PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2935, 7 May 1891, Page 2

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

J The ordinary monthly meoting of the above-named Council was held on Tuesday last, at Morrinsville. Present: Crs. Chepmell (chairman), Bailey, Browne, Hanmer, Herries, Heaney, Hunt, Horrell and Harrison. Te Akoha Tramway.—The first business taken was the matter of the tramway leaso at To Aroha, and correspondence on tho matter was read from Messrs Devore & Cooper (solicitors to the tramway lessees), W. M. I lay (solicitor to the Council), and Hesketh and Richmond (solicitors for Messrs .T. M. and A. Clark). Those gentlemen (Messis Clark) are at present, tho bondsmen to tho Council ill tho sum of .1)1500 for tho keeping in working order of the tramway, and also for tho payment of £'100 per annum rental for the said tramway for tho remainder of the term—six and a-h ilt years. Messis Clark now seek to bo relieved from their responsibility in the matter, as the tramway has, together with tho plant, been handed over by tho Te Aroln Silver and Cold Mining Company to Mr Wick. Mr A. Clark was present, and addressed tho Council at som-3 length, and after a long discussion, an adjournment was made for au hour. After the adjournment, an oiler was made by Mr Ciark to battle tho matter, and the following resolution was passed : " That the Te Aroha Silver and Gold Mining Company having neglected to carry out the conditions and covenants set forth in the tramway lease, that tho bondsmen (Messrs Clark) bo released from their bonds in cotiuee'.ion with the lease of the tramway, in consideration of the payment bv them to tho Council of Ihe sum of £1000, tho Council agreeing, subject to tho approval of the Waiden, to co-enter on the premises of the tramway and to resume possession of tho said tramway and all the chattels set forth in the said lease, the present lessees being relieved from all liability to repair tho tramway or replace tho missing tools. The foregoing resolution only to take effect provided that the Council's solicitor is of opinion that tho Council is acting within their legal rights in agreeing to do as abovo set forth." The Council unanimously passed this resolution after maturo consideration. The County engineer stated that it would take about £230 to put the tramway in order and tho amount jf back rent due bsitig £130 swallows up £400 out of tho £LOOO, thus leaving tho Council £000 in hand. Swing Gate.—Regarding tho application fro.u Mr Turner to erect a swing gate on the Cainbridge-Taurauga road at Taotaoroa it was resolved that he be not allowed to put up a gate owing to the largo amount of traffic on tlifl road. Thames Hauuouk Boahl'.—The clerk reported that lie had written to tho Government asking them to appoint Mr J. L. Bagnall as the Council's representative on tho Thames Harbour Board, but no reply

hud been as yet received. Waotu Road.—No reply has been received from tho Government re the application for £100 to put the Cainbridge-Waotu road in good order. Audit Fkks. —A letter was received from the Auditor-General in regard to tho. payment of audit fees, stnfitig that he had deducted the amount, of £(i from tmhsidies accruing to the Council to pay for the audit. The action of the Auditor-General in stopping the said sum of £<> was characterised as absolutely dishonest, anil the wording of his letter was summed up in one word, "cheok." —The Chairman spoke very strongly on the subject, and siid that if Government servants were to be allowed to stop, say. £22 for an illegal charge (and it had boon proved very clearly to he illegal), they .might just as well stop, say, the whole of the Council's subsidies in order to bolster up some department in Wellington.—lt was resolved to got a legal opinion as to the action of the Auditor-General, and the Council will, if possible, proceed against him for wrongfully converting monies to which tho Council wa6 entitled. The Audi-tor-General's letter was a work of art, and he stated that it was no use of the Council fighting against the charge, because, even if it was proved to be illegal, he said that tho Government would put it right either by fresh legislation or by an Order-in-Council.

Tknj>eus.—Tho following tonder3 were received for works Kilgour-street, Waioroneomai: J. Emett, £24 18s (accepted) ; J. Maisey, £2G 10s ;J. Orr, £27. Contract No. 15, Oxford-Matamata road—J. Shine : Main roads Vllts ; Mangawboro »t>ction, £30; total, £108 9s (accepted). J. Walker : Main road, £145 14s (id ; Mangawhero section, £20 15s ; total, £172 9 s lid. W. Heaney : Main road, £150 ; Mangawhero section, £25 ; total, £175. Finance Commit tek's llkpout.—The Finance Committee of the Council reported as follows:—The estimated available assets for expenditure on county works is £787 0s 6d, and the committee propose to augmuut the same by levying a general rate over the whole county of one-farthing in the £, The following amounts have been spent during tho last year :—Thames-Waikato road, .4200; allocated for current year, £330. Cambridge-Tauranera road, £123 ; allocated for current year, £320. Cambridge-Oxford road, £2(1 ; allocated for current year, £250. Cambridge-Waotu road : Amount allocated for present year, £150 (nothing spent last year). I'e Aroha-Lichfield road, £534 ; allocated for present year, £335. Te ArohaLichfield road within Te Aroha Town District : Amount allocated, £75, making a total estimated expenditure on main roads of £1,4ii0 for the current year. The riding accounts stand—Te Aroha riding: Credit, £10 4s 3d ; rate of Jd in the £ to be levied, £75; total, £91 4s 3d. Patetere riding : Debit balance, £308 0s 7d ; estimated expenditure in the riding during current year, £25113s 5d ; total, £920. This amount the committee propose to meet by a threefarthings separate rate over the riding, estimated to produce £020. Wwitoa riding : Credit balance, £124 lis 9d. Taotaoroa riding : Credit balance, £21. The committee recommend that the amounts to the credit of these ridings be handed over to tho \\ aitoa and Taotaoroa Road Boards respectively for expenditure, provided this can be legally done. Matainata riding : Balance to debit of this riding, £5 9s t>ij.

Rates. —Tho Council then resolved to strike the following rates : General county rate, }d in the pound; Patetere Riding, Jd in tho pound (separate); Te Aroha Riding ja in the p.wnd (special), and in the pound (separate.) Financial Position.—The clerk stated that the Council had never been in so sound a financial position since its start as it was at tho present time, Te Akoiia-Katikati Track.—lt was resolved to spend £10 in clearing and repairing the Te Arnha-Katikati track within the boundary of the county.

Cambriiige-Tauranoa Road.—The Engineer was instructed to etfect certain repairs to the Cambridce-Tauranga road near Mnngawhara, and to erect certain lingor posts for tho accommodation of tho travelling public.