HAWKE'S BAY COUNT COUNCIL.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 5359, 18 April 1879, Page 2

HAWKE'S BAY COUNT COUNCIL.

Thursday, April 17.

The Council met at 10.30 a. m,

Present— The Chafrman (F. Sutton, Esq.), Messrs Bennett, Ryirier, Williams, Torr, Tanner, and Kinross. ' . The minutes of the previous, meeting were read and confirhed. .

BOAD OVERSEER'S REPORT.

The report of the road overseer -was read detailing the progress of the various works in hand, and mentioning that the road near Puketapu needed metalling. Mr Rymer moved that the road overseer be directed to form 20 chains of the Puketapu road from the Church at Taradale to the foot of the Puketapu Hill, and widen the cutting about three feet where necessary. On the motion of Mr Bennett it was decided that the work be let by tender. TENDERS. Tenders were opened for fencing the section at Olive near the Ngaruroro bridge, and the tender of j. Minn for £4 193 6d per chain was accepted. Tenders for the supply of metal for the county roads were opened , the tender of Lauton and O'Dowd for No. 1 contract and of Mrs Donnovan for No. 2 contract were accepted. The tender of Mr Ebbett for the supply of metal for the road from Puketapu to Tamumu at 5s 3d per cubic yard was accepted. CORRESPONDENCE. Among the outward correspondence, copy of a letter was read that had been written by the chairman to Mr Robert Stuart, enquiring when he would hold an Assessment Court for the outlying district of the Hawke's Bay County. The Chairman stated that Mr Stuart had replied that he could not fix a time at present, but he was expecting to be relieved by Judge Kenny, who would appoint a time for holding the Court. The following letters received were then read : —

From Mr Roohf ort, stating that he had inspected the painting of the bridge on the Tutaekuri-road, and on the whole the work was well done.

From Mr Peters, stating that he had paid £10 for compounding tolls for six, months on the Taradale-road, and as only half the time had expired when the tolls were abolished, applying for a refund of a moiety of the amount paid. The Clerk was directed to reply that the claim could not be entertained.

From the Town Clerk of 1 Napier, stating that the Municipal Council declined to take the weighbridge on the terms offered by the County Council, viz., payment of £50, and pointing out that as the weighbridge would be more for the accommodation of country settlers than townspeople the County Oounoil should hand it over without charge, on the Corporation undertaking to erect it in a suitable place and appointing a person to take charge of it. The. Chairman stated that no tender had been received for the purchase of either of the weighbridges, and he thought it would be well to hand over one of them to the Napier Corporation oh the terms aud conditions mentioned in the Town Clerk's letter.

The suggestion was agreed to on the motion of Mr Kinross, seconded by Mr Tanner.

From the Coromandel County Council, inviting the co-operation of the Hawke's Bay Oounoil in procuring the maintenance of hospitals from the. consolidated revenue. The letter was ordered to be acknowledged. From Mr A. Hatch, applying for a slaughtering license for subsection 17 Havelock, with the view of having it subsequently transferred to Pakahau. The application was granted. From the Inspector of Slaughterhouses, reporting that Mr Pritchard had slaughtered pigs and Mr Hatch a bullock, without license in either case.

From Mr Prit chard, applying for a license to slaughter pigs only, at the reduced fee of £10.

It was decided that the application could not be granted, as it would form a dangerous precedent. From Captain A. S. Birch, (telegram), stating that the Government intended to alter the boundary of the Hawke's Bay County, by including Patea.in the Rangitikei County. A letter was also read from the same gentleman on the subject in question. The Chairman said that his opinion was that the Temporary Powers Act, under which the Government proposed to take action in the matter at the request of tho Rane[itikei County Council, did not give power to alter the boundary without, the consent of the Hawke's Bay County Council. He had no doubt that in framing the Act it was. intended to give that power, but the wording of the clause under which the Government had intended to proceed failed to carry out the intention of the framers. He had telegraphed to the Colonial Secretary, pointing this out to him. About a fortnight ago he had seen the Colonial Secretary in the street, and he then stated what the Government intended to do. He (Mr Sntton) replied that the Hawke's Bay County Council had not yet consented to the proposed alteration in the boundary. Colonel Whitmore rejoined that it was not necessary, and that he had merely mentioned the matter with the view of ascertaining whether the Hawkes's Bay County had any claims, in respect to the Patea country, which needed adjusting. He had heard no more about it from the Colonial Secretary. He thought the Council should pass a resolution expressing their disapproval of what was proposed to be done. He would move, " That the Council having heard unofficially that it is contemplated to cut off the Patea district and add the same to the Eangitikei County, protests against such proposed alterations of the boundaries ot this county, a.s being adverse to

the wishes ;of the Settlers r of ' thef 3E?atea district and the interests of the Hawke's Bay County." -;--. / ;-"'-:• The motion was seconded by Mr Tanner and carried. • ' . _-. From Mr W. Harpham, Btatingihat a Jdram at the foot of the cutting iii the Taradale-road required deepening: and to - be continued to Taipo Creek; the cost would be i £2. ■-:■■, ;^r The Council agreed that the work should.be done. ■ ::^' ACCOUNTS. A number of accounts were passed for payment. . .. COUNTY RATE. . The Chairman stated that it wbnld be' necessary to consider as to the rate to be struck. He would therefore give notice that at the .next meeting of the council he- •' would move, " That a rate of sixpence in the pound, on the ratable property within the County of Hawke's Bay, be made for ''' the period from the Ist of April, 1879, to 31st March, 1880; that the said rate be payable in one payment on July, 1879."' He thought the ratepayers might be con-, gratulated that there was every probability of the county being able . to carry on .'••'-, without increased taxation, notwithstanding that the tolls, which had brought in £1700 a year, had .been abolished. Members would : see from the estimates of receipts and expenditure now laid before them that the subsidy from the Government was put down. at £2949; b\it nextl: year they might look for ,a ,much. large| ;: "; amount, if the system of subsidies wai!^ continued. There wa3 £460 put' down^V : for. hospitals and : charitable aid, and he -^ thought they would not; object to it, ; asi4: they must feel/ that thoseiwere; mattersCl \-\ which should be locaUy supportedr:&i?he%. f estimates Bhowed about -£20p^ excess -^: inrevenue over the 1 cpiiteitfp^ted-exp^n^t:' diture. : ''"'' ;> ■' v -'- ; - i '•■*>■*■ •'?.-?!■*s V-I^.-

• .., ".. .ARREARS ObVbATBS". ".'.'.'"*-■*) ii ''\ IT'--" Mr Bennett movedvti^thejcfc^De ■s '''.■■ authorised to sueall peraons in arrears i^prr-:C rates, whose ; places of -residence, could-be?^.-iqund. ; ■ -.-.i-.- .-.. .--- ;''-.• \-..-.~-vc--A.-,' : -f&y ,-.<>' r The motion was seobnded by Mr 'llymQr^ and ■carried. 1 •'-■'•• vj "• ' ■ ; --'-^;: "•■•<,i\-, i :.,';■■ -h',/M : ; BRIDGE 6vER T^ TB' J AWA-'6-ra ATUA." : : ( j :Mr Kinross moved. that^W^punoil ij ; , authorise the repair of ihe bridge'overthet*^ V'Te Awa-o-te" A^ua^'^THe'cdst '■:■ moderate; liiqt more tHan £i(j^and • the^f .; road was very much used. : ',fV«^i^ Mr Tanner -Beo<m(dea:jlihe.m(?^.-- t rt.s " Vi-'" Mr; Bennett ■ said : the .matter had been ! i > previously discussed, and the Council had , decided; against doing , the work because the 'road was riot a county road: '&&:. '■■}■ would not -object to a grantrin aid) • ■•**- ; '■-■- '"•']-■ Mr Williams had opposed this %ork, at ' the last meeting^ being undertaken, partly because it was his' opinion, that the bridge; was not necessary, and partly because the : road was not a county road. , He held the ''. same views still and oppose the motion. • '• Mr Tanner thought the proper: course was to make all the roads county roads. The Council divided on the question, with' the following' result :—A yes, 4— Messrs Kinross, Tori£ Tanner, and; the * Chairman. Noes,.. 3— Messrs Bennett, ' Rymer, and Williams. •; : v , ; { }■ . The motion was therefore carried. SALE OF TIMBER. . It was decided that the timber lying ; alongside the Puketapu bridge be sold by ••- f tender. ' ''.'••-. •",'• "'•'•■. '''"■'-.,■''?•'. '' PETANE.-ROAD. ! '.'."{' Mr Torr moved that tenders be called for metalling the road from the Hill-road \".i toPetane. :''\ :'-"•' \ '■'' Mr Kinross seconded the motion. ;

After some discussion, it was decided, , oh the. motion of Mr Bennett,' that the ■», •;■ road overseer report as to the cost of the proposed work. " ; '■■' ' - TAIPO CREEK. . "«-'i Mr Rymer. moved, "That the Taipd '" Creek at Taradale be proclaimed a public : drain."- The creek was at present choked / i up, and even if the money for clearing: it were forthcoming, the work could not be done without proclaiming the creefc a ! public drain, because there was one per- ; son who objected toi his land being, en- .. : tered upon for the purpose of clearing the i creek. The Meanee Road Board had ' > voted £15 for the work, and some of the : settlers had agreed /to subscribe another f 1 £15,, but in consequence, of the opposi-." ;: tion he had menKoned the from ( ; the settlers was not forthcoming, though','.,'■'}■'the £15 from the road board could be .had.-.,-; ■;. . ' ■ .;..-; ■■, -;.:.,.?;.' ;The motion was seconded by Mr Tanner and carried. iMr Rymer than .moved,, "That this Council vote a subsidy of pound for pound raised by the Meanee Eoad Board and Taradale settlors for the purpose of cleaning the public drain at Taradale, <, known as the Taipo Creek, to the extent !: of £50 in theTwhole." ' "'■ .: " The motion was seconded by Mr WiK ! liams and carried. , DRAIN AT HAVELOCK. , Mr Tanner moved that the culvert of ; the drain at Havelock be enlarged. The motion was seconded : by Mr Williams and carried; J AMENDMENTS TO COUNTIES ACT. > Mr Bennett moved, pursuant to notice, " That the Council considers the following amendments to the Counties Act necessaary, so as to make it more workable in connection with road boards ':— l. ;'■ That-. ' : County Councils arrange for the valuation of the whole county, and for road boards to rate from said valuation, the valuations to be triennial. 2. County Councils to • have power to readjust the boundaries of . road board districts ; also to . have power -"; to declare any portion of a county road to be a district road. 3. County Councils to have powerto levy a special rate in outlying, districts for the maintenance of- roads and . bridges within those districts. 4. That the County Council give notice to each. .,;. district board, at the commencement of each financial year,, of the amount of rate ; in the pound they intend to levy for current year, and that each district board *- ; pay the whole of the county rate so levied^ . 5., That a copy of the above be, furnished to each of the members representing this district, requesting them to use their , endeavors to cause the above to be carried ■ into effect' during the coming session of ! the General Assembly."

The several clauses of the resolution were put seriatim and carried without dissent.

hawke's bay hospital. Mr Tanner would like to draw the attention of members to the amount set down in the estimates for the hospital, ... so as to get them to make a change in the apportionment of the amounts* There>, ;; was £150 set down in aid of the hospital^ building, and £250 for maintenance. The Hospital Committee were just now in a difficult position with regard to proceeding with the new building,-, the amount they had in hand not being, sufficient to enable them to accept the lowest tender. Now, what he would propose would be that there should be £250 voted in aid of, the hospital building, and £150 for maintenance, He proposed this because, as he was inforniedj the contribution for maintenance was not pressingly required, while the aid for the building was much needed. ,

The Chairman thought ifdifferently to Mr Tanner. The new building was certainly required, but it was more imperatively necessary that the present hospital ','.' should be maintained.. Indeed, he was /" not a little surprised that no demand had •, been made upon the Council . in that re- / spect. They had been applied to for f^ assistance for the charitable aid' fund, and had contributed £50, but nothing had, been asked for the maintenance of tfce hospital. Somebody paid to maintain the institution, but he was. at a loss, to . .« know who it was. He would BUggest that ' the contribution in . aid of the hospital . ■■„. building be increased to £250, without altering the amount for maintenance. ' y .

Mr Williams said he would, have moved ■- ; in the matter before, but he had ..been .; waiting, to see what the other local bodies : would do, but it appeared they would nofr .

do anything, and it -was no use waiting any longer. It was not because other local bodies would not do their duty in this matter that the Hawke's Bay County Council should follow their example. The £150 put down in the estimates was, he considered, a paltry amount, and so also l would £250 be. Me moved that the T amount be increased to £500. It only meant a penny in the pound upon the rateable value of the property in the county, and he was sure if the ratepayers were canvassed they would cheerfully agree to it. Mr Tanner would withdraw his motion, and second that of Mr Williams. The Chairman thought it a very legitimate mode of appropriating county funds, and after all it only meant that at the end of the year there would be that amount of overdraft. The motion was then . carried unanimously, and the Council adjourned. Estimate of Expenditttee for the County of Hawke's Bay, from April Ist, 1879, to March 31st, 1880. SALAKIKB— ' & S. d. &S. d. Secretary 130 0 0 Treasurer 70 0 0 Overseer of Roads • .. 175 0 0 Slaughterhouse Inspector and Keeper .. ■• <«_OJ> mQ 0 Pbintino, Advertising, and Stationery— Printing 20 0 0 Advertising .. •• .80 0 0 ... Stationery 1% 2 ° ° ° 0 0 Charitable Am— Charitable Aid .. ... CO 0 O -. Grant in aid Hospital Building 150 0 ft - Grant in aid of niainten- , ance of Hospital .- .250 0 O * . 400 U 0 MIfiCBLfcANKOUB— '•"•-»« a Contingencies 70 0 0- . . Election expenses .. 10 o o Dog Tickets .... 70 0 Collecting Dog Tax .. 32 18 0 Bate Collector .. .. 70 0 0 FarndonPark .. ..100 00. Maintenance of Slaughter- , house 20 0 0 Law expenses .. .. 20 0 0 Valuing outlying districts 40 0 0 . — — .^i i i ■ 309 lo - 0 Public Works— Maintenance of roads, -"; ■ -yyages, &c... .. -.2,500 0 0 i Bridges . . ' ' • • 1 1 200 0 0 Timber for bridges Sl'- , Engineer's professional • J advice .. - S) ooo 00. \ LUB Dr m union Bank of Aus- .' tralia ."*• •' •• ' .'.1,321 -.1.11 Total outstandingaccounts 305 10 0 Interest— „ Union Bank of Australia, averageoverdraft,£looo . at 7i per cent. .. ••_J^J_2 75 0 0 £6,991 9 11 Estimate of Revenue for the Hawke's Bay County from April Ist, 1879, to Maxch 31st, 1880. Licenses, publicans .. .... 400 0 0 licenses, wholesale spirit • • dealers 3000 Licenses, slaughter-houses .. 180 0 0 Licenses, hawkers .. 7 7 0 cl 7 7 0 Sales of impounded Btock .. 40 0 O registration of dogs .. .. "v 0 v Subsidy irom Government .. 2,949 8 10 20 per cent. Land Revenue.. 350 0 0 Sale of tollgates and houses.. 01 v 0 General rates of previous year to be collected .... 68 0 0 Total ratable property on the Valuation 801 l for the year 1879-1880, £120,000, rate of 6d in t\w& on the above . . 3,000 0 0 '. £7,195 15 10 .^ —