PIAKO COUNTY, COUNCIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 12000, 24 June 1902, Page 6

PIAKO COUNTY, COUNCIL.

[FROM OUR OWN' CORRESRONDBNI.] THE monthly meeting of the Piako Count,,, Council was held at Morrinsville on Friday Present: Messrs. Chepinell (chairman), Ha*' rison, McCaw, Jackson. Farmer, Buckland' and Brady. The Tauranga County Council forwarded a demand for £9 15s 9d, being the county's share of Bay of Plenty Licensing Committee's expenses. The clerk renorSf that the Council's overdraft at date wr\ fso 15s 4d. The Treasury forwarded vouchers £105 granted fo. Thomson's track *md $ 2s 6d goldhelds revenue to March 27 a ci? cular was received from the Agricultural lii' partmeut .covering new regulations under th% Slaughtering and Inspection Act 1900 ,«? intimating that renewal and transfer fees ran be retained by the local authorities Annl? cations lor renewals of licenses were r<*»i«rf from F. Rose, Tirau; P. Marshall, MorrinT ville; and J Howe, To Aroha; and for a new license from W. Rowe, to slaughter 0 „ section 7, Block IX., Aroha Survey Si lt A complaint was received from H. Dunbar ra a dangerous excavation near his gate on Stanley Bead. The foreman reported : that this was a clay quarry used for taking ma. terial for road-making, and that certain settlers 111 the neighbourhood were takinz material from the pit. It was decided to fence the pit. The Department of Roads forwarded a circular notifying that claims made for work done previous to consent of Minister for Lands being obtained would not be entertained in future. This was in order to stop a growing practice on the part of some local bodies which anticipated the expenditure of money voted by Parliament, and subsequently claiming a refund of the money spent. A. Edwards, in charge of the Wato. rongomai tramway, reported that the total revenue for the month was £8 17s, and the wages list £15 Bs. On account of the difficulty in collecting the sums due for ruimiue down firewood, it was decide! that payment must be made in advance. The following tenders were received for 40 chains of drain from road to river:—J. Ityan, 18a per chainW. Brumby, 10s 9d; A. J. Forrest, 17s 6d; ill. Crenin, 15s; P. Collins, 9s 6d; T. Glover, 2fe 9d. Collins' tender was accepted.- It wai decided to inform the Cambridge and Te Aroha Coronation Celebration Committees that considering the state of the finances the Council does not feel justified in voting money for the purpose A circular was received from the Tauranga County Council, embodying a resolution passed by that body, to the effect that native lands should be, placed on ;an equality with European lands, and rated accordingly. Members, while agreeing that the subject was an important one, thought that' under present conditions collection of native rates was impracticable. It was mentioned that probably the newly-formed Maori Councils will be taking some action in the direction indicated. Tenders for the supply of rough heart of rimu for bridges were received from Steele Bros., Mountain Kimu Timber Company, Lavery Bros.; and H. ana J. Clifford. The tender of Steele Bros, at 9s per 100 waa accepted. The Beads Department not having done anything in the matter of McLeod's Hill, Gordon, the clerk was instructed to again urge the road? sanreyor to complete the work. Failing prompt action by the Auckland officials, it, wag decided to complain to Wellington, as the road was in a dangerous condition, and the Council was in imminent,danger of having a claim lodged for damages by accident. A very lengthy letter was received from Mr. B. Montagu?., complaining of the injustice the Council waa doing him in the matter of the dam. t? As the letter was considered to be not couched; in particularly courteous language, andiaa the matter had already been sufficiently discussed, the letter was received. Foreman Wattam reported that he could not pass the amount for painting the Piako Bridge for payment, as the lead used was not of*good quality, and the work very unsatisfactory. .It waa decided to advise the contractor accordingly, and that he must meet the foreman |on the job, who will point out what is required to ; be done to conform to the specification. Foreman MaVtood reported on the ; roads in his district He asked that about three miles of the Tirau-Matamata Road be' widened and re-formed. Also, ; that about nine miloa of sandy road on the CambridgeWaotu Road, along the river, be straightened up, and reported that various catting* want attention. He wrote that there would be very little traffic on these roads in the winter, and that now would be a good time to do the work, which could all be don 6 by the machine. In reference to Death Bros.' request that the Council should grade the ( hill cuttings on the Horahora-Pukekura Road, he suggested that no work of this descriptien should be undertaken at this time of the year, especially as some heavy cuttings would have to be made. He also advised * delay in the matter of grading Strawbridge's Hill. Either of these works should be undertaken about September, as £25 spent in cutting and grading in the spring goes as far as £40 during the winter. The Council directed him to? act as he had suggested in the above matters. After passing accounts amounting to £175 ■ 8& 4d, the Council rose. "' '*>