Taranaki County Council.

Opunake Times, Volume II, Issue 89, 10 May 1895, Page 3

Taranaki County Council.

The o.dinary meeting of the Tnra- , " n&khCbuntyCoimcilwas held on Mou-dny-frrst-: Present —Mr W. BWley (in the chair), liorrocks, Okey, McGloin, McCul-um, Peters, Adlamand C unett. TENDERS. The committee's action in accepting , the" tender of Mr Humphries for cart-ft-g stone between Stony River and Cottier's corner was confirmed. apology. Mr - MsCullum apologised for the • absence of Mr Tate. MOA BIDING. The Council dealt with several matters in the Moa Riding foreman's report, Mr Adlam said be had travelled through that part of the country the other day, and be failed to see where the surfaceman had been putting in his time. The roads were in a disgracefnl state, the water tables being especially defective. The Cbairmau stated tbat much of the foreman's time bad been taken up in looking after the bridges. Mr Adlam : With all due respect to the members of tbe Council, I must state tbat the roads in tbe Moa Riding are a disgrace to the overseer. The Chairman : That is not a fair thing to say. . Mr Adlam : Yes, I repeat it is disgraceful. Tbe Chairman : It is a reflection on,the overseer, and I must ask Mr Adlam to withdraw. The overseer is not to blame, as I have already stated that be has been fully occupied with - other work.

Mr McCullnm: Oh, I suppose we s:,must allow Mr Adlam a little latitude.

Mr Connett: There is nothing before the meeting. Mr Adlam : Yes we have. I am speaking to the report. Mr McCullum: You must withdraw.

Mr Adlam : I tell you that The Chairman: I must ask you to-

Mr Adlam: Mr Chairman, you keep on interrupting me. You seem to want all the say, and not let me have any. I did not say that the Council was to blame, but referred -to an employee. The Chairman: And you have no right to make charges against an em-

*°~ ployee unless you can. substantiate tliein. I again request you to withdraw the remarks,

Mr Adlam: I am not going to_ do it, Mr Chairman, as I am speaking conscientiously, and I say the roads are a disgrace.

" ' Mr McCullum : Mr Adlam does not know anything about it. Mr Adlam : Will you be quiet, Mr McCullum; you are always interrupting. Mr Connett: There is nothing before the meeting, Mr Chairman.

Mr Adlam : I say there is. lam speaking The Chairman : I have askod you ■withdraw your statement, and '

Mr Adlam: Withdraw Avhat ? The Chairman : Withdraw the statement that the state of the roads in the Moa Eiding is a disgrace to the foreman.

Mr Adlam : But I still uphold that, and I do think

The Chairman: Are you going to-

Mr Adlam: Mr Chairman, you keep on interrupting me. If you hijTiet me alone I woi ago. T*kc~~tjnaifman: You have been speaking for the last ten minutes. Mr. Peters : To put the matter in order, I move that the report be received.

Mr Okey eaid he could not help saying that the roads were in a disgraceful state, and he agreed with Mr

Adlam's statement to a certain extent. If the foreman could not attend to the roads he should report the matter to the Council, and he could be taken off and put on the roads, so that he might have a chance of showing what he could do.

Mr Connett said he thought it was rather presumptuous for a member who was living so far away from the Moa Biding as Mr Adlam to make such a' statement, and he should have withdrawn the remarks, as if there was any charge at all it should be against the Council. He would not back up a man if he were in the wrong, but he certainly thought the • man snould receive a fair show.

Mr Horrocks said he was sorry Mr Adlam had taken up the view he had, as it reflected on the members of the riding to a certain extent. He had travelled the roads, and was aware they were in a bad state, but- the blame was not with the foreman*. He had not tbe time to devote to the roads, and' that was the reason he (Mr Horrocks) moved that an extra hand be employed. Mr Peters said he was very much amused to hear that Mr Adlam had gone through the Moa Eiding, and that he should have discovered so many faults. He (the speaker) had had been through many a time, and he knew the roads were in a bad state. The foreman was not in fault, for a more hard-working and painstaking man could not be found. The road would not have been in such a state had the members of the riding, instead of looking after the interests of the county as a whole, gone in for a game of grab. They preferred, however, not to " over-ride the constable," and were content to let the foreman keep the bridges in repair.

The resolution was carried. The Chairman said he would like to speak on the requests made to Mr. Adlam.

Mr Adlam : I will withdraw one word, since the members of the Moa Biding say the overseer has been employed on the bridges, and I would say that the state of the roads reflect on the Council, and is not a disgrace to the overseer. The Chairman said that while on

the subject be might s-tato tbat he wouto like f-ome authority lo be specified in tho bye-laws giving him power to act in cases where be asked members to withdraw any statements made. It was a necessity that some such bye-law should be framed in order to cont;ol the Council. Mr Horrocks: In America they have six shooters. (Laughter.) It was finally decided to give notice that a committee be appointed to draw up a bye-law dealing with the matter. During -a subsequent discussion it was resolved that James Innes be appointed a surfaceman in the Moa Riding.

PARIHAKA RIDING The Parihaka Foreman's report was read.

Mr Okey drew attention to the quality of the metal that was .being put on the Opunake Road. Mr McGloin remarked tbat he thought it was possible to grow carrots in tbe gravel—so poor was it. The engineer (Mr O'Brien) wrote, stating that settlers had complained to him about the poorness of the shingle put on No. 5 contract. Mr McGloin stated tbat it was the result of putting onjg. spreader who did not know his work. The engineer's report also dealt with other matters. It was resolved that Messrs O'Sullivan and Sutherland be instructed to proceed with tbe work opposite Mr Reed's at schedule prices. OACTJRA. Mr Morris, of Oakura, wrote with regard to carting gravel across his land. The matter was left with the chairman to arrange. HELD OVER. A letter from a resident' at Bejl Block, pointing out tbe bad slate o£ tbe read in front of the store near the . Village Inn Hotel, was deferred until the next meeting. TENDERS. The following tenders were accepted :—Corbett, carting metal, 2s lid ; J. Lownsborough, Waiwakaiho tbl'gate, £l7 12s 6d. WAITAEA TOLLGATE. Mr Connetfc said the -question of disposing of the Waitara tollgate bad boon deferred from the last meeting in order to allow Mr McCullum to inspect the place. That member had made his visit, and was of opinion that it would be as well to sell it. He (Mr Connett) now moved, " That the gate and building be sold by auction." Mr McCullum corroborated the above remarks, adding tbat he was

sorry the members did not see that the site was a payable one before the gate was erected. Mr Peters thought some -of the members should apologise to the Waitara representatives for over-riding their opinion. Mr McCullum : Understand that I am not alluding Mr Connett: Oh, we are not thinskinned. Mr McCullum : I am not apologising. Mr Connett: I beg your pardon ; I thought jpu were. Mr McCullum : Oh no! I merely wished to state that some of the members might have visited the place before running the Council into the expense of erecting the gate. The resolution was then put and carried. STRIKING RATE. The Chairman formally moved, be struck upon all rateable properly in the county; ahd £d in the £ as charitable aid." Mr Okey_ moved, as an amendment, " That a halfpenny rate be struck in the Omata Biding." He pointed out that with a halfpenny rate the riding would be enabled to spend £768 to keep the roads in repair—a sum that was ample for the purpose—and would leave a balance of £254. The roads were all in good repair, and had a balance from last year. Mr Adlam seconded the amendment. The Chairman said the question was whether the Council had the power to levy a separate rate. Mr Boy, he understood had given an opinion that the Council could have a differential rate, but Mr Bell, whose opinion had been taken previovsly, ruled in an opposite direction. [Both Mr Boy's and Mr Bell's opinions were here read.] Mr Connett said he understood that another legal geutleman had given a similar opinion to that of Mr Bell. The amendment was put and negatived, and the original resolution carried. . . REFUND, Messrs N. King, Glegg, and another waited upon the Council, and asked for the usual refund in their respective districts. Granted. Several other matters of a routine character were dealt with, and the Council adjourned.—News.

u.ed to throw it up again. At length I had to iafco oil my mesh perfectly dry, and in a reciinibent hut without benefit. Accidentally I f.ot hold of one cf Clements Tonic pamphlets, ami after reading its contents. I resolved to tiy the medicine. After faking tbe first bottle I could take my food without lying down, and three bottles cured me entirely. I can now take my food solid, and liquid together, without the slightest after pain or tendency to throw it up. I feel perfectly well and ha:'e gained considerable flesh, whereas whtn the complaint was on me I was as thin as a skeleton. My age is 42, and present weight eleven stone four pounds. I shall consider it my duty to recommend Clements Tonic to all who suffer as I done.—Chas Friar, Nelson, N.Z.