TIMARU COUNTY SCHEME.

Timaru Herald, Volume IX, Issue 341, 2 September 1868, Page 5

TIMARU COUNTY SCHEME.

Mr Pebbt said that before the meeting was closed he desired to give notice of a motion which he would propose at the next meeting, m reading the telegraphic summary of a recent speech ■ delivered by Mr Fox m the Assembly, that gentleman was reported to iuivc mud that " true local government was ihe eiUmsiou of provincial powers." Now.it was well known that Mr Fox was the organ of vlw protfincialists— of the red hot provincialists — and such remarks were most ominous. It was clear that Mr Fox did not know the policy of his own party. Why, when the L'imaru district was applying to have provincial powers extended to it, the provincial party at once repealed the New Provinces Act, and now Mr Fox says that those powers should be extended. It was important that the Board of Works should give some opinion upon the question m case Mr Fox should get into power;- which • he : (Mr Perry) thought vfry improbable. By the last mail the Duke of Buckingham m a despatch to the-G'overnor Had declared that the Westldnd County Act was illegal, and' that the' Assembly had no {lower to sepnmte one portion : of a province from' another by making it a county. Sonic .iegal objection might prevent the Assembly this session • from creating counties, and m case that difficulty was not overcome, or m 'cose Mr Fox came 1 into office', then, it might' be advisable to apply to have the district created a province, and Mr ' Fox, m case he came iiito office, would be bound by his own -words to grant the : application. He saw that Mr' Brown was' to move that "Westland be made a province, probably wjth similar ideas to' those held by him (Air Berry). He did .riot go so far as to say that " a province was desirable, but it was | certainly . better than nothing, and he 'apprehended that' the expense need not be great. The time that would elapse before the next meeting of the Board would show ' whether the present Government would stand ,or fall. He hoped to ventilate the question, by his motion. T Mr Perry' read his motion, as follows :—" Thatj if before, the next meeting of the Timaru and Gladstone Board of Works it should bo decided '. that ; the' constitution of Counties are illegal' that this Board is of opinion that tlie interests of the. Timaru and Gladstone districts would bo beat, promoted by having the district constituted a new province." Mr Matsoit asked whether it was - : not advisable that the Board of Works should be represented m Wellington now that ft Bill was likely to be passed 'constituting the district a' county. The CnATRUAN said he could not himself undertake tho d.tity, and he did not Think it was at all iieces&ary, but if the Board desired to a 1 rcgrpsentfltxve he would retire from the chair so that another member who was able .to proceed to Wellington might be elecM: as Chairman. The , member for Timnrri, Mr Cox, was also, a member of the Board of Works, and if any suggestions were made, by the Board they would be sure to receive attention. The Board could also iidjoura for a shorter torn) than a mouth, so that it might deal with, anything that, might arise. .■-..■-."■ . . • Mr LeCkew said the great difficulty was to get a representative. . Mr Pebbt did -hot know wild was to draw* Out the. new act, for the Attorney-General was 'sure ,^0 be ,' fully ' engaged and it was a question whether the Government would undertake' the task; '•'"..'.' . ' , After a few, other remarks it was decided that the Board should meet again m a fortnight-, ,- ,' ■ ' ■': ■ mtkav likmvsa bxbyicx. Mr LeCben . asked whether anything further hod been heard from the Government respecting .the handinp over of 'the Timaru Landing Service to the Board. Tho CWiiHMAJf said no further communication' hiid r> been" 1 received, and' it' might be better to wait until repairs of the recent accident' werS feff&ted. ' : ' ' ■ ■ , Mr I/bCrrx. said .it, was .possible the Government might decline- to repair the shod, as the lessee was supposed to keep ; it m repair. ' . ; ' MrPBBRr said that legally the lessee 'was' bound to put the shed m repairtigain. After a few further remariks thi Secretary was instructed, to communicate with the Provincinf Secretary' to '" ascertain when the Government proposed ".carrying put the resolutJon "tit theTrbvinei'al'Cpuncfl. After passing two small accounts the Board adjonmetf until Thursday 20th instant. A meeting of the Board of WOrlss was .held at tte offfces of'Mr Perry on the 20th Aogint.' There were present the ChAirnian (Mr LnxmoorcJ, Messrs Perry, r Matsori,; Healey, Parker, and the S^cretaty. , ' The minutes Of the hut meeting were read and confirmed. '' ' ; THK BEBKKTUBGB, . ; . '; The Ohaibmaw read a telegram rewired by the Secretary from. Wellington, salting the Board to aQthonW the l Colonial Treasurer to' pay into its account the sum of £88;800. He . also, referred toa' previou* resolution passed 1 by the Board, of whichthe Coldnial Treasurer hadT*ceineda"eopy, : reque«ti«g ! that all money" 'might be paid into the credit of -the Board at the Bankx)f r New Zealand. '■•;■■'■• • '. ! Mr H. Pabkkk said he would propose^-. i^^JhaltWCblbfawl 'treasurer be requested to pay to the account of the Timaru 1 and Gladjstone v - Board of Worts, at ; the Bank ' of New, Zealand, Timara/the sum of ; dteB,Boo, being ■their share of the debentures realised." : Mr 7 Mltbo*- ficonded &c 'mtitii/n, which 'was carried. _ . .', J . ',' . , „,, -. . „t : ." : . ''tke'.'cpvwit. Bcmnptr ..- ■..;■:. Mr Pkbbt said he desired to have the motkib standing itiihis name in 'reference to the constitution of a new province postponed until another meeting. lii notice of his motion he was under the nflj>ression that the Board would not .meet agaiaimta September. It bad not been- decided yet whether the constitution^ of counties wa» illegal, *nd he would postpone his Biofion until that question 'had been settled. ORIST YOB- MAIN BOABS., , _ . Mr PkEht "said one subject he-jwished to bang- below the Booed wasr the posiUon of

the town of Titnaru at the present time. He had called the attention of the Board to the fact that Timaru obtained nothing under, the Act, and it had no revenue at all, except that raised by rates. He would ask the Board for a sum of £99, to be granted to the Borough Council for expenditure on the main road. This road was used by the- whole district, and it was almost of as much importance, to the country as- to the- town to keep it m repair. The Borough Council had written to .the Provincial Government' the other day asking for a small grant of money, but the Govern-, rnent refused to give it anything. - The reason he asked for £99 was that notice of mo : tion must be given if any larger sum were asked for. The Chaibmajc said the ram asked for would not amount to five percent, of the money received by the Board of Works. Mr HJEAiiET seconded the motion, and m doing' remarked *hat all the best sections m the township had been sold, and there was not much "prospect of further' revenue being derived from the town at present. The vote was asked for only for the main road. The motion was carried unanimously. TIMABTT CEMKTEBY. The following letter from, the Provincial' Secretary was then read : — " Sir, — I hive the honor to enclose a copy of a letter which I have received from Timaru, drawing the attention of the Government to tho fact that part of the fence round the cemetery has been destroyed, that cattle, and horses have access, trample upon the graves, and destroy tho tombstones. "The Reserve is at present vested m his Honor the Superintendent, as a public cemetery, but with a view to plucing the care and management of it under local control, I should be glad if you would inform me whether the Timaru and Gladstone Board of Works, will act as custodians of the cemetery, or, if not, if you would inform me what steps you would advise his Honor to take m reference to it.?' ThoCniißjiAN said he thought land m the cemetery had been sold — that was his impression ; and if such was the case, the money derived' from that source ought to be available to keep the cemetery m repair. It' wipuld perhaps be advisable to postpone any ducisivo answer to the letter until it was ascertained who had received the money for the land. 'Mr Pebby said that he had also heard of persons buying land m the cpmetery for tombs. It appeared to him that the Provincial Government, if they hf> d anything out of order m the district, they asked the Board of Works to take it over. The Borough Council m his opinion was the proper authority tohave charge, of the cemetery, and. it was easier of access than the Board of Works', as it met oftener. Besides' the cemetery was^for the: tovni only." He thought that whatever body took over the cemetery, the ground should be parcelled out to the different denominations,: each denomination keeping its own ground m repair. . . ', . Mr Healkt pointed out that there was a* reserve for 'another cemetery behind the residence 'of Mr LeCren. Mr Pebby said that was a reserve made by Mr Khodes, but it had sot been' used. . Mr Pabkeb and Mr -MatsoiT agreed with; Mr Perry: that - the 'Borough Council wag ' the , proper authority to look after the cemetery. Mr Matsow proposed— '". That ty sub-ebmr : mittee, consisting of Messrs' A/Uiirioore, Perry, ■ .and Healey, be appointed to enquire into the cemetery, reserve, and report at the- next meeting." . ' .' ' ...;'... „-- ■ The motion was seconded, by. Mr Healey 1 and carried. ', The Board then adjourneduntil Thursday September 3.