THE EVENING MAIL, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1877.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 250, 9 February 1877, Page 2

THE EVENING MAIL,

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1877.

W«fd»M«tWii(f»v(m(*i* drop of ink falling: ffpona tbouifht MUtf protluu» tlui& whiuli mivka* thousands think.'"

T*B intention of appointing a gentleman to fill the combined offices of Clerk, Collector, and Treasurer, at a salary of £3OO par annum, for the Waitafei County Council,, afford* an excellent illustration of the manner in which this, the richest C .unty iu Otago, intend* to administer its revenue. The duties of the officer will be of auch * varied and multifarious character that, he wtil b« required to be at times. not only übiquitous, but possessed of a variety of qualifications rarely fntmd centreing: in on% individual. As Clerk, he will be under the necessity of leading the Council at times, when its interpretation of the law is of art eccentric character. for, a» was justly admitted by Mr. Yotrjm, an 4 enctorseit by tuie wr two other Cnoneillort,, ther» are bnt few of the County CounciHoi 1 * wh» have the slightest conception of 6h* meaning wf the Act, or the autatiMr to whtcl't tt should be admint*tered. H« must also be abtcr to undertake official correspoticlence with the GoveraBMnt; to h©tti Jhts own and the part of ta» Council if brought into conflict with ih» General OoYcmment or the Road Ifoar<i»; conduct correspondence between tne> variou* Counties; to act on Ids own authority shouM emergencies arise ; prepare th* roK»: of ridings, and those of tn«> otttffinjf diistricts ; to act a» theCooneiF* agent in all legal proceedings in V fcroptey antl-other cases; to receive nutseya from th% Clerk of the Resident Court, for all fines and penalties levied thereby; to draft contiacta with contractots, besides doing all the* ordinary wwfc of a clerk, such as k««ping the uinute» of the proceedings, and giving: notice to Councillors of the various meetings'. As a collector, he has to give receipts of all moneys received ; to render a hat of all moneys collected ; to farftftik a hat of all those refusing or ncgleeting to pay their rates; to attend the

•ittings of the Assessment Court, as the representative of the Council, and combat with all objectors ; to demand in writing the payment of all rates from the ratepayers, delivered to the person liable at his last known abode, place of business, or on the premises in respect of which the rate is due : to ascertain when persons arc about to quit premises leaving rates unpaid, and obtain authority from a Justice of Peace to levy distress on the goods and chattels, and to post on a conspicuous portion of the property of unknown owners or absentees, summonses demanding payment of the overdue. M treasurer, he has to deal with the whole of the County Fnnd ; to examine and n> for the Council all county expenditure ; to pay all nu>neys into the bank appointed, and check the banking account muter the following heads—the general account, the separate account, the special fund account, the interest account, and the sinking fund account ; to forward ! to the auditors within fifteen days after i the Slat of March and the 30th Septem--1 her in each year, a six-monthly balano | sheet being an abstract of receipts and ex- ' penditore on each of the above accounts tor the six months ending on such re- ; spective clays; and prepare a yearly ! balance-sheet for the auditors, showing a ; statement of all the assets and liabilities | of the County ; a statement of the public | debt of the County, showing the amount I under the head of each loan raised, and ;■ other real estate belonging to the County ; \ the terms and conditions and rent of such \ property let on lease or otherwise, and annex a tabulated list of alt the vouchers, i pasa-bw.fcs. receipts, and all other docti--1 moots, explaining and supporting the ! aame to the auditors ; aueh balance-sheet, after examination by the auditors and a I special meeting of the Council, to be sent 1 to the Colonial Treasurer, or a copy thereof, if the foregoing and their incidental duties be not a task lit to equal that of the cleansing the Augean stable, we certaidty are at a loss to know what would be, and we will congratulate the Council, shontd it be so fortunate as to secure the services, of a gstttlenian who, for the consideration of a year, will W both qualified and willing to carry out the multifarious and onerous duties set down above.