WAITAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 500, 5 December 1877, Page 2

WAITAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

.SPECIAL MEETING.

A special meeting of the Council was held at the County Chambers this morning, for the purpose of considering the proposed alteration of road lines in blocks 1., 11., and XI., Moeraki District. There were present —Ths Hun. R. Cam pi tell (chairman), Messrs. D. Sutherland, Murcott, Johnston, W. Sutherland, Wheatly, and Todd.

The Clerk read the advertisement convening the meeting. Mr. Murcott moved, c ' That the consideration of the matter should be postponed until the next monthly meeting. Mr. Sutherland seconded the motion, which was carried.

ANNUAL MATING

The adjourned annual meeting of the Council was held at noon to-day, at the County Chambers. The following members were present —The Hon. 11. Campbell (chairman), Messrs. D. Sutherland. W. Sutherland, Duncan, Wheatley, Todd, Johnston, and Murcott. legal proceeding;-;. The Chairman, previous to commencing the business, read a telegram received from Mr. C. T. Halkiu, Secretary to the Treasury, stating that payment of the surplus revenue claimed by the County had been suspended by the Commissioners of \ud'. r . He (the Chairman) said lie intended, \vitli the sanction of the Council, to take proceedings for the recovery of the amount due to the County. The matter involved something like L 70.000 or LSO,OOO. The Secretary_ to the Treasury had admitted that a portion of the money was legally due to the County, and a cheque had actually been signed' for over JL2!),(XK) ; but the Commissioners of Audit now apparently refused to pass it for payment. He proposed to issue a writ of ituindiimns either on the Colonial Treasurer or the Commissioners of Audit, compelling tliem to do their duty. On the motion of Mr. Wheatley, seconded by Mr. Todd, vho Chairman was authorised to take such .-tops as he deemed necessary to obtain payment of the monev.

Ci lAT R M AX'S V A T,KW CT( >UY A 1 > I >Tt Ev*.

The Chairman saul that when_ the Council did him the honor to elect him as their Chairmau, !:;» found fcho <ill empty, but now, at the cad ■>: the ycr.r on !*••»»•. ning, he left them with a very largo balance with which to commence the new year. ; ho roads and bridges belonging to the C-mnvv were also in a far better condition than they where when the County took them over. The County Council had now under its control about 200 miles of main roads. In connection with this lie would like to say that, if every road in the County was to be taken over by the Council, the Road Boards would have to cease to exist, or else the ratepayers would have to make up their minds for a much larger rate. 'Six pounds had also been erected during the year, and two cithers were in course or construction. The Chairman then d'ait with tne iinneial position of the County, the greater portion «.if which has alroauy been published in the balance-sheet. Omang 'o> remarks the Chairman read (lie following tables

Statement of Hales (,%.]!.-itfed m Ivu'h :ding since Ist April, 1877 :

Statement of Amounts Expended in Each Hiding sinee Ist April. IS/7: Expenditure. Liabilities.

£4019 16 (J £.%'G9 17 9 The Chairman then ([noted from some statistics showing the extent of the County, and said that- it contained 1,550.878, of which 1,203,1'34 acres are held under lease, and of a rateable value L50,G20 18s. Sd. The amount of freehold land and hind under pre-emptive rights was 287,094 acres, valued at L 105,152 13s. Thus the total rateable value for the County was L 100.71 3 lis. Sd. There were 1181 holdings in the County ; and there 917 electors on roll, representing 1697 votes. He wished to draw the attention of tie Council to the necessity of changing the. present mode of effecting the valuation of tVie County. He thought it would be better if the "Comity joined some other Counties in appointing a permanent Valuator. He concluded by thanking the Council for the courtesy they had shown him during his term of office. He hoped that his successor would receive the same treatment at their hands. Mr. W. Sutherland having raised the question as to whether the Chairman was not entitled to the position for another year, , •.TfeiChairman said he would not in any way' vOESate. any. obstacles to the Council electing' any member they thought lit to fill the p'sitiij}i-;.aii<r \v« "11 plro his resignation in -the-hands qrf the Council. Mr. Duncan said' he'yhad proposed at the first meeting of this Council t 1 ;A/the Hon. Robert Campbell a.s Cha';. man, and he intended doing so agSntr.- life;,thought it would be advantageous to the Council to re-elect their present Chairman for another year. • '

Mr. Wheatlev seconded the motion, which was supported by Messrs. Mureott and Duncan, and carried unanimously. The Hon. 11. Campbell thanked the Council for the honour they had done him, and said he would do all in his power to promote the welfare of the County inspector's awi'.u, hi;pokt.

The Clerk read the following annual report from the Inspector : Oaiiinrn, "nl December. ISG7. The Chairman Waitaki County Council. Sir. I l>e<j to lay before you my tirst annual report on the various roails and works in the County of Waita.ki, an outline of the work performed during the year, details of whieli have been presented in my monthly report.-; : /i':/7'.' . The Council lr.v-- under their e.-,.-iirol ab'illt '2'io miles o. reels. im' tnnieii.al lines ai-e the Main South road to Dunedin, extending to flbir.se bailee, with branch road to Port Moeraki : the Main North road to Waitaki J liver : 'the Main Interior road from I'ukeuri Point via Papakaio, |)iintroon, and Omarama to the Liudis Saddle, with hr-.ueh roads to Livingstone and to Lake !)hau; and the Waiareka road via Nyapara to the Tables. Pi-evi-nis to their heinu taken over liy the Council, the up-country roads from Puntroon westwards were very nmeli neglected, and my attention was tirst directed to their iineassable state, and steps were at once taken to put them in repair. This beinL: done, they were, afterwards let in sections te surface contractors, and are now all m jjjood o'Vier. The other roads in the County w-'i'o in fair condition at the beyinof tiie year, and have been greatly ini])roved by a laree exjieuditure in metalliny and gravelling, and in some places by new formation. About twenty miles of this description of work have been completed in diflere'.'t loealici' s whore necessary, and contracts for metalling six links more are now being executed.

The surfacing has been done partly by contract and partly by day labour. I\ e\v roads have been opened up in the ill - terior of the County from the: Tables, near Prvde's < iilli v. leading to i .ivinusl one and ! )un< roon, and also ii'oni I'akis 'I a hies to the Awanioko ('rt'elv, ]iovti<»ns of which are now i.einu form al by coiitraet. A .nmber of new culverts have been put into tiie roads where required, to carry oil storm water, and varona creek crossings have ' een metalled imo imjiroNed. llrhl<)K. lii eonnecrion Aviiii tiie County roads there are I !,rid::'"s. six of which arc. fool,-bridges. Of the purer. Hire ' i i-ree' >.| by .Mi.l i;,; milieu, a e.-.l ;• *•- ur; ii, a: ■-i '■ i.i ;'toae. has been le;e:v!l: 'U' > and rejrf,' 1 ' ' '' l e. 1 rab!e rejiairs hav<.' ai. 'i liceii eiaoe o'i a Jar:/" piepol'lion of the oth"!' bridges. 'A le.nler lias b. en accepted for lie erection a now foot-bridge over the (Haiaaukan ri. er. at ;ost of about LI oil. wh'ch will diortlv be ]iroeeed;:d wi'li : ami plans hav been prepared and a site selected 'i one overt lie Ahuriri rivei - . /V),";/./'. Two new jioiinds are in the eot rse oi erectirin on. at Mnl;eiu> and another at Teaueraki. founds ha v e also been est;.-,blished at Kin-ow and < Imaraina. ! have the honor to be. Sir. Yo\r obedient servani. |!aim:on. lu.-jiecloi'. ei:.'issj>.i: \T (>MAi;\MA.

The attention of (lie 1 nspeclor w;is called t<» I in; .state of the crossing at Omar.'Uiiii. on tin- Ahu.iri !;iver. rivnvioN. Tl'.e following wa ivoiwd and read : To thf l hairman of tile Waiiaki County < '■• U1! . 1 . I. Sir. -We. tin' midorMvned landowner., and residents in ('i - i 'aka'.craim'a di.-l: icl., t:1 fully dr.iw Hie aUention ol t'no \YaiCi;i County < 'oain'i! I o the urgent mVi-.-sitv oxi-ting 1 a - nnuiodiaia bring u to In 0... tii ' Wait-aid l.'iver lie:T ('ari-dian 1! iii.-'s ferry. We would respectfully bring before you that the outl. r for tile oroduee which will in a verv short time I>o raised in the liaUateraine.i W.lley must find its out let in < auiia.at, and as the ]unit .system which lias hi'h.t!<> :-erved the wants o;' the district is utterly i> ado«|Xiato to forward the grain safeh, speedily, and econ< iaic:dly, we beg to sitgat that steps I.e.' iahiJl irimedaitely to ,•1 a bridge to give the iaciiilies re presi lited above. Jt ni'gv not be out of place to suggest that the o-ily favrable place for the construct ion of a bridge is in the no'glibovhoad et Christian .Mille'o ferry, where the riv< r coilfined to a narrow rocky channel. •. Uia* a. bridge could there l.»e eo"strr, .r .-i \. ; \ moderate eost. We ivv. -nl-.i a - ' the Waoua:.- ' ■ !o.: t .cothe matter '"a ;1... : •>.•• 1 '-•..e.-L . satisfied !it:H our vy.it .. .. ;;•>.« • attention i'. ilea.an ■ . i hen, ell- a .-i:" aiares. V>M i' ijiKVi u: x . On the i .Mi. Duncan, a heart}'j vote of thanks was accorded to the man, and the Council adjourned.

■V..ui C7J (i 1 s Otekiiik" ... .. ! 1 Awiiniuku ... -J!'-.'- ti t; Pap.'i'k'iiii ... is 7 \Ya:;irok:i ... !(! 1! Kakamii . .;LS <! (i Otejiiipo ... is: :> s jViouraki ... I'."' 1 •> ! ,f i !)•:-!> ■_> 8

01) au ... £ 18-1 11) 0 Ofcamat.ikau . ."74 u 1 in :? Otekaike .. ()7 i l;> J i •;:) 0 ] i Awamnkii .. -JuU 12 (> 27-"> !i2 10 Papakaio :>!! I-' <)" 174 1 1 10 Wrtiaivka ] S3 18 4 8 9 Kakanui .. iu4r> 1 0 148 4 7 Otepopo 178 11 <> 25-) 1S 1 () Moeraki .. W$ 12 3 626 4