WAITOMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 417, 25 November 1911, Page 5

WAITOMO COUNTY COUNCIL.

ANNUAL MEETING

The statutory annual meeting of the Waitomo County Council was held at the Council Chambers, Te Kuiti, on Thursday last. There were present—Crs Scholes, O'Dwyer, Were, Gregg, Hoffman, Smyth and Berry. In accordance with section 73 of the Counties Act, 1908, the clerk took the chair and called for nominations for the position of chairman for the ensuing year. The retiring chairman (Cr Scholes) was, no the motion of Cr O'Dwyer, seconded by Cr Smyth, re-elected to the position. The proposer and seconder referred in eulogistic terms to the efforts of the chairman on behalf of the county during his term of office.

Cr Scholes, on taking the chair, congratulated the old councillors upon their return to office and extended a hearty welcome to Cr Berry, the newly-elected member for Te Kuiti riding. An apology was received from Cr Johnston for his unavoidable absence.

ORDINARY MEETING. It wai resolved that the ordinary meetings of the council be held on the third Wednesday in each month at 6.30 p.m. Following is the chairman's annual report: — "The Government Audit Inspector has just completed his halfyearly audit of the council's books and accounts have been audited up-to-date and certified to as correct During the half-year ending September 30th, 1911 the total receipts "County Fund Ac count." including a cr. balance on March 31st of £3B lfis 7d, amounts to £1(514 19s Bd. Expenditure—including £273 113 lid, to the Waikato Hospital Board, £214 5s 5d on account of the Otorohanga Pirongia loan, £43S 4s 3d maintenance, £IOO for road grader—amounts to £1751 7s sd, leaving a debit balance of £136 7s 9d. Land Fund Account. —The total receipts including a credit balance on 31st March, last, of £BOB 7s 2d, amounts to £2413 lis 3d, against this the council have spent giving access to various properties £1304 16s 7d, leaving a credit balance to Land Fund Account £llOB 14s Bd.

Government Grants.—The Council have received during the last six months on account of Government grants £2424 17s 8d of which £2233 has been spent. Loan Accounts. There hag not been much money spent on account of the various loans, as it is not possible to do much metalling in the winter.

Te Kuiti Loan.— The balance to credit, £3BB 12s 9d, has been paid over to the borough in accordance with instructions from the Auditor-General.

Mangarino Loan. —There is still a small balance, £lO 0s sd, to be spent. Mataparu Loan. —The amount of £?.44 14s lOd has been spent during the half year, leaving a credit balance of £34 8s Id.

I-lonikiwi Loan.— £lO4 33 66 has already been spent on account of the loan during the last half-year. Contracts have been let amounting to £5290. The contractors have made a start with the work and are making satisfactory progress. Pukearuhe Loan. —ln connection with this loan, which was originally for £IOOO to metal Pukearuhe road, and a contract had been let, amount to about £BOO since the settlers have been successful in getting £ for £ subsidy, providing another £IOOO to be spent on further metalling the road; £256 6s of the original loan has been spent during the last halfyear, leaving a balance of £738 8s to meet the balance owing against the contract, whilst on the matter of loans during the last six months the council have been successful in negotiating the Mairoa loan —£16,800 including £ for £ subsidy--the Aria loan £3500, Caves loan £2OOO, Tawainui loan £1250, Otorohanga-Pironiga loan £750, and in each case a £ for £ subsidy is provided. There is also at present a consent being signed for a loan of £3OOO to metal HangatikiWaitomo road to Ruakura Caves during the next six months 'with the co-operation of my fellow I propose getting the majority of this work put in hand, and the same might be said in connection with Government grants. These moneys should be spent before the 31st of March in each year. Concluding I am pleased to say that the council has now got over a great many of the little difficulties that new councils meet with from time to time. The revenue has increased considerably, the general rate by nearly £IOOO. Our subsidies and Government grants comnare favourably with any other county 'in the North Island. The thanks of the council is certainly due to the member for the district for the valuable asisstance he has given the council and the district generally. He has spared no time nor energy in that direction.—l am, etc., gentlemen, A. SCHOLES.

Order of Business.—On the motion of Cr Were seconded by Cr Gregg, it was resolved that all correspondence and accounts to come before the council should be in the hands of the clerk at least twenty-fuur hours before the time of the meeting, and that all deputations, as far as possible, should be received through the member for the riding. CORRESPONDENCE.

A letter was read from the State Guaranteed Advances Department asking what money the council required to meet progress payments till about the middle of November. —Received. The Lands and Surveys Department, Auckland, wrote requesting certain information respecting Te Ahuroaroad through Te Kuiti 2 B Noa. 8, 11, 12, 3, 3 and 6, and Rangitoto Tuhua No 64. Arapae Road.—A petition was received from twenty - nine Mairoa settlers requesting that- the money

the motion of Crs Were and Gregg it was resolved that the engineer be authorised to at once lay off the work on the Arapae road and apply for the grant as soon as possible in accordance with the petitioners' request. Lease of Stock Reserve. H. Daniel applied for a lease of the stock reserve un Te Kuiti-A wakino and Mapara roads. —It was resolved on the notion of Crs O'Dwyer and Berry that the clerk write to the department of Lands. Auckland, to ascertain the council's position with respect to the letting of any reserves under the council's jurisdiction, Cr O'Dwyer in the meantime to report on the reserve in question to next meeting of the council.

Waipa Bridge Inquiry. —T. C. Grace wrote regarding his expenses in attending the Waipa bridge inquiry.—The clerk said Mr Grace had been called by the other side and the council's solicitors instructed that he must apply to the other parties for expenses. Metal Reserve.--A request from Mr Hargreaves to fence the reserve near his house, was, upon the motion of Grs Gregg and Hoffman, agreed to. Paritikona Road. A number of settlers between Mangapehi and Poro-o-taroa petitioned the council for the purpose of having rates devoted to repairing the track between the tunnel and Mangapehi. It was pointed out that the road was in a very bad state, and that settlers were coming into the district. Mr Hercus. of Christchurcb, wrote to similar effect. -- On the motion of Crs Berry and Were itwas resolved that the amount collected in rates in the locailty be spent in repairing the track. Waiteti Road.—Te Kuiti Borough Council notified that it was prepared to hand over £3O to the County Council to carry out repairs on the road, which had been damaged by the traffic in connection with the borough water scheme.—On the motion of Crs Berry and Hoffman it was decided to accept the amount and the engineer was instructed to proceed with the repairs at once.

Ahuroa Road Continuation. A number of settlers on Rangitoto block wrote requesting the council to apply for a Governor's warrant to survey a continuation of Te Ahuroa road through Messrs McCardle's property and enclosing a cheque as a guarantee for the Co3t of survey.--Request granted, the warrant, to be applied for in favour of Mr R. C. Jordan.

Slaughtering Licenses.—Renewals were granted to T. Wells and Sons, Te Kuiti, and J. Shaw, Teßua-a-Moa.

Thirds. —A credit note was received from the Receiver of Land Revenues intimating that £Bl6 ISs had been placed to the council's credit at the Bank of New Zealand. Te Kuiti-Awakino Road.—Attention was drawn to the necessity of obtaining definite information with respect to metalling the main road and on the motion of Crs O'Dwyer and Hoffman it was resolved that the clerk write to the Engincer-in-Chief requesting the issue of the authority to expend the grant of £4OOO to enable the council to commence work immediately. Ruakura Caves Road. On the motion of the. chairman and Cr Hoffman the clerk wag instructed to proceed with the necessary formalities in connection with the HangatikiWaitomo loan to Ruakura Caves.

An Appreciation.—On the motion j of Crs O'Dwyer and Hoffman it was j resolved that this meeting place on \ record its appreciation of the action , of Mr Jennings, member for the ; district, in getting the Prime Minis- j ter to announce publicly from the , platform at Te Koura, the Government's intention to construct the Mokau-Waitewhena - Kawhia railway in the near future. Tenders.—For working the grader tenders were received from J. J. K. Powell. M. A. Mernin and J. and D. Ormbsy (accepted); for metalling Oamaru road H. Kothsry (id. Cameron and Brooking £625°12s (id, T. Davidson and W. Pulford £444 (accepted). Acounts to the amount of £ll-10 were passed for payment. Engineer's Report. —1 have prepared specifications for metalling the Arapae road to the end of the formation and for metalling portions of the Mairoa, Pungarehu Ngapaenga and Otorobanga - Pirongia roads and for warded them to the Public Works Department for approval. I have also forwarded specifications for approval for cuvlerting the Pungarehu, Ngapaenga and Arapae roads. Plans and specifications for widening and metalling the Totoro and Potaka roads will be sent for approval this week. I expect to have plans and specifications for widening and metalling the Waitomo ready for approval next week. A start has been made with the engineering survey of the Caves road, and I hope to have the plans and specifications for widening and metalling prepared shortly. Owing to the continual wet weather very little progress has been made with the metalting contracts. The contractor for widening the Arapae road has not made much progress, but as he has now employed more men and with favourable weather should not take to finish. A man has been employed on the Otorohanga-llangatdki road raking in the ruts and backing up the metal. As soon as the river is low enough I will have a few more loads of metal put on, and then it should not require much doing to it. for some time. Tenders close for metalling contracts on the Oamaru and Te Raumauku roads to-day and the Arapae road the Ist of next month.— Adopted. _____________