COUNTY COUNCILS.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 135, 14 July 1914, Page 12

COUNTY COUNCILS.

WAIMAIRI. The monthly meeting of the aimairi County Council was held vesterdaj 7 afternoon,, there being present Mi S. A. Staples (chairman), and Crs~S. Bullock, W. J. Walter, G. E. Curry, R. O. Duncan, R. W. Hawke, G. E. King, and W. P. Spencer. , An apology for absence was received from Cr. W. Nicholls. A motion of sympathy was passed with Mrs R. Palk on the death of her husband, a past member of the council, the members standing in silence. On the motion of the chairman it was decided that the hospital and charitable aid rate be cut Out of the Middleton area. CORRESPONDENCE. A letter was received from the Greymouth Borough Council stating that the Greymouth Master Butchers' Association had requested the council to grant them permission to instal a boiling-doWn plant at the municipal abattoir fpr, the purpose of treating,-offal through its, various stages, including the manufacture of : blood manure.. The Greymouth Council wished to know if the boiling-down works in the Waimairi County had proved objectionable to residents in the vicinity. It was decided to reply stating that no complaints had been received in respect to the Belfast works except regarding, drainage. . ■Jhe* Paparua County . Council wrote stating that in accordance y?ith the opinions: expressed by various county councils they: had arranged to hold a meetings of delegates at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, August 5 next, ,at the Christchurch Drainage Board's office. The. conference .would discuss the advisability of forming a local counties' association. The council asked that the* Waimairi Council should send two delegates, as a thoroughly representative gathering was desired.

The chairman and Cr. Bullock were appointed delegates.

A letter was received from the Audit Office, Wellington, dated June 17, stating that the council's balance-sheet for the year ended March 31 disclosed the fact that loan moneys amounting to < £203 4/5 had been unlawfully applied to purposes other those for which they were received. The Audit Office had j been called upon repeatedly to . draw the council's attention to the misuse o9 loan moneys, and great difficulty had been experienced in procuring early adjustments of the accounts; in fact this breach of the law had been an annually recurring one. since 1911. The controller Stated that he did not wish to act in an arbitrary manner, but the council, did not seem disposed to. obey statutory, injunctions, and had left him no option but to invoke the penal clauses qf the Local Bodies Loans.Act. He: had therefore to warn the council that should its next balance ; sheet reveal a further misuse of loan moneys he would immediately institute legal proceedings against all the councillors concerned for the exaction of the penalty prescribed by Section 53 of the Local Bodies' Loans Act, 1913. He would refrain from further action in this instance if an immediate adjustment was made aiid due advice sent within fourteen days.' The council replied on the 19th to the effect that the Auditor-General's letter, seemed to suggest that the members of the council had been guilty of appropriating moneys to their own use. Several loans had been overdrawn, which made up the deficiency of £203 4/5, which would be paid into the trust account as requested. The-council also asked under which section of the Act it was required to pay in rates on loans to a separate trust account. The council always paid interest on all loans on due date, and as often as otherwise the,interest - was paid. out of several ac-:, counts.. The council felt very strongly on the statement that moneys had been misused, when the Auditor-General had certified the balance-sheet as correct and all moneys received accounted for. The council considered all accounts, bank or otherwise, as trust accounts. In reply to the council's letter of the 19th a reply was received • from the Controller and Auditor-General on June 22, stating that he failed to see anything in his previous letter which would imply that members of the council had personally appropriated county moneys. The." usage of loan moneys for other than their Specific purposes had been so ofteii repeated as to call for strong representation 'oil the part of the Audit Office, whose bounden duty it was to. take action in the case of such an illegal practice. He was pleased to note that the loan moneys ifc question were being paid to their statutory acj count at the bank, which relieved hi if? of the necessity for further action. The letters were received. The Papanui Burgesses' Association wrote calling the council's attention to the state of many femes in the Papanui Riding, which were encroaching on the footpaths, and asking them to take action in the matter. The association also wrote supporting the action of the council in protesting against having to contribute such a large sum towards the upkeep of the (Jhristcluirch domains. The letter was received.Mr L. Birks, Government Electrical Engineer, wrote offering to meet : tlie council at their convenience, to go into the electrical -question. It was decided to ask Mr Birks to meet the council on Friday evening next at iS o'clock. • REPORTS. The committee appointed in connection with the Styx Drainage Area reported 1 hat after duly considering the working of-the Stvx Drainage Act it was convinced that it was impossible to a rate with any - degree of fair--'io■ s under the three clauses adopted, 1 would recommend to the council in I'Kuie classification, "That the area be •ii\ ided into six classes' in place of :\trc<Y that the valuation of 'each' | property- as well as benefit received, be i jji'ei! into consideration when re-class- ; i! ; 'l ii:C dist.l'lCt. " ii;' report l \vas adopted. ''/M.auc-ial Ht/itement -showed re- '- "oif' s Inst meeting amounting to .j/ti, and expenditure £l76(> 7/11. ' ( . 5-s :i debit'balance at. the bank .". < ; ! 1 !/4. During the month'

building permits to the value of £1675 had been issued.

The various ridings showed balances as follow: —Styx, dr. £1099 5/11; Harewood, dr. £174 14/8; Riccarton, or. £235 16/8; Middleton, dr. £233 2/5; Avon, dr. £971 2/10; Belfast, dr. £7l 16/3; Papihui, fir. £350 15/6; Wairarapa, dr. £524 12/8; Fendalton, dr. £B7 3/9; Marshlands, dr. £B6 13/11. Accounts amounting to £1067 19/1 were passed for payment. AMURI. At the monthly meeting of the Amur! County Council there were present: Messrs D. Rutherford (chairman), Atkinson, J. H. Davison, F. Davison, Northcote, Pulley, M'Rae, and W. T. Rutherford. Mr T. Derrett, mail contractor, wrote asking that as he was now carrying the mail by motor, a bridge be erected over Deadman's Creek, as the creek was impassable in flood time. The overseer was instructed to draw up plans and specifications, tenders to be in by next meeting.

Mr W. P. Thomas, Hanmer Springs, wrote asking for permission to use the gravel, reservfe opposite his house as a cow pad'dohk.-^—Gran ted, subject to certain conditions.

The renewal of the slaughterhouse license to Argelin, Hanmer Springs, was approyed. It was agreed to pay half the cost of the fence between the Waiau School grounds iand" the council's reserve.

Mr Ged.J. Powis applied for leave to cut out the willows off the road on the north side of the jPog Creek Bridge.Permission grant&l, subject to road being 'thoroughly cleaned up afterwards and left in good order, j The resident engineer, Public Works, forwarded plans and specifications of Lottery Creelc Bridge and approaches, which had been duly approved. A lengthy petition was received from ratepayers of the Rotlierham Riding, praying for the formation of a road on the east and sduth sides of Rotlierham township. It was decided to re-grade and metal the: part . leading ■ off/the Mount Palm Road to-the last liouse .oii the road. , ; :

The special order a rate of three-farthings in the pound in the Waiau Township River Protection District was confirmed. The ordinary rate of pne halfpenny in the-pound, was struck on all rateable properties now appearing on the valuation roll for the several ridings in the Amuri County; No tenders were received' for- the cleaning of the head works of the water race. '

The tender of Mr H. Farrow was accepted at £69 8/- for the Hanmer motor road improvements.