RODNEY COUNTY COUNCIL

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 5477, 7 February 1885, Page 8

RODNEY COUNTY COUNCIL

A Lively Mooting.

A meeting of tho Rodney County Council was held on Saturday in tho Council Offico, Warkworth. Present :-N. Wilson (chairman), J. Shepherd, Farrand, Moor, Hudson, Gardener, Jaekman, Cruickshank and Scholium. The meeting lasted from 10 a.m. until midnight, the Chairman remarking that it was the longest meeting, save one, ever held by this Coun-

oil. After the minutes of the previous meeting had been read, Mr Cruickshank proposed a resolution, "That a return be prepared showing the amount of money exponded on roads in each riding during the paßt eight years, and that a separate account bo kept of the cost of work done in oacb riding/ The Chairman said he could see no good likely to result if the motion was carried, and therefore ho must oppose it. Mr Shepherd eaid it would show on which sido of the county the money had been spent. After considerable discussion the motion was carried. For (5): Shepherd, Cruickshank, Gardener, Farrand and Jaekman, against (4) : Wilson, Moor, Hudson, Scholium. A largo number of tenders for road work from Warkworth to Puhoi, and Warkworth to Kaipara Flats,were opened and disposed of. Tenders for contracts Nos. 24 and 33 woro not opened, in consequence of one or two parties not having complied with certain conditions. The Chairman said the Council would decline to commence work on any road until all legal difficulties were removed. On the question of appointing a dog tax collector, Mr. Jaekman strongly objected to settlors being compelled to pay for keeping a dog, while the Maoris weio allowed to keep a large number of mongrel curs running about. Constable Ingor had intimated to the Council that he intended to seize the Maori dogs running about without collars.

Mr Gardener thought the doge were more likely to seize Constable Inger's collar. He (Mr Gardener) would give £10 if the constable would catch all the Maori dogs. It was loft with tho Chairman to make tho appointment.

The Road to Paradise. It appoared that at the previous meeting of the Council a sum of £14,000 had been allocated to the several ridings according to a schedulo drawn up by tho Chairman. A very strong feoling had been expressed on the west aide of tho county against the action of tho Council.

Mr Farrand, member for Mangawai Riding, presented a petition signed by 79 ratepayers. The petitioners state that they consider it unwise and inexpedient to appropriate two years' entire revenue on works suggested by the Chairman without affording the ratepayers an opportunity of expressing any opinion. Mr Farrand endorsed all that the petitioners said, and spoke strongly in favour of granting what was asked. The money (£14,000) had been voted without due consideration, and the Tauhoa, Albert, and Mangawai Hidings had been treated unfairly. Mr Hudson denied that this business was hurried, and said no member objected to the schedule at last meeting. Mr Farrand : I did strongly. Mr Moor thought it was well considered, and the Council would look like little children to undo what was done at the previous meeting. Mr Shepherd said he had had several years' experience as a member of the Provincial Council, and he never know of £H,OOO being voted arf was done by the Rodney Council at its last meeting. No doubt the Chairman believed he was doing what wns right; but to bring before the Council a proposal to sjDend so large a sum of money without giving time to c«nsidor the matter was unwise and most improper. The Chairman was a person of much sympathy, and ho thought the way to Paradiso was through Wark worth. The Chairman : It appeared as if my friend the mombdr for Tauhoa (Mr Gardener) considered the West Coast road the road to Paradise. Why did not members object to the proposed expenditure at last meeting? Mr Shepherd : I objected to the schedule, and also to the way in which it was hurried. I stated that it was proposed tj spend £10,000 within 10 miles of Warkworth. Mr Jackman: I think wo were misled, as it was thought we were voting only_ one year's rates. Still no good will result in reconsidering the matter. Mr Moor : Albert and Mangawaißidings are represented by two of the cleverest members of the Council, and thereforo not likely to be misled. Chairman : Well, gentlemen, this is a strange {ieee of business. Until this night I hud a similar opinion of the members for Albert and Mangawai. The land at To Arai and Mangawai is not worth making a road through it. [t would be a God-send if the sand at Mangawai was to bury the greater part of the land bo had seen. He did not care tor indignation meetings. Mr Gardener could not understand the Chairman's remarks relative to roads on the eastern and western sides of the county. His remarks about the watershed of the country was nonsense. Mr Farrand did not attend any indignation meetings; but ho knew there was great dissatisfaction expressed at the Chairman's schedule of works.

Mr Gardener thought the Chairman's language harsh as compared with the remarks of Messrs Farrand and Shepherd. Those two moinbors had spoken in a gentlemanly manner. Motion to re-consider the proposed schedulo was negatived, For: Shepherd, Gardener, Farrand. Against: Wilson, Moor, Hudson, Jackman, Cruickshank, and Scholium.