WAIMEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wednesday/, November 26th, 1879. The Council met at noon, pursuant to the provisions of the 54th and 67 th sections of Counties Act, 1876. Present : All the members, except Mr Shephard. On the motion of Mr Wells, seconded by Mr Macmahon, it was resolved, That Mr Barnicoat be Chairman of the Council for the year ending the 4th Wednesday in November, 1880. Wednesday, November 26th, 1877. The ordinary raeetiug of the Conncil was held this day. Present: All the membera except Mr Shephard.

The minutes of the two previous meetings ' were read and confirmed. The Chairman informed the Council that ( the subsidies due to the County for the half year ending 31st December, 1879, amounting, after certain deductions, to £923 1?3 fld had been paid to the County Fund aeconnt by the. Government , A ,letter wa».read fro* the tipper. Motu» eka Highway Board, signed John Q. Stanky, acting Chairman, accompanying a voucher for £174 19 5 -. the balance of amount of Edgar Brothers contract on the road from Nelson to Westport signed by three members of the said Board, certifying that, "in their estima'ion.j the wbrk.Had been dorift in a workmanlike manner." ()u the motion of Mr Macmahon, seconded by Mr Dencker.it was resolved, That, before paying the sum thus claimed, the Governmentwill require the usual certificate from the Engineer in charge of the works, as to the contract having been satisfactorily performed, and that the County Council cannot advance the amount claimed until in possession of such certificate by the Engineer, as it is a necessary preliminary to the Council being refunded by the Government. Mr Bird stated thut he bad after advertising fpr tenders entered into a contract for erecting the new pound at Wainiea Soilth for the sum of £37 103. A letter from the Secretary of the Upper Motueka Highway Board was read in reply to one addressed .to him by the Cbairman of the Couucil, enclosing au account of, expenditure on the road from Nelson to V/es'tport within that Highway District, showing that £523 2s 3d had been actually expended, and liabilities incurred to the amount of £322 83, making together £845 10s 3d. - . A letter from the Chairman of the Upper Motueka Highway Board was read, recoui mending the acceptance of the tenders undermentioned :— The road from Nelson to Westport, J. F. Pahl, 171 £ chains, £2 14 7s 6i. William Boyd, at £1 Is per chair, £39 18s. The Chairman was requested to signify to that Board the addoption by the Council of surti recommendation. A tetter from the Coldnial Secretary's office was read, relative to the proposed alterations in the sub districts of the Upper Motueka Highway District, asking for a description of the boundaries of all the proposed new sub-districts, and for the number of members each sub district is to have, with other particulars. The Chairmau was instructed to send a copy of the letter of the Under Secretary to the Upper Motueka Highway Board. A letter from the Secretary of the Upper Motueka Highway Board was read, assigning the reasons of that Board for considering a certain locality as an outlying district within the meaning of the Counties Act, which the County bad treated as being within the limits of the said Highway District. The Cnairuian was requested to join the Chairman of the Upper Motueka Highway District in investigating this boundary question and to state the result to the Couucil at its next meeting. A letter from the Waimea Highway Board was read, requesting the grant of £200 for repairs and protective works to the Appleby, Wai-iti and other bridges, and stating that the cost of maintaining these large structures is beyond the means of the Board unless their ordinary revenue be supplemented by special grants. On the motion of Mr Macmahon, seconded by Mr Bird, it was resolved that ia regard to the very pressing need for immediate action the sum of £200 asked for be granted for the protecti n and repairs of the Appleby and Wai-iti bridges, but that the limited revenues of the County arc unequal to tbe permanent maintenance of works, which from their costliness and magnitude must of necessity become the charge of the colony. A letter from the Colonial Secretary's office was read containing a copy of the by-laws framed by tbe Waimea County Council under Slaughter Houses Act 1878, with the approval of tbe Governor endorsed, and stating in reply to the County Council that it is unnecessary to publish such by-laws in the Government Gazette. On tbe motion of Mr Phillips, seconded by Mr Bird, it was resolved, That the resolution passed on the 20th August last aisiguing tbe revenues accruing from gold fields and salea of land to the locality whence such moneys are respectively derived, be put into operation at the end of the year wh*n the moneys at the command of the Connty are allotted to the several Highway Boards. The quarterly statement of receipts and expenditure of the Nelson Hospital Committee was read showing an expenditure amounting to £420 Is 6d for the quarter ending 30th September, 1876, half of which expenditure is defrayed jointly by the City of Nelson and the Counties of Waimea and Colliugwood, and half by the Government. On the motion of Mr Wells, seconded by Mr Macmahon, it was resolved, That the Chairman renew the application for the remission of that portion of the subsidy erroneously deducted by the Government for Hospital expenses for the month of June, 1879 as the Hospital was taken over by the local apthoritiei from the first of that month. The Chairman reported that the Bum of £250 expended through the agency of the Council by the Suburban North Highway Board out of the Parliamentary vote of £500 for the Rai Valley Road within the County, had been on application remitted by the Government. On tbe motion of Mr Macmahon seconded by Mr Phillips it was resolved that the several , Registrars under the Dog Nuisance Act be requested to say whether they are willing to continue their duties in the coming year ; also that it is very desirable that County Councils be empowered to appoint the proper officers for registration of dogs and receivers of Dog Tax, in place of the Governor of the Colony. That a respectful representation to this effect be made to the Government, and that Mr Shephard be requested to aid the Council in procuring tbe introduction into Parliament of a Bill to bring about this object. On the motion of Mr Macmahon, seconded by Mr Phillips It was resolved, That the proper steps be taken by the Chairman to enable tbe Council to alter the names of •ome of the Ridings and to assign names to the outlying districts. On the motion of Mr Phillips, seconded by Mr Dencker it was resolved, That the Council authorize the expenditure of the sum of £120 by tbe Upper Motueka Highway Board (such sum to be deducted from the amount to be hereafter awarded to that Board), viz., £70 on the Road from Ferry House to Gibbs' boundary and £50 at Tadmor Hill, as shown in the letter from the Secretary of that Board dated September 9th. Mr Phillips withdrew his motions proposing the offer of a bouui for gold discovery, until it was ascertained what action would be taken by Parliament in that direction. Notice of motion by Mr Dencker, That the Council proceed to allot the funds at its disposal in accordance with the terms of the resolution of this Council passed on the 16th July last. Ceuncil adjourned to 3rd Wednesday iv December at 11 o'clock.