WAIMEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Colonist, Volume XXXIV, Issue 7065, 16 July 1891, Page 3

WAIMEA COUNTY COUNCIL.

An ordinary meeting of the Counoil was held in the Education Board room yesterday at 10.30a.tr. Present ; Messrs Bird (Chairman), R Pn" tie, A Thomson, Beuke, P Best, G Sinclair, ami W B Thomson. Tbe mini!;. i f> of the previous meeting wore read and confirmed. The Chairman said ihat whild in Wellington at the Local Bodies Conference he had been able to smooth over several difficulties formerly existing between the Oounoil and various departments. Most of hiß time had been taken up at the Conference of County Chairmen, where the following resolutions were passed asking the Government to make certain alterations and concessions to the following effect:—!. That owing to loss of revenue from gold duty and Crown lands rates County government on tbe West Coast would break down unless the Government provide substitute. 2. That Government pass Validation Aot to relieve counties having violated seotion 211 through sudden losb of revenue. 3. That the mail roada of Nelson and West Coast used for mail purposes be recognised bb Government toads. 4. That the Crown should pay a penny in the £ on all land 9 reserved for the Midland Railway. 5. That in mining districts goldfielda revenue be deemed county revenue, and not appropriated by borougbß and town districts as at present. 6. That goldfields revenue being local taxation should be treated as rates and subsidised £ for £. 7. That counties be empowered to license vehicles whether plying for hire or not. 8: That the Looal Bodies Loan Act ' be amended bo that a majority of voters voting may carry a proposal. 9. That sec- ', tion 46-83 be amended so that boundaries of Ridings may be altered at any time on petition. 10. That Counties should have the same power in matters of fire?, Fire Brigades, and lighting, as Boroughs. 11. ' That there are too many looal bodies in goldfields distriots, and the Government be requested to bring about a change for merging, and relieve the West Coast and other counties of the enormous demands made on them for oharitable aid, as seme districts (such aa the Amuri) nearly escape contribution. 12. That Councils be empowered to pay delegates expenses. 13. That section 105 be altered to allow all members their expenses to meetings, even if within three miles. 14. That owing to a sudden loss of revenue this Conference was called in a hurried manner. It is now resolved that copies of resolutions be sent to, and a general conference of all counties be called next year immediately before tbe session to discuss and revise tbe Counties Act with a view to its amendment. Other resolutions were passed, but were of no great importance to the Waimea County. The Inspector reported as follows : —In accordance with instructions 50 ratepayers were sued for arrears, all bat six paying before the cases were brought into Court ; bb there is still a considerable amount outstanding I will sue for these at once. The work of widening the road near Newmans stables has been let for £29 18s. Fresh tenders have been invited for work near Tuck's Pig Valley, for gravelhug on Tadmor Hill, and aIBO for No 1 oontraot, Wairoa Gorge. The following works have been completed! Bridge on Stoke Port road, and metalling on Waiwero Hill, Waimea Hill, Missionary Valley, Orinoco Valley, Dovedale (near Hawke's), Sunday Valley and Hoult's Valley roads. The following contracts are in progress : No. 2 Wairoa Gorge road, improving the road Trass' Valley, new road through Stringer's run Wakefield, widening the roai near Newmans stables'. Excavation at Motueka Harbor is' progressing favorably, 81 oubio yards being ramoved, and though not giving much additional depth of water, this will make tha approach to the wtiarf easier, aa the large boulders on whioh vessels formerly struck will be removed. Sawdust was placed on shaded places rendered difficult for traffic during the late severe frosts. Plans are prepared of the proposed deviation at Wangapeka. Six pipe culverts have been put in on the Pigeon Valley-Stan-ley Brook road, to prevent deep ohanneh being washed on the sides of the road. A few repairs have been done in the Pangatotara Road District on the river road, but not knowing the financial position of the Board at the time of merging, only a few necessary repairs bate been executed In view of the large expenditure lately made throughout the County, aud consequent shortness of funds, expenditure will be confined to neoessary works only, and it is recommended not to undertake any further new worka at present. Mr Alex. Thomson asked what the road on the Wangapeka would cost. The Inspector said he estimated £30 to £40. Mr Thomson said he thought it would be taken for less. It was really a necessary work, and he would like tenders to be called, and this work made the first new one to be undertaken when the Council had funds. The Dovedale Road Board asked for subsidy for tbe upkeep of District roads in their distriot, and asked that this might be made equal to a rate of £d in the £. The Chairman explained that if the Board had allowed the Council to levy a |d rate the Government subsidy would have been paid on that, as it was they got subsidy on id only, one-third leBS than they might have got. The Inspector read a return showing that within nine months of year £170 5s had been expended in tbe Dovedale district, and tbe total recipts from the district for the year were £89 2s 3d, and further expenditure would be required for repairs in the next three months. Mr A. Thomson said that certain works, such as the Sunday Valley work, were of equal value to other districts. On Mr Sinclair's motion, seoonded by Mr A. Thomson, it was resolved not to aooede to the request. The same Board asked for assistance to deal with the small bird nuisance. The Chairman said that assistance was granted to ridings, and Dovedale being at one end of tbe Wai-iti riding perhaps it may not have got its share. Mr Pattie proposed, and Mr Sinclair seconded, that the arrangement entered into last year should be adhered to this year. Mr W. B Thomson moved as an amendment that no grant should be made, as unless concerted action hub taken it was a lot of nonsenße. Mr Patties motion was carried. Mr Haycock, Chairman of the Pangatotara Road Board, lately merged into the Council, wrote re delay of Council taking over the Board's property. The Chairman said he had replied that the delay was owing to the Board's Secretary wishing to have his books audited before handing them over. It was resolved to take steps to collect the outstanding rates due to the late Board. The Survey Department, in reply to an application for £178, grant to coroplete works at Wairoa Gorge, wrote stating that the matter would be considered when the Supplementary Estimates were prepared. The Colonial Secretary replied to the Council's protest against Richmond being formed into a borough, that only a petition of an equal or greater number of ratepayers than of those asking for same could avail. In reply to the application for grant towards painting bridges, tbe Under- Secretary of Lands said that no funds were available for the work. Mr Pattie proposed that the question of painting stand adjourned, and that the moss be scraped from the Appleby bridge at once. Carried. Sergt Slattery wrote stating that the Government had given permission that police officers could be made available for collecting the dog tax for local bodies at a remuneration to be fixed by the (bodies. Besolved, That arrangements having been made for the present year, the matter stand over. Mr 0. H. Mills, member for Waimea-Pic-ton, wrote saying that the Government had informed him, in reply to his applications, that the maintenance of Rai Valley to Wangamoa and Hope-Tophouse roads would in f atare devolve solely on the Council. The Pel or us Road Board wrote stating that they had never reoeived a grant from the Government towards the up -keep of this road, and I proposed applying for a grant of £ for £ from jthe Government, aa it would be impossible for them to keep same in proper repair. Mr JW.B. Thomson said that the Government i apparently would not grant a subsidy until j the Counoil had exercised its .full powers of rating up to |d. Various members ezpreesed

the opinion that ratepayers were paying at present as muoh as they oonld afford. The balance Bheet to the 31st Maroh, 1891, was presented, and adopted on the motion of Mr Pattie seconded by Mr Sinclair. Mr A Thomson objected to his district being debited with £100, when it should be £56 only. The Chairman explained, bat Mr Thomson said he intended that hia distriot Bhonld get its full rights. Mr Pattie thought the County should now levy a rate of f d over the whole County, and thus get the subsidy on fd, and then subsidise the Road Board again to the extent of the Id they now raise themselves. The Oounoil levied a £d rate only over the districts having BosS Boards and |d rate over the merged districts. Mr Beuke said that |d rate would not b 9 enough for the Moutere, they would require in addition to the County rate of id. Mr Pattie and the Chairman explained that the Board could levy id separate rate all the same, and the Council would benefit by the subsidy on £d, wbioh the Board would not get, and the Connoil could afford to give that subsidy to the Board. Mr Beuke said be would not oppose the motion, but he thought the ratepayers should be made acquainted with the exact position. The Chairman Baid it was already levied over half the County. Mr Pattie said they now paid Charitable Aid £900 out of the general rate, and if they only levied $d on one half and f d on the other half of the County they would lose the subsidy, and wonld have to levy aid rate for this special purpose. The Motueka and Biwaka Boad Boards had fallen in with the Council's proposition, and would not levy a rate themselves. The Chairman said the Council could levy a rate witbonl consulting the Boad Boards. Mr P&ttfe suggested that the Boards affeoted oould be consulted before the next meeting was held when the rate to be levied would have to be confirmed. He then moved that notice ba given that a Id general rate be levied over the whole County. Seconded by Mr A . Thomson and carried. Mr Sinclair proposed that all Eoad Boards not levying a rate be sufesidfißed to the extent of £d rate with subsidy thareofl. Seconded by Mr Pattie, and carried. Mr A. Thomson then presented a petition of ratepayers, asking that, instead of gravelling the old road over the Tadmor Hill, the new road as laid out by the Inspector be made. On Mr Beuke's motion, the matter was postponed. Mr Pitt, attended by Messrs Manoy and Griffin, presented a petition signed by 35 residents in the Motueka distriot, asking that all goods, both for export and import, shopld be allowed a week's free storage, a concession already made on hops and wool. Mr Pitt said that owing to the low price ruling for produce, such as potatoes at £1 per ton, tha storage charge fell very heavily on shippers. A week's free storage was granted in Nelson and elsewhere. Here espeoiaHy it pressed heavily, as most of the produce was shipped Anchor boats to the West Coast, and owing to their only being able to get in on spring tides, it sometimes happened that the boat was delayed after goods had been put on the wharf. The petitioners considered that wool and hops bsing valuable produce could better bear the oharge than other goods. The Chairman pointed oat that the petition being brought before the Counoil at such short notice they had no time to look into the matter, and he did not know whether they would not be tampering with the security given when the money waa borrowed for the wharf under the Looar Bodies Loans Act, this security being the revenue from the wharf. Mr Pattie siid that he bad baen prepared lo move for the concession, but in view of the ( hairnian'd remarks he wonld not do so. He pointed out that a vote taken over the whole district provided for any deficiency to ba made up by rate. Mr Manoy said that he had to pay four weeks storage on eotob chaff, and this charge was hampering the progress of the district. He pointed out that the wharf was not run for profit making purposes, as a business ; if expenses and interest were cleared that was all that was necessary. Mr Pattie said the wharf was not going to last for ever, and the Government insisted that all surplus should be paid into a special fund ; the Council did not derive one penny benefit however large the profit. To test the feeling of the Council, he would move that 48 hours free storage be allowed on all exports only. Mr Sinclair said that the resolution giving concession on hops and wool must first be rescinded by a unanimous vote of the Council. Mr Pitt said that the petitioners did not want I the matter rushed through. The Chairman said they must take time, to see that no illegality was allowed to pa*s. On Mr Patties motion, seconded by )&r Beuke, consideration was deferred till next meeting. Mr Pattie said there appeared to be some friction in working the wharf, and proposed that Messrs Cock & Co be requested to allow their shipping clerk, Mr W. Rogers, to proceed to Motueka and report on the wharf, its management, and the question of storage wharfage, etc, the same to be presented at the next meeting. Seconded by Mr W,, B. Thomson, I and carried. A letter from Messrs Jones Bros, was left for the Inspector to deal with. The Secretary of the Waimea West Eoad Board wrote, drawing attention to the inoonvehience of present offiue arrangements of the Council for allowing payment of rates. The Wharfinger's report on Motueka wharf was received, and considered satisfactory. Mr W B Thomson moved that tenders ba called for the deviation at Moßae's, Wangapeka, provided that Mr Moßae does not object. Mr Pattie seoonded the motion. Mr Sinclair considered the first work bhould ba the deviation at the Tadmor Hill, and proposed as an amendment that this matter should be deferred, Mr Beuke seoonded. Amendment carried, Messrs Beuke, Best, and Sinolair voting for it. Tenders were opened aa follows : — Works Pig Valley, near Tuck's: Franoifl Neal (aoaepted), £24 10j ; James Brooks, £26 ; J. J. Rioketts, £39. Tadmor Hill, gravelling : B. Harford (accepted), 19s per ohain ; W. Thomas, £1 2s 6d. No eligible tender being received for the No. 2 Wairoa Gorge contract, it was resolved to have the work re-surveyed, and call for fresh tenders. It was resolved that in future the Counoil meet the Thuisday after the first Wednesday in the month. Mr Pattie said there was a matter he would like to say a few words about. The Minister for Public Works had forwarded to the Council an anonymous letter, defamatory of their Chairman, whioh had been received by tbo Minister, and signed " Wakefield Ratepayer." Mr Pattie said that he himself had some time ago received a letter of a similar nature, signed " Wakefield," and putting these two letters beside a letter received by the Council from Wakefield it was impossible for anyone to say that they were not all tbe production of the same person ; he considered that the Chairman should sift the matter to the bottom and take steps for redress. Mr Pattie Bpoke strongly against the dishonorable conduct of the writer. Messrs Beuke and Sinclair spoke stating the confidence the Council had in its Chairman, and on the motion of Mr Beuke, seconded by Mr Pattie, the following resolution was carried: " That the Council were of opinion that the complaint in the letter is entirely without foundation, and that the letter be consigned ta the waste paper basket."