WANGANUI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXXXVII, Issue 12206, 11 May 1904, Page 7

WANGANUI COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the above.was held yesterday. Present: Crs R. Neilson (in the. cha:r), J. E. Wilson, F. A. Kurth, A. Higgie, T. Higgie, D. Mason, H. M. Speed ,and N. Garner. Sanitary Inspector. —An account of £33 155.---the Council's share of the Sanitary Inspector's salary—was passed for payment. Closing Road.—A copy of an Order-in-Council was received from the Chief Engineer of Roads notifying that consent had been given to the closing of road line No. 1, Ik'.tara Survey District.

Damages.—Mr. R. Arthur wrote stating that unless his claim for £5 compensation for damage done to his yacht by the ferry at Upokongaro was paid he would take legal proceedings. —The clerk said he had asked Mr. Arthur for v detailed account of the damage done, but had not received a reply.—After a letter from the ferryman had been read, it was decided to hold the matter over in the meantime.

Town Bridge.—A letter was received from Mr. George Smithes, Town Clerk, asking the County Council to forward the balance of their share of the account for the work done to the Town Bridge. —Cr. A. Higgie, in moving that the account be paid, protested against the discourteous manner in which the Council had been treated by the Borough Council. —The motion was'seconded by the Chairman' and carried unan mously. Aramoho Railway Bridge. —A letter was received from the Chief Engineer, stating that the deducton of £20 3s. 4d. made by the Treasury from the Counel's subsidy for maintenance of footway on Aramoho Railway Bridge was an error and would be rectified. Aberfeldie Bridge.—Mr. Bilderback reported that satisfactory progress was being made in connection with the con- [ tract for the erection of the Aberfeldie Br'dge. Matarawa-Okoia Road. —A letter was received from Mys. C. Higgie, claiming £40 per acre and extras amounting to £18 for land taken for road and severance for Okoia-Matarawa road.—The Chairman moved, and Mr. Kurth seconded, a motion that £20 per. acre be offered Mrs. Higgie.—Cr. T. Higge said the land was level and only ten chains from the Okoia station, and was the key to the whole of the back country, with one of the best water supplies in the j district. —Cr. A. Higgie said he would S vote against the motion. He-pointed I cut that his brother's wife did not want : the road —other people wanted it. >H,e,| thought that the better plan would be .' to ss't up a committee to meat Mrs. Hig- j gie and try to come to some arrange- s ment in the matter. S At this stage the Council adjourned - until 2.15 o'clock. : On resuming, Cr. A. Higgie pointed ; out the advantage accruing from the taking over the land in question. He v moved as an amendment that a commit- ■ tee of the whole Council be set up to ■ confer with Mrs. Higgie on the subject, \ and had no doubt that she would meet ij them in a fair spirit.—Cr. T. Higgie sec- J ondad the amendment. —Cr. Mason sug-' gested that Crs. Garner and Kurth bo appointed as a sub-committee to meet Mrs. Higgie on the matter.—Tho amendment was then put and lost, and subsequently it was agreed that a committee consisting of Crs. Garner, Kurth and. Speed be appointed to interview Mrs. Higgie and report. : I

Levies,—On the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr. Wilson, the following was carried: "That the County Councils' Conference be a-sked. to support the follow fig-resolution .-.—That in justice to: all classes in th© .colony, an amendment in the law> relating to levies on local bodies fdi* Hospital and Charitable Aid is urgently required, in the direction of assessing such levies on a population basis, and that the Conference* impress upon the Government the necessity of such amendment." Upokongaro Ferry.—The quest on of the Upokongaro ferry was again brought up^.;>ln*:th^^u^ the, sjitol^bf*,; Msi -tfam^yj^l^rsaidy toques-: tioh was whether the Council coukl legally maintain the ferry as at present constructed, viz., with an overhead rope. He pointed out that any obstruction was unlawful. He could not find anything to show that the Provincial Council had authorised the ferry. So far as the records of the County Council went, they showed that the ferry was carried on for some years by Mr. John Kennedy, who afterwards sold it to the County Counc 1. The Council had carried it on to the present Mjne, and, but for the advent of the rivor steamers, the question of the legality of the ferry, might still have remained in abeyance. Now the position had become serious in view of the number of river steamers. An overhead wire was a very primitive idea, ■and if the ferry was to be ma ntainsd some different process would have to be adopts. It seemed to the solicitor thai a steam ferry was th© only way out of the difficulty. It was very questionable whether the Council would not be liable for any damage done through the ferry. —The Chairman said that the responsibility was too great, and he therefore moved that tenders be invited foi* the purchase of the Upokongaro ferry, including house and plant.—This was seconds.d by Mr.'A. Higgie.—M-r. Thomas H ggie was of opinion that Mr. Hodder's offer to run the ferry should be accepted. Ho then moved that tenders be invited for running the ferry for two years.—The amendment, was carried, the Chairman and Cr. A. Higgie dissenting.

Bank. —The Council then went into committee, and on resuming it was reported that it had been resolved to transfer the Council's account from the Bank of Australasia to the Bank of New Zealand.

Instructions.—On the motion of the Chairman, it was resolved that printed instructions be issued by the Government and distributed to local bodies, so that the-y (the local.: bodies) may comply with the Local Bodies Act;

Compensation,.—lt was resolved that the Council's offer of £15 per acre compensation to Mr. J .R. Sonrmerville be adhered to, and it wa.i also resolved to offer £15 per acre compensation in connection with the Wallace estate.

Water-table. —It was resolved that the Council pay for the water-table and man-hole on the'real at Taylorville.

Office. —A committee was appointed to procure suitable offices for the Council. Mr. Barns was heartily thanked for having placed his office at the disposal of the Council, but it was felt that the rooms were inconvenient. The Counc'l then adjourned.