Bruce County Council.

Bruce Herald, Volume IX, Issue 890, 20 March 1877, Page 6

Bruce County Council.

« The third meeting of the above Council was held in Jones' Council Chamber**, Milton, on Satui'day last at noon. Present — Messrs Clark (chairman), Murray, Robertson, Wayne, Smith, Petrie, and Duff. Mr J. E. Brown again acted as clerk, pro tern. The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed. A letter was read from the Commissioner of Police, drawing attention to the dangerous state of the Lower Taieri Ferry Bridge ; seven planks were loose, and in consequence a xvaggon had been nearly upset- Acting under the advice of the Chairman, the Clerk reported that he had replied that the bridge was not within the County of Bruce, and was clearly under the control of the General Government. A letter was also read from the Chairman of the Taieri County Council (xvho had evidently received a similar letter from the Police Commissioner), iv forming the Council that they had referred the matter to their Engineer for his report, and askiDg if the Bruca Council would take steps to effect the repairs, or xvait their Engineer's report. As the Bruce Council had not adopted the Act, a similar reply was sent to the Taieri Council to that sent to Mr Weldon. A letter was read from the Public Works Office, Wellington, informing the Council that the Government had decided to grant free railway passes over the County to the Chairman and to councillors to and from meetings of Council only, which were received before the close of the meeting and distributed to tbe members present. A letter was read from the Colonial Secretary's office, acknowledging receipt of the Council's resolution not to bring the 3rd schedule of the Act into force. An application for continuation as tollkeeper was read from Mr Crutchfield, who had been i ostructed by the Government that his services would not be required after the close of the present month. A letter was read from the proprietors of the ' Southern Mercury ' asking the Clerk to supply reports of the meetings of Council. A letter from the Under Secretary, dated the sth March, was [read, stating tbat the Council had reported the revenue of the Waipori Road Board as £47 16s 6d, whereas the Board had itself given the return as £81 lis 6d, and asking which of tbe amounts xvas correct. Cr Duff informed tbe Council that in spite of his opinion to the contrary, the Board xvould insist that last year's returns were asked for instead of the present year's, and hence the mistake made by the Board. The smaller amount furnished by the Council was the correct one. The Clerk's replies to the correspondence received xvas considered satisfactory by the Council. The Chairman stated that the only remaining business requiring the Council's attention was the distribution of the County funds among the several Road Boards proportionately, after which, the Council need not again meet for twelve months to come. All the members present had met in Committee earlier in the day, but the Clerk had not yet put their report into shape. The Council agreed to adjourn until 2 o'clock, when the report would be submitted. Upou resuming business at that hour the Chairman said they had discovered since the adjournment that two statements would have to be furnished to the Government, one ot,^ them made for the six months ending June 30, .1877, and another for the year July 1, 1877, to June 30, 1878. The first six monthly statement had to be supplied at once to bring it within the period of Jhi*ee months since the elections. The following yearly return would have to be sent in before April 30. The following table of the relative proportions of the distribution to the several Road Boards was then submitted, as the result of the Sub-Committee's deliberations, v'z. : — Waihola Road Board (including Waipori Road Board district), 27 per cent, and tolls ; Tokomairiro Road-Board, 14 per cent, and tolls ; Mount Stuart Road Board, 36 per cent. ; Crichton Road Board, 13 per cent. ; Balmoral Road Board, 10 per cent. The txvo firstnamed Boards alone have tolls located within their boundaries, and it was agreed that tbey should receive the toll dues, over and above the percentage agreed upon as their share of the County funds. Cr Smith moved — " That the distribution named by the Committee be adopted. The motion was seconded by Cr Petrie, and carried eventually after a lengthened discussion. The Chairman stated that the receipts at tbe Clarksville toll-bar last week were £7, -- After careful consideration he thought the first six months revenue of the County would be only £1400 from all he could learn, but thereafter for the following year he believed it would amount to £3500. It xvas agreed tbat the Waihola Road Board should keep the Main South Road in repair up to the bounds of the Tokomairiro Road Board district, in consideration of receiving the Waipori Board's proportion of revenue, viz., nine per cent, in addition to its. own proportion of 18 per cent. Mr. Wayne, by way of amendment to the distribution agreed upon, had moved that ths?

funds should be divided according to the rates received within each Road Board district. He expected to stand alone, but he still thought the Council had acted wrongly in refusing to enTbrace the whole Act, which would yet have to be done, as the Counties Act was framed specially to prevent the in- , justice to outlying districts which this Councils actions would involve, he -held that.they, as a Council, had no right to dictate to Road Boards where they were to lay out tbeir money. Tbey had no right to consider one road a main road and another a district road* and spend all their money on tbe main road. The-Counties' Act provided, that the Council could have district roads, noxv so kuown, declared to be main roads, -and the funds spent thereon, which was one of the chief benefits of the Act, jbut this wise provision , they had . lost by refusing- to come under the Act as a whole. The Act was intended to provide* for; the completion of all roads, and not to cut Off settlers in the back regions from forming roads to join the present main roads. The Clerk mentioned that the Taieri Council had already got their roads gaaetted as County Boads — a provision which he thought 'the Bruce Council erred iv not securing before deciding whether or not they would embrace tb.e whole Act. This he held c^^easily have been done, and then the Sffd could have spent the fuuds on present .district roads, which they could not noxv do Mr Duff submitted an account from Mr Hilgendorf, Waihola, for repairs to culverts on main south road, which was absolutely necessary to prevent accident. Mr Robertson and himself had taken upon themselves to have the work done by contract. The Chairman said they deserved every credit for their action, but the Council had no funds and never would have, as they had not adopted the whole Act. He did not know how they were to pay for the minute book and other necessaries obtained, aud the Clerk's ■alary. The Chairman, however, on .being pressed, -wrote, Jipon the voucher that the Council recommended tbe Waihola Road Board tb pay tbe amount when in funds. The Council then adjourned until the 31st inst* when they agreed to meet to discuss the allocation of funds for the year July, 1877, to June, 1878; also, that should any further inducement offer, they might, at the last moment, secure any^ advantage to be gained by adopting tbe Act even yet.