COUNTY COUNCILS.

Press, Volume XXXI, Issue 4289, 29 April 1879, Page 3

COUNTY COUNCILS.

AKABOA. t

Satubdat, Apbii 26. The usual monthly meeting of the Council was held at the Hotel (Hill Top), Barry's Pass, on Saturday, 26th;instant. The members present were—Bey. R. R. Bradley, Messrs Fleming, Williams, D_lgleish, Hay, Gebbie, Coop, acd Barker. The clerk read tho return of the Returning Officer, stating that Mr Col. McDonald had been duly elected to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr Latter, and Mr McDonald then took his'seat ci a member of the Council. The clerk then stated that the first business for the meeting was the election of a chairman. . BLBC-lOH OF CHAIBKAN. Mr Williams proposed, and Mr Hay seconded, that the Bey. R. R. Bradley take the chair for the purpose of conducting the election. Rev. R. R. Bradley then look the chair, and called upon any member present to propose a chairman. Mr Gebbie said he had a candidate to pro. pose, who, he waa sure, would always aot impartially, and in the interests of the Council. He begged to propose Mr F. W. Williams as chairman of the Council. Mr Coop seconded the motion. The Chairman then asked if any other member had a candidate to propose. Mr Hay begged to propose Bey. B. B. Bradley as chairman of the Council. Mr F. Williams seconded the proposition. Ber. R. B. Bradley had to decline the proposed honor on account of his many existing engagements, and. also the distance he lired away from the office would lead to publio inconvenience. Before putting the resolution, it was suggested that the minutes of the previous meeting be read and confirmed. Mr J. Gebbie raised a long discussion as to the regularity of the proceedings and the reading of the minutes at this stage. The minutes were ultimately read and confirmed, and the chairman put tbe resolution to the Council that Mr !"• W. Williams be chairman of the Akaroa County Council, which was unanimously adopted, and that gentleman took the chair. The Chairman then gave a short resume of the business that he understood would oome before the meeting, but as he was not quite up in the details of the business, he suggested that the Council adjourn for a short time to enable him to look over the correspondence, &o. This was agreed to, and on the Council resuming, the following letter was read from Mr Latter, the late chairman of the Council, | showing the state of the Council's business at i date. The C___r__an pointed out that the balances tbat day in the Bank were—County fund, £2155 10s; and special grant account, £1846 12s. Christchurch, 23rd April, 1879. The Chairman and Members of the Akaroa County Council— Gentlemen,—Acting on tbe wish expressed by you at your last meeting, I have continued to act as your chairman, and have now the honor to draw your attention to the following matters:~• 1. It being necessary that the County electoral rolls for the present year should be compiled by the 15th April, the clerk has obtained the necessary information, and completed the rolls, and they are now open for inspection in tbe several ridings of the County, in compliance with the Counties Act. 2. In accordance with resolution of this Council, I wrote to the chairmen of the Akaroa and Wainui, aud the Little Biver Boad Boards, enquiring whether the works on the Mount Boesu and Lake Forsyth road were proceeding satisfactorily. On the 9th April I was informed, by the Little Eiver Board, through Mr Gebbie, * who also laid before mc other _tro_g evidence, that the work being done by tbe contractor on the Little River side was so very bad as to make it doubtful whether he could be following the engineer's specification. I immediately telegraphed, and at the same time wrote to Mr Fenton, C.E., asking him to inspect and report on the work without delay, iv order that, if the contractor was_ not working to his (Mr Fenton's) specification, he might be at once stopped from proceeding with the contract. Iresfretto say that I have not received from Mr Fenton even an acknowledgment of the receipt of these communications. The whole matter wJI no doubt receive your attention. 3. The Government has asked for the annual return of value of rateable property and rates received within the oounty for the year ending tbe 31st March, 1879. It will be necessary that this shall be signed and declared by your chairman, and forwarded on or before the Ist May. 4. Letter from the Mayor of Christchnroh will be laid before you, asking this Council to take such steps as may be advisable to urge upon the Government the desirability of the next session of Parliament being held in Christ- > church. 5. The plan and description of land purchased for site of Council offices has been handed to your solicitors, in order that conveyance may be prepared. i 6. A communication ha 3 been received from . the Hon. the Postmaster-General, showing the route proposed to be taken by his Excellency the ■ Governor on ihis visit to Canterbury. The i Council will observe that his Excellency purposes coming to Akaroa in the Hinemoa on the i Bth, and mil no doubt consider what steps i should be taken to welcome him. > 7. The accounts for the half-year ending the 31st March, 1879, and also, as required by tbe k Counties Act, tha accounts for the whole year 1 ending the same date have been prepared and 1 forwarded to the auditor. The balance in bank • on 3tst March, after deducting cheques not pre--1 sented, is—on general account, J82092 4s 6d, * and on special grants account, -61346125. 8. As treasurer, I beg to draw the Council's 1 attention to the necessity of requiring the I Registrars of Dogs to send to the clerk a monthly return of licenses issued, remitting also the amount of fees. In two instances no return < for 1879 had been received up to 31 rt March; of these one has since been forwarded, but from _J Okain's Bay no return has been supplied. It is manifest tbat the county wOl materially suffer should this continue, especially as the police cannot be furnished, as arranged, with a list oi a licenses issued. a 9. Items left over from last meeting were— a 1. Mr Fenton's account. Mir Fenton has written, stating that the work in question was carried on through Christmas Day. 2. Consideration of tenders for erection oi Q Council offices, for which the time for i-ceaving was extended. o It only remains for mc to formally tender mj s resignation from the 2Sth April as your chairy man and treasurer, heartily thanking you foi I the uniform courtesy and support I have always.

J*3-cifl-rs_: IShould i£-be»iu;__3r Tislu alw_ys t_'gla"- to be "of H-trice ib the Council. I bars the honor to be, Qeni-emen, , Your obedient servant, (Signed) » ! _?/ Ci Lattee. hbxt __rs_TO.r op TAsttaiasrr. A letter was read from tbe Mayor o Christchurch on this subject, and asking th co-operation of the Council in the ssatter. Bey. B. B. Bradley moved— "That thi chairman be requested to write to the Govern ment, urging the necessity of holdiog the next session of Parliament in Christchurch." The motion was seconded by Mr J. Gebbie, and agreed to. govbbjtob'b Ttsrr. The Chairman reported that he had received a letter informing the Council that the Governor would pay an official visit to Akaroa on or about the Bth of May. Considerable discussion took place as to what the Council should do in tbe matter. Mr Coop moved—" That the chairman be requested to meet the Governor, and show the loyalty of the Counci', the Council defraying all necessary charges." L___ FOB3YTH BOAD. In reply to the Council's inquiries, the Akaroa and Wainoi Boad Board' wrote, stating that the Lake Forsyth road from Mount Bossu, as far as it was in their district, was proceeding most satisfactorily under tbe superintendence of Mr Fenton, the Board's engineer. A letter was received from the clerk to th< Little Biver Board on the same subject, anc stating that the work was not proceeding al all satisfactorily. The road being a series oJ ups and downs, the lower sides of the road were being packed with tussocks, the culvert! were made of any loose material the con. tractor could pick up on the ground, and thai he had interpreted the specification literally, The writer was not able to say if the line had been deviated from, as he had still been unable to find the line of the pegs. The letter further stated that the contractors were quite unacquainted with hill work The chief surveyor also' wrote to the Council pointing out tbat the way in whioh the road was being constructed would require a reserve of 150 to 2C3 links to enable it to be properly graded. He had no objection to increase the chain where necessary, but could not do so owing to errors of contractors. Mr Anson Peraki wrote stating the road though' well laid out originally wascompletely spoiled owing to the way in which it was being constructed, and asking the Coficil to stop therrork. Mr Fenton, the engineer, who was- present, read a report on the subject, and also the original specification for tbe work. From the report it appeared that the contractor for the work had deviated from the line for chains, made the gradients in places so steep that a horse could not get up, whereas there was nothing worse than oi.e in twelve as laid off, had pulled up the pegs, and the culverts were not all in accordance with the specification, that the work was useless, and would spoil what will require to be done. Mr Fenton, the engineer to the Council, was asked by the chairman if he had any personal or other explanation to make, stated that in explanation of the complaints made against the contractor, that all the reports made by the Little Biver road overseer to his district Board, conveyed an animus evidently hostile to him (Mr Fenton). Why this should be so was a mystery. He did not think he would even know that person by sight, and certainly had never done him any intentional harm. He challenged the Council to read the overseer's report and not see tbat every line was intended to be injurious to him professionally. Personally, he (Mr Fenton) cared little what might be thought or said from suoh a quarter, and would hsve taken no notice of it had the Council not requested him to make some remarks. Five years' professional practice on the Peninsula, to the satisfaction of the Provincial Government and other employers, were, he quite sufficient to refute attacks made from quarters of far more weight and importance than the person who so ably, or otherwise, leads the members, guides the proceedings, and expends the funds of the Little Biver Boad Board. The overseer's statement that the pegs had never been put in was either made in gross ignorance or else a wilful misrepresentation. He had before told the Council that he would be prepared to bring three persons besides himself who would make statutory declarations that the line had been pegged and numbered consecutively. He (Mr Fenton) would call the attention of the Council to the contradictory character, of the overseer's report. He states in one place that tbe pegs are not driven, and then goes on to say that the contract is very badly carried out, the contractors incompetent men, and the pegged, line not adhered to. Here is an acknowledgment that there was a pegged line. Bnt after giving the contract and contractors about as bad a character as possible, what do we find ? Why, that the work is certified to by the overseer as satisfactory, and progress payments made. He (Mr Fenton) thought that the overseer Bhould be made to refund all monies paid to contractors, and the contractors charged -with the cost of repegging the ground. Had not several respectable travellers made strong written complaints to the Council, the probability is that the work would still be. going on, and payments and certificates alike satisfactory to contractors and overseer. But the publio has made a disturbance, and now the overseer attempts to throw the whole of the blame on the pegging and the specification,. The specification had been read to the Council, and he (Mr Fenton) was glad to hear remarks from several members that it was quite clear and ample in all its clauses. He (Mr Fenton) was aware that the contractors had, from the beginning of the work, pulled up the pegs, with what intention he would leave the Council to guess, but he considered that the overseer was criminal in making the direct charge he did— namely, that the pegs had never been driven. He (Mr Fenton) had requested the contractors to be at the Council: meeting that day, and he thought that if they had been, and also the overseer, a cross-examination would have disclosed some curious facts in natural history. He regretted tbat he should be placed in this position, but circumstances he thought would yet turn np that would dear him from the charge made by the overseer of the Little Biver Boad Board. That person had now, in the report lying before the Council, requested to be relieved of the responsibility of this job for the future. He I (Mr Fenton) thought that this was-a naivo request, and tended rather to show that, however stupidly he may have bogged himself he had clear perceptions of self-preservation. Mr Coop said that the clerk to the Little Biver Board still asserted that there-were no pegs but those put in by Mr Anderson long ago. He was anxious that this matter should: be cleared up, as some one was. stating what was not true. Mr Hay thought that all the blame lay at the door of the Little Biver Boacbßoa-d. When their clerk saw the work waa not being properly done he should hare stopped the contractor, and not allowed the thing to drift into a mess. Mr Coop moved, " That, tho chairman of this Council and the chairman of the Little Birer Boad Board meet Mr Fenton on the 6th May and go over the lino of road and see the pegs." The motion waa seconded by Mr Gebbie, and carried. It was further agreed that the work be stopped at once, and Mr Gebbie undertook to see the clerk of the Little Barer Board on the subject. am BKsroir's Accoxrar. Mr Baker thought it was now time Mr Fenton. account of £27 18s for surveys, should be paid,, as he had explained that his staff had worked on Christmas Day, and the Council wexe evidently out in regard to the calculation of the Sundays. He would move, "That the account in question be paid at once, and they were now satisfied that no Sundays had been charged for." Mr Gebbie moved as an amendment, " That; in view of the discassion on the previous question, the payment be deferred until nexk meeting." Seconded.by Mr Coop. On the question being, put there toted for the amendment—Messr. Coop, Gebbie, and Bradley—3. For the motion—Messrs Fleming, Hay, Dalglish, McDonald, and? Barker—s. The amendment was consequently: lost. TX-DBBS FOB CO PUT- OFFICES. Mr Hay, as chairman of the bunding committee, reported that they bad received four tenders for the erection of th» new offices for, the county, and also the engineer's estimate of the value of the work., viz., £800. The committee recommended the acceptance of tha lowest tender, viz,, that of Messrs E. Hughes and Co., of Aiaroa,* for the turn of £735. Mr Gebbie moved the accepta-09 of tha tender in question, which waa seconded by Mr Coop, and carried, Mr Barker dissenting. Mr Coop moTed—"Thafctli© -bu-UUBf-co-a*

I pinittee be requested to conti- ,n "» their servicet, %nd that Mr Fenton be empJived to assitt them in superintending stbo *erewtion *»£- -h-* buildings, at,a,eommissip|i.of per cent" Tho* motion "-war Becsnaed*by Mr'Gebbie, , and carried, Mr Barker dissenting. MAKSOH'S- BOAD, TOBT VICTORIA. d,__fc Gebbie 'enquired if any further cprfc munication had been received in regard to this road. The chairman replied in the negative. -TBCiAi flßAjrr tob :lb boh's boad. Mr Barker asked the Council to pay over the special grant of £100 for tbo Le Bon's Bay road npper part) as the contract wis now let and tha money was wanted. Mr Coop the speoiaJ giant'of £100 be paid over to the Okam's Bby Bead Board for th» work in Le Bon's Bay, on a certificate bouts' given by the chairman that the work was lef, and tbe receipt signed by the treasurer of 6he Hoard." The motion was seconded by Mr Dalgleiah aud carried. TB_-_rti-_-K On the motion of Mr Hay, seoonded by Mr McDonald, the chairman was unanimously elected treasurer 1 of the Council, and the clerk directed to inform' the Ba_k of the same. PIGBOX BAY Wif-SU*. Mr Barker wished to know why the wharfage tariff was not being put in force by the Pigeon Bay Boad Board. Mr Hay explained that the'matts* as it now stood was regulated by the Marine Aot, 1877, and Mr Barker need not trouble ____self about the matter. BPEOTA-. HBBTIK*. It was agreed to hold the special'-meeCsag as required by the Counties Act on the same day as next regular meeting, for the adoption of the accounts, whi.h the chairman intimated had now been audited by the district auditor, Mr OUrvier. payments. On the* motion of Mr Hay, seconded _y Mr McDonald, the following accounts were passed for payment :*—Le Bon's special grant, £106*$ Mr Fenton _ engineering account, £27" 18s? ,< Lyttelto_f__mes,"£2 6s; "Akaroa Mail," £10 9s officers, £6 6a; .total, £146* 19s. j -BANKS TO CHAIBMAN. ; On the motion of Mr J. Barker it was* \ unanimously agreed to record in the minutes \ of the Council an expression of the high sense i. they had off the manner in whioh the late ' chairman, Mr B. O. Latter, had discharged '! his duties as chairman. Messrs Hay, Gebbie, ; and other members bore testimony to the excellent manner in. which the business of the - Council had been conducted under the chairmanship of Mr Xiatter. AD JOTOHMEMT. On the motion of Mr Gebbie, seoonded by Mr McDonald, the Council then adjourned, to meet at the same place on Friday, 23rd May, at 10 am.