WAIPAWA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5276, 9 January 1879, Page 2

WAIPAWA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Tuesday, January 7. The usual monthly meeting of the , Waipa wa County Council was held at the Court House, Waipawa. There were present : — Mr S. Johnston (Chairman)^ Lieut.-CoJ. Herrick, and Messrs Rathbone, Mackersey, Levy, White, So wry, Russell, and Dillon. In reference to the application o^ Mr G. D. Hamilton, which had been deferred from a previous meeting, Mr Russell moved, and Mr Sowrj seconded, that £30 be granted towards making the road between Tahoraito aud Kaifcoke. As there were some doubts as to whether the road was a county one, the question was postponed till next meeting of the Council. A lotter was read from Mr Lawrence, of Kaikorft, asking if it is legal for the poundkoeper to impound stock in his own paddook, now that the public pound had boon destroyed, ; Mr Bussell was of opinion that there beiuß virtually no public pound at KsuKwa^tho cattle should be driven to thg nearest gazetted pound^ "

Mr Rathbone did not think that was the correct view. As long as the poundkeeper received the cattle, the responsibility rested upon placing the cattle in any place for better security. The discussion then became of a general character, and the question of a pound at Takapau came under consideration. The clerk was instructed to inform Mr Lawrence that the Council would shortly take the whole question of pounds into consideration, and that in the meantime the poundkeeper would be responsible for the safety of the stock. An opinion was read from Mr Gornf ord stating that the mere laying of? of roads as public roads would not constitute them public roads, such as through the Homewood estate, and that it would be necessary that a deed should be executed conveying the roads to the public. • Mr Mackersey moved that Captain Newman and Mr Tiffen be reqviested to take the necessary steps to convey the roads in question to the county. Mr Eathbone said that would only partly meet the case. Money was constantly being expended on roads in a similar position. Mr Dillon stated that Mr Cornford had given a contrary opinion some time previously! Mr Russell thought it would be a dangerous precedent to adopt t for the Council to take over these roads, as it would be saddling the ratepayers for their maintenance. Lieut. -Col. Herrick was of opinion that it would be advisable to get the County Engineer to report upon the roads, so that the county might only take over those roads which might be of benefit to ; the public. Mr Mackersey pointed out that under the present system only the rates raised in a riding were spent in the neighborhood. Mr Rathbone did not think it advisable to make any exception, and moved that Mr Bold at next meeting furnish a return of all roads running through private property sold by auction, and which roads cannot be recognised as public roads under the Public Works Act. Seconded by Councillor Mackersey, and carried. A letter was read from the Chairman of the Tamumu Road Board, asking that the services of Mr Bold be placed at the disposal of the- Tamumu Road Board for the purpose of advising as to the best route of a road through Mr S. Johnston's run, with the object of avoiding the Mungamark stream. A letter was read from Mr Bold tendering his resignation. The Chairman stated that under the conditions of the Engineer's engagement he was required to give six months' notice. Mr Mackersey moved that Mr Bold's resignation be accepted, and that he hold office till his successor be appointed. Some discussion here ensued as to the financial position of the Council, and whether under the circumstances it was necessary to retain the services of an engineer. The Chairman stated that there was a sum of £1400 to the credit of the Council in the bank. Mr Mackersey desired to amend his motion to the effect that Mr Bold's resignation be accepted in the terms of his letter. This was agreed to, and the resignation accepted. A letter was read from Mr Mounier, of the Union Bank at Waipukurau, stating that the amount had been lodged at the bank on the 27th March, but owing to delay in collecting the cheque, the money had not been credited to the Council by the 31st March. The fault did not lie with his bank, but such a mistake would not be likely to occur in future. The reason of the question being brought up was, under the Act it was necessary for the rates to be credited to the Council on or before the 31st March, in order for the County to obtain the pound for pound subsidy. No action was taken on the letter, and the consideration of the Council's banking account was postponed till further on. A discussion ensued as to the expendi- , ture on the Forty-Mile Bush. road. The Chairman stated that the Government intimated that it did not intend to make any additional grant for the above road. £2000 had already been granted, out of which there remained a sum of £109 8s 8d unexpended. In reply to Mr Rathbone, the Chairman stated that his letter to the Government had special reference to the appropriation of last session. Mr Mackersey said that he was in Wellington last April, when he represented to the Minister of Public Works that it would take the whole revenue of the province for the maintenance ,'of the FortyMile Bush road, and that the county would not take it over. He was referred to Mr Rumber, the working head of the department, who was of opinion that it would be advisable to expend the money granted, and then make further representations to the Government. On 1 the motion of Mr Levy, the Chairman was instructed to communicate with the object of obtaining the views of the Government on the matter. A letter was read from Mr Collins, the Land Tax Commissioner, asking what were the most suitable places in the county to hear objections to the Land Tax valuations. . Waipawa, Wallingford, and Kopua were, on the motion of Mr Sowry, seconded by Mr Mackersey, recommended aa the most convenient places to hold the Court of Appeal. The subject of free passes on the railways to members of the Council came under discussion, and the Chairman was requested to write to the Government on the subject. The Engineer's report was read on the progress of the county works during December. On the motion of Mr Sowry, it was ordered that the engineer's attention be called to the necessity of the early completion of the bridge over the Maungatawhiti stream. A letter was read from the Dog Inspector, stating that the tax had been collected on 758 dogs, amounting to £189 10a. In reply to Mr Russell, it was stated that the inspector had been ordered to collect the tax on Maori dogs. It appeared that the collector had deducted £29 odd for travelling expenses and commission. Mr Mackersey said this was very irregular, and moved that the collector be instructed to lodge the full amount of the tax in the bank in future. — Carried. A long discussion ensued upon_ the . accounts sent in by the County Engineer in connection with his department. Mr Mackersey moved that the accounts handed in be passed by the Finance Committee. Seconded by Mr Russell and carried. The pay sheet was then passed. The Chairman stated that he had received two tenders for the valuation of the outlying districts, one from Mr Tye of £49 19a, and one from Mr Turley of £75. He did not think that the Council's experience of Mr Tye as a valuator would justify him (the chairman) in accepting the tender, whilst he considered Mr Turley's tender was too high. As a discretionary power had been left in his hands, he instructed the clerk to make the necessary valuation, leaving the question of compensation to the Council. , The Chairman's suggestion was adopted by the Council. Letters were read from Mr Bodle, of the Bank of New Zealand, Waipawa, and Mr Winter, of the Bank of Australasia, in reference to undertaking the banking account of the Council. The matter was deferred till next In reply to Mr Russell, the Chairman stated that no action had yet been taken with regard to striking a new rate. After a great deal of discussion of a conversational nature, the matter dropped. jlr Maokereey diw attention to tfa

fact that some contractors had undertaken works and gave an order to a previous creditor or outside person to draw the amount due on the contract, often inflicting great hardship on storekeepers and workmen. The County Engineer stated that by the Contractors' Debtors Act a workman, by applying to a Resident Magistrate, could obtain an order to prevent the engineer granting certificates for further payments. Mr Rathbone did not see the necessity of making provision for storekeepers, and under the Act the workmen were fully protected. He desired to know if Mr Mackersey was aware of any cases in which the contractor had defaulted. Mr Mackersey said he did not care about mentioning particular names, but there were contractors in the County hanging fire, and the men had no security whatever. Mr Levy was aware of a large contract in which the men could not obtain their wages. The Engineer said it was common in Australia for a condition to be inserted in the contract, requiring the contractor, before he received moneys, to make a declaration that he had satisfied the demands of his workmen. The Chairman intimated that he would consult the legal adviser of the Council on the subject. On the motion of SMr Rathbone, the Chairman was instructed to take steps to have a public pound at Takapau gazetted. On the motion of Lieut. -Colonel Herrick, the sitting of the Council was altered from the first Tuesday to the first Friday in each month. On the motion of Lieut. -Colonel Herrick, it was agreed that applications be invited for the office of County Engineer, at a salary of £500 per annum, and that advertisements be inserted in the papers in the principal towns in New Zealand. The Council then adjourned. — Waipawa Mail.

The Burlington Hawk-Eye gives the following as an "Editor's revenge": — " Last week the proprietor of the leading soda water fountain on Jefferson-street took up and cancelled our annual pass. We do not regret this act on his part. On the contrary we are rather glad of it, because a conscientious regard for the public safety and a fine sense of our duty in such matters were just impelling us to say that fountain soda is composed of soda, gravel, old glue, aquafortis, leather chips, tan bark, iron filings, marble dust, sand, river water, red ink, orange peel, yellow soap, syrup of rhubarb, ammonia, fusel oil, lamp black, boiled tallow, and Indian turnip. Thousands of people have drunk fountain soda. We are not alarmists, but where are those people now P'