County Council.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume XVIII, Issue 1689, 15 April 1885, Page 2

County Council.

Continuation <•( n p .rt of ;«»t Sain; da;Meetup.

Martisporovuii Paiim .v I-'i-aJ.. Cr Buchanan said, with the pcimissioii of the other councillors, he would like ton poit (hat at an informal meeting held til Marlinborough admit lime since, it was agreed (■' send a committee over the several routes proposed respectively by Mr Skeet, Mr King, and Mr Brcninor ; consequently on Wednesday last five councillors, some members of tin* Featherstou Hoad Board, (including the chftiiman), and a number of settlers, constituted a committee anil proceeded to the spot, and after an exhaustive survey, came to the decision unanimously, that either Mr King’s or Mr Sheet’s lines were much superior to tint proposed by Mr Bremnor from many points of view. Mr Sheet's lino would aceom modnte the greater number of settlers, though Mr King’s was admitted to be the shortest. Mr King’s was also admitted to bo the easiest gradient, but was perhaps liable to bo slippery ground, and in bad weather would not in many places he sufficiently sound. This route would also save from J of a mile to a mile. Taking ail these points into consideration it was agreed by 2 to 1 to recommend the adoption of Mr Sheet’s lino as being the dryest and suited to the larger number of settlers. Mr bkeet’s lino (the Hat spur via grassy hill) had a gradient of 1 in 16, Mr King’s a much better of 1 in 25, but the mutter of unsound ground practically solved the whole question, and the committee resolved that though Mr King’s was the more direct Mr Sheet’s was the most economical.

Cr 11. Bunny said that he would move that the matter stand over until the next meeting to allow the committee to give a proper report. He said that they had nothing before them to show why this self-constituted committee had arrived at this decision ; they hud nothing upon the order paper to lead them to undersland that the matter would come before them upon this occasion. Let them present a proper report, and then the council would know what they were doing. Cr J. Tully seconded the motion. Cr Matthews said the committee went out there voluntarily to get information and lie trusted the information would prove a great benefit to the parties interested. He induced the Chairman of the Featherstou Road Board to go with them because the matter affected the Road Boards ; the matter had been already before the Council and the Hoad Boards, and he trusted the committee would get credit for what they had done. Or Bunny said he had not the slightest intention to cast any reflection upon the committee, but let the Council have a formal report.

The Chairman said he expected to get a report from the Featherston Hoed Board. Cr Buchanan said he expected Mr King, the County Engineer, would have brought up a formal report. He had merely reported the & matter as one of the committee who had M volunteered to investigate the matter. Cr Phillips said as Chairman of the Committee he demanded to then present a report. The Chairman ruled Cr Phillips out of order. The motion was adopted and the matter dropped. LATE IH.UNB.

Cr Phillips, who responded to the request to bring forward the motion standing in his name, said he thought the refusal of the Chaiiman to receive the prior report, so utterly disgraceful, that he questioned if it was of any use to bring any more business before the Council; it was seriously to be hoped, that there would be some alteration in the law bearing on the constitution of the Council before long. (Cr 11. Bunny— Lear hear). He would move tho resolution standing in his name, and in doing so. would urge upon the Council to consider tho late dangerous accident upon tho line, the remit purely of running trains at that dangerous point after dark. The motion not being seconded lapsed. Cr Phillips said ho was doing his best to keep tho Council moving, and if councillors did not take notice of his motions, they had better dissolve. He theu moved the resolution standing in his name name ro okavel ms. That in all new lines of road laid off in the county, a gravel pit reserve be obtained, if po ssihle, at every 80 chains ; and that as regards old lines of road, the Highway Boards forthwith obtain suitable gravei-pit reserves—landowners to be given the option of pointing oat where they would like .such gravel-pit to he so as to save the disfigurement of their lauds near the road sides.

Seconded by Cr Braithwaitc who said that he thought the arrangement much to be desired. Cr Buchanan said there was a kernel of good iu the first part of the motion, but as regards the word “forthwith” if they were to affirm the desirability of proceeding to cany out the arrangement in such a manner, he saw nothing but the possibility of a conflict with the Road Boards. He thought everyone would recognise the importance - f obtaining gravel from suitable places, but could not see that a resolution to that effect would be desirable for the time being. The Chairman said the n solution w>h practically inoperative. Tin- lb aid Bo infs were straining every nerve to obi un invel pits and they always got all the eravel Tiey can where it is desirable, Cr Phillips asked per mission t -be mt the word “forthwith,'’ which wa> muted. He said that he wanted to slop rue indiscriminate opening of gravel p:l-i oi su.h ; o»e proximity to the public roads, aud nu-i.lione' ■■ several dangerous places cause 1 thereby notably one near the Krutaia school, (to f thought it was very necessary to make those reserves, with a view to remedy dangerous practices. At the nrwent lime a Road Board could say “we will have a gravel pi hero " and select any -po; they ui,nl ; flierwere too many of these enormous ditcher in the county. Cr Matthews tuid thul lie- Po-i Boards were responsible for any in'i-ur li oriental t the public, and any :o;cide'.ls resulting through leaving dungt-ioii-. id ■■■■(■. her .-U.ig on their own roads Cr Phillips said the settler * obj«-t, d to the arbitrary proceedings ol lom.l Bonds 1,.kin,.; gravel anywhere they plor-”'!. The Chairman put tlx- iii-dio:;, wiiicT wdeclared lost on tiro voices.

Cr Phillips called for a. live ion which re suited as follows.

Ayes -Crs Martin, Phillips nr- 1 Hta.tnwait'o. Sees— Crs U. llnnm, 11. U. Bunny, Matthews, Tullv, and Birch-man Motion lost. Muiit.v i of cor xrv ci . .v. it.i.oi.s. Cr Phillips move I, " Th-it und-r tlie- present state of the County fund* it is deniable Unit the payment r.-f councillors expenses bo dr?, continued." Seconded by Cr Marlin

Tire Chairman rid lie ce-uid .-uipvil Ui motion

CTPhillips Haiti In,- mm >..rry 1» bcai tin. the ChainUilli colli 1 -Upl-olt liny mo’: r; brought forward by him (Or Phillip*),

(Jr 11, lUimiy said it tin- woik < 1 Jii County was not able to aiioid about .Clip >.

XTu | jr annum they laid belter not mint at nil ; they were led to believe that a saheine of local government would be brought before Parliament next session, and the system would bo so lemodelled, ns to institute ’ more useful bodies. This was a much needed reform aud he hoped it would have a salutary effect. Bather than adopt an assumed virtue, be would propose that the Council meet onoo in three months. Perhaps Cr Phillips would like to see the position of a councillor put up to tender, then they could get men tu do it t..r nothing and pay all expenses. Cr Matthews quite agreed with Cr Bunny that the Council should adjourn for three months.

Cr 11. Bunny agreed Unit they were doing more than was necessary. He thought if a man's services were worth anything at all, they were worth his travelling expenses. The Chairman said he remembered when the Featlierstcn Bead Boards expenses were discontinued Cr Phillips never came again, bm at anv rat« if it would put mi sad to to much loose discussion, he would prefer to

give up the pml::-.- -i r.v-.t --it, dv. ]f Or Lur.ny t.iv dec <>i ;T O. lUtCt • I ’.i -.1 1.. 1i '■ W0U..1 l r . Cf LunDV uvin ■■ j] : ,_t Council meet ’Tier t;.e May meeting one-.- in three months " Cr Bachar.au r-iv„ T .,v :c ,r <f that _t,eu Cictitch...,- in, . er "V,v ci,.;.,- t v., ■ , , 1 hia was sum.-;,: IbyCV , ' I beveiai acc.aiM- w t r u uictu t L ,j finance committee. Cr Buchanan rose to explain nutters nhticg fir ttunnacatu, r-on the p. ham load, iut< r 1 ai.Ly t., pci,,! i f erder, ana me Council adjourned.