Waitaki County Council

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXVII, Issue 8491, 26 May 1904, Page 2

Waitaki County Council

The usual monthly meeting of the Waitaki County Council was held .to-day, when Mr D. Sutherland occupied the chair, and all the members were present. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed, and outward correspondence approved. Mr Lee was present on behalf of the Hampden Borough Council to object to the Council giving its consent to the sale of a piece of land to Mr Murcott, and asked the Council to withhold its consent until it had heard the Hampden Borough CounMr Newton attended on behalf of Mr Murcott, who- was also present. . Mr Lee pointed out that as the Land Board would act upon the report of the County Council it was necessary that that body should be acquainted with all the facts of the cane before it reported.

The Chairman said that the Council had nothing to do with the Hampden Borough Council. It could give its objections to tho Land Board. _ Mr Borrio said tho Hampden Borough Council had . sent Mr Leo to tho wrong should have approached tho Waste Lands Hoard. Mr Lee said that theCoiinlv Council was the only body that the Waste' Lands Hoard would consult. The Chairman said the Committee had reported. lhey had not asked for anyone's opinion as they had an opinion of I heir own, and they did not wish to hear the Hampden Borough Council. Air Leo pointed out that as the Council had hoard Mr Murcott. through his solicitor they should hear the Hampden Borough Council through its solicitor. The Chairman took tiie sense of the meeting, and it was resolved to taice Mr Livingstone's notice of motion to the effect that, tho resolution carried on the iftrd December ro this matter he rescinded. Ho said ho moved this because he had been lod to believe that tho matter had been misrepresented at tho time. Air Borrie seconded the resolution, and gave his reason that this was due in order to clear tho way to doing anything tho Council might resolve upon now Tho motion was carried, Mr Nicolsou only objecting. l*ho Clerk then read the following report "Tho Committeo appointed by tliis Council to visit and report on Crown lands (formerly closed road) between suburban sections 7, 8. and 9. Hampden, tho property of Mr Wm. Murcott, and Air Murcott's land in the county, uro unanimous- 1 ly of opinion that there is no immediate or prospective noed or uso for a public* ro.nl being there. The closed road is not a, continuous ones, as several portions of it have beon sold to parties who owned adjoining land, and at least ono portion is impracticable for road purposos. As it is hot a matter that concorns county ratepayers tho Waste Land Board can deal with this pieeo of land as they think proper. Mr Nicolson said that tho report was not correct whon it stated that tho road was not a. continuous road. It was a continuous road, and eight years ago the Hampden Borough Council carried n riwolution to reopen the road, and as Mayor of Hampden ho intended to do his best to reopen the road. He urged that tho Council should hoar tho Hampden Borough Council in tho matter. Mr Borrie said tho Committee had mado every inquiry, and ho would move that tho report bo adopted. Mr Livingstone seconded tho motion, remarking that he had been told by residents of Hampden that tho road was of Bp uso to anyone. Mr Nicolson said that was according to the man in the street, and should not bo taken notice of. Tho motion was then put and carried, Mr Nicolson objecting. Tho sum of £45 16a was received from tho Treasury, payable on account of tho Hawea-Lindia Pass raids, £29 of which had bee« previously paid. Mr F. W. Maclean, District Railway Engineer, wrote acknowledging tho Council's authority to put in a crossing with cattlestops near vVindsor, and .s.iid tho work would be put in hand at an early ilat.o. Twelve fcottlers at Wharo-luiri sent in a, protest against tho proposal to remove tli« post offic* and telephone exchange from Llw school to old Wliaro-kuri liotol. It was reeolTed to roply that thore was li:o> petition, nor was theru any pruposal to make ajiy change. Accounts amounting to £913 9s 7d were passed for payment. Tho various milkers of poison for Mnall birds sent in their respective circulars, and the clerk was instructed to procure some of different makes. At the DUggctition of Mr Nicols'im, it was resolved to obtain some boxes made up as bird tryis, as douo by other councils. Tho Commissioner of Crown. Laud*, Duncdin, forwarded a copy of Hanger Ai kiiisihi-'k report respecting Thomaa Harnoy, a Crown tenant at Windsor, to tho County Council taking gravel from an old pit on Ins si'i'tiom. The report stated that Harvey's house was elo3o to tho pit, and he wished to slopo down tho sides and bring il. into cultivnliuM. In any case thu quantity was .small a.nd ho thought it would bo a pity to cause damage to the tenant. Tho report won received. Mr R. O. Campbell, Otokaike, wrote stating that thero was about a quarter of an acre of their freehold at Otokaiko which, if fenced, would causo incuiiven.ieno.e_ to traffic. He offared to sell to tho Council afc tho rate of £8 per aoro. It was resolved to purijhaMj the piece of land. Mr A. D. Bell. Shag Valley station, wrote requesting tho Council to make a further grant of £2O or £25 to extend tho Mountain road, Hampden-Green Valley track to Mount Misery. Tho letter waa received. Mr H. Wilson, County clerk, Maniototo, wrote asking for a cliequo for £lB bn 3d, tho Council's proportion of the licensing election and eotnmittoo's travelling expenses. A similar letter was road fnwn tho Waikouaitii County Clerk asking for £1 13h. The amounts were ordered to bo paid. The following letter was received fnwn Mr Robert MOillivray,, Awamoa: "Some two months ago I addressed your Council about the amount of ratos I paid on a valuation which has since licen reduced to within. £l5O of tho price I paid for t'.ho land, men I called at your oilico your clerk tried to assure mo that I could wot get a new valuation to be applicable for tho present year, and I paid the ratos on a valuation about £lO per aero more tlia.ii I paid for tho land. Kliortly after paying tWo rates I applied to tho ( sovrrmiioiiL for a. revaluation, Btating that if they were determined to uphold their valuation that they oould have tho land at thoir own valuation instead of accepting my offer tliey immediately ordered a fresh valuation, which reduced the valuation over one,-third. I paid harbor rates on tho lator valuo, and had I not paid the county rates too soon them would have been proportionately reduced. As stated already, I applied to your Council for a refund of rates overpaid, but as yet) have received no reply fivm you. Now in it honorable of (such a body us you consist of to treat- a. new Arrival in tho district in this way. Had 1 delayed paying until now 1 would have had the uso of the money bosides one-third less to pay. Punctuality in payment in my case wan anything but a virtue so far as I am concerned. I havo only to add that if you wish to adhere to the first valuation you can and ought to take the placo off my 1 Lands on tho old valuation 1 , although I havo spent £4OO in improvements. Trusting to hear from you as soon as convenient." The letter was received, tho chairman statin!! that tho Council had no power to take notice ot alterations in valuations. Tho secretary to the Waitaki District Charitable Aid Board wilt in a. requisition for £671, the Council's proportion of the Board's funds for the year ending March, 1905. The amount last year was £5lO. and the present demand was the larncs tsinco 1898, when it was £735. It was resolved to pay the anuniiits in quarterly instalments.