RODNEY COUNTY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6251, 29 November 1881, Page 5

RODNEY COUNTY COUNCIL.

Tue annual meeting of the Council was held at the office on the 23rd instant. Four of the newly.electeu councillors sat for the first time. Of the remaining five, three of them sat in the last Council and two in the first Council. Present : Messrs. Hudson, Greenwood, and Munro, Mahurangi ; X. Wilson and John Schollcm, Puhoi; Edward Brown and J. W. C. Smith, Albert; J. J. liucktr,':, Tauhoa; and W. B. Farrand, angawai. —Mr. X. Wilson moved, "That Mr. Munro take the chair pro Urn: , Seconded by Mr. Hudson, and carried. Election ok Cii imi:.,- Mr. .Sclmllem proposed, "That Mr. Nathaniel Wilson be cliairnun of the Council for the ensuing ye.ir." Seconded by Mr. Hudson.—Mr. Euckion pro-.osed, "That Mr. Munro be chairman of the Counci!."-The Chairman put Mr. Schollem, Hudson, and Munro; atrainst] none. It was consequently carried.—Mr. Wilson thanked the Council. DiKEcr Road to Pti Kalt.i.—A deputation from the Upper Mahurani-i District. Board. Mr. (;. Phillips (chairman) and Mr. Teed, waited upon the Council for assibtar.ee to enable the Hoard to carry out this imporUnt work. Mr. Phillips proposed the following : The Port AlTwrt Itnad to Dome Valley lioad thence by the Vall(-y through Messrs. 'Horsley, McKinr-ey, and Carron's properties to our presn; l--;a'.-road at his place. This would give a l< ;el road to Messrs. Hood's farm.—Mr. Buckton said the Connci! had decided to have nothing to do with compensation.—Mr. Brown said, if the Council surveyed and got a proclamation published, it would bo liable for compensation, lie thought tho Koacl Board should take the initiative.—Mr. Phillips said his ,'ioard lvould pay compensation, if necessarv. He thought the whole cost of the road would be from £"2f>o to £300. There was plenty of metal on the road.—Tlie Chairman thought it, a very necessary work. He did not fall in with Mr. Smith. He believed if compensation could be paid, and a good it was wis;st tj do the former,

W'KrtT Coast H«md.—Mr Treadwell's claim £140 17s Id, for materials anil labonr in an attempt to considered.—Mr. Browne moved, "Tint the Chairman be requested to represent the caso of Mr. Treadwell's claim to the Government, with a view of at once obtaining a settlement of the claim."—Seconded by Mr. Smith, and passed unanimously. Closixi; JJoads at Tauhoa.—Mr. lirowne said it appeared the parties who signed against the closing of the roads had done so under a wrong impression. They showed no grounds. He aiovod (pro forma) "That this Council confirm the decision of the ratepayers at Tauhoa, and close the roads as requested." —Mr. Sinith seconded the motion.—After some discussion, the Chairman put the motion. For, twe, Messrs. Browne and Smith ; against, seven Messrs. Buckton, tho Chairman, Farrand, Greenwood, Hudson, Munro and Schollem. • Mketism ok Council.—A long discussion took place on the fixing of the days for meetings of the Council.—Mr. Buckton moved, "That tho next meating of the Council be held in February as near the full moon as possible. , —Mr. lirowne seconded —Mr Farrand moved an amendment, "That the next meeting of the Council bo held on Monday, in Janunrv, nearest the full moon."—Seconded by Mr Smith—For the amendment, six, the Chairman, Messrs. Farrand, Greenwood, Munro, Smith, Schollem i against, two, Messrs. Urowne and l>uckton> Clerk.—Mr. Munro moved, "That Mr. Chaplin's services as clerk, treasurer, and returning officer be continued at the same salary as last year."—Seconded by Mr. Drown, and passed unanimously. AiToixTMKXTs.—.Mr. Farrard moved, "That the Chairman and Mr. Munro be authorised to sign cheques in conjunction wit the Treasurer."—Carried. —The Chairman moved, "That the thanks of this present) tho fren use of tin; otiicc."—Carried.—Mr. Lirowne moved, •' That in the event of having to remove from the present ollice, the chairman be empowered to secure other premises."-Carriecl.—Mr. lirowne moved, •' That the aoth clause of the by-laws be strictly adhered to in future."—Seconded by Mr. Munro, and passed unanimously. KuAr> Ukviation.—Mr. Farrand moved, "That tho Upper Mahurangi District lSoaid he requested to give an estimate of expenditure required to curry out the deviation now snip.'- tei' by the i' 'nutation sent by them, anil that the muiicii take th- matter into consideration when tho estimate is befoe them."— Seconded by Mr Urowne, and passed unanimously — Mr. Munro moved, "That a committed be appointed from this Council to examine ami report on the best line of road botween the Port Albert Ko&<l and I'ai Kauri, aud that the chairman of the L'n>er Mahurangi District JJoanl be requested to report to this Cuiiucil. at their next meeting, full information respecting the amount of compensation require.!, and an estimate of the probable cost of the said road, such committee to consist of Messrs. Hudson, lluck'.in, the Chairman, and the mover."—Seconded by Mr. Hudson, anil passed uniinim- . usly. Dr. Cruickshank, relative to and it was agreed that the contractor should be com. iminieatcd with again, so that no further delay lake Mr. Munro moved. "That the secretary he requite 1 to write to the .Minister of l'ublie Works for ii;jiK) placed on the estimates, for the Kiver. - -Seconded by Mr. Farrand, and passed un-Kxi-Es'uiTi-iiE or the Ctor.wn..—Mr. lui.Uon moved for returns to he laid before the Council at next meeting, showing the income of the Council for the last three years, and the expenditure in each riding tiurin? tho same period.-Seconded by Mr. Urowno, and passed unanimously. ri-iii.U' WoitKs uF Tin-: (:oi NTv. -Tenders were received for tho l'akiri ISridge, Ktixton's Bridge, and To liana Bridge.—Mr. Farrand moved, '-That the consideration "f all the tenders ha postponed until tile Council have decided on some deiiuit-j plan of apportioning the funds at their disposal."—.Mr. lirov.n said the Te liana liridge was a peculiar c:ise, and very urgent. Unless this was done", the ltoad Board would iiave to build a bridge on tho old road. Mr. Smith, chairman of ("he South Albertland Board, said the •■■•«• road was much better than the old one, inflni. !v preferable, much shorter, and lev. 1. If the C.:ui.:il were to take a position it should carry out some definite plan.—Mr. Hudson seconded Mr. FarramVs resolution. The three works under consideration would absorb the whole of the present ordinary income. The road districts were too small to carry ont continuous roads.—Mr. liuikton would like to see tho bridge put up at, Te Hani. It would be a "real con. venienee to Xorth Alburtlaml and Mangawai.—Mr. Munrn pointed out the dangerous state of the road at Huston's Bridge.—Tho Chairman said they could not llieNvorlis was important, lie would s nner the'v were postponed till next meeting. —Mr. Farrand's resoluWoilk.s Needed.—Mr" Hudson proposed. "That each councillor at tho next mectiu.,- should brim; a list of tho most urgent Works in his riding."—The motion was not seconded D.VNiJEifi.—Mr. Munro called attention tn the state of one of the river beacons at Ueil Bluff, that had been forced out of tile perpendicular by somo vessel. It should bo restored to its proper position. Also, there was a dangerous hole on Warkworth wharf which a couple of cartloads or earth would remedy. He himself witu ssed a narrow escape from probably a fatal accident in consequence of it. A small outlay now would save us j&". or HC, hereafter. A fund could be raised for such purposes by a tix on oyster boats There were vessels coining into the river during the os-.-ter season, stripping tho rocks of th ir ovsters, shipping them to Wellington and ether ports, and not paying one penny dues to the county fund, ile moved. " That the necessary repairs be at one undertaken."—The Chairman admitted the necessity of these ropairs, and would rather pay for them oiit of his own pocket than vote awiy the county fund until they had decided upon some regular pla'n of action. He moved, "That this Council defer nil financial matters until next meeting, with the view of forming somo definite plan for carrying out the Council's duties to the various ridings."—•Seconded by Mr. Smith and carried —.Mr. Munro stated that the cost of the work he proposed would not exceed £1 If delayed, the Council might have to pay heavily in tho event of .an accident.-Mr Brown moved, " that the Chairman expend the sum required, if he think tit, and that the Council see him recouped at its next meeting."—Seconded hy Mr. Munro and carried Don Uehisti'Atids. Act.—Mr. Drown thought that every bonafiib: settler owning cattle or sheep should be allowed one dogfreo and pay 10s for every additional do','.—The Chairman looked upon the Dog Act not so much for raising a revenue as for abating a nuisance. He would exempt one dog in the case of an owner of cattle or sheep where there was a run, but he would have every dog registered whether he paid the tax or not.—Mr. Smith thought exempted dogs might have their collars numbered differently and with the letter ■• E" on them ; that owners of exempted dogs should pay the cost of the collars: but that owners of all sporting dogs should pay the full tax of 10s. He moved, "That the chairman obtain a supply of tho it rcessary collars for the coming year, and the amended Log Act."—Seconded by Mr. Munro, and passed unanimously. Travelling Expkxsks.—Mr. Smith moved, "That travelling expenses be paid as formerly."—Seconded by Mr. Unckton, and carried. CnAiioMN'sSALARV. —Tho Chairman said he asked no salary. Ile was willing to give his services without remuneration at preeent. Should the work very largely increase so that he could not pay that attention which it required, and obstructed his own business, he would resign.—LOwn Correspondent.]