THE GRAVEL QUESTION.

Poverty Bay Independent, Volume I, Issue 71, 7 November 1885, Page 2

THE GRAVEL QUESTION.

PARTICULARS OF THE DISPUTE WANTED. At the County Council meeting on Thursday the following letter from the General Survey Office was read ; — I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 28th of September, addressed to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works, requesting that the tidal boundaries of the Waiapoa River may be defined, and in reply to request that you will state definitely the cause of obstruction, and send tracing showing position of the property opposite to which the gravel was taken that was made the subject of prosecution. Cr Chambers did not see that the matter concerned that Council, and moved that the matter be referred to the Borough Council. The matter had been forced upon them by the Borough, and he did not see why the County Council should go to any expense in the matter. Cr Gannon thought that in common courtesy the Council should answer the letter. He would m'"’e as an amendment that the information be supplied. Y Cr Chambers did not think the ’ matter concerned the Council one bit, and they never had any business to interfere in the matter. It should have been left to the parties to fight it out in

the Jaw courts. Why should that Council spend a lot of money on this affair. 7 here would have to be plans and exhaustive surveys, and a great deal of work. It would cost hundreds of pounds. Or Ferris thought the Council should certainly furnish the required informs tion. It would cost little for a tracing. Cr Chambers would repeat that it was the last question they ought to entertain. If the Borough Council thought fit let them go on with the matter, as they had forced it on the county. The Council bad several times positively refused to entertain the matter at all, and it had been taken up and forced upon them by the Borough Council Let the Borough bear the expense and trouble if they liked. Cr Gray eould not see that. It could not be much trouble or expense to supply the required information. No survey was asked for, neither would one be necessary. Cr Gannon thought the matter was clear enough. As to the survey, there j k comd not be any required, as it had J Rbeen done already. All that was re- ' quired was a simple tr..cing from the j mouth of the river to the place where I the gravel laid. Cr Chambers would contend that this j was quite a private question, and did j not concern that Council in the least. ■ Here they were very short of money, j and not enough to spend on their roads, | and yet they wanted to spend a large \ sum of n oney on exhaustive surveys I and no end of work. The matter was I a purely private one. Cr Ferris did not see that there could be much trouble, and. the Engineer said I that it Would cost nothing whatever ■ beyond making a slight tracing. Cr Gannon said the question was a public one of considerable importance, I

and not a private matter at all. AU that was wanted was a tracing showing the river, and whether Mr Cla k’s property was situate at the mouth of the river or forty miles up. He would move that the required information be supplied. It was only common decency to rep y. Cr Gray would second this motion. Cr Chambers would move as an amendment that the matter be referred to the Borough Council.

On the amendment being put Crs Smith, Chambers, and Dobbie voted for it, and Crs Gannon, Ferris, Gray, and Trimmer against. Cr Gannon’s motion was then declared carried. Cr Chambers protested against the Council spending the public money on this matter. Cr Gannon (indignantly) ; I hope' Cr Chambers, that you do not think that any one i« going to take up sides upon such a matter. The question is a very important public one. After a few more words, which were interrupted by the Chairman calling to order, the subject dropped.