LEVELS COUNTY COUNCIL.

Timaru Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 3557, 2 May 1901, Page 3

LEVELS COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the iLevels County Council was held yesterday. Present: Messrs Orbell (chairman), Butler, Macintosh, McLaren, Mee, Pringle, and Campbell. Mr McLaren wished to make a personal explanation of something that occurred at the previous meeting. Two months ago he asked for a statement showing how the revenue from his riding had been expended. A statement was laid before him, and because he could not extract from it the. information he wanted Mr Macintosh told him that he was' an ignoramus. He would ask the chairman if 'he could extract that information. (The chairman said it could noti be got in detail.) Mr McLaren continued that Mr Macintosh had said that, he (Mr McLaren) was ignorant of County business, and implied that he was incapable as a Councillor. He now asserted that as Mr Macintosh said the return was sufficient, it was he who was ignorant. — Mr Macintosh said it was irregular to refer to a discussion- at a previous meeting. He said again that the return given to Mr McLaren was quite sufficient to show the riding's position in gross. His charge of ignorance did not refer to the accounts, but to knowing whether the Council employs two- teams or three.—Mr Mee and the chairman agreed that that was the case, and the latter added that some of the remarks about the teams might have misled Mr McLaren at the moment. —Mr McLaren. said that was the case. The Council's solicitors wrote regarding the Council's powers in dealing with the drainage from Maori Hill to Waimataitai Creek.—lt was agreed that the chairman should see the solicitors and explain the case further. The solicitors also wrote regarding the Tidal Creek drainage district, and the proposed loan from the Government, advising that the Act limits such loans to 10s per acre. —The area of the district being 700 acres, and the amount required £IOOO, this advice put a check upon the proposal.—Mr Macintosh said the money could be borrowed outside.—Mr Campbell said a great deal of the land is now under water from the storm on Sunday.—lt was agreed that the parties concerned be invited to meet the Council to discuss the matter, the chairman to interview the solicitors further, and a copy of their letter to be sent to the parties. Mr Battcock, the road ranger, asked the Council whether they would allow their solicitor to conduct a case against a man for herding cattle on the Wai-iti road.—lt was agreed that he should place thei case before the solicitors, and if they thought he had a good case, they should take it up. A letter from the and Survey Office stated that the plans and specifications for the Opihi bridge at Shepherd's Crossing had been sent to Wellington, and nothing more had been heard of them.— i Councillors] spoke very strongly about the delay; about logrolling underhand work against the bridge. "It's a most contemptible piece of business," said Mr Butler, I and this was endorsed by hear hears and ' laughter. —The chairman also spoke hotly about the delay, which he supposed was purposely caused by someone at headquarters. The Borough Council asked the Council to extend their contract for metalling Pearson street, so as to cover 10 chains of the street within the Borough, the Borough Council paying for the extension-.—Agreed to, provided the contractor is agreeable. Mr Meikle asked leave to deepen a ditch alongside the road at Upper Washdyke bridge. —The adjoining landowner, Mr G. Robinson, wrote agreeing to the proposal.—Agreed to ; the work to be done to the approval of the overseer. Messrs Meason and Marchant wrote that a subdivisional survey they had made for Messrs Rhodes showed that the Council's stable opposite Beverley is on a road line, and not on a reserve.—The chairman supposed that they must shift the stable to their new paddock at Craighead, when the Governor had assented to the closing of the Craighead road. The Southland County Council forwarded a number of suggestions for amendments in the Local Authorities Bill.—Mr McLaren proposed that the members be supplied with copies of these suggestions, and that the Council consider the Bill at next meeting. He considered that the proposal to extend the county franchise to include nonratepaying residents is dishonest. It was being liberal with other people's money.— Mr Macintosh said there would be a requirement that the residential voter must pay a certain rental, and in the rent he pays rates.—The chairman said the Bill would sweep away the present County Councils and Road Boards.—lt was agreed to send to Wellington for copies of the Bill for perusal, and it was suggested that a special meeting be held to consider the matter.

A resolution was passed) that a meeting o£ ratepayers be held on May 18th re closing Dore's road, Pleasant Point. Notilce of motion was given to strike the general rate for the year. A discussion- took place on the amount it should be. The chairman said they had fallen back, and there was a great deal to do ; he did not think they could do without an increased rate. He dealt with the matter from various points of view, and recommended an increase. The clerk submitted a return of income

and expenditure of each riding during the past year, as follows : —Gleniti, income £925 16s lOd, expenditure £B6l 19s 4d; Otipua, £IOSO 13s lOd—£l2so 4s; Seadown, £1216 19 4d—£1468 10s Id; Waimataitai £1232 13s 9d—£l2oo Is 2d ; Point, £86117s 7d—£939 4s 7d; Tengawai, £1258 5s 3d—£1236 17s 3d; Claremont £BB9 12s 6d—£9l6 14s 6d. Mr McLaren said he was .convinced that the reason the Otipua riding was in debt was that it was saddled with the whole cost of the Main South road, which ought to be dealt with as a main road. He considered it very unfair to his riding. Mr Pringle said the| new law regarding sharing cost with the next county would assist Otipua to square the account. Mr McLaren argued thatf in face of the low prices of produce they should endeavour to cany on with a penny. The cliairmani said they would probably drift deeper into debt, and Mr Pringle warned the Council that the Harbour Board might make a larger demand upon them. Mr Macintosh favoured increasing the rate to avoid falling deeper into debt. He asked thei overseer's opinion as to the state of the roads generally as compared with last year.—Mr Black said the Main South road, Pnreora- end of Otipua, and the Mt. Horrible road, were very bad. The first-named would cost a lot of money to put in order.—Mr Mee thought they could economise on the small birds' nuisance, and he could not see that they need finance the Otipua bridge ; he did not believe the bridge would be built.—Mr Butler said they should try to do with a penny, Mr Mee signed the notice of motion, which was filled in with '''one penny," but it was stated that the amount may be altered when the motion is discussed at next meeting. The clerk asked the Council's authority to refund a sum of money collected in excess on a rate demand through mistake. — A resolution was passed accordingly. In reply to Mr Mee, the clerk said

no reply had been received from the Waimate Council to the demand for a contribution for repairing Otipua road.—The chairman said there must be a detailed statement of claim sent, and that had not gone yefc. Messrs Meason and Marchant's report on the proposed bridge at Hanging Bock, Opihi (already published), was read. The chairman reported that at the recent conference the chairman of the Waimate Council agreed that they ought to pay something on account of the Upper Pareora road, but not- the lower. Mr , Talbot objected to the law altogether, and argued that there was no heavy traffic to speak of on the main road. But besiccthe main road, there were roads up tlis Opihi river, which had to be maintained almost entirely for Geraldine ratepayers. It was finally agreed that nothing could be done till a claim was put in, and it was recommended that when a claim was made it would be convex isut for the chairman of each Council and the member for the riding interested to meet and consider the claim. It appeared that they must prepare an estimate of the expenditure on which they could claim, and submit it beforehand. .Their neighbours would not agree to a fixed yearly payment. The overseer should make out a statement of expenditure required, and if the money was not all spent they would of course only collect the sharei of what had been spent. They would not, he took it, make any claim for light or casual traffic, but heavy traffic only, and limit themselves to certain roads. Mr McLaren said the Otipua road had cost over £SOO last year, and two-thirds of the traffic on it was from Waimate. It was agreed that the overseer should have the estimates prepared as soon as possible, and that they be dealt with at a special meeting on 18 th May. The chairman informed the Council of the results of the late conference, regarding noxious weeds, trees shading roads, notices re gorse, and a simpler method of closing roads. The overseer, Mr T. Black, reported on the work done by the Timaru and Point teams and the surfacemen. The metal will be ready for Pearson street by the end of the month. Hampton has finished his contract at Papaka, and Vincent is making good progress with the stone culverts, Main South road. As directed, he had inspected wooden bridge on Tycho Flat, and found it thoroughly unsafe for traffic. He gave an estimate for rebuilding in hardwood, to carry traction engines. He, however, recommended rebuilding in masonry, 16ft wide between parapets; cost about £SO more than in hardwood. He asked for instructions re preparing poisoned grain, re paddock on Gleniti road, and requested the Council to consider the advisability of purchasing a crushing plant, as some of the roads will require a lot of repairs . within the next two seasons. He also drew attention to the clause in the Public Works Act referring to trees shading roads. Mr McLaren suggested that a bridge 12i!t wide should be enough for Tycho Creek.—The overseer said the difference would only be about £2s.—Mr Pringle suggested 14ft. —It was- agreed that plans and specifications be prepared for a 14ft masonry bridge, and that} nothing be done , at present in the way of preparing poisoned grain. A list of patients from the county in debt to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was received, and is to be sent back with members' remarks regarding the position of those named. Accounts were passed for payment totalling £306 Is 4d. The Council at 2.45 p.m. went into committee, reporters and officers being requested to leave the room.