EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue LXVIII, 15 July 1912, Page 2

EGMONT COUNTY COUNCIL

The usual monthly meeting of the above Council was held at Opunake on Friday. Present: Crs. Dudley (chairman)," Maxwell, Campbell, Hurst, Farquhar, Harvey, Davey, Willcox, and Burgess. The minutes of th< previous meeting having been read, Cr. Davey took exception to the record of a resolution allowing the foreman to expend £20 on the Eltham road. The matter arose out of a motion of Cr. Farqohar's to expend £40 on the road, but us the Council had decided to vigorously curtail expenditure throughout the county, he protested against this. He ultimately called for a vote, which resulted in three votes to two, but on a division the voting was 4 to 3 against this expenditm'e. The clerk explained that he had no record of any such division, and the chairman and councillors could not remember the circumstances. They were under the impression that the £20 was authorised, but Cr. Davey was definite in his recollection of the event. However, the money having been spent, Cr. Davey decided to let the matter drop.

RATE NOTICES

The Chairman formally moved the motion standing in his name re the striking of rates for the ensuing year, as indicated at last meeting. Cr. Willcox moved, as an amendment, that the rate for the Rahotu Riding be a penny. He thought the proposed rates were too heavy. Cr. Campbell said he would second the amendment if Cr. Willoox would agree to make the rate Id for th© main roads throughout the county. Cr. Willcox agreed to this, and Cr. Campbell thereupon seconded, and in doing so considered the proposed rate too big. In any case, they were apportioning too much to the main road. The byeroads we're in bad order, and if they struck the higher rate of 3d should go to the bye-roads. A penny for the county roads was big enough. The main roads in his district were in fairly good order, and the big rate would fall heavily on the settlers there, with their high valuations. Cr. Maxwell repeated that the high rate was absolutely necessary to make up leeway. Cr. Farquhar strongly protested against the Rahotu member objecting to the higher rate. Three years ago they were told by the Rahotu riding members that they 'would reduce their overdraft during the next two years by £800, but instead of that they increased it by £700. It was they who had been running up the Council's'overdraft, and he strongly objected to having to pjiv other riding's debts. The Rahotu riding had been striking a lower rate than their expenditure, and other ridings were paving for it. The Oeo riding was only £400 in debt on September 30, and the Eltham road required considerable money spending on it in the near future. He appealed to the councillors to be just in these matters, and not try to get their ridings off with less rates than their expenditure demanded at the expense of other ridings. The Chairman briefly replied, and said he was exceedingly sorry to hay« to agree bo a higher rate, but it was absolutely necessary. His own riding, above all others,, was the one least entitled to a higher rate, hut as the wholo county was liable for the bank overdraft he felt it must be imposed. It was an oversight on his part and on the part of tke clerk last year in not realising that tlie previous year's income was abnormal to the extent of £1500, and that was where they made their miscalculations. Several ratepayers in the Odo ridiug had expressed their willingness to pay the higher rate provided it was expended on the roads, but he would like to make it quite cljfcar that the bulk of it could not be expended on the roads ; it would be required to pay off the bank overdraft.

The amendment was then put and lost by 7 to 2. The motion was then put and carried by 7 to 2, voting being as follows: —Ayes: Councillors Darey, Harvey, Burgess, Farquhar, Hurst, Maxwell and the chairman. Noes: Crs. Willcox and Campbell. The following inward correspondence was then dealt with: From W. L. Morris, To Kiri, asking permission to dig'a ditch in various wet places along his boundary on Eltham road. —Granted. From A. G. Bishop and W. H. Parker, Opunake, applying for a hour's extension of time to their billiard license. —Not granted. From J. P. Kennedy, Opunake, recommending that Sievewright and Vickey's contract on Wirenrn road be suspended until favorable weather.— Contract to be stopped. NOTICE OF MOTION. The Chairman gave notice that at next meeting he would move that application be invited for the position of a thoroughly competent overseer for the whole county —riot an engineer, but a capable man who can oversee the whole of the work of the county. REPORTS/

The Oeo southern foreman (Mr Harris) reported that his time had been occupied in general surface work. The eastern portion of the Main South road was breaking up badly. He had blasted and spay.led 34 yards of boulders from Mr Mudford's pit, and had distributed some where required. He had repaired the lower portion of Patiki road, and recommended that an arrangement be made with Mr G. Kehely to deliver 100 yards of boulders on the Main South, road, estimated at 7s per yard, between Oeo and the eastern boundary.

The Council objected to this foreman undertaking work on his own responsibility and against the Council's general instructions. Jt was resolved to ask him for an explanation; also how he arrived at the estimate of 7s for stone he recommends the Council to procure.

The ilahotu foreman enquired if he should prepare his estimates for the coming season's work for the Council's meeting, and reporting on the damage done to the Cape road by the contractor, considered it had been well maintained', and another 20 yards of metal would have left it in a good deal better repair than when he commenced. —Resolved that the contractor be called upon to make good any damage done. The northern Rahotu Riding foreman reported that he had not been able to complete all his work up to the time allowed f«r staffing contracts. He had to leave 120 yards of boulder-stone at Warea on contract 204 not crushed, and 250 yards at Puniho contract 205 not started. Fifty or sixty yards of napped maintenance metal would be. therefore, necessary. He recommended a progress payment to W. A. Thomas on 1010 yards crushed pit metal delivered and a full payment on 390 yards on the same contract. Crs. Harvey and Maxwell authorised the crushing of an extra 100 yards, in consequence of the bad state the road was in by the Pungarehu school. He was obliged to exceed this authority by 50 yards. He recommended a final pavnient of 230 yards on contract 204 (all the stone he was able to get crushed, in consequence of the bad weather.

Or. Maxwell said the work authorised by him and Cr. Harvey was long; before the last meeting, and it should hare been in the previous report. Cr. Farquhar said that was an instance of how the Rahotu riding ran into debt. Here two councillors gave authority for certain work, and on too of this the foremap, on his own initiative, ordered a farther 50 yads. He contended that no councillors should give such authority; such should only be done by a majority vote of the Council. Or.-Maxwell was emphatic that this stone Avas crushed before the date of ceasing of contract. The contractor asked for an extension of time from him (Cr. Maxwell), and he told him decidedly that such could not

be granted under any circumstances. The chairman and councillors generally agreed with Cr. Farqtihar's contention, excepting in cases of contingency, where some unimportant work was required Certainly councillors should not give authority for, say, a hundred and fifty yards of metal.

The Opunake foreman reported that he had been engaged repairng the Eltham road; also the Main South road between the Taungatara and Waiaua, and between Oanui and Te Namu.

The Oeo Northern Riding foreman reported on maintenance work mainly on the Eltham Road. Day labor having been reduced, only urgent work was attended to on the by-roads, the Eltham road refor maintenance had been carted out, as instructed, but owing to the state of the rivers and carting long distances, proved more expensive than anticipated. He was working in the stone as fast as possible, but the road (Eltham) appeared to break up faster than it could be repaired. It would be absolutely necessary to renew a large portion of this road next summer.

In regard to the application from the foreman for maintenance metal, Cr Maxwell said they must stick to their previous resolution and decline them all. When placing the question of a loan before the ratepayers he told them that unless they agreed to it they would not keep their roads open this winter. However, they declined it and they must take the responsibility. Or Davey supported Or Maxwell's view and the Council decided to instruct the foreman that they can only have metal which they can themselves get out. Cr Wlllcox moved that the contracts commence next season where they ceased this. Cr1 Maxwell seconded. Cr Farquhar moved as an amendment that the matter be left in abeyance till the new overseer be appointed. The amendment was carried. Cr Dtfvey drew attention to the 150 yards of crushed metal, previously referred to, in the foreman's report, and authorised by Crs Maxwell and Harvey. In this case it was only another instance of how the overdraft was run up. He had "no doubt Cr Maxwell acted in the best interests of his Riding in his judgment, and he did not wish to indicate any censure on him, but he must ask that this excess be debited to the Riding on next year's estimates, so as to main*ain an equitable basis throughout the county. He moved that this 150 yards be deducted from the Rahotu Riding in next year's supplies ,and that the foreman be reprimanded for exceeding his instructions.

Cr Farquhar seconded and strongly endorsed Cr Davey's view. The motion w Tas duly carried. Cr Maxwell, in personal explanation, said he was sure there could be found recorded in the minute book dozens of cases where councillors had found it desirable to take on themselves certain responsibilities and authority for urgent work'and then receive the Council's authority for same later.

The chairman and several councillors admitted having done so, but Cr Farquhar challenged anyone to show that he had ever done so unless previously authorised by the Council. Accounts amounting to £398 lls ? i were passed for payment and the Council then adjourned.