The Southland County Council.

Southland Times, Issue 4859, 9 February 1884, Page 2

The Southland County Council.

Friday, Bth February. The monthly meeting was attended by the chairman (Mr Thomas Mac Gibbon) and all tbe Councillors. Mr J. G. Ward appeared to ask that the Council would fulfil the promise made about a year ago and pay the L6O found to be due to the Campbelliown Borough Council when the . accounts between the two bodies were adjusted. The Chairman stated that at present there were no available funds, but as soon as it was possible he could assure Mr Ward the Council would fulfil its promise. . Mr McGregor appeared to complain of the state of the county road on the bank of the Makarewa river near his property. The Chairman said that the member for the riding would, without doubt, attend to the matter when he had funds at his command. : : ; v On the motion of Councillor Baldey a special order was made constituting that portion of the Southland County formerly in the Aparima Road District a new road district, to be called the "New River Road District." — Mr Wm. Russell was appointed returning officer for the first election. A letter was read from the Public Works office in reply to the Council's applicationfor L 3875, under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act. The amount asked for for bridgefi (L 500) would be granted under section 32 of the Act in full. As the work was the reconstruction of a bridge, and not an entirely new one, the amount would have to be repaid. About one-fifth only of the money applied for by the County Councils for road -making would be available for distribution, and Southland's por-, tion would be L 675. To that the County would have to add its own fourth, bringing the total np to L9OO. The Council's original application, it was stated, was L 86,000. The Chairman said that he and the engineer had gone over the schedule of works for the purpose of selecting the most necessary to be done with the L9OO. The engineer's suggested allocation was , as follows : — Gore to Reaby Road, L3OO ; Pukeraa to Otaraia, L 270 ; Wyndham to Forirose, L 15 0; Winton to Wreys Bush, Lls ; Winton to Dipton, L 75. The schedule was amended by adding the Invercargill-Mataura-Waipahi Road (near Ede'ndale), L3O, and deducting that amount from the Pukerau to Otaraia Road, and was then adopted. In regard to the offer of LSOO f or the two bridged over the Waihopai, a discussion arose, the question ; being whether it should be accepted, and a poll of the ratepayers taken. . The Chairman was of opinion that the whole county should be declared a special district and grants asked for all the roads and bridges required. It would not cause any addition to the taxes. Their present rate was fd, of which £d could be spent on the roads generally, and £d devoted to paying off the grantß. Councillor Richardson thought the chairman's suggestion worthy of careful consideration, but in his opinion the JGovernment's offer of the LSOO should in the meantime be declined. The matter then dropped. The offer of John Cowie to supply a horse and dray to do some work on the * road near section 23, block 4, Winton Hundred, was accepted. : • The Chief Surveyor wrote stating that no money had been voted by the Govern- ; inent for opening up roads on Islay station (run 132). The Chief Surveyor had recommended it, but it had not been voted. John Dick3on wrote drawing attention to the bad state of the roads between Ardlussaand Longridge siding. The engineer reported that the necessary works would cost about L 175. On the motioa of Councillor Black the engineer was authorised to expend L6O in repairing the worst parts of the xoad. Henry Pinkiert wrote asking permission to put down a tramway across the county road to his sawmill at Mabel.— Granted. William Diithie wrote requesting that ditching on the road to his property at Spar Bush, from the Waianiwa road, be done. It was decided to include the roai in a contract to be let for other work at Soar Bush. V By telegram the Government intimated that all tne licensing districts within the county, excepting Waikaia, had been abolished, and new ones formed identical in their boundaries with the county ridings. The appointments of the present returning officers for the ridings were cancelled, and others made in their stead, as required by the alteration. W. and T. Young wrote asking that the Council should pay part of- the cost of putting dowu a crossing below the Waim.umu, opposite the Mataura subdivision of the New Zealand and Australian Land Company's property. — The Bum of L 5 was, on the motion of Councillor Shanks, voted. The Otaraia Road Board forwarded a schedule of the works Hone on the county road between Pukerau and Oteraia, showing the cost, and requesting the Council to pa> the interest thereon. They also wished to know when the Council would pay the principal. Councillor Mac Gibbon moved, seconded by Councillor Richardson, that a committee consisting of Councillors Hast, Shanks, and the mover be appointed to enquire into the claim of the Otaraia Road Board.— Carried. Messrs Lyell Brothers and A. McCrucken requested thafythe previous vote of L3ofor a road in block 9, New River Hundred, be increased to LSO. They would do the work and allow payment of L3O to stand over till December. The engineer reported on works required on the roil Woodlands to Grove Bush, near Gold Creek. Councillor Shanks moved, seconded by • Councillor Kinross, that L6O be expended on the work, the whole amount to be a first charge on the Hokonui riding, and one half afterwards to be paid by the Awafua riding. - A petition from the residents of Waikaka and the surrounding district asked that a sum of money be voted for the road from the township to McKay's contrac*, as ; it was the road to the nearest coal pit.— Engineer to report on most necessary work. A protest was read from Councillor Kinross against the expenditure ef LlO on a road in the A warn a riding asked for by Mr Walsh, and voted at the last meeting of the Council. He also objected to any other member of the Council interfering with the allocation of money in his riding. Councillor Kinross moved that the protest be recorded in the minutes. In doing so he said that it was an unusual step for the member of a public body to take, and a step for whioh there should be very

Btrong reasons. Ho considered the matte 1 * one of the greatest importance. A great insult had been put on him at last met ting by money being voted for his rHiris: against his wish. He regarded Walk's road a by-road, as it was usnd only by =i few individuals. He did not expect tw have funds to expend during his term of office, but when any money was available the main roads should be attended to jfirst the district roads next, and these by-roads last of all. The money that was being spent on Walsh's road was being taken from the main roads. This he considered was Very - unjust. He represented the Awarua riding, and considered that he should be allow«d to manage its affairs. Matters affecting the whole county should be dealt with by the Council as a whole, but those affecting only a particular riding should be left to its member. That principle had al way been observed in other public bodies. The chairman had expressed a desire to maintain the honor of the Council, and therefore the speaker hoped he would in future prevent the interference of members in the affairs of other ridings than their own. From his point of view the motion passed at last j meeting against his wish was a great insult to him, and was really an effort to rob him j of the privileges he possessed as a British subject. The impression was general among outsiders that the other members of the Council were trying to crush him — to "sit on him." He hoped they would prove that such was not the case, anil that the insult at last meeting was unintentional. The motion was seconded by Councillor Black. Councillor Baldey paid that if Councillor Kinross' contention were right there was no use of them sitting there as a Council. He did not desire to be king of his riding, and he did not think any other member ought to occupy such a position. It was very desirable that there should be a wholesome check upon each of them. He would therefore oppose the motion. Councillor Shanks moved, as an amendment, seconded by Councillor McCallum, that the protest, being out of order, be not recorded on the minutes. The Chairman read the Counties Act to prove I that each councillor could move and vote on any matter affecting any part of the county. Councillor Black said that if such were the case any "councillor might be " sat upon "by the others. He considered that no motion of the nature of the one under dispute should be carried if the member for the ridine affected objected. Councillor Shanks was certain that no attempt had been made to sit on Councillor Kinross, and that that gentleman had no right to think so. The principal cause of annoyance was, in his opinion, that Councillor Kinross continually wasted the time of the Council by bringing forward absurd motions, motions which he must know had not the slightest chance of being carried. If Councillor Kinross' ideas were carried out, each member would be nothing more nor less than a despot inhisewn riding. Councillor Kinross, m reply, said he was not aware of having brought forward any "absurd" motions, of having proposed anything but what he considered desirable and proper. If Councillor Shanks thought he had, he was perfectly Rure that other councillors did not held a similar opinion. The amendment was then put and carried. Finlay Mfßae wrote stating that unless the Council would agree to the exchange of roads he proposed in Forest Hill Hundred, he would have to proceed with his fencing ; and by that means many settlers would be greatly inconvenienced. — Keferred to the engineer to report. The chairman of the South Forest Hill School Committee wrote complaining of the condition of the road to the school. In connection with this matter John Noble appeared to complain that through the closing of one road in the same neighborhood and the opening of another in its stead, he had been caused considerable injury. He consequently requested that they should re-open the old road. Councillor Kichardson moved that the Council take no further action in the matter, excepting that notice be served under the Public Works Act for the removal of any fences or other obstructions on open roads in the district. Eventually it was decided to hold the matter over till next meeting. The tusßocking of a road in Limehills township was asked for in a petition. — Held over : no funds. A petition signed by 13 settlers asked for a bridge over the Mokoreta Kiver, close to Messrs Mclntyre and Jackson's property. Councillor Richardson moved, seconded by Councillor Baldey, that the engineer take steps to repair the worst places on the road in the Mokoreta district, cost not to exceed Lls, and to report on the cost of erecting the bridge above referred to. — Carried. J. McGregor requested that certain repairs should be done to the road on block 13, Invercargill Hundred, from the Junction Hotel to his property at Makarewa.— Bef erred to the engineer. Accounts amounting to L 3436 15s, were passed for payment. The Finance Committee recommended that the engineer, having had a great deal of additional work under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act, be voted the supplementary salary of LloO up to June 1884, and the inspector be granted a bonus of L2s.— Agreed to. Councillor Kinross moved, seconded by Councillor Shand, that the engineer be authorised to obtain a supply of gravel from the property of Mr Andrew Dobbs, for the maintenance of the East Road, cost not to exceed L3O. — Carried. Councillor Black moved, seconded by Councillor Shand, that the engineer be instructed to expend the whole of the money now available for the JosephvilleMandeville road where most required, as far as the Oreti riding. — Carried. Councillor McCallum moved, seconded by Councillor Baldey, that specifications be prepared for about 11 chains of formation and gravelling on One Tree Point road, near McCallum's sawmill, cost not to exceed L44.— Carried. Councillor Baldey moved, seconded by Councillor McCallum, that Lls be granted for forming and gravelling on Brown's road, near Wallacetown.— Carried. Councillor Baldey moved, seconded by Councillor Shanks, that the engineer take the necessary Btepsto form and gravel two chains on the Waimatuku road. — Carried. Councillor Hast moved, seconded by Councillor Richardson — That a bonus of LI 10s per 1000 be paid by the Council on rabbits destroyed on Waikiwi commonage until the beginning of winter.— Carried. Councillor Hast moved, seconded by Councillor Shanks— That a timber groin be erected for the protection of the bridge over the Mataura at Riversdale, on the Waikaia side.— Cairied. Councillor Shanks moved, seconded by Councillor Kinross— That a sum of L2O be given to the Lyndhurst Road Board as a subsidy £ for £, to be expended upon Elliott's road ; -vote to lapse if money not claimed within three months. — Carried. Councillor Shanks moved, seconded by Councillor Kinross — That LSO be spent in putting in culverts on Mandeville to Josephville road. — Carried. Councillor Kinross moved, seconded by Councillor Black, that any work that may be done on Walsh's road be charged to the Toi Tois, Mataura, Hokonui, Waihopai, Waikaia, and Wallacetown ridings.—Negatived. Councillor Kinross moved, seconded by Councillor Black, " That as each member 9I thifi CouaQir represents a ejagle elec

torate he is responsible to hia constituents alone for matters affecting only the riding which he represents, and as the assumption of power without responsibility is opposed to constitutional practice, and is simply dp«potism, no merubei of this Council be piimitted to move in matters solely affecting the riding n presented by another member against the wish of such member unless it can be shown that such member has forfeited the confidence of a majority of his constituents." The Chairman said it was assumed in the motion that members could not move in a matter except it affected bis own riding. Such a supposition was entirely contrary to the provisions of the Act, and therofore the motion could not be put. He ruled it out of order. The Council then adjourned. Foi remainder of reading matter see fourth pagt