PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 3118, 9 July 1892, Page 2

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

TliK ordinary meeting of the Piako County Council was held on Tuesday the sth inst., in the Nottingham Castlo Hotel, Morrinsville. Present: Crs. W. P. Chepmell (chairman), Merries, Browne, Hoaney, Harrison, McXicol and Hirroll. Cr.s. N. C. Hunt and .Tames Bailey were absent. Mr A. Barron, secretary to the Lands ar d Survey Department wrote saying that tins lottU Ind been made a county road ly two " t balers in Council," the one dated on the ]Kth June, 1S!)1, making the road in the T.oiranga County, a county road, and the next dated the "Jotli Junei.S!)l, making the rn ol in the l J iako County, a county road, arid Uit-refore, the Govermnenr declined to undei take any i e-ponsibility for repairs on this track.—Cr. Hurries said that he hnrl interview d Mr Sedilon, the Minister for Public Works, re this road and that he (Mr Hedrion), had offered to give one-third of the co-t of making the road if the Tau-l-anga and Piako County CounciU would find the other t'vn-ihirris. The estimated cost win £3000, so that each county would ha>e to find £1000 the tlovenuneiit providing the balance.—The. letters in connection with this matter were received and the Council agreed to wait eventsMr XV. Hoiney wrote, asking if the Council would grant him a license to slaughter cattle at Mangawhara.— The clerk was instructed to inform Mr Heaney that he would obtain a license by complying with tho Act, and that if he sent in a proper application tho necessary advertisement would be at once inserted in

the local papers. A letter from the Waipa County Council was received re the maintenance of tho bridge over the Waikato river, at Cambridge, stating that at the last meeting of the Waipa Council a resolution was passed as follows : " That the Lands and Survey Department, Wellington, be written to requesting that a commission be appointed to determine who are tti6 contributing bodies to the Waikato bridge, at Cambridge in the. manner set forth in the Public Works Act, ISS7, Sections Ito 7, and that should this Council fail to prove their ense they are willing to pay the whole cost of such commission." A discussion tnsued on this matter, and the. Council unauimo-usly agreed that they were entitled to bear a share of the expense of maintaining the bridge, and tho chairman (Mr W. P. Chopmell) was appointed t-i act. on their behalf at any Court of Enquiry that may be held. Mr Mulcahy wrote asking the Council to clean out and repair a drain running alongside his property at Waiorongomai, but they declined to have anything to do with tflio"matter, as the damage from the water had not been caused by tha Council's action they not having made the drain in tiie h'rst instance. —A leAter was received from the Secretary of the Waiorongomai School Committee asking for the formation of a footpath along Kenrick Street, to enable children to get to school dry-frioted. Tho Council agreed to have the work done, Mr Pavitt estimating the co?t at £1 10s. It was also agreed to form a footpath along O revstreet to connect with the latter, the cost not to exceed Sou. Mr Pavitt was instructed to see to these works.—A letter was received from Mr S. Seddon, manager of tha Gorton Estate asking that the Council should take steps to get rid of the water

lying at Norm' corner on the CambridgeOxford road, and also at a spot nearer to the Gorton entrance. gate. Mr T. G. Sondes, Engineer for this road, was instructed to sen Mr Seddon and try and arrange for the getting rid of the nuisance. The Engineer stated that at times there was fifteen inches of water on the road.—Mr Robert Mackie wrote asking that 15 or 20 chains of titree be cleared off "Craig's

Road,' Wairakau, and that a culvert be put iu on tho road—nine inch pipes would do. — He estimated the cost of the work at 50s. Mr Pavitt was instructed to get the work dune.—Mr J. H. Griffiths, Clerk to the Tauranga County Council, wrote saying that several petitions asking the Government to make Thompson's track into a coach road were being numerously signed, and thoy wnuld bo forwarded to the Members for the two electorates for presentation to the House about the 25th inst. The letter was received. The majority of tho members were of opinion that if the road was really required that the Government should make it without any assistance from the Local Bodies.

A circular was received from the Government re the poisoning of small birds asking the Council to appoint a day to go in for a general poisoning bee, but the members unanimously declined to back up the re-

quest they being of opinion that the birds did a great deal more good than harm, and were in fact a blessing to the community. Mr Xewsham complained to the Council (personally) that the working of the To Aroha tramway was not carried on satisfactorily. He thought that the lessee, MiMcLean, was not doing his duty. The battery, he stated, had been stopped for want of stone when quartz was ready on hand to be brought down. In one instance he (Mr Newsham) had about 80 truck loads of quartz to bring down but when 00 had been sent McLean knocked off working tho line without giving any reason and he kept it closerl for three or four days. Last week again Mr McLean did not work the line although quartz was ready to be sent down. The chairman said that the contractor for the working of tho tramway (McLean) would be written to stating the nature of the complaints and the clerk was instructed to inform htm that he must carry out his contract in accordance with his agreement. Mr Newshara asked the Conncil to assist him in making a side tramway to connect the old Premier mine with the main tramway. Ho was now working the mine and he would be prepared to find all material for the working nt the branch if the Council would make the formation, etc. The estimated cost to the county would be about, £40, and Mr Newsham offered to sign an agreement to the effect that the line and plant would be handed over to the. County Council in the event of work being stripped at the mine. The Council agreed to do the work if Mr Newsham would get the Warden to guarantee that if ever tho mine was forfeited for lion working or for any other cause, that the l'iako County Council should retain the possession of the branch line and all plant in use on the same.

C*. Harrison reported that a culvert had been washed away on the ThamesWaikato Road during tho past week. Ho had got it replaced. His action was approved of by the Council, and the account for the repairs passed for payment. Mr Pavitt reported that three cnMins* Oil the G-U-Jou Se:.t emait [Ion! war ! v">v b id. lie was instructjd to ex-scute tin; necessary repairs. The approaches to the bridge over the Waitoa at M iha<> were reported to be in a bad state, and Mr Pavitt »v«< instructed to have them tepaired, and also to remove a gate which, had been put up by a settlor without permission. The Chairman moved that a letter be written to the Tamahere Road Board calling their attention to the disgraceful and dangerous state, of the road through their district between Tamahere and Cambridge, and asking thmn to put the same in decent order for traffic. Several members spoke

on the matter, and it was generally agreed that the road is absolutely unsafe, for ordinary tradie. The following accounts were passed for payment: —G. Wattairi (road-). j-,2 los ; Davis {dog collars), £1 13; Id; 1 1 . Wild (Licensing Court), £3; W. M. Miy (law costs), £57 12j Id : C. Tuck, £15 Is; Ingram (advertising), £1 4s 61 ; Orr (roads), £35 ; C. Aliier, £0 13s fid : Hawkins, £1. 4s; Clifford and Co. (drain nines), £2 l'Js 3d; J. Barker (roads), £10; G. Floyd, jun. (roads). £20; W. Burnett (timber), £10 'Js; Olive, £2 1-ls ; Bond (printing) £1 ils Sd. t The following tiilders were received for Contract No. 21, county road maintenance :—No. 1, Oxford to Cambridge, 2L miles: (1. Waitun. £93; J. Hicks. £Kl: K. Rice, £i>3 (accepted). No. 2, Camhridge-Tauramra road, six miles : G. Wattam,' £20 ; J. Hicks, £25 ; E. R«ce, £1S (accepted). No. 3, Caml,ridge-Waotn road, ei'-dit miles : G. Wattam, £30 ; .T. Hicks, t'3S ; 11. Rice. £24. No tandsr was accepted for N r o. 3, the Engineer (Mr Saiules) stating that the priccs were too high. For Brad y's bridge on the Te ArohaLich field road, F. Booth's tender (£lO 17s (i t) was 'accepted, J. Mills (£2S) and (J. ft. I'ee.son (£27) also tendering. For Wilson's road (dunnage), four tenders were received. W. Roycroft, £13 (accepted) ; P. Mnrisrtv, £l(i ; ,1. Baskett, £10 15s ; James Orr, £17. Mr .Samles was instructed to repair the

decking of the bridge over the Waikato river at Aniwhatiiwha. He also reported that the Oxford end of the Rotorua-Oxford road was in a sr»tit state of disrepair.—The Clerk was instructed to writ;' to the Government, c.itlim* their attention to the matter, this beinst » Goveimnent road. A nnm'o.'r of repairs to various roads were authorised by the Council, and the engineers were instructed to carry-them out.