PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3052, 6 February 1892, Page 2

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Thk following is the remaining portion of the business done at Morrinsvilla on Tuesday la-it:—

Katikati Tkack.—Cγ. Hemes spoke of the bad state of this track and suggested that the Council should apply t'i the

Government to have it repaired, it being a Government road, at the traffic over itwas becoming greater every week, and in addition to travellers, large mobs of sheep and cattle were frequently tiken that way.— Cr. Harrison said the chairman of the Tauranga County Council came over the track a day or so previous, and some portions of it were so bad that he had to get off his horse and drive the animal in front of him. Something should be done to make the Government attend to it=> duty and keep the track in a good sUte.—lt was resolved to write the Government about the matter, but the Councillors appeared to be afraid that the reply will be the old stereotyped one " that no money is available for the work."

A Vindication. —Thn folio wins letter was forwarded by Mr D. MoL. Wnllace, of Waiorongomai, under date of January 9th. In justifiacation to Mr Wallace we give it injextenso, hehavin »—to our thinking good grounds for complaint. Thfi letter to the Council was as follows :—I have to apologise to yon for intruding nn your valuable time.bnt I cannot allow Mr Gavin's report as published in the Waikato Tijiks of December 24th (a copy of which I herewith enclose), to pass without giving yiu my siile of tha story. Anyone reading the report would be under the impression that I had refused to give up the old turntable when asked to do so, and that Mr Gavin considered it necessary to take action

neainst me, to make me take the said turntibia back to the tramway. Now, gentlemen the facts of the case are as follows: When I finished putting in the new turntable I was compelled to rear the old one against the handrail on the tressel work, so ns to allow the trucks to run on the line -, it was left there for five days after I had completed my job, and then I removed it down to my shop. Mr Pavitt, your engineer, came along to look at the work that had been going on, and I explained to him that I had taken the old turn-table, and

showed it him. He asked me what weight I thought was in it. I told him about 4cwt. I thought Mr Pavitt then said : "It aught to be worth a little." I replied, if he

thought so I would give old iron price for it. This was all that passed about the matter

just then; and Mr Pavitfc being my boss on the contract, I though it was entirely in his hands. Mr Gavin, two days after this, asked me where the old turntible was. when I replied : " Hera it is ! Do yon want it?" Gavin said : " Oh, no ! I don't want it, but if they aak me were it is, I would like to be able to tell them." Next day ho must have written his report accusing me of sharp prnctice and trying to take advantage of your Council, also stating that the old turn-tiible is a complete turn-table, as good as the day it was put down. This, Rentlemen, is a wilful untruth, as anyone with any practical knowledge can testify who sees the old plate. If the old turntable is a good one, then Mr Gavin has been guilty of squandering public money, in recommending and allowing the said table to be lifted. Mr Tuck (the County clerk), sent a written notice to me to return the old turn-table, (this was about ten days after Gavin first spoke about the turn-table), it was handed to me by Mr Gavin with the exclamation, " A-ha ! you are in for it now." This was said in the presence of two witnesses. I told Gavin I did not want the t iblo if it did not justly belong to me, and that I would return it immediately. I spoke to the carter and he took it back. This table was on the tramway tout days before your last meeting; but it sflems to me that Mr Gavin was nut very prompt in supplying this information. Now, gentlemen, this report was written to damage me in the eyes of your Council, and may tend to damage me with my customers in my business; and I would very much like t> thrash the matter out before your honourable Council, with Mr Gavin, inyself, and witnesses present. Then you will be able to get at the root of the whole affair, a.ld find out who is telling the truth. Aa a ratepayer of the Te Aroha Riding, I leave the matter in your hands, knowing that as n fair and impartial body you will look into the case, and not allow your manager, Mr Gavin, to call any man a thief unless he has substantial grounds for doine so.—l have the honour to be, etc., D. McL. Wallace.—Cr. Harries said he had not heard Mr Gavin's letter read at the previous meeting, or he certainly should not have allowed it to pass without comment. He did not wonder that Mr Wallace felt aggrieved.—Tho Chairman wvid they could not hold an enquiry, and if the Council expressed itself satisfied with the explanation given Mr Wallace would doubtless be satisfied, for he had scored heavily agiinsfc Mr Gavin.—On the motion of Cr. Hurries, seconded by Cr. Harrison, the following resolution was unanimously agreed to: "That Mr Wallace's explanation be accepted as satisfactory." Thirds. —Mr Macky wrote, asking if the Council had received the balance of thirds due upon his holding (Section fi3, Block 12, Te Aroha), and if they had he should be glad to receive same for work done, as per agreement.—The thirds referred to had not been received, and one of the councillors said the clerk had better write the collector of land revenue about it, but Or. Harrison said it was no use doing so as that individual was in prison for embezzlement, and, perhaps, he had "collared" the thirds.—The Chairman said he had many times vainly endeavoured to get iuformation in respect to thirds ; but it did not matter how yon went nbout it all you could get was absolutely nothing. He did not think there was any other Government Department about which so little was known ar was kept so closo, and it was most unsatisfactory to those interested. Tramway Report.—Mr Gavin reported on the working of the tramway from December 21st, as follows : In my last report I recommended the putting in of sleepers on the Fern Spur grade, and I kept on the men I had at repairs until that was finished on January 2nd, then I discharged five and kept on three men thut work the line, and I still have them on. Wβ have run what wood and quartz there was to run and the rest of the time has beon spent at repairs on different parts of the line, the principal part of which was replacing old sleepers with new from top of Fern Spur to the bottom of Butler's ; besides which we have put some timber in Canadian tunnel, cleared a slip at Butler's Spur, and put in prevontati ve posts at each brake, as recommended by the Mining Inspector on his last visit to your line, which is for the purpose of keeping the men safe in the event of the ropes breaking. Your line is now in good working order. I attach pay sheet and freight return. The expenditure was £73 10s, and the income from the tramway from December 21st to January 30th was only £2. Thamks-Waikato Road.—Cr. Harrison directed attention to repairs that were needed upon this road, and Mr Pavitt was authorised to get the work done. Audit Matteks.—The half yearly balance sheet was received from the Audit Department duly certified to as correct, but the A.udicor-Gencral could not refrain from appandicg a memo about the subsidy that tho Council contend he caused to be illegally stopped to pay costs of audit. Roads.—Mr Sandes reported the reads that are in charge of Geo. Waitam as in an excellent stnte. These are in the Taotaoroa riding. This concluded the business.