PIAKO COUNTY COUNCL.

Waikato Argus, Volume II, Issue 109, 20 March 1897, Page 3

PIAKO COUNTY COUNCL.

The usual monthly meeting of the Piako County Council was held at Morrinsville yesterday, when the following councillors were present :—Crs. W. P. Chop nicll (chairman), M. Harrison, Jno. MoCaw, N. 1. Hunt, A. Aitken, W. C. Ring, Thos. Gavin, W. H. Hemes And A. J. Farmer. Bank Balance. —The credit balance at the Bank of New Zealand at present stands at £522. Tenders —The following tenders were received by the committee for the erection of two bridges in the Gordon Settleir.eut :—Win. Osborne, £BO ; Jas. Orr, £7l ; Win. Thompson, £B7 ; John McLeod, £47.—The Clerk reported that the lowest tender had been accepted, but the contractor complained that he had been misled by a carpenter in making tic estimates, and asked to have his deposits returned.—The Council agreed to return Mr McLeod's deposits, and accept the tender of Mr Orr. Foreman 's Report. —Foreman M nhood reported that he had removed all the earth slips from the Kaimai Track, and had the timber on the ground ready lor the erection of the bridge near Mr Heaney's farm. He had taken the Waiomo bridge to pieces. The repairs to the bridges damaged by the floods in the Taotaoroa district were just about fiuished, but he had still the Orakau bridge and the Waipa bridge on the WuotuCambridge Road to attend to. He recommended the lormiug of about 10 chains on the Tauranga-Cambridge Road, 30 chains on the east side of the Mangawhara Railway Station, and about the *ame number on the west side. About 50 chains of flat road near the Gordon Settlement and portions of the Lichrield-Te Aroha Road also required gravelling.—The report was received aud adopted. Bridges.—Mr H. H. Metcalfe, Engineer, wrote stating that li9 had examined the Oraka, Waihou and Waimakanri bridges on the Tirau-Hotorua Road, and found in every case the stringers of the shore span totteu at the cnd3 where ic contact with the ground. The piles and headstocks were of totara and in fa r condition ; some, however, had a good deal of sap in them, which of course has rotted away at the ground level, but the heart was quice sound, and still lelt plenty of timber. In other respects the bridges mentioned were in lair condition, except the decking of the Oraka Bride, but as all the bridges had been built some 14 years, the timber was beginning to de.ay in many places. To replace the stringers on the Oraka bridge and replace the hand-rail would cost £56. To replace the end spans of the Waihou bridge would cost about £35. The Waiinakariri bridge required an expenditure of £35 iu repairs, and a further expenditure of £IOO would be ntcessary in from three to four years time. He estimated the cost of repaiis to the three bridges was £126, with a further outlay of £IOO in three years time.—The Council decided to forward a copy of the engineer's report to the Government, aud ask for a grant of £l7O to be spent in repairs. Piako Bridge.—ln his report upon the bridge over the Piako River at Morrinsville, Mr Metcalfe stated that the biidge was completely rotten. He thought traffic should be restricted to a walking pace and weights of over two tons piohibited altogether. He estimated the cost of a new bridge at between £SOO and £6oo.—The Council decided to request Mr Metcalfe to prepare plans anil specifications for a new bridge, without delay. Our - Montague Contract. —Messrs Hazard and Johnson wrote, making a long explanation regarding the trouble over the Orr-Montague contract, and Mr Johnson also waited upon the Council re the matter. —After a very long discussion, ou the suggestion of Johnson the Council decided to call for fresh tenders for the work on the amended specifications.—Mr Johnston requested the Council to relieve him of his duties as engineer in charge of the works on the Gordon-Waharoa Road, but the Council could not sec its way clear to do so. Government Grant.—ln reply to an application made to the Government for a grant of £3OO to repair the damage doi.e to bridges by the late floods, the Under-Secretary stated that if the Council would contribute £IOO and the Road Boards interested another £IOO, the Government would grant £IOO towards the work —On the motion of Cr. Harrison, it was decided to defer the matter for a time. Stonev Creek.—Some short time ago the Government made a grant of £3OO for expenditure on the Waiotongomai Road.—Cr. Gavin brought under the notice of the Council the necessity of a bridge over Stoney Creek on the Te Aroha - Waiorongomai Road.—A long discussion followed as to whether a bridge or a crossing should be made.— Eventually Cr. Herries proposed and Cr. Hunt soconded, that a bridge should be erected provided the cost was included in the £3OO grant.—This was carried. Foreman's Report.—Mr Geo. Wattam, foreman, reported that the works within his district Had progressed very slowly on account of the wet weather. He had had several small repairs effected at Gordon, and arranged for the bridge at Brady's to be rcplaceel at a cost of £5. The approach to the new bridge at the Dative swamp, Gordon, had been washed away. Mr Shine's metalling contract at Wairukau was completed, and Mr Parr's sanding contract on the Thames-Waikato roael was almost finished. The Waitoa bridge on the Waiorongomai road required 350 feet of timber lor repairs.—The report was adopted. Retort.—The committee consisting of the Chairman aud Crs. Farmer and Gaviu appointed to inspect the Te Aroha-Lichfield road made the following suggestions : —That new piles should be put iu at the bridges near Thackeray's ; that the wires should be removed from j the piles of the Wairakau bridge Specifications for the two bridges near Mrs Carroll's had been approved ; specifications had been ordered for the rebuilding of Munro's bridge ; Mr McLeotl should be permitted to cut a elrain from the corner of his son's paddock, and to the shoot to carry the water into the main culvert ; specifications for repairs between McLeod's aud Forsman's had been oidered ; the approaches to the Waircrc bridge should be made good : the works at D. McNicol's drain, metalling at McKenzie's, work at Brady's drain, aud repairs at Roche's bridge were also authorised. Accounts The following accounts were passed for payment:— Cambridge Borougli Council, £4 13j 2d ; Shine and McGuire, £9 17s 6d ; W. Newsome, £8 7s ; S. H. Davey, £1 18s ; W. Reed, £1 16s ; J. Wattam, £5 14s ; R. Parr, £25 Sam. Beerge, £ls ; Jas. Shine, £9 3s 9d; N. A. Baskett, £2 2s ;T. J. Davenport, £6 ; P. Snewin and Co., 13s 4d ; Tawherangi, £0 ; W. Henry, £4 9s ; J. Fox. t's 8s : Penny, 10s ; R. Brocklesby, £3 ; G. Walker, £9 2s Od ; W. Burnett, £6 5s (id ; Collins and Barrett, £55 ; H. Montugue, £lB ; Ja«. Orr, £l7 : H. W. Northeroft, £IOO ; P. Gilchrist, £37 10s; P. Corcoraue, £7 4s ; G. Wattam, £11; G. Mahood, £9 ; H. and J. Clifford, £2 4s 9d ; J. S. Bond, 15s 3d ; W. F. Peperill, £3 ; Jno. McLcod, £B. Crossing.— The Council decided to put in a crossing at the native swamp, Gordon, where the bridge has been washed away.—Cr. Herries dissenting. Katikati Track. —lt was decided to place a notice at the end of the Katikati Track, informing travellers that the track was impassable.