Lake County Council.

Lake County Press, Volume VIII, Issue 447, 4 December 1879, Page 3

Lake County Council.

The annual statutory meeting of above body was held on the 26th ultimo, for the election of Chairman, and other matters. Present: —All the members. Mr M'Dougall was chosen Chairman pro tern. Mr Smith proposed Mr F. H. "Daniel is Chairman; .He thought the action of ihe iate Chairman bad not been satisfactory. The speaker mentioned occasions ifhen (as a member of the Public Works Committee) he considered he tad been plighted by receiving insufficient notice of Committee meetings to be held. Ho referred to the sum of £SOO which had been paid to Mr M'Coemick. without being :otisulted ; and also to £SO paid without iuthority. Mr Edgar, in reply, said he considered t was the Clerk's duty—and not the Chairman's—to communicate wi'h memjers of the Public Works Committee with respect to meetings; With regard to the 250. bethought he was empowered to act s he'liad done. Reid, a miner, had ranted £2OO compensation for allowing he new Kawarau road to pass through his ilaim, and instead of allowing this he (Mr Edgar) had agreed to pay the contractor Hr M'l'ormick, £SO for a diversion—and <jually good road—which would not iuerfere with the rights of Reid. As to the i'oOO paid Mr M'Cormick, the amount rasauthorised by the Public Works Comnitt. e—and not by him —Mr Edgar. Mr M'Cracken, in proposing Mr Edgar s Chairman', said their first chairman had ilain and easy sailing. Since then there lad been a deal of heavy and sometimes rooked sailing. Perhaps the conduct of he late Chairman had not been perfectly atisfactory. but still it had been as well is they could expect. With respect tc he £SOO, the Council bad been put in a iorner, and the Chairman, in his action, tad only been guided by the Works Comnittee. Mr Hicks seconded the nomination of Ifr Daniel. Mr Malaghan seconded the nomination ifMr Edgar, who, he thought, had made i vi ry good chairman, and it would bo ery difficult to get a better one. There being no other nomination, that if Mr Daniel was put, when there voted or it—Messrs Smith, Hicks, Daniel, A. I. Douglas, and Dr Douglas. Against— Jessrs M'Cracken, Malaghan, and I'Dougatl. Mr M'Cracken "s motion was lost by hree votes to five, and Mr Daniel was herefore declared duly elected Chairman w the year 1879-80. (Mr Daniel here retired.) The Council then proceeded to fix the m tint of the Chairman's salary. Mr A. H. Douglas proposed the sum be 'IOO. Ho thought that was quite enough sr all the Chairman had to do. and the Jouncil couid not afford to be too liberal ist now with the public money. Mr Edgar thought that very ordinary srvices could be rendered for that mount- If the Chairman was to beany ood he would have to travel over the ountry and learn the real requirements, therwise unnecessary works might be rrried on until there would not be " a hot in the locker." Mr Douglas thought it was quite unicessary to travel, and that £IOO was afficient. Mr Smith seconded the motion. Mr M'Cracken said he would either iye a respectable salary or nothing at all. lis own private opinion was that the hairman ought to be satisfied with the onor of the thing. Dr Douglas instanced Tuapeka, which ;as in a far better position than this ounty, and yet the Chairman had proosed to reduce his own salary from £l5O j £IOO. In reply to Mr Hicks, Mr Edgar said, that the only charge ade to the Council, outside his salary, ad been merely horse hire when he had ) travel. Mr M'Cracken proposed, and Mr Edgar econded an amendment that the salary of le chairman be £l5O. After further warm discussion the mendment was carried by 6 votes to 2 ie dissentients beimg Messrs Smith and touglas. (Mr Daniel here entered.) Mr M'Dougall, in leaving the chair, said e was very sorry that their late Chair* jan did not again occupy the position. Ir Edgar bad come down from Skippers alive in town, at some cost, and, morerer, he bad gained experience, and would srtainly have made a better Chairman tan the one they had now chosen. With igard to the late Chairman not acting to thar members as he should do, he (the peaker) thought that really little blame f&s attachable. He was inclined to think torn the remarks made that—althongh ke Clerk might bo a good officer—a cerun amount of fault was to be laid at his the Clerk's) door. Altogether, he though* b objections raised against the late naimtan were very frivolous. Mr Daniel here took the chair, and in biDg so thanked the Council for the high onor done him, and he hoped that his onduct at the end of his term would be »ch as not to necessitate a further con«t for re-election- He should endeavor a do the duties as their Chairman to the fstofhis ability—although it would be •most impossible to please all parties, the late Chairman had many faults, no tonht, but he was to blame for some ungs which had perhaps been dene in gnorance. A vote of thanks was recorded to the ite Chairman, on the motion of Messrs i-Dougall and M'Cracken, and the meet's closed.

The Obdinaey Meeting Then took place- Present—all the members. On minutes of previous meeting being read Mr M'Cracken asked if the Clerk had written Mr Finn, M.H.R., with regard to the £5,000 due to Lake County of unexpended votes of the late Provincial Government—as requested at last meeting of the CounciL 1 The Clerk explained that he did not write, but had waited upon Mr Finn during his recent visit. The Clerk also said that Government found only £I,OOO odd was due the Council, as nearly £4*ooo had been expended for Court-houses; The following is a summary of the business done:— Proposed by Messrs R. M'Cracken and A. H. Douglas—That Messrs Kerin and Chalmers' application for a slaughteting license, at Pembroke, be granted* but always on the distinct understanding that, should they thereby at any time allow the same to become a nuisance to the neighborhood said license shall be imm diately caucelled; but that the Council would undertake no responsibility with regard to the site upon which it is erected. Carried. An amendment by Messrs M'Dougall and Edgar —That the application be handed to the Warden to deal with the matter, was negatived. Proposed by Messrs Edgar and M'Cracken—That in future no ing license be granted by this Council until an inspection by an officer of the Council be previously made of the site proposed to be used for slaughtering purposes—Carried. Proposed by Messrs M'Dougall and Edgar—That all roadmen within the County at work upon mountain tracks, be paid their former weges of 9s per day Carried. Proposed hy Messrs W. T. Smith and R. M'Cracken—That the Public Works Committee consist of Messrs M'Dougall, Hicks, Edgar, M'Cracken, A. H. Douglas, and Smith. —Canied. Proposed by Messrs Edgar and M'Dougall—That the Chairman and Messrs Hicks, Kdgar, and Malaghan be appointed members of the Finance Committee.— Carried. Mr Malaghan was elected treasurer. Proposed by Messrs M'Cracken and Hicks—That all meetings of the Public Works Committee from and after this date be held at Mr Thomas Gibson's, Lower Shotover.— Carried. Proposed by Messrs M'Cracken and AH. Douglas—That every contractor accepting a contract exceeding £SO; from this Council, on and after this-date, bo called on to complete his security in a legal manner before entering on the same. —Carried. Proposed by Dr Douglas and Mr Smith —Thnt a Sub-Committee, consisting of the Chairman, and Messrs Edgar and Hicks be appointed to settle with Mr Maclarn about the dog-tax-—Carried. Notice of Motion By Mr M'Dougall—That, in order to "*«Quomize, in the present low state of the funds, travelling allowance to members cease for the present; and, in order to equalize more fairly the loss of time and amount of travelling done by the various members, the business of the Council be transacted at Arrowtown.