WAIMATE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3589, 1 April 1886, Page 3

W AIM ATE COUNTY COUNCIL.

The regular monthly mrctiii^ of the Waimnte Couiit-y Council was held yesterday m the Cnmcil Chambers. The following mom-

lii'rs were

I'KKSENT.

Messrs John Manchester (Chairman), J, I 'oughts, l'J. l-.hvoithy, W. J. Uurdie, A. Uav.s, 1). McLaren," P. Murphy, and M. Studholinc.

The minutes of the previous meeting having been re id an I ivn'iriucd, and other rotitii.c business transacted, it was resolved to grant

I.K.VVi: or AII3F.KCK To Councillor A. Turnbnll, m r.nnplianpo witli his request, during the months of April nnd Slav.

A Utter v.as re:ul from Use local representative of the TiMAitu Hi:i(At.d, nuking for a chare of the Council's business m printing and

ADVERTISING

Mr Hayes strongly mppjited the application, pointing out that tho HiiKAl.n was widely read m the district, an 1 was an excellent medium of Council advertisements. He had received complaints from many ratepayers that they had not seen Council advertisements owing to their being only inserted m tho local paper, and lie t 1 ought such complaints would be met by the publicity afforded by the Heiuld. The increased petition; too, brought about by more extensive advertising, ho considered, would result m a saving to the Council. Tho Hehald had shown much enterprise m devoting to much time and sp^ce to the Waimato district, and deserved encouragement and support.

Messrs Ehvorthy and McLaren also supported the application, but had aome doubt as to the financial ability of tho Council to incur much expense.

After Eomo discussion it was resolved, on a motion by Mr Haycs : seconded by Mr Douglas — " That ail notices of importance as they come m from lime to time be inserted m the TIMAKV Hkhai.T), nml also all contract advertisements north of Makikihi.

Two applications for LEASE OF UESERVES

Belonging to tho Council at Elephant Hill Creek were put m. The Chairman and Messrs Hayes and Studholmo were appointed a Committeo to inspect tho stud laud, with power to let the same to any desirable tenant.

Tlia 7IO.TITAL Was tho subject of several loiters and resolutions. A letter from tho South Canterbury Hospitals and Charitablo Aid Board, covering a cheque for £181 Os 8.4, for tho past disbursement |of moneys expended by the Council on tho Waimato Hospital, and for charitablo aid, was put m. The amount is made up as follows : —

£ s. d. December, 1835 67 0 0 January, 188G 68 9 8 February, 188S 43 12 6 Charitable aid 1 18 6 The total amount claimed by tho Council is £293 6s sd, but the Board declino to pay the balance, giving governmental authority for refusing to pay any amount incurred prior to December. Tho Secretary was instructed to writo to Government, pointing this out, and asking for the balance, £112 5a 9d, incurred during October and November last. Ho was also instructed to request tho Board to remit the balance still duo to tho Council (oxclusivc of the above, and to hand over to tho newly-elected Trustees tho contributions towards tho maintenance of the Hospital still held by the Council, amount to £170 2s. Mr Pillit, steward of tho Hospital, applied for a testimonial from the Council if they considered his services had been satisfactory during their period of office. It was resolved to comply with his request m favourable terms. Mr Studholmo wa3 appointed to represent tho Council on tho Board of Trustees. Sevoral new EOADS Wero applied for. Tho Overseer was instructed to examino and report at the nest regular meeting of tho Council. Tho roads asked for were m tho Lower Waihao, U akaterarnea, and Puroora districts. Tho following roads wore CLOSED, And authority given to cell tho land comprising them : — Portion of road between block 12786, 16866 and part of 11478, Deep Creek Riding ; part of road between sections 28814 and 28815, Waihao. Mr T. N. Baxter applied for and received a slaughtering license on the usual terms. A letter from Mr Sperry, Commissioner of Property Tax, was read, pointing out that under the Act the Council was entitlod to apply for a subsidy of seventy-five per cent upon the rates levied and collectable for tho year 1885-6. The Clerk was instructed to apply for the same, tho estimated ratos being £7366 16s 3d. THE OVEBSEBB'S BEPOBT was next put m. Ho stated that all contracts m hand was nearing completion, except tho " unemployed works " m Upper Waihoa, which are progressing slowly. That the timo for tho completion of contract No. 16 had expired, and that tho contractor had taken no notice of letters addressed to him regarding it.

Works during tho month— Eepairs hnvo been effected on the Waihoa bridge ; planks laid on the footbridge at Hunter's School ; i\ large feed constructed on the road leading to Hook Bush instead of tho bridge ; the road had been raised and lloodgatea made m tho Wuimate Gorge ; also severel smaller necessary works done.

Wanted — .Eight loads of metal for the Woolshed Gully road ; a culvert at Pareora. Several roads near St. Andrews require new metalling.

It was resolved to cancel contract No. 16, and to give further time for the completion of tho " unemployed works" m Upper Waihoa.

TENDERS. For the Skivington Kond were next opened. The work has been divided in'.o nine sections. For the whole work James Frost tendered at £953 13s; also for eections 1., 11., and 111. at £573 3s 6d. The other tenders were divided into two classe3 — contractors and " unemployed " tenders. For Section I. two contract ora tendered at £133 14s 2d and £132 10a respectively. For the samo section fivo "unemployed" tenders were put m ranging from £10G 4s £153 3b Od. Section 11., one contractor at £138 3s 6d ; five " unemployed" from £105 2s Id to £142 9s Bd. Section 111., one contractor at £!71 4s ; five "unemployed" from £163 3s lOd to £300 12a 3d. Section IV., seven "unemployed" from £56 19a to £94 15s lOd. Section V., fivo " unemployed" from £107 0a 6d to £141 18a 4d. Section VI., fivo " unemployed," lowest £il Sis, highest £65 sa. Section VII., fivo " unemployed," lowest £64, 18s 4d, highest £95 4a (id. Section VIII., four " unemployed," lowest £107 123 Hid, highest £122 Hi 3d. Section IX., four " unemployed," lowest £61 18s 2d, highest £75 12s lOd. For contract No. 19 three contractors tendered, their estimates being from £38 to £46 63 6d. Five ''unemployed" tenders were received, ranging from "£32 lOd to £42 9s 4d. It was resolved to leave the discussion of tho tender for the Skurington Road to a committee consisting of the Chairman and Messrs Hayes and JStudholmc, with power to accept tho tender of Mr W. Hunt (" unemployed ") for contract No. i 9, at £32 10d, was accepted. ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £709 19a lOd (general £681 3s lOd, deposit £28 lCs) were passed for payment. ENGINEERING. The Chairman said that thero was a matter of some importance connected with the engineering staff of the Council ho asked to bring forward for full discussion. Messrs McLaren and Klworthv were anxious, if possible, to get away by the Express at halfpost one, and proposed an adjournment.. Mr IJayes thought the matter might bo dealt with tint day by adjourning for lunch and holding an afternoon sitting. A long and drsultory conversation ensued, from which it appeared that the subject to bo brought forward was the supervision of the engineering st:iff of the Council. Since the services of a special Council engineer had been dispensed with, the expenses hud not been decreased »3 much as lvus anticipated, nnd it wus desirable Hint the nialt'er should be fully discussed and settled as soon as possible. Mr Hnyi-3 thought that the matter was 10 illy a charge against ono of the Council's oflieers, and that he should be given full notice of the subject to be discussed, m order to bring evidence to suppor' his case. Tho Chairman said complaints had been made to him regarding certain Council works, which lie thought it necessary to lay before the Cour.cil. Mr Hayes faid he never knew of any otlieial whose work wjs not after complained of, and wished to know whether the complaints were moro trivial gossip, or had any found.i'ion. The Chairman thought that was :\ matter for the Council to deride upon. Mr McLaren again pointed out that there was no time to enter upon tho discussion now, and ultimately the Council adjourned, liiving first resolved to hold a special meeting to diseusi tho point on Thursday, April S!h.