TUAPEKA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XVII, Issue 1041, 14 May 1884, Page 3

TUAPEKA COUNTY COUNCIL.

A meeting of the Works Committee of the above-named body was held last Friday evening, and was attended by Messrs Bennet (in the chair), Herbert, Fraser, M'Nab, and Cotton. The business transacted was as follows :—: — On the motion of Mr Herbert, seconded by Mr M'Nab, Mr Bennet was appointed Chairman of Committee for the current year. Proposed by Mr Herbert: "That £50 be expended on the improvement of the road from Matheson's corner to Swift Creek railway station."— Seconded by Mr Cotton and carried. It was moved by Mr Herbert and agreed to : " That tenders be called as early as possible for the erection of culverts on the road to Haining'a." ' Moved by Mr Bennet, and seconded by Mr Herbert: "That £100 be allocated . forf^expenditure on the road leading through. Mackay Brothers' property at Orookston, conditionally that they expend £50 on said road to the satisfaction of the Engineer."— Carried. At a meeting of the Council, held subsequently to the above, it was agreed to adopt the foregoing resolutions in their entirety, with the exception of the resolution relative to expenditure on the road through Mackay Brothers' property. Mr Herbert said he took exception to the wording of the resolution in question; for he considered that the Messrs Mackay should first expend £50 on the road before the Council expended any money on it. He moved to that effect. Mr Bennet remarked that the wording of theTmotion now before the chair was the same as that agreed to by the Works Committee. He thought it very strange that Mr Herbert should take exception to the motion as it stood. The Messrs Mackay were without a road leading to their properties, and the Council had promised them an outlet for years back. The road was not for the particular benefit of the Messrs Mackay, as it led right through to Spylaw, and would be used by the settlers in that direction. He thought some consideration should be shown to the Messrs Mackay, who had given without compensation the land for the roadway passing through their properties. If the Council would expend £100 in forming the heaviest parts of the road, Messrs Mackay would complete it in their spare time. The Council could not expect them to do more than this. Mr Fraser knew of some ratepayers in his Riding who would be willing to spend £50 on making roads to their properties if the Council would advance £100. Mr Bennet said the remarks made by the previous speaker came with bad grace, seeing that he got a resolution rescinded at the previous meeting to relieve one or two of his constituents from such an obligation. After further discussion, the motion was so amended that £50 had to be expended on the4mprovement of the road by Messrs Mackay before the Council would agree, to the expenditure of the amount agreed to by the Works Committee. It was decided that Mr Herbert should vote on behalf of the County at the poll to. be taken under the " Roads and Bridges Construction Act " for proposed works in James Riding, and Mr Sheath at the poll on behalf of the proposed works in Tapanui Riding.