GREY COUNTY COUNCIL.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXIII, Issue 3917, 18 March 1881, Page 2

GREY COUNTY COUNCIL.

Tuesday, 15th Makoh. ; Present-^-The County* Chairman (in tbef chair), Crß Marshall, Bpase, Madden, Ellis, Taylor, Clifford, and"Foley. | Pr Clifford, moved — "That tiief Road Overseer be 'instructed to prepare plans and specifications for about half a mile of a road'^f cotrimencing at a point) near M'Laughlan's farm on the main 1 Grey road, and itejsmipating at old Oamp-f townj the settlers to perform the work,; providing they are willing to do so for! two thirds of the Road Overseer's esti-i mate, and to accept payment six jaontha after completion' of contract." It was a small but important work. The inhabitants "had contributed towardafthe- rates? for some time, and were without means of communication 1 . They were also willing to perform the work at two-thirds of the? Road' Overseer's estimate^ ' Cr Ellis seconded the motion. I 1 Or Taylor would like to know tbej probable coat of the work, before deciding on the' subject. He was favorable if the expense' was not too great." ■ . • ■ ■-]' \ Or Clifford th'bught'the cosit "wdtild be about L6o or LBo. ' il " : " w: Cr FoLEY moved aa an amendment that the work stand over till next meeting. •'■ ••/• .v ■.••■; :' :»"..-...v: ) '■"'•' | Cr Taylor would like to know from the 'Road Overseer what' would' be the probable coat. ;! ■:■-■■ • ■•- ' " The Roa'd'OverSeer estimated 'the' cobl at about L 260. It was about 65 chains in 'length, md would cost L 4 per cba^.n. The formation alone would cost LlOO. „ Or Madden Beconded, Cr Foley's amendment. / Or Clifford said there seemed to b< great opposition shown to any works h< ■broughfrVforward. It was not long since that the Council incurred an expense '61 L2OO orL3OO for the purpose of benefiting a private company, and very little notic< was taken of it. ' ' - * Or Taylor rose to explain ; Cr Clifford the same as Or Foley did the last even ing, thrdw out inainuatidris'a'bout benefit ing private property. The company, t< .which allusion was) made, paid betw/eei L4O and L5O a-year rates, which was mifoi than five or six settlers did put together The amendment was then put am carried. Cr Clifford, moved—" That th sumcof ; ,rLls: be voted to* the. ,sfo Towi Public Reading Room and Library, as i subsidy for tie year 1881." Cr Marshall seconded the motion.Oarried. :) ' L ' • Or Clifford, moved—" That- th sum of LlB be expended in repairini and gravelling the road leading from th main; Grey Valley road to the Grey Rivei near Cdcnrane's, provided that Cochran is willing to contribute one-third of th cost." Or Ellis seconded the inotlon.Oarried. Or Clifford 1 111, 11 moved— •• That th Road Overseer be instructed to prepar plans and specifications, and call tendei for a track, commencing at a point o the Abe's Gully 1 track, atlor' near the foe of Abe's Gully, and terminating at Dee Creek, and that the course of the preset bush track be followed^ where foun advantageous, or 'in direct route to th workings' on the above creek and ii course 1 ' altered wheMh the v! opinion < the Overseer such deviation would, shorte the distance, or be otherwise ' adyai tageouß, and that pay menta for the aboy work be as folio ws ? viz. :— One-third < the .contract prices on completionvof tt work, one-third by a bill due six month after completion, and the remaining one third by a bill due twelve months afte completion, both bills to bear the usu: rate of interest." This was one of V& most important works that ever cam before the Council, and would recou itself in all probability before it was con pleted. It would open up a large extet of auriterous and agricultural country and also open up lands for aettlemen This district would be one of the be. 1 mining districts in the Colony, if facilil was only afforded for miners to prospec it. The object of the Council should b to open up tracks for the miners, so ths new country could be prospected, a3 th old diggings were becoming worked oui In the district to which he drew atfcentio in his motion, miners were already gettio gold, which in any other locality woul cause a big rush. The country woul support a large population, and th miners said so that were already in th district, and his constituency had accuse him of keeping back the interests of th place. He was in hopes that the Govert ment would have subsidised the work ; for £; as Mr Warden Stratford ha reported strongly on it. The track wa easy to make as there were no larg streams to bridge, and if the work wa undertaken, it would open up countr; second to none in the Colony.. Cr Ellis seconded the? motion. Cr Taylor would like; something mon definite. The motion was like Cr Clifford' motions— too vaguei .Before acceptio, tenders they should get all the informa tion possible as to cost. At present th< Council did not know whether the worl would coat LI 00 or LIOOO. Anbth* thing to be considered was 'th< County in a position to undertake tbi work, looking ajt the financial position o\ the Council. They must act in tb.ii matter the same aa if they were dealit?^ with their own private money. He die not oppose the. work frdm factious .mo' tives. Cr Marshall was inclined ta take the san^e v^w as Cr Taylor, when the financial position of the Council was considered, ... . ■■.-;. Or Taylor moved as an amendment that the words; "and call for tenders/ and all words after the, word "advantageous" be struck out. Or Boase was at first Inclined to oppose the motion, but he would now support it. Or Marshall seconded the amend* ment. Cr Madden supported the motion. Cr Foley thought the strain waa too heavy for the present position of the County's finances. He would point the work out to the Government and urge on them to undertake it. In reply to Or Taylor, the Road Overseer thought the cost would be about L6OO o«L700. The Chairman stated that the Council

could not pay for the work in cash. Mr ■ Masters had strongly recommended it to the notice of the Government. Or CwpyoßD said the Council would I not be required to make any payment for about 15 months, therefore it would not press heavy upon it. The amendment' was' then put. Ayes: Ors Marshall, Taylor, Foley.. Noes . Ora Botfse, Madden, 'Ellis, Clifford and the Chairman. The amendment was loat. * CfTozM moved as t . further amend* ment, that a committee* be appointed to wait on the Warden to ask Mm to recommend the Government to subsidise the WOrk. ,: : '■";"■■ -"•".-•'; Cr Taylor secondecHhe amendment. The amendment was put and lost, and the original motion carried. J Cr; Mai>de^f moved — "That .local tenders ;W called for impairing iWoods Creek track' ; distance about twelve chains, same not to exceed L 6 or L 7." Cr Clifford seconded the motion. — Carried. Cr Ellis, moved— "That 'the Road Overseer be instructed to prepare plans and specifications, and call for tenders for the remaining portion of the 'main road to Hatters township, commencing at Nelson Creek bridge,' and terminating at Potts' V Hotel." He would 'riot say much about the work, as it had been frequently before the Council, and was urgently required. They could not accuse; him of being one of the favored: few alluded to by the Gbey River Arghjs, who got whatever they asked for, as- during the lime he had sat at the Council he bad not asked for : any work that woold cost LIOO. ■ ;•'.*'- ■>:■■■■■■•■•■:■•■ ■■■ ■ Cr Taylor stated that only recently two works had been voted for Nelson Creek Riding that'- would exceed that !: ■ '' ' •'. • ■. ' Cr Citi'i'oKD would second the motion, providing that payment was to be made six' fcrid; nibe m'onthi af ter' completion. Cr Ellis adbpted the suggestion. Cr Boasb opposed the motion, The "financial position of the Council would not allow it. Besides it was simply a try on to get another road. Cr Taylor also opposed the motion.' Cr Ellis had got . a lot of work done for hia riding. There were two factions in Nelson Creek — one on one side of the creek and one on the other, and what one j said was right the other said was wrong. He also considered they had no right to mortgage the revenues of the Council to the extent they were doing. They ought to make a proper stand against it. Cr Marshall also opposed the motion. Or Ellis haviny replied, the motion was put. Ayes : Ore Ellis, Clifford, Foley, and the Chairman. Noes ; Crs Marshall, Boase, Madden, and Taylor. The Chairman gave hia casting vote with the ayes, and the motion was carried. Cr Ellis moved — "That a pack horse track be made from Try- A gain Terrace to' German Gully ; "distance about forty chains." Cr Taylor seconded the motion. The motion was adjorned till next meeting for farther information, The Chairman remarking that he thought this would be about the last innings councillors would have. Cr Taylor, moved— "That the sum of Lls be voted as subsidy for Brannerton Library and R ;ading Room for year : l8&&'" . . „,,.. „ ! Cr Madden having pointed out that the motion was out of order, owing to tbe fact that there was no report before the 1 Council, the motion waa allowed to stand! over till next meeting. ' Or Ellis moved for leave to move — " That a sum : of Lls be granted to Hatter's Terrace Library Reading-room." Or Foley seconded the motion, \ After some discucsion, the motion was carried. \ Cr Taylor presented a petition from; inhabitants of Moonlight;' asking for a; track to be made to Lea's Ferry.— Re» ceived. ■ The Road Overseer's report was re?! ceived and adopted, An appHctftion was read J "from Mr B. Gough, requesting that the lease of the Ahaura. Bridge toll should be transfered to himself from Mr James Galbraith.— Granted. : The Chairman read a telegram which! had been received by Mr Warden Stra't-! ford from the Government, stating that; the construction of tbe road from Coal; Creek to the Sev6rf»Mi!e Bluff would be' handed over to the County Council; aub- ; ject to the plans being approved by the Gbvernmen't engineer.' ;i > ~ ; Cr Boasb ■ moved, and Cr : Taylor' seconded-^-" That i the Road Overseer be! instructed to survey the road and prepare plans " kha j spe6ificatibn fbrth with." Cr Madden urged that notice of motion should be given. The Chairman pointed out the Importance of at once proceeding with the work. . „. r ' - r Cr Madden, still objecting, it was ruled, that notice of motion: must be; given. I- ■ ■-• ■. M-. ■''■ '■ A letter was read from Mrs Dynau,. Cobden, complaining of the valuation of her house. — The Council had no power to . interfere. ■.>"=•:• •."•". . ; !''/■ T, The report of the Finance Committee was received and adopted. • •"■"•" : - uf -'"' The Chairman moved that the Minister of Mines ; be' infomred tbst J the most desirable track for prospejctlbg pdrpoaea to be constructed wail the track leading from Abe's Gully to Deep Creek, whioh-was- most urgently-reguired^'and ..that the Council had given effect to this opinion by ordering tenders to be called for the work. Or Foley seconded the motion;— Carried. Cr Foley moved, that a deputation wait upon Mr Warden Stratford, requesting him to'urg6'"^;;q6 I tfß.traotion''of"tiii above track upon the favorable consideration of the Government." '•; • •■:■ : - The Chairman seconded th© motion.— Carried. A letter was read from Mr Bruce of Cora Linoe, asking permission to erect a pound, bo that he could impoupd any cattle trespassing at Inch Bourne. The Chairman moved— "That the re? quest be granted." r Cr Boasb seconded the motion. Cr Foley moved, as an amendment that the request be not granted till Mr Bruce's neighbors had had an opportunity of expressing their opinions on the subject. He did not believe in stealing a march upon anybody. Cr Marshall— Like the Ahaura bridge toll. Or Foley— That was not stealing a maroh. Or Ellis objected to pounds. Let Mr Bruce fence in his property. He would second the amendment.

Cr Foley wished to correct Cr EUis. Mr Bruce conferred a benefit in allowing people to pass through his paddock, Cr Boasb said some time Bince a pound was proposd for Oobden and objected to. Ever since it had been a source of grief and terror to the inhabitants that the pound wrs objected to. He strongly supported the motion. ' '"tJr Marshall usually found that it was the man who held tract, of country at about Id per acre wn*o wanted pounds. Cr Madden was opposed to the erection of pounds. The Chaieman considered there could be no objection to the application. Pounds a wholesome, check on straying "cattle. He Jcoufd'nbt, however, oppose the am6nd'ii(eni- 'V ' S " '" The am^ndnient. was carried. r/ < Cr~Ei.iis J drew attention tot&p dangerous state of the wireSuspdnsfori bridge at A Hatter'a, Terrace. "He ; nipyed Jha^it be 7 repaired fortb^wltli, .'^ > '. i •, l '.,''.. <^. j; '.' - ,;.. Cr Madden seconded, the mp tion. . The Chairman mo^ed, as aij amendment—"That the cost do not .exceed L15.",;.^ „ ■<■!,,.; -V. ■■.'-■ .v.a :-.,i\: Gr EoiiET seconded the amendment.— Oarriedi'^i 1 :;ir .• uli . -'-y :.;(! !''■; .-■ :•■:.-■ The Council then adjourned till Tuesday, 12th April* ? v•0 --