COUNTY COUNCIL.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 3217, 3 September 1879, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

THE usual meeting of the County Council •was held on Monday. Present: Colonel Trimble (chairman), Messrs. Brown, Tate, Price, and King,

Hurlihy's Contract. — The Chairman stated that tho Council hod not yet paid over tho irioney due on this contract to Messrs. Humphries and Son, as the necessary bonds had not yet boon entered into. ... Finance.— The Chairman read a iefcter and a telegram addressed to the Government,, requesting the immediate payment of! £1500 due to the Council.-^-The Clbuk stated that Mr. Carrington had also written a letter to the Government on this subject. — The Chairman read a telegram which was received on Saturday last stating the Treasury had agree. l to pay the amount, and that tho money would be forwarded by telegraph during tho earlier part of tho week.— The Chairman said that the telegram wns more definite than anything hitherto received, and it might fairly be hoped that tho money would arrive during the week. He though as tho contractors had been placed at a disadvantage and loss through the Council not paying the money when due that it would only be fair to make some sort of allowance to the contractors. If tho Council had accepted an advance upon the bank it would have been necessary to pay interest to the bank; therefore, if the Council paid the interest to the contractors it would not be in a worse' position than if it had accepted an advance from the bank. — Mr. KING moved, " That an allowance of 10 per cent, interest be made to all contractors from the time thoir accounts wore passed for payment." — Seconded by Ml*. TATB and carried.

Railway Season Ticket. — The CHAIRMAN said it would be advisable to have the railway season ticket made out in tho name of tho County Chairman, and not iv his own name, so that when another Chairman was elected the ticket would still bo available. — Tho Clerk said that he had applied for a ticket in I he name of tho Chairman.

Clifton Road JBoard.'—A. letter was read from tho Chairman of the Clifton Road Hoard notifying that Mr. Murray had been appointed Commissioner of the Board in the place of Mr. Irvine resigned. — Tho Council confirmed tho appointment Resignation of Mr. Berridge. — A letter was read from Mr. Borridgc, member of tho County Council, resigning his seat in tho Council. — The Chairman said ho was sorry to learn that so useful a member had determined to resign, and thought it. would be advisable to leave the matter until the next sitting of tho Council in order to see whether Mr. Bcrritlge would not re-considor his resignation. This the Council agreed to do.

WaiUira-Stony River Vote. — A lettqr was read from tho Under-secrctary of public works, asking tho chairman, in conjunction with the Chairman of the Patea County Council, to give a recommendation as to the manner the sum of £1500 remaining uncxpendod on the vote for the road should bo appropriated. A letter was also read from tho Chairman of the Patea County Council, stating that he thought the money, if spent iv the County, would be to a great extent thrown away, and thought it most desirable that tho road from Jlawcra to Waitotara should be mado passable. The chairman said bo had sent a recommendation to tlic Public Works Department, not noticing that it was to be a mutual' recommendation by both chairmen of the respective Councils. Tho recommendation ho sent was to the effect that an expenditure be made on the road from Stony River, the principal items being ; —Timber (25,000 foot), £200; freight^ of Isamc to Opunake, £100; landing, £10 ; , cartage, £30 ; tar, and painting bridges, £150 ; cleaning out and repairing culverts, £loO ; labour on bridges, £100; repairing part of motalled road, £50 ; and several other items, making a total £1500 On receiving the lottor from Patea ho replied that, as the road from Stony River was through Maori land, consequently no rates' wore obtained for its construction and maintenance, it was necessary to have the sum votod by Government for that purpose. Tho Patea Council had already received the half of the vote (£3,000). It was very requisite to have the road and bridges in good repair, cspeoially during the continuance of tho native difficulty. — The Council confirmed the action of the Chairman.

Permission to Become a Contractor. — Mr. W. S. Allen forwarded an application requesting tho Council's permission ti» his becoming a contractor for certain ' works proposed to bo carried out in the Mangorci District. Ho was a Commissioner of the Road Board, and consequently could not tender unless by tho permission oEthc Council. — Leave was gran ted on tho understanding thai the County Enginoer have tho whole control as to tho acceptance of the tenders and passing the works.

Leave of Absence. — Leave of absence was granted fov one month to Mr. Lawson, Clerk of tlic Council, in order to recruit his health. This concluded the business.