THE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XVIII, Issue 983, 6 October 1888, Page 3

THE COUNTY COUNCIL.

An adjourned special meeting of the council wag held on Wedne*day, September 28th. Present—Crs Ewing (chairman), Burnett, Guffie, Forgie, Forrester, Howell, Cogan, Laverty and Inder.

The business of the mealing was to finally settle and eign the annual balance-sheets. The Chairman read and laid on tbe table the|annual balance-sheets and statements, and the auditor's remarks thereon—vii., that councillors' travelling expenses had been disallowed, as not showing that they were " actual expenses " under the Act. After some conversation, in which the Chairman stated that he had written to Sir K. Stout for a legal opinion on the matter, but that he had not yet received a reply, it was

Moved by Cr Cogan, seconded by Cr Howell —That the balance-Bheets and statements for the year ending March 31st, 1888, as audited, be finally settled, and that the Chairman be authorised to sign the same; but that the council protests against the disallowance o r the amounts voted as travelling expenses of councillors, the said amounts haviDg in its opinion been voted in a mariner strictly within the meaning of section 105 of the Counties Act, 1886, and approves the action of the Chairman in seeking a high legal opinion on the matter,—Carried unanimously. The Chairman then signed the balancesheets. This finished the business of the adjourned special meeting. ORDINARY MEETING. The same councillors were present. The minnteß of the last adjourned special 8 00 i ordinar y meetings held on July 25th, ISSSj were read and confirmed, COBBBSPONDBNCB. Schedules of outward and inward correpondence were read. _ PUKBTOr, - ,? r6 ' nrD ' n S officer, Puketoi, wrote, stating that Mr Jus. Howell had been eleoted in Or Mathias (resigned). IMPOUNDING ACX. The Colonial Secretary wrote, acknowledging the-receipt of a memorial from the council, praying that sections 5 and 0 of the Impounding A.ct, 1884, might be proclaimed to be in force within the county ; also that the Legislature; evidently intended tbe second paragraph of section 7 to apply to counties in whioh the Countios Act was in full operation, although owing to bad punctuation that intention waa not perhaps very clearly expressed ; and that & statutory declaration that the resolution to adopt certain sections in the Impounding Act had been passed by not Jess than two-thirdaof the council. The Chairman stated that the declaration had been forwarded. VALUATION. In reply to a letter from the Chairman, requesting the Property-tax or other depirt- »?* Government to supply the council witn as 'nU iufoimstion as possible with regard to area3 and renta ] 9 0 f run , Isv'ul i'P fands that havo taken place witDiDjtho last twelve months, the Colonial Secretary, jioted that the information sould

be obtained from the Crown Lands Department • and that it had been decided by that department that in future local bodies should themselves procure inforirs'ion of the nature in question from the Land Offices, as owing to the large reduction in the staff the compilation could not be made by the officers of 'heir department without negleoting their ordinary duties.—Received. OiMAEtr WASEBTf ROAD. Letters were reeeived from Mussrs George Sumpter and J. Church with reference to this road. Mr 31. J. s. Meokensie, M.H.R., vrote, acknowledging the receipt of i evolutions re Oamaru-Naseby road, stating that the Coloni.J Secretary was in possession of all faci*, figures and information concerning the proposed | road, arid he had bean given to understand I that he (the Colonial Secretary) was personally favorable to its conutructioa. Mr Muckenxie also wrote, enclosing a letter from the Minister of Public Works, in which the Government are not disposed to commit themselves to the work. The clerk of Waiiaki County Council wrote, forwarding a resolution agreed to by Waitaki i Council, as under -.—That the Waitaki County Council join with the ManiototoCounty Council m urging the Government to construct the road through Dansey's Pass, and »of the opinion that the opening of euch road would bo of great benefit in connecting Central Otago with the seaboard at Oamaru at a comparatively small coat,and that such a work should be undertaken by the Government as a Oolcaial work. This council regrets that it is unable to contribute toward the construction of the road, aa at present all money available ib required for existing roads. Melbourne exhibition. The Chairman read a telegram from the Chairman of the GoldfMds Committee (Mr fr V Seddon, M.H.R.), stating that with the view of augmenting the mineral exhibits tnlhe Melbourne Exhibition, he asked his (the Chairman's) assis'auce in procuring from the several mines in the district five tana of qua?tr, or quantities of auriferous cements or argentiferous ores. The Chairman stated that he had forwarded one ton of wash dirt from St. B-ithans basin and one ton from Vinegar Hill. He believed that specimens had b-en forwarded from other parts of ihe county. 3EXBVOLEIW INSTXTUTJCOH. , , wus read from the secretary of the Benevolent Institution, statin* that the sum of 8s per week had been allowed for outdoor relief to Mary Ann Thomas, Naseby. TALCTXTIOK. A telegram was received from the Property lax Oomnusnoner, stating that he had applied to th ß Crjwa Lands Office, Dunedin, or the information, and wag now asking when he mi git expect it. When he heard he would let the council know.

»"U * E P GS OTBB TAIEEI BTTB3. xhe Chairman of Waihemo County Council wrote, forwarding a copy of resolutions agreed to by the council st a meeting held on 2l6fc, aa under:—(l) That thequeetionwhether a horse traffic bridge across the Tnieri ia, or is not, a proper expenditure of the Government grant for opening ap the adjoining load, be relerted to the Surveyor-General for h'a opinion for the guidance of thia council t that statement of the settlers interested be transmuted to the Surveyor-General in full for his consideration in deciding the question i and that the council expresses the belief that the nnesUon is fairly open lo doubt. (2) That Mr K,amsav having represented to this council that the Mamototo Council, notwithstanding their Chairman a leiter of 4th June, 1888, ia willing to pay the whole cost of the bridge beyond the £3OO, and to erect the bridge free of further coat to thig connoi | > fuctlier t0 pay half cost of all maintenance required, this counci write again to the Manioto'o Council to aacortam whether such is the case. (3) That on receipt of the decision of the Survejortbß Man 'ototo Council as above slated, the whole matter be taken into 011^ 8 meri ' s » the ground being thus cleaned for free consideration apart from the relations of this council to the Government b one hand, and to the neighboring council on the other. B""unng Leave waa granted Mr John J. Bamsay, who appeared on behalf of a number of nf In '^ e construction of the Ft- bridge over the Taieri, to address ?,r 0 o/ Onn S 0n the mattar - Mr Ramsay Tnokf °? ® ounc '' to renew its offer, and wnrlr f ® ene i!s on fc k o importance of the ■ t .° 68l . en t 3 °nd the danger which now exists m foraing the river in times of flood. Moved by C r Forgie, and seconded by Cr f h g ii, . T b * fcln r « proposed bridge over theTaieri at Capburn, the Waihemo County Council be informed that this council is HiVrn! to offer contained in tae Chairman s letter of 26th March last.— carried unanimously.

~ A . oimmteebtjkk. . ?[ A. Pirie wrote, slating that the roads in the Ghmmerburo district had suffered severely during the la e floods, and asking that tne engineer should be requested to i ns P° ct » nd on the roads.—Eeferred to the Chairman,

KWEBT7EX. A letter waß read, signed by eight settlers at kweburn, complaining of the state of the road Naseby to Sowburn, below the main Duns tan road.

/-> ky Cr -Forrester, and seconded by Or Game That the letter of Mawhinney and others be received ; and that the engineer be instructed to prepare planß and specifications, and invite tenders for the formation of the portion of the Naseby-Sowbum road complained of. Tenders to be dealt with at the next meeting of tho Finance Committee.— Carried unanimously.

BENEVOLENT IKSTmjTIOIT. The secretary to the Otago Charitable Aid Board forwarded a return, made up to August last, of all outdoor relief cases to persons residing within the county Received. PUEAKANTJI CLTFT3. The town clerk, Palmerston, forwarded a copy of a resolution agreed to by the Borough Council, as follows:—That the member for this district be requested to oppose the expenditure of the £IO,OOO in making the proposed tunnel at Purakanui Cliffs, but adTooate the construction of tho railway by the original proposed route through Sawyers' Bav. —Received. KANIOTOTO. A letter was read from Mr James Hore, asking the council to place in repair the road through blocks nr. and vn., Maniototo.— Referred to the engineer to report on to the next meeting of the council, _ DAMAGES. W. Ginsberg, storekeeper, wrote, apnlvim? for payment of Ll7, being the amount of loss sustained by him through the capsizing of his Waggon on the hill Jeiding to the Pound • failing which, legal proceedings would be taken to recover. Moved by Cr Laver»y, seconded by Cr CogajQ That the application of Mr Wm" Ginsberg, for damages sustained by the capsizing of his van on the road leading to Naseby and near the County Pound bo received; and that he be informed that the council, after making an enquiry into the matter, cannot entertain bis oloim.—Carried unanimously. CROWN LAHDS. The Commissioner of Crown Linds forI" Ti V'1 Cu l ar ,0 the that it was desirable that the method of obtaining the Land Board s approval of the plans of roa-*s as required by the Land Act, 1885, should bo simplified j and forwarded a list of alt sootions ona blocks from whioh revenue is derived iUferred to the Chairman and engineer

PXJIBTOI. The manager of Puketoi Station (Mr R. S. Charters) wrote, complaining of the state of the road between Puketoi and Patearoa, nnd staling that the recent fliod had rendered it impassable for dray traffic. —Referred to the engineer to deal with. HYDH. Thomas G lchnot (for the Victoria Sluicing Co., Hyde) wrote, asking the council to form a road to divert thij traffic from Main Gu ly, Hyde, t:> lha spur opposite. It was stated that the road in use was blocking the tailings and impeding the progress of the work of taking up foil to the workings. Moved by Or Lave>ty, and seconded by Cr Cogan—That the application ot Mr Thomas Gilchrist, asking that the road bs diverted from their present workings, Hyde Gu'.ly, be eiven effect to; and that the engineer be instructed to have the necessary formation done as soon as possible.—Carried unanimously. KYEHOBU. Gee Wee, Kyeburn, applied for permission to cut a race across the road near Germ in Creek bridge.—Referred to tho engineer to report | i. HUISANCK. Mr D. Millar wrotf, asking that- steps ( be .c stop tl # Naseby Borough Council from depositing nightsoil and other offensive matter within a. distance of about three chains from fcis property. He had complained to the Borough Council and to 'h» Police, bat without effeot.—Referred to ihe engineer to report to tho counoil, and in the meantime to procare the abatement of the nuisance, if suoh is found to exist. HXDB. Mr J. J. R'imsay, Chairman of the Hyde Progress Committee, wrote, asking for a rote of L 5 to open s road to Three-mile Coal-pit, « great number of the inhabitants of Hyde being dependent on these pits for their Bupply of fuel.—lt was agreed to subsidise the work to the extent of half cost to a total contribu'ion of £5, provided always that the engineer's report be favorable, and thai, hisea'imate of the value pf the work shall be taken in estimating the amount of subsidy payable. 6*. BATBTAKS. Mr John M'Enneney, Yorky Gully, Bt. Bi'hjns, complained that, the contractors (M sere Reilly and Co.) of the new road lending to St. Bathana were cutting through his residence area, and tLat he would hold the council responsible for damages.—Referred to the chairman and engineer. BOBZXO EODB. Mr John M'JEay, Sowburn, asked if there was any possibility of obtaining the boring rods, the Vincent County, aa he intended to prospect for coal.—lt was agreed that the Chairman rehould enquire whether Vincent County"lias boring rods, whether they can be obtained if required, and on what conditions. HAMILTON. A memorial was read and presented by Or Howell, signed by 18 residents of Hamilton, praying the council to take atepg to improve that portion of the main road from *' Fortifications" to Hamilton, nnd asking that a few loads of gravel should be laid on the main road at Hamilton. Moved by Cr Howell, seconded by Cr. Laverty—That the petition of Mr Thomas Howell and others be received ; and that the engineer bo inslrusted to prepare plans and specifications for the various works, and to call for tenders for the same, to bo dealt with at the next meeting of the Finance Committee.—Carried unanimously. ST. BATHANB. A memorial was read and presented by Cr Swing, signed by 23 residents, praying the council to gravel the footpath within the township, and to repair the drains and water tables.

The Chairmen explained that aa the work was an urgent one he had instructed the engineer to invita tenders for it, whioh had been dealt with at last finance meeting. The work was now nearly completed.