WAIPA COUNTY COUNCIL

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3054, 11 February 1892, Page 2

WAIPA COUNTY COUNCIL

The usu»l monthly meeting of the Wai pa County Council was held at the Council Chambers, Ohaupo, at 11 a.m., on Tuesday. There were present: Crs. Lang, chairman, Finch, Anderson, Shepherd, Elmsley. Teasdale, Smith, Exelby, Kusabs. Mr A. Armstrong, County Engineer, was also in attendance. Enoinkek's Rbpobt.—ln his monthly report the engineer stated, that the contracts in hand are being pushed on by the various contractors in n fairly satisfactory manner, although the time for the completion of most of them has expired owing to the difficulty in obtaining hands during the harvesting. The contractor for No. 147, which was let some time ago not having made a start on Thursday last was served with a notice to proceed forthwith, otherwise the contract would be taken out of his hands and finished at his risk. It will be necessary to close the Waipa bridge at' Alexandra which \a unsafe, the stringers and most of the piles being in an advanced stage of decay and quite past repairing. To replace thir, bridge with ono of the same class would probably cost £700 or £800. The outfall drain from Cox's at Te Awamutu, has been oleared out. In company with Cr. Smith, the engineer inspected the road between the Alexandra-Te Awamutu and Alexandra-Paterangi roads. The road is about If miles long, the country being broken more particularly approaching the river, the west bank of which is of considerable height. He found that the eurvey of this road had not been completed there boing a gap of about 20 chains in the middle unsiirvoyed, and until this is done there would bo little use going to any expense in making the road. The small bridge near BeercKourt, on the Hamiltnn-Ngaruawahia road requiring repairs he suggested that it be replaced with a pipe culvert. Having taken the levels, the engineer handed in a section and estimate of grading the road near the Paterangi school.—Cr. Finch said that the Btate of the Waipa bridge was a very serioas mutter for Alexandra, but he did not see where money was to come from to replace it. It was resolved on the motion of Cr. Smith that the ends of the bridge be fenced and that notice be given that the bridge is closed for all traffic. Cr. Exelby reported he had seen Mr Jolly who hud said he would clear his furze if others were made to do the same. He suggested that notices be served on Messrs Hume and Medlands to grub up the furze on the itfg3.ruawabia-Hamilton mad in front of their properties. The clerk was instructed to serve notices on all persons throughout the county who have furze encroaching on the roads. With reference to the petition for opening the road between the PaterangiAlexandra and the Alexandra-Te Awamutu roads, the matter was left in Cr. Smiths hand to report at next meeting. Cr. Eselby moved j;hat the bridgo near Beerescourt be replaced with pipes as recommended by the engineer.—Seconded by Gr. Shepherd and earned.—On the motion of Gγ. Finch It was de;ided that the grading near the Puterangi school be gone on with. RioiNC Accounts.— The following Btate-

ment of riding accounts for tho poriod ending Kobruarv. Oth, I.S'.L , , was hiid on the t»bln by tli« KiigiiiHfr :—N«wc:istl«: Amount "f vlitri, £74; total pxpi-ndnd to d..tt\ £3(il 17s 2d ; I'ver-speut, £287 17s 2.1. Tnhikar.imea • Amount ot vott», £21; total oxoende.d to flite. £32 10s ; over-spent, £11 10s. Hamilton: Amount of vntn, £04; t-ital expended to datn. 8s 10il ; credit bnlancn from previous allocations, £29 9s ; to expend, £03 os2il. Pukfikiir.i: Amount of vote, £143; total expended to dats, £430 15 !)d ; overspent, £203 15s 9J. Mangapiko: Amount of vote, £83 ; t'.tnl expended to date, £117 ■U 8d ; over-spant. £34 14s Bd. Raneinohia : Amount of vote, £123 ; titil expended to date, £132 2s; over-spent, £925. Expended on bri'tges and culverts: Newcastle. £193 12s 7d; Hamilton, £25 18<: Pukekura, £357 3s lid ; Mangapiko, £02 7« 2d.

Accounts. —Payment of the following accounts was authorised :—Frinr, Davis and Co., 4s 2d ; R. Fleming, £3 7s Oil ; T. Rothwell, £2; R. Carter, £12 10s; T. Cowley, £10 3s; L. McKinnon, 15.1; Cronin and Conn, £8 Cs 8d; McNaul Bros., £15 12s Gd ; \V. Given, £S 9s ; H. T. Sibley, £3 5s ; T. Cowley, £8 8s j A. White, £12 3s 3d; C. S. McCallum, 11s 8d ; anginoer, £17 7s 8d ; G. Exelby. 10s ; .Tas. Rybnrn, £1 f»; clerk, £10; interest, £22 12s 6d.

Gβ. Finoh's Roots.—The following opinion was received from Messrs Hesketli and Richmond :—ln r*ply to your letter enquiring whether "The Public Works Act Amendment Act 1889," or any other statute empowers the local body to compel anyone to remove the roots of trees frr.m a road, the said roots coming from trees growing off the road, but rising to the surface, and so doing a certain amount, of damage to the road, we think that Sub-sec-tion 3 of Section 100, and Sub-section 9 of Section 102, "Public Works Act 1882," should help you. Sub-section 3, Section 100 provides for the imposition of a penalty : on any person who "altew in any way the soil, or surface, or scrapings," and such an alteration of the road as would be caused by the rising of roots to the surface might fairly be held as coming within the meaning of this Sub-soction 3. At any rate, the matter is worth testing, and wo would advise your Council to act under Section 100, taking care that the provisions of the section are strictly adhered to. If such action should be unsuccessful, then an amendment of the Statute should be out-lined next session. Sub-section 9 of Section 102 might, we think, be held to embrace such a case as yourn, but in making use of this section a penalty only ia provided for, and not the removal of the roots. It is hardly necossary fur ua to

remind you that it is important the Council should make quite sure before moving in the matter that they have jurisdiction over the road in question.—After considerable discussion, the Chairman moved that the members of the different ridings give notice to the clerk as to roots obstructing the road, the clerk to issue notices for their remov.il. Seconded by Cr. Exelby and carried. Proposed Confkukncb. —The question iif sending a delegate to a conference, to be held at Auckland in Easter week to dis-

cuss matters relating t> County Council

was deferred to next meeting. The following are the principal matters to be brought up fur discussion, viz. : —The amendments proposed by the Government jn "The Counties Act 1880"; the extension of the

powers of County Councils ; the general financial position of counties ami subsidies for main roads ; the administration of hospital and charitablo aid; the ratine: of Crown and native lands; " The Rating Act"—selling I'ind fur non-pavinent of rates; "The Public Works Act "--simplification of tlie process of taking land for roads and deviations; the dual rating by County Councils and Road Boards over the name area ; the powers of County Councils under the Harbours Acts. Tbkdbks. —Tenders were opened and dealt with for the following contracts :— No. 148, Kihikihi Road: W. Pattou, surfacing 3s per chain, gravel 33s per chain (since dead); C. McCallutn. surfacing 3s 6d per chain, eravel £2 Us per chain ; Kennedy and Andurson, surfacing 4s pei chain, gravel 43 per cubic yard (accepted). No. 149, Soldiers' Bridge : T. Jones, formation 4s Gd per chain, gravel 8s por chain, lump sum for earthworks £25; R. Waits, 3s Gd, 9s and £19; Fleming and O'Connor, Gs Gd, 7s 3d and £17 (accepted). No. 150, Tβ Rapa Station Road : Allan and Graham, cutting 9d por yard, gravel 11s 7d per chain, pipes 17a Gd per set; R. Waite, 7id, 10* and 9s; C. McCalluin, 6£d, 123 Gd and 12a (accepted). No. 151, Cambridge Road: Fletcher and Vickers, forming 2s 9d per chain for 20 chains and 3s per chain for 5 chains, claying 10s per chain, gravel 9s per chain, fence £110s pp.r chain (accepted). No. 152, HamiltonNgaruawahia Road: T. Jones, forming 5s 10d per chain, ditches 3s per chain, pipes 10s per set; R Waite, 7-«, 3s and 9s; Giles and Mahon, us od, 2s and Gs (accepted). Watkr.—Permission was granted to Mr C. H. Kelly to Jay pipes under the road to dram the water from his property into Stokes' Gully, subject to the approval of the Engineer. Bkidqe.— Mr I. Coates called attention to the state of the bridge near Mr Jno. McNicol's farm, over which he intends to take his threshing machinery shortly. He liked that the bridge be made safe.—The engineer said that the biidge was safe enough for ordinary traffic and it was suggested that Mr Coates should lay planks when crossing the bridge.—The clerk was instructed to reply to Mr Coates that the bridgo is quite safe for ordinary traffic and if he crosses with the machinery it must be at bin own risk. Dog Registuation.—The dog tax was fixed as under, viz., cattle and sheep dogs, Is; all others, 2e Gd each, the clerk being appointed registrar. Dbpaulting Ratepayers.—The clerk was instructed to take proceedings asainst all persons who have not paid their rates before March let.—The clerk reportedthat the eeneral account at date was £09 in credit. Black Buidoe.— The engineer was instructed to inspect this bridge the approaches for which are in a bad state, and carry out any repairs necessary. Whatawhata Deviation.—The final stens in connection with this work were erdered to be taken. VVokks.— It was proposed by Cγ. bhepherd that tenders be called fur work on Lawton Roiid.—Seconded by Cr. Anderson and carried.—Some works in the Newcastle, Pnkekura, and Mangapiko ridings were authorised.