UPPER THAMES NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVIII, Issue 298, 23 December 1897, Page 2

UPPER THAMES NOTES.

(By Telegraph—Own Correspondent)

PAEROA, this day.

SCHOOL PICNIC.

The school" children held their annual picnic at Te Aroha, some 300 children, besides a great number of adults, proceeding there by train on Monday. The baths were freely qnjoyed. Races were arranged for the children, besides skipping and singing contests, etc., and a most enjoyable day was spent. The teachers attended, besides several committeemen, and worked hard to promote the pleasure of the children. A large number of Te Aroha school children joined in during the afternoon.

OHINEMURI COUNTY COUNCIL. The monthly meeting of the Ohinemuri County Council was held yesterday in the Council Chambers. The following tenders were accepted : —Paeroa permanent water supply, No. 1 contract, L. McNamara, £323 17s; No. 2 contract, P. Herbert, £141 12s 8d; No. 3 contract, C. Ohlsen, £165 14s ; quarrying and breaking 500 cubic yards 3 inch metal, for Waitete Bridge, G. Cain, £155 ss; forming and spalling portion of Kaouiti Creek Road, E. Adolph, £131: deepening drain on Rangiora railway station to Waihou River, James Perrell, £24 13s ; supplying and delivering 1,150 yards 3 inch metal for the Te Puke Road," E. Adolph, £507 10s; supplying 500 yards medal at Paeroa, E. Adolph, £210 9s 3d;' supplying 250 yards metal between Paeroa and Komata bridge, J. Dean, £87 10s; supplying 300 yards metal on Waitekauri Road, O'Connell and Sefton £45. Grading and claying 80 chains Paeroa-Waitoa Road, Davis and Hamilton, £290, with extras £6 per chain ; forming path from Irishtown, Karangahake,' Stanley and Robinson, £21 18s ; supplying 250ytls metal at Powell's quarry, Waitekauri, Muir and O'Donnoll, £37 10s; supplying 500 yds metal at Rahu quarry, Muir and O'Donnoll, £135 15s; supplying 500 yds metal at Cumming's quarry, Owharoa, W. McKenna, £140.

It Avas decided on the motion of Cr. Barry seconded by Cr. Moore to determine the contract for Karangahake Bridge. The Alpha Company offered to pay £200 toAvards the cost of a road to the battery site from Waitekauri, and the Council decided on the receipt of the £200 to call for tenders for the work.

PEGGING OUT THE WAITEKAURI

RIVER BED,

Some stir was caused in Waitekauri during the week by the fact that several parties have marked off river alluvial claims below the Waitekauri Company's battery. A. start was made by'J. Birnie, Shaw and another, who pegged off on their miner's rights claims in the river 100 feet long by 30 wide. This has been followed by E. M. Corbett, Avho has marked off several claims, and to-day the Waitekauri Comi pany marked off the remaining available ground. The object of these claims is to work tailings which during the first 8 or 10 months' run of the battery crushing Avent down the river and are deposited in huge heaps along the bed of the river. The Waitekauri river is at present almost dry and these tailings are exposed, and if of any value can best be worked now when the river is at the lowest. The Company during the past 6 months have been saving their tailings, but some 16,000 or 18,000 tons must have gone down the river previously and may be of some value if the method of treatment is cheap and effective. THE WAIHI AND GRAND JUNCTION. .Arrangements have been completed between Waihi Company and Grand Junction Company by which the latter coniI pany are keeping their pumping machinery at the main shaft in full swing, thus materially assisting the Waihi Company in keeping water in their No. 2 shaft under control. The Grand Junction shaft is some 200 feet loAver than the other and thus drains the Waihi Company's-ground.