PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11581, 20 February 1901, Page 6

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

THE usual meeting of the above was held on Friday. Present: Messrs. Chepmell (chair, man), Farmer, Harrison, Buckland, Bine Brady, and Cox. '

Foreman Whattam reported that since last meeting E. Montague had finished his formation contract at Waiharakeke. He had attended to slight.damage done at the Gordon settlement by heavy rain. P. o'Grady's con-' tract was satisfactorily completed. The other end of the diagonal road leading to Thomn. son's track needs tea-tree cut and new main. The lower portion of this road is full of h(.] 6B which, require filling up, while the weather is fine. Had been working on Stanley Boad making repairs, filling in work, cleaning drains, etc., but progress is very slow. . & a additional horse and cart is required, as lug is employed carting timber, etc., all over the district. Had bad a bridge at Coleman's creek strengthened and well repaired. Had let a small contract to drain low country, and form the road near McLaren's. Tno bridge at Waitoa bush, on the T!,.-iraes-Wai. kato Eoad repaired and strengthened. A drain at Waiharakeke requires cleaning ag far as the railway station. Foreman Afahood reported that since last meeting most of the work had been the repairing of bridges and culverts on Tirau-Rotorua, CambridKe-fcapifr, and Tirau-Matainata roads, and attending to bridges, drains, etc. He suggested that the Ngawera bridge, near Lichfield, nttds three new stringers and planking. Late rains had caused a number of slipß in cuttings, and in many places he had not been able lo remove the same from want of time. The CambridgeNapier Road is in bad order just n< w, as the water-tables are closed in many jlaces and the roads have been overflown. Between Tirau and Cambridge and Cambridge and county boundary the condition of the roads is bad. The various requests and suggestions of the foremen are to be acceded to. A long letter was received from Mr. F. D. Small, stating that he understood it had been reported to the Council that certain work he had carried out in connection with his trout ponds had endangered the Waimakariri bridge. The clerk was instructed to inform Mr. Small that no communication had been received on this matter. Mr. F. W. Browning, of Tauwhare, wrote calling attention to the bad state of the road between Monmsville and the county boundary. In uhei of the cuttings the water-tables are in the middle of the road, and the approaches to some of the bridges are lower than the bridges, particularly the bridge on the Morrinsrille sde of Mr. Cole's place. The foreman wai instructed to remedy the defects comriained of. Mr. John Martin wrote asking thai, the drain carrying water from the Te Aroha, Gov-, don Eoad through bis sections at Go* rior> he replaced, it having tallen in. '..he lor-jiuan, on being questioned, said the darin retired to did not benefit the roads. The- C< i tcil decided that it could not undertake the work. The "Under-Secretary of the M nes L'ti&jtment wrote: "In reply to your letter recommending that the sum of £23, due by Mr. T. Gavin as rent of the Loyalty Extended claim, should be treated as not recoverable, and that for the sum of £53 16s 9d, due by the Bev. Joseph Campbell as rent of the Edendale, Grand Result, and Ajax claims, a compromise of £25 should be accepted, I have to inform you that the Receiver of Gold Revenue has been directed to treat these accounts in accordance with your request." Mr. J. W. Walker, of Wairakau, in acknowledging a letter from the Council refusing to give assistance asked, informed the Council that he would pre ant them from draining their road through ins property as hitherto. Messrs. Harrison and Foster, surveyors, forwarding plans of quarry reserves on the Lockerbie Estate, and their account for £6. Mr. N. W. Bagnall was appointed to represent the Council on the Thames Harbour Board. Mr. B. Montague having refused to sign contract No. 5, for which he was the successful tenderer, it was resolved that the deposit be forfeited and the contract terminated. Mr. Montague, who was present, contended that it was impossible to carry out the contract according to specifications, and added that unless the Council refunded his deposit he would take proceedings for its recovery. It was resolved to accept the next tender, that of Mr. J. Orr, for £37 17s. The new roadmaking machine having arrived at Te Aroha, Mr. Farmer offered to provide hal-n-dozen horses to give the machine a trial run. It was decided that both orsmen should he present at the trial, in order to become thoroughly acquainted with the working of the nachine. The report of the tramway manager was read, uring the month 120 trucks had been sent down by Mr. Hardy. The tramway account for the past year showed -hat the receipts and expenditure were about equal.