PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 133, 19 December 1885, Page 2

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCIL.

likel/to; cea'<fo, The revenue from this mlneto, the coiincil for, the past six months wa«-£300., IHe, would 'not, however, reoomutend jth'e council to.ge.t lnto.iiebjirs The Olerk said the' reduction nuked for .would, on the present returns, moan a. loss of about a month, Qt Murphy spoke at great length on the matter. When Mi;, Firth brought forward this in May last, he (Or Murphy)* strenuously opposed it, knowing that quartz could not he carried over the tramway for less than 4s 6d. The manager had aupportedhim in thia,"and the returns since had proved him to lie right. With the present charge tho tramway was only paying ite way. He that .the proposed reduction would not be the means or inducing miners to work mines which were at present closed, and he defied any couticvdor present to point to an instance where it fend dono so. The oaly effect which such a reduction would hate would be to cause a renewed loss on tho working of the tramway, and to make it a serious lops and burden to the council. The council then finding that the tramway was a burden, might seek to get it o# their hands by leasing it to private individuals, whioh wotiUl be the first step to the down*fall of the field. They wanted twelve ad" ditional trucks to work Fergusons branch. It would cost an additional £2 a doy to work Ferguson^ branch alone, and the extra expense which would also have to be incurred along the main Hne would not be less than u further 10a & xlay^ making in all about £15 a week* Another horse i would also" have to be piovidedv He was opposed to the council muktng even a sixpence out of the tramway* With the proposed reduction they would lose about £2000 a year, which would have to i come out of the pockets of the tangsuffering ratepayers. The people of Te Aroha where not anxiouB for this reduc tion. The petition sent to the council i was signed by butchers, bakers, and their boys, who hf d no interest on the field whatever. He would propose " That it is not at present advisable that any reduct ion should be made in the existing tram- ; way charges, and that before any future | proposal for a reduction can be considered, ; due notice be given each councillor prior to the meeting at which such proposal is to be brought forward." Cr Smith agreed with the remarks of Cr Murphy, and seconded the proposition. The Cliairmnn also agreed that the tramway was at present working cheaper than any other in the colony. The motion was put und carried unaai- j mously.