PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11202, 24 October 1899, Page 3

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the above was held at Morrinsville' on Friday. Present Messrs. Chepmell (chairman), Harrison, Gavin, MoCaw, Farmer, and Aitkon. A letter was received from Mr. J. A. Miller, solicitor, objecting on behalf of the Thames High School governors to the excessive valuation of endowments, and asking a reduction and corresponding decrease of rates. The Council decided that they must adhere to the valuation, which was arrived at by the Government valuer. The Minos Department advised that £150 would be granted for repairs to the Woiorongomai Road, on condition that the Council expends £56 in improving the foot- | paths in the township. This work has already boon done by the Council. Specifications and sketch plan submitted by Fore- ! man Wattam [or (1) cutting down hills and | building two bridges at Wairakau, (2) cutting j dewn hill at Wairakau, were approved and j ordered to be submitted to the Mines In- I spector for approval, as tho cost is to be met | out of the £150 grant given by the Mines' Department, tenders to bo called immedi- | ately ho approves. The foreman's specifica- ] tions for re forming about a mile of the main i road near Rangiatca were approved, and tenders ordered to be called. The clerk 10-1 ported that the credit balance at date was ! £214 4s lid. The Treasury forwarded a I voucher for £182 12s 3d, subsidy on rates col- ' looted. Mr. J. 11. Walker wrote that ho was ! applying for a 500 or 600 aero- prospecting area in the neighbourhood of Waiorongomai and To Aroha. If the application is j grouted, ho believes that he could secure sufficient capital in England to develop tho ground on a complete scale. He asked the Coiuioil to give a general support to the schome. The Council decided to intimate ' Mr. Walker that they were favourably disposed to the scheme. The foreman reported that he had inspected O'Brien's contract on Thomson's Track, and had refused to pass the work, as it was not executed according to specifications. Tho mines inspector, who had also examined the work, supported the foreman, and instructed that tlio specifications must be adhered to. Mr. Metcalfe. C.E., forwarded plans and specifications for Shaftesbury Bridge. His terms for undertaking this j work wero £30 for plans and specifications, I and £3 15s per week for inspection during tho time the work was in progress. Mr. ] Metcalfe's estimate was in excess of tho amount, available. Mr. Farmer undertook ' to seo tho settlers interested, and endeavour j to raiso moro money. In tho meantime the | clerk was instructed to forward tho plans ' and specifications to Wellington for approval, j Foreman Mahood's specifications for forma-! tion of 193 chains of tho Cambridge-Napier Read were approved, and tenders ordered to bo called. The following returning officers wero elected for the various ridings:—Matamata, B. Brown Taotaroa, G. Dickenson: Patetere, Alex. Rowe; Waitoa, Alexander' Breinner; To Aroha, F. Pavitt. At the re-; quest of the Council, Mr. Gavin undertook j the management of the Waiorongomai tramway until next statutory meeting of tho Council. Foreman Mahood was authorised to get cccli end of tho bridge op the Okoroire-Ta-papa Road sheathed and a wing pile driven; to spend £5 on general repairs to WaotuPutararu Road and tho same amount on sand cuttings on Waotu-Cambridge Road; also t.i hire a horse for four or five months to assist in ploughing, scooping, forming, and vetabling all (ho defective parts of tho district roads. lie was also authorised to get new sills and stringers put in the Nino Mile and Pokiwhinua Bridges. Mr. Gavin intimated that it was not his intention to seek re-elee-tion to the Council. Ho expected to be away from the district within a year, and did not wish to put the Council to the expense of a by-election. On the motion of the Chairman, a resolution was unanimously carried, thanking Mr. Gavin for his past services, particularly in connection with his oversignt of the tramway. The Council then rose.