PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 3001, 8 October 1891, Page 2

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Tiik above body met at Mornnsvilb on Tuesday, when there were present: Crs. W. P. Chepmell (chairman), K. W. Hamner, M Ha rrison, W. 11. Herries, .1. S. Browno and J. Bailey. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.

Tub Counties Bill.—We published a little titr.o since correspondence that had passed between the council and various members of the House re this Bill : however, the finale was a wire received on September 21st. from Colonel Frnser, as follows:—" Lords kicked nut Counties Bill by 15 to 10, so you are as you were, and perhaps just as well." Tub Solicitor's Squaiim-u.— Mr .Inmes Hally, of Oambndgo, wrote on September sth Transfer Bates to the Queen. T have this day sent Mrs Bates' certificate of title to tlie District Land Ileeistrar at Auckland, and I have by this post advised your solicitor, Mr Hay, of the fact. Mr Hay will now, if he wishes to do so, be able to eet the above transfer registered, and I will bti glad to receive, at us early a date as possible, the £8 fixed as compensation. If Mr Hay should refuse to avail himself of this opportunity for registration, Mrs Bates will expect to be paid interest on the above sum until the date of settlement. " —No communication had been received from Mr Hay about the matter, and it was resolved to pay Mrs Bates tlie £S on the deed being completed. The Da.maokd Tramway Trucks.—Regarding the claim for £50 that had been paid by Messrs Clark for damage done to two tramway trucks while the line was in their charge just previous to the lease being cancelled, which the council at Inst meeting refused to refund, Mr Arch. Clark wrote to the county clerk under date September 18th, as follows " I have to acknowledge receipt of your favour of Bth inst., intimating that the County Council declined to accede to our request for a rofund of the difference between the actual cost of repairing two trucks and the amount (£SO) which had been demanded from and paid by us. I wish to point out, in reply to remarks icported to have been made by the chairman at your last meeting, that there was no unreasonable delay in paying the £1,000. as agreed upon, for cancelling tho lease of the tramway, and that such delay oh occurred was caused to some extent by the Council's solicitor; that when the otfer of £1,000 was made and accepted, no time was specified within which tho motley was to be paid, and, as the Council knew that others were interested besides Messrs J. M. Clark, and A. Clark, it was only just and reasonable that sufficient time xliouH be allowed to enable them to arrange with tho others as to their proportionate payments ; also, that time was necessary to get the requisite deeds prepared and approved by the solicitors of the various parties interested. But had thero been unreasonable delay (which I do not admit), the claim for £50 was made, not as a penalty on account thereof, nor by way of interest, but it was specifically stated to be on account of two trucks damaged. We acknowledge our liability for the repairs of these trucks, hut deny that our liability extends beyond the actual cost of such repair?, T. understand that the Council has called for tenders for repairing^trucks, including the two under discussion, and that a tender lias been accepted for repairing the whole 32 for the sum of £21. I therefore b,>g again to request that the Council will refund to us the difference between the actual cost of repairs and the sum paid hy us, as a matter of common fairness ; and that you will bring tho matter before the Council for its consideration. Regarding tho statement that information as to the damages had been withheld, I can only say that the first intimation or knowledge which I bad about the accident was the dpinand from your solicitor for the £50 in question.— Cr. Hanmer thought the letter a very fair one that only stated facts, and he should certainly move that a refund bo made. The telegram sent to Messrs Clark had clauned £50 for damage dona to trucks, and the repairs had been a mere trifle. If the matter had been discussed at the last meeting after tho tenders for the repairing of the whole of the trucks had been opened, he believed the result would have been different. He moved " that a refund of £35 be made to Messrs Clark." This lie considered would leave a sufficient, amount to pay for all damages and also any extra expenso that had been incurred.—Cr. Herries seconded the motion : but would rather the amount of refund had been £40. He said the whole of the tru?.ks had been repaired for £'21, and he considered it would be dishonoiiiible not to return a great portion of the £50. Ho did not wish to cist a slur upon their chairmm for having m ule the charge, on the contrary they were indebted to him, but because ho had ohtiined too much it was no reason why they should keep it all. The Chairman said tlie first telegram received from Messrs Clark offered to pay for tho damage done ; but that was refused and they then agreed to pay tlie £50. It was a game of chance; neither tho Council nor Messrs Clark knew tho amount of damage done, but the Council offered to accept the risk for £50, which had been paid and ho doubted if they could legally refund any of it. —Tho matter was discussed at great length, and Cr. Browne moved an amendment that it be adjourned till next meeting, which lapsed for want of a seconder. —The motion was then put and lost by four to two, only the mover and seconder voting for it. The Tkamway Rkpout. —Mr Gavin reported on the Trainwav as follows: —During the past five weeks in which time there has been sent over the line 213 trucks of quartz and 9 trucks of wood etc., there was no quartz run down from the sth to the 1-lth, and during that time I had the men engaged at repairs, puttinsr in sleepers on the horse grado at the top of Butler's spur where the line had got so bad that wa could not get the trucks along, and having got a supply of sleepers I engaged more hands to push on the work. I started to run quartz on the 34th with three men and have kept on ever sinc6; at tho same time I have had five men putting in the new sleepers and up to the present there have been 443 put in and we have got half the grade done. I am loaving in any of the old sleepers that are sound, but they are very few, not more than two in a chain, so thero will not be sufficient sleepers in the present contract to finish tho grade we are at, and there will bo a lot required for the other grades ; fully 500. The sleepers that are being supplied are mostly kauri and are very good, they will last a long time if tho water is not allowed to lodge on them. I encloso tho pay sheet and a list of the quartz and wood sent over tho line since August 7th.—lt was resolved to call for tenders for 000 sleepers and Crs. Hamner and Herries were authorised to open and accopt such tenders.

Repairs to thk Tramway.—The following tenders were received for erecting bridges etc. on tho tramway : Geo. Devey, £.7.) 10s; P. Booth, &">:! 12s; .Tames Milis, £50 10s; D. McL. Wallaco, £18.-The last mentioned being tho lowest was accepted. Gordon Special Settlement.—Or Hurries handed tlm Council £70 sent by the Settlement Association to bo spent upon the rourls within the settlement, tho Council giving a like amount.—Tho following tenders were received for the work:— Munro's Hill: Jas. Orr, £H7 7s; B. Moutaguo. £1!! 10s; (accepted). Bridges: Mills, £511 7s ; P. Booth, £12 lus(accepted.) Dam: B. Montague, £4ii 10s (accepted.) Thackray's Hill: >Tas. Orr, £ln (accepted.) Kncinkeh's Retort.- Mr T. G. Sandes reported : I. send herewith vouchers for various accounts due for works in I'atotero riding, lie Shine's account : Tho work has now linen properly finished. ] had to lift one whole sot of l'S-inch pipes, and partially lift one and re-sot thorn. Tho stumping (which 1 ir.ay say hail not been even touched by Shine) has been well done, and the road now is quite safe for tralfic. I think my oxponses should be charged against the contract, as I had to make theso two trips specially on account of Shine's " laches " ; and as he madu me go up twice more than I liad occasion to do before owing to his beinjr behind time, I cannot eee that tb^

council should pay it. I deducted (or rather hold back) l'2l 0s Id from his account. to finish the work with, and it iias cost €10 !>s, )ilus (.'2 Us, for my expenses, leaving him a balance ol I'l Ss Id, for which I send a voucher. Ward's work has been done satisfactorily. Hiker is getting on well, and making a good job of Xo. Hi contract. Isaac's to Tapap i road: 1 forward herewith conveyance of land from Mrs Isaacs to the Queen, for which you will see the Registrar of Lands requites a fee of tit for registration. Re Gorton giaud pit: The proprietor (by his agents) is prepared to give the council the land as a permanent pit as a freehold, and I suppose th.it a conveyance will have to be prepared and the land duly do lic.at.ed, WattamV. contract, is proceeding well, and ho keeps to his work satisfactorily. — Report received.

Mokkinhvim.k Ckmctkhy.—-Mr P.ivitt handed in a plan of the cemetery, and until a properly constituted board of trustees is appointed, Mr Mark Harrison has kindly undertaken the duties of registrar and general superintendent of the cemetery. The scale of charges were fixed is follows : —zVdult : Digging grave, 10s ; registering, etc., Ss (id. Under 12 years : Digging grave, /.s ; registering, etc., Ss IJd. To secure ground in perpetuity : Single grave (in addition to above charges), SI os ; double grave, ,£2 os,

Accoi-'NTS.—The following accounts were passed for payment L. W. Cooke, £2 10s ; Geo. Walker, £1!) !)s ; John Barker, £30 ; 15. Ward, £10 4s : Geo. Waltam, £lli Is ; T. G. Sandbs, £0 13s 7d ; J. S, Bond, £2 lis ; J. ii. Eunnett, £7 10s ; C. Ahier, £4 Ss 3,1 : J. Cew, £1 Ss : R. Michael'. £1 Ss ; J. McCloed, £2 12s ; W. McClear, 14s; F. Booth, £1 17s (id ; Devev and Sons, £11! Ids ; J. H. Emmett. £2 17s (id ; W. A. Prime, £1 10s 9d ; Robinson and Cording, £!)!) ; 1). McL. Wallace, £2.1 7s ; R. Parr, £S 13s; J. Collins, £1 10s; 11. VV. Baskerville, £lj Ss lid ; tramway wages sheet, £83 3s; F. Pavitt, £18 Is 3d ; Te Aroha News, £4 4s; J. S. Browne, 0i 10; District Laud Registrar, .£l. This concluded the business.