errors, and demand that the. amount be paid to the Council with as little delay as possible. They might very well quote the last clause of tho letter from the Treasury—with a slight alteration, and say the Council feels sure the Government will not put the ratepayers to the expense of compelling the Council to set the law in motion to recover an unlawful withholding of money payable to the Council.—The Clerk was instructed to reply to the letter of the Colonial Treasurer pointing out that the Acts and Sections referred to by him do not apply to County Councils. Mohk Audit Fki:s.—A further demand of £fi was received from the Auditor Generol for auditing the County accounts of September 30th, 1890. —It was resolved : That the Auditor General be informed in reply that he is in error in supposing these fees arc payable by County Councils, and that the Council decline to pay the amount claimed. Mohkinsvii.lk Cemetery.—Tho committee appointed for the purpose had chosen a site for the cemetery and had had a survey and plan made. Orders wero givpn to have a deed of conveyance made which will be presented to tho rjonors of the land for signature. Tho Chairman said the site was in every way suitable and abutted on the main road. A Road Wantei I .—Mr C. Ring again wrote re a road to his land at Rangitanuku, and asked the Council to lay out a road even if it could not be formed. The Council decided to adhere to its former decision not to do anything in the matter at present. Thames Hahiiouk Board.—'Thochairinau staled that through a letter having miscarried, the Council had failed to appoint a member of the Thames Harbour Board at the last meeting and now the appointment would rest with the Governor, but it would bo advisable to recommend someone who would represent the ratepayers well, for if the Harbour Board got a loan a portion of the Countv ratepayers would probably suffer.—Cr. Browne spoke of the hardship of Harbour Board rates to settlers at a distance from the port, and said the Oainaru Harbour Board District extended half-way across to the West Coast.—Cr. Heaney : Look how Mr Bailey's furniture was sold at Hawera to pay for the Now Plymouth harbour works, which were actually detrimental to tho trade of the former place.—Mr Bagnall was mentioned as being the most likely to hold similar views to the Council, and the Chairman was authorised to make enquiries with a view to recommending to the Governor a suitable person to ruprebent the Council on the Board. The Licensing Act.—The woriing of the Licensing Act, as to the appointment of presiding officers at licensing elections, being somewhat ambiguous, it was decided to take counsel's opinion upon the matter.

Ti; A koh.v LicKX.sr.NO Ci.ekk. — The salary of tho clerk to the To Aroha Licensing Committee was raised to £4 per annum, —Cr. Herries moved that, it be £o us, but there was no seconder. —This is really a drop of £1, as Te Aroha formerly contributed £3 and the Council £2, but now the former does not pay anything Waiohonoom.u.—Mr Jas. Clark wrote asking the Council to have tho drains on the Lichtield-To Aroha road at Waiorongoinai cleaned out, and offered to contribute labour to the extent of £3. —Mr Pavitt said the total cost would be £s.—lt was resolved to accept Mr Clark's otfer and have the work done.

Te Ahoha.—Mr A. Bosson wrote stating the drain near Mr Howden's property at Te Aroha was stopped up and caused several sections of land to be flooded. —It was resolved to cleanse the drain, for which work tenders will be called. Katikati-Te Aroha Track.—Mr T. Dalzell, of Katikati, wrote asking the Council to have this track cleared, as it was now much used by mobs of sheep.—The clerk was instructed to ascertain if the track in question is a public road, and if so who has the control of it. Taotaoroa.—Mr H. J. Turner applied for leave to erect a ?ate across the Cam-bridge-Tauranga road at Taotaoroa. —It was resolved that the application be not granted. Slatohter-Hou.ses.—Constable Sheehan reported favourably upon the condition of the slaughter-houses in the Te Aroha and Wuitna ridings.—Jas. H. Rowe, of Te Aroha, and Thomas Rowe, of Waihou, were granted renewals of their licenses ; nnd Alfred Cornes license was transferred to Win. J. Hyde. Pat at ERE. —Mr Bartholomew .Ward was appointed registrar of dogs for this riding. Valuation Roll.—There were a number of applications for alteration of the valuation roll, and the clerk was instructed to take the necessary steps to comply with the requests. Te.vdkrs.—The following tenders were received for works on the Lichfinld;Te Aroha road : —Contract No. 1, near Wairakau, J. H. Himnett, £1!); R. Parr, £1S; Jas. Orr, £17 10.-. Contract No. _, at Shaftesbury : R. Parr, £2!) lis ; Jas. Orr, £27 2*. Contract No, 3, at Waiharakiki Settlement: Jas. Collins, £25 ; Jas. Orr, J3IS 10s. Mr Orr's tenders were accepted for each of the contracts. Waiiioc.— Mr R. Pari- waited upon the Council, and asked that the road between the sale yards and the at Waihou should be further drained. —The Council exgressed its willingness to do the work if there was sufficient fall for the water, and Mr Pavitfc was instructed to take the levels and report at the next meetingof the Council. Thames-Waikato Road,—Cr. Harrison called attention to the bad state of the above road between Motumaoho railway station and Gilford's road. —It was decided to repair th.3 cultings and gravel the road ; the work will be let by tender.

Accounts.—The following accounts were passed for payment: —'l'e A.roha News, A.3 5 s ; Honi Campbell, 18s ; Toi Toi, 18s ; R. Richardson, £0; Waikato Timber Co., £7 7s ; T. J. Grainge, 18s 3d ; J. 11. Emmett, £45; C. Ahinr, £1 I'm Od; P. Ferßiisson, £1 os ; H. Michael, £'4 ; B. Montague, £3 ss; .J. Shine, £54 13s ; J. Cjllins, £4 7s; F. I'avitt, £10 (is 3d. This concluded the business.