THE COUNTY COUNCIL.

West Coast Times, Issue 1660, 25 January 1871, Page 3

THE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Tuesday, January 24.

The Council met at half-past seven. AH the members were present. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.

PAPERS.

The Chairman laid on the table the report of Mr Knight in relation to water races, as the only document in the natur . of correspondence with the Ge eiai Government in respect to the Public Works Act. Also, a statement of the tolls collected on the Arahura Road, and the cost of collecting same ; Kepo ts of Suneyors ; of Inspector of Cattle, and of the W«rdin, Waimea district; and a return of work done by the lithographer.

PETITION.

Mr BARrr presented a petition fiam ■», number of settlers on the s ut'i sick of 1 1 • Arabura, near the ferry, praying for the construct* n of a road. The petition was read and received. LAND SELECTION.

The Chairman stated he had received a letter, in which the writer expressed his desire to purchase under the s(ith Section of '-The Westland Waste Lands Act, 1870," a block of land in the Arahura district, of an extent of 600 to 1000 acres. The letter, which was signed G. F. Hawkins, was read, and after a short discussion was referred to the Chief -urvcyor to report upon. PUBLICATION OP MONTHLY STATEMENTS.

Mr Guinness asked : — " Why the resolution passed on the 26tb May, 1870, headed ' Monthly statement of receipts and expenditure to be published in the County Gazette,' has not been complied with." The Chairman said he had made hquiries, and had ascertained that it would be very impracticable to carry out the resolution referred to. It was well known that the returns from the General Government were frequently several months in arrear. Besides, such statements of rcceip s and expenditure would be unreliable unless audited, and the auditor only checked the accounts every six months.

special srrrr.EMrNTS.

Mr Bon*r asked:— "What steps, if anj 7 , have been taken to establish special settlements under 'The Westland Waste Lands Act, 1870.' " The Chairman said that by reference to the 77th section of the Act, it would be found that it was for the Council to take steps in the matter. The late Chairman could not, therefore, initiate any movement in the matter.

Mr Bonar explained that the steps he referred to were as to obtaining information from the Survey Department or otherwise.

CONFIRMATION OP IATE CHAIRMAN'S ACTS.

The Chairman moved—" That this Council confirm the action of the late Chairman, Conrad Hoo-, E<q., in signing cheques on the County of Westland account since the Bth day of Decembe. last, for expenditure incurred." The cheques referred to were all for items which were strictly in accordance with resolutions of the Council. The manager of the Bank of New Z< aland had refused to piy the cheques thinking that the late Chairman had not the power to sign them after the Bth December, and had asked him (Mr Lahman), as a member of the Council, to give a guarantee that the Council would comfirm Mr Hoos's action, and on inquiry he Mr (Lahman) found as he stated, that the amounts were all strictly in accordance with resolutions of the Council, and had not the cheques been signed, salaries could not have been paid, and pnblic creditors would have been pi evented from receiving what had long be n di c to them. The cheques were all countersigned by the treasurer and auditor, who were boh under heavy penalties if they signed for amounts not warranted by resolutions of the Council.

Mr Button supported the motion. Mr Guinness would like to see a statement of those payments, and he asked the Council to pause before it confi ined expenditure, the particulars of which were unknown.

Mr Bonar agreed with the member for Greymouth, Mr Guinness, that it was desirable to have information on the subject, but as one of the members whu h."< joined in guaranteeing to the Bank i k confirmati n of the action of tli" !•<>"' Chairman, he was bound to vote for the motion. lie looked upon it after all, as merely filling up a gap -which had been left open in the Act. Mr Button suggested that, while confirming the action of the late Chnirman, the resolution should include also the production of a detailed statement of the payments, with the vouchers. The Chairman said that the vouchers could not be produced, as they were in the hands of the Auditor. He could nssure the Council that there could not he even a suspicion of the correctnes< of any of the amounts. Besides, a majority of the Council had bound themselves to* the Bank to confirm the action taken by the late Chairman in signing the cheques, and they were now bound to pass the resolution.

The motion was then put and carried on the voices.

DEPARTMENTAL INDUCTIONS.

The Chaibman moved — " That a Select ponimlttee, -eogsipting of Messirp

Bonar, Button. Barff, (Juinmss, and the ! mover be appointe 1 to consider the means of reducing the departmental expenses." He had been engaged for days in endeavoring to find the ways and means to make both ends meet, but he regretted to f-ay he had not succeeded. He was unwilling of himself to propose the sweeping reductions which seemed necessary to bring about that (For Continuation of Neil's see 4th Page.}

(Continued food fyiirfcPage.)

conclusion, and he, therefore, asked for the assistance of a select committee.

Mr Reid supported the motion. Mr Robinson suggested, that a time for bringing up a report should be v fixecl, r and for that purpose that the worfls " to report on the 31st instant" be added to the resolution.

-The-CHAJBMAN accepted the suggestion, and Ihe resolution, .as" amended, passed withoufdisfeni£ *

RETURNS FROM MAGISTEATES* AND WARDMNS' COURTS.

Mr Guinness moved — " That the County Chairiaafi be requested to obtain, andlay ontheta^e, a retuSh of the numberof cases, civil andenminaf, entered in the books of all the Resident Magistrates' Courts in the County of Westland, similar to the return furnished by those departments for the General Government, each return to comprise, all cases fromast Jan. to the 31st Dec.,- 1870. Also, a* return from the several Warden's Courts in the said County, for the same period, of all cases entered for trial in the said Courts."

Mr Robinson seconded the motion p?-o forma. \ i -

Mr Bottoi? had. expected that some good reasons for the motion would have been given by the mover. He (Mr Button) could not see any service or assistance which the returns could give in furthering the object of the resolution previously passed. It would require extra clerical assistance to draw out the returns, and would thereby entail expense. The Chairman could- not see the drift of the member • for Greymouth ; nor of what use the returns would be. He was not sure whether the Council had the right to demand them ot the Ilokitika Court.

Mr Robinson suggested the withdrawal of the motion. The mover, as a member of the Select Committee on Departmental reductions would call for what evidence was required.

Mr Guinness had no objection to adopt the suggestion, but he desired to explain that the retutnS would cot fentail much labor, and: could not possibly lead to expense beingincurred. Each return would not occupy more than a folio sheet of paper*-— He -had- had experience in- the matter, and he would vesture, to say that he could copy out all the returns in half an hour. His object was to ascertain where there, wap .t^ie greater pressure of work^so af to Come "to-* a conclusion as to what reductions, if any, could be made. The motion was by leave withdrawn. • PAYMENTS IN DECEMBER.

Mr ; Guinness moved — " That the County Chairman be requested to lay on the table a return, accompanied with the vouchers, of all payments made by the County Treasurer" from the 9th day of December, 1870, to the 10th day of January, 1871, both days inclusive." He trusted the Council would not shirk the examination into the large sums which had passed from the hands of the Treasurer during the interregnum of one month. Whether the amounts paid to public creditors were correct or not, he did not kuow, but he desired to see a statement of them. The Chairman had already said that the vouchers were in the hands of the auditor, and therefore could not be produced, but that difficulty could be met by detailed statements, showing what the items were, and that would do as well as the vouchers.

Mr Bonar seconded the motion. It was quite right that the Council should have the* particulars, of what he might almost term unauthorised- payments. Mr Button supported the motion, but he would remark to the member for Greymouth, Mr Guinness, that there was nothing to lead him to believe that the Council intended to " shirk" the examination he sought;

The Chairman said that the report of the auditor would shortly be before the Council, and he trusted that the motion would' not be pressed, as the preparation of the account would take a long time. It was well known that the auditor was a strict officer in the discharge of his duty, and he would be careful to see that all the payments were in accordance with the Council's resolution."

Mr Robinson said that without implying any mistrust in the auditor, the Council was entitled to receive the information, and it was incumbent on the majority of the Council who had pledged themselves, as had been previously stated, to get the fullest information on the subject. He (Mv Robinsqn) had,' been asked to put him name to the guarantee, and had refused to do so as he considered that such a requirement must have been based upon a very low estimate of the late County Chairman, and oftlie Council that they would not sanction payments which were correct. With respect to the vouchers, it was not to be supposed that the auditor carped^thran abqot witb;<bim, they must be in some place whire'they would be accessible by order of the Chairman. Hewould say, as to^none of the payments being unauthorised that a liability had been incurred for iron for fencing some portion of the gaol for the use of insane inmates, which was contrary to the resolution passed by the Council. He was unaware whether the amount had been paid, but the liability had been incurred.

Mr Guinness said that his reasons for moving the resolution were based upon the return of receipts and expenditure which had been laid upon the table. There was one very remarkable item in that return which had attracted his attention. He found that a sum of £686 had been paid to the Totara Hospital, while only £300 had been voted by the Council. He had endeavored to discover whether the difference was for an amount previously due to the Hospital, and he found that there was merely £14 odd due, so £372 had been paid in excess.

The Chairman said that the member for Greymouth had overlooked a sum of £2000 .which had been voted for outstanding accounts. It was out of that sum that the amount was', paid to the Totara Hospital'and was in fact due to that institution. With respect to the iron mentioned by the member for Kanieri, the amount had been paid out of the sum voted for Contingencies for Public Works.

Mr Bonar : Contrary to the expressed wishes of the Council.

The Chairman : Yes. Contrary to the expressed wishes of the Council. The motion was put and passed without dissent. SEPABATION OF COST OF LUNATICS FEOM COST OJVKBISONEHS. Mr Guinness moved— "That in the opinion of this Council the cost of maintenance, and the supervision of the lunatics confined in the gaol, should be kept separate from the cost of prisoners confined in the said gaol.'*

Mr Button seconded the motion.

Mr Eobinson objected to the motion, because it implied that the arrangement of keeping the lunatics at the gaol would be penuaneat. *ad the aaotioa w«9 one per-

fectly repugnant to him. He would move an amendment, that the whole matter be referred to a select committee. The Chairman could not see that the motion of the member for Kanieri was an amendment to that of the member for Greymouth, Mr Guinness, and suggested its withdrawal.

Mr Robinson accepted the suggestion. Mr Bonar suggested that tfic motion also should be withdrawn, as the matter could be arranged as desired by the member for Greymouth, Mr Guinness, in committee of ways and means. Mr Guinness adopted the suggestion, and the motion was by leave withdrawn.

MAIN ROADS.

Mr Guinness moved — " That the County Chairman be requested to lay on the table a statement, showing what roads in the County of Westland have been declared main roads, in accordance with Clause 116, 'County of Westland Act, 1868.'"

Mr O'Connor seconded the motion.

Mr Robinson said that the statement would have to include all rivers in Westland, as by the resolution passed on the motion of the motion of the member for .-Waimea, they had all been designated main roads.

Mr Babff said that the arrangement referred to had exceeded his expectations. He had tabled the motion because the Okarito and Totara Road Boards were entirely unable to subsidise the ferries, and lives were frequently lost, but by throwing the responsibility upon the Council perhaps a dozen or twenty lives had been saved.

Mr Robinson : The Council neglected the matter and it was thrown into the hands of the Chairman. Mr Barff : The result was the same. The motion was put and passed without dissent.

ROAD TO KANiiERI.

Mr Robinson moved — " That upon completion of that portion of Fitzherbertstreet upon which they are at present engaged, the prison laborers shall be employed in the construction of a road to the Kanieri, and that the point of departure be referred to a select committee, to consist of Mr Bonar, Mr Button, and the mover. To report on Friday, January 27 >" He regretted to have to move the resolution, but the necessity was imposed upon him by the disregard by the late County Chairman of the unanimous resolution of the Council. The late County Chairman had acted very badly. The resolutions of the Council were set at nought by him, and treated with contempt. If the resolutions of the Council were treated as waste paper, it would be better to have no Council at all. The Kanieri had very strong claim*, inasmuch as no other district had received so little and had contributed so much Last session , the road to Arahnra had been constructed, a road which runs foul of the sea beach, and was the means of imposing a compulsory tax upon one particular section. It was a road which only fringed the district, and cmld not be serviceable in developing the country. He hoped that when the prisoners commenced the work it would be proceeded with, and that they would not be taken away to some other work.

Mr Barff seconded the motion. The Kanieri was one of the oldest districts, and was entitled to have the road. The only question was as to the point of its commencement. It probably would be found most convenient to make it a continuation of Hampden-street with a branch to the Hau Hau.

Mr Bonar supported the motion. The Kanieri was one of the most important districts in the County. Besides the mining interests, there were large agricultural areas above the Kanieri where a number of small settlers were raising produce, and they were fast becoming an important interest, and every encouragement should be given to that class. He felt the more disposed to having this work done by prison labor, when he saw that the Kanieri had less than one-half the amount allotted to the other Road Boards under the scheme for the distribution of the Capitation Grant recommended by the late County Chairman. Although he (Mr Bonar) happened to have a small interest in the tramway, still he considered that the road should he made, as a means of cheapening the conveyance of goods. The tramways had been very servicable in the early times of settlement, but communication by road was now necessary.

The motion was put and passed without dissent.

COLLECTION OF TOLLS.

The Chairman moved — " That the Council go into Committee to consider the mode of collecting the tolls on the various roads of the County."

The Council having resolved itself into Committee,

The Chairman stated that the receipts of the Kawaka toll-gate for the last six months were £759 17s 6d, and the expense of collection £2 10s per week. On the Arahura Road, the receipts from August 21 to December 25 were £159 13s, and at Newmarket on the same road, the receipts from September 13 to December 27, were £100 9s lOd, the expenses of collection being £6 per week. At the Three-mile, the receipts for the last six months were £112 13s 6d, and the expense of collection £1 per week. At the Chesterfield road the amount collected for six months was £11 7s 6d, and the expense of collection exceeded the receipts by 15s per week. The Goldsborough toll was leased for £6 per month which made the receipts £72 for six months.

After some discussion it was resolved on the motion of Mr Bonar that the Committee report progress and ask leave to sit again on Thursday.

LAND TRANSFER ACT, 1870.

The Chairman moved — "That t»e Committee consider the proposition of the Registrar-General regarding 'The Land Transfer Act, 1870.'"

After a short discussion —

Mr Reid moved — " That the Chairman be requested to obtain detailed information as to the items of the estimated cost of £1000 mentioned in telegram of the Registrar General, and also as to the attention of the Government with respect to the appointment of officers in case Westland should be constituted a district under ' The Land Transfer Act, 1870.' "

The motion was seconded by Mr BARrr, and passed without dissent.

Progress was ordered to be reported, and the Council resumed.

THE MINING REGULATIONS.

Mr Robinson, by leave, asked, without notice, what course the Chairman intended to adopt with respect to the mining regulations, whether he intended to adopt the suggestions of the mining Conference ?

The Chaibman said that he would ask .he Council 10 consider the suggestions of the County Solicitor, as well as those from the Mining Conference. From those sources they would be enabled to obtain

sufficient material for proper amendment of the regulations.

Mr Kobinson said that, considering the matter, the new regulations should not be referred to at all, but the old regulations taken and such amendments as were required should be made upon them.

ADJOURNMENT.

On the motion of Mr Bonab, the Council adjourned until Thursday evening at half-past seven.