CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1343, 25 August 1877, Page 7

CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The Ciutha County Council met on Tuesday in the Court House, Balclutha. Present— Messrs J. M'Neil (chairman), Jowitt, Henderson, Scott, Dallas, Scobie, Ayson, and Captain M'Kenzie. 1 The minutes of the last meeting, at which I the Council' had determined to adopt the Counties Act, having been read and confirmed, The Chaibman remarked that, as this was .the first meeting of Council since they had adopted the Act, a good deal of routine busings? would have to be transacted, such as' ap- | pointing committees, &c. From information he had received, he believed that there was a X>robabiKty of the Council being in a position | to levy a rate upon that portion of the County i which had been hitherto exempt through the non adoption of the Act. He thought, howj ever, that the best course to pursue at prssent | would be to submit the question to the Judge of the Assessment Court. He might state, that he had 'received a telegram from Mr Scobie, explaining tbat pressure of' business had caused his absence from the last meeting. Mr Scobie I stated in the telegram that he was in favour of ■the adoption of the Act, but though* tbat nothißg very definite should be done until the present Parliament had legialatedin the maiter. i _Tbe Clebk said that he had seen the Judge of the Aesessmept Court, who was of opinion that tha Council could now strike a rate on that portion of the County, which had been exempt through the non adoption of the Act Captain M'Kenzie believed that the Council could only strike one rate. If they were now to strike a rate over the outlying districts, they must also strike one over the Road Board dis- *? C * ■° Lltaou g& he had highly approved of the Act for the abolition of the Provinces, he did not approve of the Counties Act. In his mind he totally severed the two Acts. Certain alterations were to be made in the Counties Act this session of Parliament, and, seeing that this County had brought the Act into force, they should make suggestions as to ita amend- ; ment ■ . J The Chaibhan remarked that he did not "J^J? Bay bufc what the y should transact other than the routine business at this meeting. MISCELLANEOUS. It was agread that the Clerk's office should bo the office of the Council. That the office ebould be open twice a week — Tuesday and SP^Xi^S? J° t0 5 V-m. That the ! Clerk (Mr W. Henderson) should be appointed Treasurer. That at next meeting of the Council the Ireasurer should be required to bring i forward the namea of two suitable persons ' willing to enter into bonds of LIOO each as j security. Messrs M'Keill and Ayson were ap- ! pointed to sign cheques. j OUTLTING DISTRICT EOADS. J S f°^n moved ' and Captain M'Kenzie seconded— "That Mr Paterson should be ap- j pointed to inspect road lines in the outlying oistncts : ; also the main roads ; and that he Bhould be authorised to employ surface-men . where necessary." '

Mr Henderson had no objection to the first portion of the motion, but thought that no work which would exceed JJIO should be gone on with by this Council without being contracted for. If the Council were to employ surfacemen on all the roads, they would need a very large amount to meet the expenses. It appeared to him that these outlying districts - were going to break up into new Counties. , Mr Henderson thought that to put the whole of the up-country roads in anything like passable repair would, if the work were performed by day labour, cost from LSOO to LIOOO. It was not desirable 1 to go in very heavily for the outly'ng districts, until it was ascertained ■whether the Council could now levy a rate upon them. If such was found to be the case, they should get every justice. Mr Jowitt was of opinion that all the members were unanimous in adopting the first portion of the motion ; but he thought that it was hurried and irregular to give such powers to the Engineer as were contained in the second portion of the motion. Mr Soobie had no doubt that it Messrs Henderson and Jpwitt had the misfortune of travelling, Rome of the up-country ' roads they would see :the absolute necessity of such being done. On his. way down yesterday he saw a waggon capsized. 1 The, Chaibmas remarked that. to a certain extent' he agreed with. the objections of Mr Henderson. ' All-of them had every confidence in Mr Patersdu. 'He (the Chairman) would suggest that the motion should be so altered 'that Mr Paterson should consult him in the , matter, and between his (the Chairman's) close fistedness and Mr Paterson's professional abilities he thought that the' Council would be perfectly safe. After some further discussion the motion was put and carried. Mr Dallas , moved, and Mr Henderson seconded, that road boards should be refunded the amounts of money which they have spent in excess of what they have received. Captain M'-Kenzie said that if road board ratepayers of the districts had spent money on the .keeping of roads to their own properties the money should not be refunded., . The Chaibman thought that such a motion should have been more carefully worded, and the mover with ithe consent of Council withdrew the motion. 1 MAIN THROUGH BOAOS. Captain M'Kenzie moved,, "That seeing that as it is manifestly unjust that localities where 'no roads exist should be called upon to make main through roads out of the small subsidies allowed to districts which have had all through roads made at the public cost,' it is absolutely necessary that special appropriations be made by Parliament for the construction of main through load's in localities where such roads have not been made, or tbat special subsidy should 'be provided on the amounts voted by County. Councils for the construction of such main, through roads." They were all aware that the Assembly was now sitting, and that an effort is to be made to get a vote oi money for the construction of main lines' of road which have not been made by the Provincial-Govern-ments. " Iv some parts of the country main and through toads had been made by the Provincial Governments, inasmuch as that in the district rates were subsidised; to the extent" of two to one. In the new era of things' it seemed to, him that the settlers were called upon to make through roads ia vast extents of country out of their own pockets. It was very unreasonable to suppose that the inhabitants of any , district should be called upon to do that. In a large portion of the riding which he represented there was not an inch of roads made, and not a penny had been spsnt upon them. The motion -was agreed to.' V , BEANCH LINES OF RAILWAY. Mr Jqwitt moved ' ' That this Council do urge the Government to immediately proceed with the branch line of railway from Balclutha towards Catlin's River, in so far as tha' first section of about six miles is concerned,' to a point situated near the Glenomaru Bush on the Southern Trunk road to PorfMolyneux," In bringing this motion forward, ha wished to point out that the district -wps suffering. 'Ih the first place, the Port was closed, and then the Waitepeka portion of railway had been disallowed, which nad caused a great hardship to be inflicted on the settlers in the keeping of the roads, which were now very much cut up by the heavy traffic. By keeping' the heavy traffic off the roads, he maintained they would benefit the ratepayers. He believed that this was the line which the Chairman had got a flying survey of some time ago. The Chief Surveyor had estimated the cost of constructing t'hii line of railway at L2OOO per mile. It was one which presented no engineering difficulties, and the great thing which weighed in his mind was that it was payable, That six miles of railway would tap a large are* of country. Last year, in hi 3 district 5000 busnels of grain were grown, and if this line were opened up, in place of one saw-mill they would have three, and they would be able to supply, other districts at very reduced prices. The present time was very propitious to forward such a resolution to Government, as a scheme was at present before them for making railways. He only asked that this six miles should be constructed, which would prove itself so payable that the Government .would speedily undertake the other portion. They were all practical men, aud knew that the settlers' light traffic did very little damage— ifc rather consolidated the roads— but it was°quite otherwise -with the heavy waggon traffic, wnich cuts through the. metal. He thought he had brought sufficient before them to show that tho line would be payable, and that was the firafc' question in a matter of thk kind. It would benefit the inhabitants of' Catlins, and the whole of the inhabitants of Balclutha 1 . Mr Henderson said that the main point was the paying one. He was quite certain that ifc would pay the Government well as a feeder for the Southern trunk line, and il was the cheapest estimated one in New Zealand. The district which ltwoiild open up was one of the finest timber districts in the Colony. Thore was a .bush there 90 miles long, which reached all the way down to Waikava, and on the north to Toi' Tois, so that the amount of settlement which it would open tip would more than pay- the cost of constructing such a line. lie concluded by hoping that the Government, in the interests ofthe country, would accede to this resolution. Captain M'Kenzie moved that the motion should be amended by the addition of the words "branch line from Southern trunk line, Tapanui." He had no doubt that the line to Oatlrns was a very important one, and that it would tend very much to increase tho traffic upon the main line. A branch line to Tapanui would also greatly increase the traffic upon the Southern trunk line. It would also very materially decrease the cost of constructing road lines. The district which such a , branch line would benefit was one where a great amount of settlement was now going on,' and where double furrow ploughs were as thick as blackberries. Mr Henedbson was not in favour of the addition being made to the ori&iuai motion. He'found that when Mr Macandrew moved his scheme others came and pinned their little schemes to the tail of it, which swamped ifc altogether. He knew that tho line through Tapanui was a very desirable one. The votes J

for the construction of these two lines of rail- I way were lost by only one vote, and, if ifc had not been for the support Captain M'Kenzie had given to the Abolition Act they would | now be constructed. It was carried that the ad'Jitien, should be made to the motion, which, on being put, was carried unanimously. , ( . , • „, i i. PLACE OE MEETING. Mr Scott thought that in- all. fairness some of the meetings of the Council should be held afc Clinton. In fact, he thought it would be' better to hold a majority of the meetings there. If they counted up the distances which all of the vc embers travelled, they would find that it would be three miles nearer than it would be coming to Balclutha, but he knew that if he were to propose a motion like that, it would not be carried.