VINCENT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Cromwell Argus, Volume XVII, Issue 842, 2 June 1885, Page 3

VINCENT COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of the Council was held in th*e Council Chambers, Clyde, on Wednesday, 27 th nit. Present: Crs W. Fraser (Chairman), J. Pitches, H. Tobin, R. Sheppard, J. Anderson, J. Stronach, J. M'Carthy, and J. Butler. The Chairman introduced the newly-elected member for Karnscleugh, Mr J. Butler (rice-Mr M. J. M'Ginnis, deceased). .The minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed. Schedules of inward and outward correspondence were read, and the following considered:— From Mr James Smith, the newly-appointed puntman atLuggate, asking assistance from the Council towards building a house for himself fy& his family.—Cr Anderson said it had to be borne in mind that the request of the residents of the district was that a married man should be appointed to the position.—Discussion ensued, during which some Councillors thought if any concession was made in favor of one punt all others would seek the same. Others again were of opinion that a certain sum should be granted, and in the event of the applicant being removed or discharged, that the Council take over the house at valuation.—Eventually it was decided to let the matter stand over till next meeting. From Mr C. T. Marie, proprietor of coal lea=e in Cooper's Gully, asking that a roadway bounding his coal lease, and on a section he had applied for, be closed.—l he Chairman explained that a report from the Engineer on the question would be read during the meeting and suggested that the letter and report be considered together.—Agreed to. From Mr F. J. Hunt, claiming damages for injuries sustained to his buggy through the bad state of the road between Cromwell and Lowburn.—lt was explained that Mr Hunt had taken an old abandoned track, and that the Council therefore was not responsible, and it was resolved that Mr Hunt be written to that effect. From Messrs Chapman and Strode giving their their opinion as to the liability of the County for claim of Mr Holt for water supplied to the toWn of Clyde for three and a-half years, amounting to £lO5. The opinion was that the Council was not liable. The Chairman said, though while dealing with this claim of Mr Holt's and the opinion of Messrs Chapman and Strode, it was to be remembered by the Council that it did not deal with the whole question of the water supply to the town of Clyde. Since the merger of the town of Clyde into the County, the revenue received had been £2624 16s lOd, while the expenditure had only been £902 15s 3d ; the actual balance in favor of the town of Clyde therefore was £1722 Is Id. He further explained that the claim of Mr Holt had always been a disputed one by the Council, as in August 1883, Mr Holt had been informed by letter that the Council disclaimed any responsibility.—After discussion it was resolved that the Council see no reason to alter the resolution arrived at in August, 1883. Cr Stronach asked if steps had been taken to get the parties locally nominated as a Licensing Committee for Hawea Riding, gazetted.—The Chairman said he was not aware of any names having been submitted ; he would, however, make enquiries of the Resident Magistrate. Cr Anderson read a letter from the Nevis School Committee to the effect that two planks, the property of the Council, had been disposed of by Mr S. Clark, aud requesting that Council order same to be returned.—The Chairman was instructed to write to Mr Clark on the subject. The Engineer's report on contracts was read, wherein reference was made to contractor for contract No. 132 not having commenced work. A general discussion ensued on the liability of a contractor not commencing work within a certain time. It having been explained that a clause in the general conditions provided that the contractor should commence work within a certain time of signing his tender, it was resolved that contract No. 132 be cancelled, and fresh tenders be called for if the work is not commenced within a week from date. The report was received. The report on bridges and ferries was read and received. Report on roads was read, and the following recommendations agreed to :—That £132, cost of repairing damage to road Clyde to Cromwell, be voted ; £3O on road leading to school reserve, Ida Valley; £SO on road Blacks to Tinkers; £ls Bcndigo to Cromwell Company's mine; £35 Lowburn to Rocky Point; £lO Albert Town to Hawea Flat ; £ls, Lindis Downs Road ; £25 on roads through Block 1., Tarras District. The Council then adjourned till 8 p.m. ' On resuming, the engineer's schedule of works proposed to be constructed under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act, amounting in all to £6666 13s 4d, was read and agreed to. The Engineer's report on disputed road question between Marie's and Holt's coal leases, embodying two recommendations as follows, was read:—l. That the surveyed line of road to the north and west of sections 114 and 115, and on section 119, be adhered to, and that a wooden roadway and culvert be erected over the open cutting leading into Marie's coal mine. 2. That another road be made on section 119 leading to Mr Holt's lease. The Chairman explained that the main difficulty by adopting either recommendation would not be got over, as the Council had no power to close a road, that power resting entirely in the hands of the County ratepayers, of whom a poll has to be taken ; and, secondly, Marie claiming the right to section 119, would object to its being cut up by roads.—After discussion the matter was left in the hands of the Chairman. The Chairman said at the present meeting the annual balance-sheet should have ceen passed, but as it had not been audited it could not be done, but it would be necessary to agree to the striking and fixing of a rate for the ensuing year. As the usual annual balance-sheet was not audited it could not be discussed. He had, however, prepared statements which might b« relied upon, and from which the Council could be possessed of all necessary information. He theu read and explained statements prepared, from which we glean the following : Total revenue received from all sources up to 31st March —including £4ll 7s 5d assets from preceding year—£9,39o 3s. Expenditure during year on roads, bridges, contracts, departmental, etc., including bank overdraft on 31st March, 1884, £7,372 5s Id ; leaving a balance to credit of £1,606 10s 6d. The average amount of gold duty received during the past eight years was shown to be £2,492 16s Sd The relative sums received under this head during the past two years was—lßß3-4, £1,778 lis 3d ; 1884-5, £2,017 Bs. Goldfields revenue for the past eight years gave an annual average of £1,292 9s 7d. For 18S3-4 the amount received from this source was £1,208 3s; for 1884-5, £1,294 3s Bd, showing an excess for last year of £S6 Bd. The value of taxable property in the County last year was £943,425, which at a gd rate yielded £2,325 6s. The amount of rates received during the same period under the Crown and Native Lands Rating Act was £469 0s 7d. The Chairman continued : By the statement read it was shown that after carrying on the affairs of the County, and in providing for all wants, there was the substantial balance in hand, or rather of receipts over expenditure, of £1606, and as there was nothing demanding an extra expenditure for the current year, and moreover, as it could not be gainsaid that the rates for the past had been a heavy strain upon the chief ratepayers, he thought and suggested that the rate now to be struck should" be reduced to id in the pound. The matter was, however, in the hands of the Council. Cr Pitches failed to see that any one class of the ratepayers felt the burden more than another. Crs Stronach and Anderson supported the Chairman's views. After discussion, it was decided to defer the further consideration of the matter until tomorrow's meeting. The Council then went into Committee to consider the appointment of clerk and tenders. On rising, the following report was read and adopted :—That Mr J. S. Dickie be appointed clerk at a salary of £250 per annum ; that the Render of Messrs Featherstone and Steel for contract No. 133 be accepted; that fresh tenders be called for contract No. 13-1; and that the offer of Mr MacKellar for Rocky Point Bridge be not accepted. The Council then adjourned till 9 a.m. on the 28th.

Thuksday, May 28th.

On resuming on the 28th, A letter or report was read from County Engineer suggesting that in future the maintenance of all roads in the county, excepting main roads, be contracted for.—After consideration it was resolved that the suggestion of the engineer be adopted. The schedule of works proposed to be constructed under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act was read and agreed to. The question of rate for ensuing year was again resumed, and after discussion it was resolved—That the rate for the current year be U in the £. " Cr Pitches alone opposed the motion, arguing that though the County for the present was in funds and had a credit balance, there was no telling when a strain might be brought to bear on the finances of the County, and the amount now voted away by the reduction of the rate be much needed. He could see that he was in the minority, but he desired that his opinion should be known. The notices of motion as follows were then considered : Cr Fraser moved—That the sum of fifty (oO) pounds be expended in forming and gravelling the street at back of sections 15 to 53, block xxiii., old Borough of Clyde.—Seconded by Cr Stronach and carried. Cr Tobin moved—That a sum not exceeding five (5) pounds be voted for the erection of a footbridge at Deadhorse Creek, Wanaka Road, for the convenience of children attending the Luggate school.—Seconded by Cr Anderson and carried. Cr Tobin moved—That a sum of money be voted for widening the Sandy Point cutting, Wanaka Road.—Seconded by Cr Stronach and carried. Cr Tobin moved—That the County engineer be instructed to make provision for two or three extra culverts on M'Nulty and Bethune's contract.—Seconded by Cr Stronach and carried. Cr Butler moved—That the sum of ten (10) pounds be expended on repairing road known as Poverty Beach Road from Roberts' Como Farm to Alexandra Bridge.—Seconded by Cr M'Carthy and carried. Cr Stronach moved That the County engineer be instructed to prepare plans and estimate of cost of construction of a traffic bridge across the Lindis River at or near Weifer's crossing.—Seconded by Cr Tobin and carried. Cr Stronach moved —That the County engineer be instructed to repair the road from Rise-and-Shine to Lindis River.—Seconded by Cr M'Carthy and carried. Cr Sheppard moved —That the roads New Town to Tinkers, Tinkers to Drybread, and the road known as Donnelly's Gully Boad ba repaired at a cost not exceeding twenty (20) pounds.—Seconded by Cr Tobin and carried. Cr Fraser moved—That th« sum of thirtyfive (35) pounds be expended in forming and repairing road from Beck's brewery to Jackson's coal-pit on the main road from Alexandra to Ophir.—Seconded by Cr Butler and carried. Cr Fraser moved—That the road from Clyde Pound to Wai-keri Valley be repaired at a cost not exceeding ten (10) pounds.—Seconded by Cr Tobin and carried. Cr Fraser moved—That the sum of twentyfive (25) pounds be paid to each of the following institutions as a donation from the County—viz., the Benevolent Institution, the Cromwell Hospital, and the Dunstan Hospital.—Seconded by Cr Anderson and carried. Cr Pitches moved—That the sum of twentyfive (25) pounds be voted for repairs of road from Ophir to Mr Jones' mill.—Seconded by Cr Sheppard and carried. The Council then went into committee, and on resuming recommended that accounts amounting to £36 9s 4d be passed for payment. The Council then adjourned.