COUNTY COUNCILS.

Manawatu Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 1695, 25 November 1920, Page 5

COUNTY COUNCILS.

KATRAXGA COUNTY COUNCIL. ANNUAL MEET]XG. The annual meeting of the Kairanga County Council was held yesterday. Present —Crs. J. Linklater, C. Anderson, D. Collis, D. Pion.se, P. .1. Small. J. Batchelar, A. Hopcroft, and I/. \Y. Hubbard. Cr J. Linklater was- re-elected chairman, and returned (hanks for the honour they had done him in appointing him for ;ho fourth time. — Cr. Collis congratulated Cr. Linklater on his election and spoke of the flne work done by him in the past. — Cr. Small also spoke of Cr. Linklater's valuable services both as a councillor and as chairman. He referred to the big problems that the Council had to fact 1 in the next throe years, and complimented the Council on electing such a man as Cr. Linklater to guide them in dealing with these problems. 'Die Chairman extended a hearty welcome to the new members (Crs. Hubbard and Batchelar), and on his motion a 'Cote of appreciation of the services oL' the retiring councillors (Messrs M. A. Moody and G. Craw) was placed on the minutes. When the Question of the appointment of the Finance Committee came up. Cr. Anderson moved that the whole Council should constitute the Finance Committee. —Cr, Prouse seconded the motion.— Cv. Small held that too large a committee would only hamper the progress of (he work. He pointed out thai the recommendations of the committee afterwards came before the full CouneP, and. also that any councillor had the right to l.» .• present at the finance Commit'ee's met ling:- if he so wished. The only difference was that councillors oilier than [hose on the committee weir not Linner the obligation to attend its meetings. He moved as an amendment that a committee of four '>e appointed and that any ->ounci'lor be entitled to attend the committee meet-ings.—-The chairman seconded ihe amendment pointing out that while none of the members were dilatory, the appointment of the full Council might lead to delay through the work being regarded as nobody's business. —Cr Anderson explained that he was casting no* reflection on the Finance Committee—The amendment was carried, and the Chairman and Crs. Prouse. Batchelar and Collis. were appointed to the committee.

The question of travelling expenses then came up, and Cr. Anderson moved that the Chairman':; honorarium of £SO per year should be increased to £ 1 00.—Members generally concurred with the resolution pointing out that the Chairman was put to much expense in carrying out Council work, for which he was not reimbursed.— The. Chairman said it would not be right for him to allow them to increase his travelling expenses if their's also were not ' increased. —It was pointed out that the present, allowance of 10/- pun- meeting did not cover expenses, and that councillors did not generally claim further travelling expenses incurred in Council work. The clerk pointed out that councillors were entitled to claim such expenses and should dp so.—lt was eventually agreed that the Chairman's honorarium should be increased to £IOO, and that members travelling expenses should be increased to £1 for each attendance at meetings. ANNUAL MEETINGS. OROUA. The annua! meeting of the Oroua County Council was held in Feilding yesterday. There were present: —Crs. O. McElroy, J. U. Vincent, W. Greenhow, W. McLe'nnan, J. ATorrison, A. Campbell, and W. H. Brewster. Cr. O. McElroy was elected chairman of the Council. —The Palmerston North Hospital and Charitable Aid Board notified a further levy on account of capital expenditure of f2SS 5/6. — Cr. Vincent said that the fault did not rest with the Hospital Board in this matter, but with powers higher up, because if was said that Boards could not borrow money. The only other way it could obtain funds was by extra levy on its contributing bodies. He pointed out that recently in Parliament, during the Washing-up Bill, a clause was put through authorising Hospital Boards to borrow. That confirmed what some Boards had already done. C'v. Vincent thought that they would have no need to pay the lew as it would bo. found that the decision of the Board had been made before the mutter was put through Parliament. —It. was decided to hold the matter over until after the next. meeting of the Hospital Board. —The Pohangina County Council wrote, suggesting that they should combine with this Council for the purpose of raising a loan ''or tin- construction of the road to the Walton block, through Air Aker's property.—lt was resolved to hold the matter over until next meeting, Cr. Vincent m the meantime to trace the correspondence on a previous movement in this direction.- — The Glaxo Company requested permission to ereel an electric line from the factory to the Mangaone stream, also for permission to use water from Mangaone stream. —Granted, subject to approval of the engineer.—A request from Mr K. J. Bow. that the drain fronting his property be cleaned, and an offer from Mrs M. Bryant to lease an unformed road fronting her property, were 'eft in tin- hands of the engineer.—Air J. Lawrence's request to move Ins fence out half a chain on I (o the road line wars held over,—tn response to a request from Mr F. Hubbard, secretary of the provisional committee of the proposed Electric Power Board, b was decided to vote a loan of £f>o towards the initial expenses of forming the Oroua Power Board. Similar requests had been made to other bodies concerned. The grant was made subject to tlie boundaries betng; adjusted satisfactorily.— The chairman introduced the matter of unused reads in the county. tie pointed out that some people paid rents for these while others did not. [i was agreed that the engineer should bring down a. report on the position- —In reporting on matters in the Rangitawa riding. Cr. McLemian said that the recent flood had rendered the approach to the bridge very risky. [1 was imperative that this should be remedied against any future flood; immediate strengthening should, however, be carried out. -Cr. Campbell, the new representative of the Taonui riding pointed out that lie had inherited a riding blessed with a. debit g'" over I'SGO. Being- faced with such a position, he would like tho engineer to brine down a report on general matters and works necessary in (his particular riding.-—The engineer was instructed to supply the information. -The following alterations were made to the rate roll:—W. .T. Shannon to W 11. Brewster; W. .1- Shannon to Mr and Airs W. E. Hills; E. Short to H.AI.

(He King: B. Ait Hen to A Woods; RBiown, jun., to G. M. D’Arth; 1. A. Hardie to U. K. Smart; G. Bogun to H'. H. Fox: .1. Parker to H.M. tlie King- P. Hutchinson to H.M. the King' R. P. Walsh to J. C. Parker; T Hughes to W. Gould; Public Trustee to C. A. W'ebb: M. J- Adam to Mrs ,f. Horn; M. J. A dam to -Mrs Mitchell: T. Kimmer to W'. A. Bongworth.