WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

West Coast Times, Issue 4489, 13 December 1883, Page 2

WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wednesday, December 12.

Tho Council rapt at 2 p.m. Present.— The Cha rman, Messrs Cummins, Sfddou, Griiimond, Jack, Kose, Hirter, M' Whirter, and M'Goldrick. The minutes were read and confirmed. THE CHAIEMAN'S STATEMENT. Mr Dungan the newly elected chairman made the following statement : — GtNTLEJiEv, --It has been usual now, for many years, for the newly elected chairman to lay bef ra the Council, as fully as possible the financial positi >n of the county, on hi* b'kmg office. I therefore propose to follow the example of my predec-soors in this matter, and at the same time I will endeavor to indicate our probable resources and prospects during my year of office. It is very fatisfuctory to be able to say, at the outset, that the Council at this moment iq practically out of debt, and although a considerable sura is due to the bank, amounting to £2337 29 6d, there is a large payment due by the Government, which will not only extinguish this liability, but will leave a large credit balance. During the past year the monthly accounts of this Council have been paid with almost unfailing regulauty, and to.day every account pas-ed for pay raent up to the last meeting of the Council has been paid. It is very few councils aod public bodies in the colony who have been able to meet their engagements bo promptly and I can only trust that the same state of affairs may continue (luring the incoming year ; at the same time I may point out, that one new and large source of revenue has accrued to the Council this year. Other items of rectipts have largely decreased, owinp, not to a decrease of prosperity, but simply to causes which arc purely lccal. A great falling off has taken place in revenue from Christchurch road tolls, publicans' lienses, and in general rate?, and it must be^remembered, also, than he reduction of the gold duty, or indeed its total abolition may bo expected during the next session of Parliament. With the abolition ot' the gold duty, and the falling off I have just meutioued in other receipts, the revenue with i the addition of £be rate from Crown Lands would still leave us abeut where we wero l&st year, or the year before that— with a revenue, name.y, of from £12,000 to £13,000 per annum. If the gold duty is not abolished of course our revenue for 1884 will be much larger, It is possible also that increased aid will be given to the Council, to carry out new works, under the Roads Construction Act. Up to the present time this measure has been of very little use to Westland and the total sum paid to the county since the Act became law in 1882 v only £535. From the current year aid has been asked on an expenditure of £5000 for several necessary roade. No reply has yet come to hand regarding these app ! ioations, and iv the meantime the Council has completed some ot the works mentioned out of its own funds. I hope to be able to report to the Council, shortly, that they can proceed to invite tenders under the .Roads Construction Act for widening the Christchurch road, widening the Kanieri Lake road to Kanieii Lake, and for widening a very necessary portion of the Greenstone road from Big Dam track to the Kapitea Creek.

Plans, specificitions, and estimates for all those works have been in the hands of the Government for nearly a year. And I hope, also, to have carried out some useful works for the southern portion of the county. There are also, as tfte I ', Council knows, a large number of WoTlrs now in progress ; noue of them certainly of any very great magnitude, but useful works which in all cases will be shortly completed, md which will in several instances open up new country, and this remark induces me to draw the Council's attention here, to tbe increased aud ever increating cost of road maintenance. Kvery year a number of mile 3of new roads ore made, and every year therefore the cost of mautetMDCi is added to so that tbe great b ilk ot our revenue was to be devoted to mmnteuance of road") aad bridges. Pcihaps 1 miiy remark, with all due rospect to the members of the Council who do not share the Fame view 3as myself on the subject, that a reduction in the enormous ixpenditure annually can be fairly brought about by adopting the contract system, and worked under strict supervision. Ido not anticipate that the maintenance cost during the coming year for roads, bridges, and tracks will be under £7000 or £8000, and may be greatly in excess ot that sum should floods damage our roada and bridges during the year. Hare 1 may mention also, that it will become vey soon necessary to make some provision to erect a biidge over the Aratiuia in piece of Thomson's br'dge, which is fast decaying and which cannot last very long I will endeavor with tbe assi>tance ot Messrs Seddon and FitzGerald to get a railway and road bridge combined, over this river during the next session of Parliament. I now desire to detail the assets and liibilities of the Council as they exist this day so far as can be ascertaiae), and 1 may state that (with the exception ot one cr two items to which I will presently refer), the asets and liabilities as herein set forth are correct within £100 or so either way. There is the item of receipts under the Itoads Cuns-tructioa Act. I have set that down at only £1000, toe actual result "uy be much more, and in any case it can Irirdly be lea?. Then again liabilitio? to tbe extent of £50 or so ma 7 exist, tbe accounts tor which bave not yet reached tbe office, with tTese exceptions ibe figures I propose to rcid will be found to be absolutely correct. They are as follows ; —

So that you will see at once that the county is at this moment in a more solvent condition than it lias been for a number of years past, owing almost altogether of course, to tbe rating of Crown Lands. With reference to the county generally, I may remark that the gold mining industry continues to progress, although in some instances not with that speed which was anticipated at this time last year, owing to unforseen circumstances, and unavoidable delays. A discovery of a horizontal seam of coal, in the Kanieri district has'recently been made, and T trust that this will turn out of great advantage to Westland. There is one other matter I desire to refer to as also concerning the intereet of the county. As a member of the Harbor Board it will be my duty to watch, the interests of the harbor, and I can promise you I will do so, I know that the members "of the Council will also endeavor to have the price of water reduced on the Kumara goldfield, so that the miners there, who have given many years of hard labor to the development of that goldfield, may be allowed to reap somo reward for their labor. At present the greater part of their profits are swallowed up in water and the sludge channel charges. This goldfield promises to be for many yeai-s, the most remunerative in the colony, and it would be a pity if the untiring industry of the miners who have worked so hard and so long on that field, went altogether unrewarded, as would be the case if the greater portion of their profits had to be handed ovei* to the Government. I feel assured that the Council will do their utmost to prevent this taking place. In conclusion, I can only thank you onco more for the honor you have done me in electing me to the position of chairman, and I earnestly hope that wo will work harmoniously together for the welfare of the County of Westland during the ensuing year. Mr Seddon moved that the statement be received and adopted. He thought it was, with the exception of a reference to road maintenance, fairly explanatory. The pregent favorable financial condition was dae in some measure to the previous Chauiiian, Mr M'Whirter, and to the Couucil. He wished agoia to publicly deny the statement as to the alleged mode of electing the chairman. It was the duty of the Council to protect the chairman from the attack made upon him by one of the papers. —Mr M'Whirter seconded the motion. —The Chairmanexplained that he had not iutentionally omitted reference to his predecessor.—- The motion was carried without dissent CORRESPONDENCE. Telegram from Mr Hislop re Education Board.— Received. Letter from the Kuma^a Borough Council, applying for a portion of the expense of maintaining the road from Kumara to the ocean beach— Received. — The Chair* man said the claim was an innocent one. The borough /orgofc that the County maintained several other roads leading into the borcugh.— Mr M'Whirter moved that a letter be sent to the Kumara Borough Council, regretting that their request could not be acceded to. — Mr Cumming seconded tbe motion, which was carried without dissent. Telegram from the Treasury, stating that tbe Audit office declined to puss the

goldfielis revenue, without deductiog £2 17s6d— Received. Telegram from Department of Mines, re Kumara Bliidge-chdtjnsl, stating that a repftj Would be'ient when, the Minister of Min»te (returned from tbei'tfoittl IslandReceived. ' ' - Telegram from Postmaster - General, stating that the Hokltika-Kanieri telephone would be put up in a few weeks — Received.— Mr Seddon moved that a reply be rent btatiDg that if the department were waiting for poles from the North Island, there we.-c a few poleß in the bush here left, which would suit better. — Mr Cumming seconded. The heart of silver pine would last as long as any other timber— Received. Letter from Mr J. Roberts, Mapourika, re his coutract on Waiho-Mapaurikaroad, requesting payment of the percentage due, — deceived. Letter from Peterson oud others, applying for permission to drive under the Woodstock road.— Referred to the Chairman to deal with. EEPOETS. The Finance Committee's report was received, it stated that accounts to the amount of £1033 17 a were paid last month; that accounts to the amount of £1077 16s for November were passed for payment; that the bank overdraft was £2337 2a 6d ; that thri sum of £5306 Teaa due from ihe Government for rates, and gold duty due for two months. The report also recom* mended that the considera'ijn of the subsidies t> literary societies be postponed antil February, when they would become due. Reports from overseers Kerr and Beck, were also read. TENDERS. Several tenders for various works were opened and dealt with. TEREMAKAU TRACK. Mr M'Whirter moved, "That tenders be invited by next meeting for the construction of track from the Dillman's Totott Christchurch road, to the special settlement, Teremakau River, on Mr Kerr's plans and specifications, now on table." The Conncil had decided to call for tenders for the work some time ago. He found there were seven settlers in the locality, who were placed in a position of considerable difficulty, having about 12 miles of bad road to get their produce to Kumara. Only about 40 or 50 chains of work was required. —Mr Cumming seconded. It was quite right to consider the interests of settlers, and iv this case only a small outlay was asked.—The Chairman supported the motion. — Mr Rose said thie was making a road for settlers outside of the county altogether. How did the^e settlers cross the Teremakau in flood time. — The motion was carried on the voices. STAFFORD CEMETERY. Mr M'Whirter moved, "That Mr Kerr be instructed to prepare plans and specifications for road leading to the Stafford cemetery, distance about ten chains." The road wanted repairing badly, the grade being very steep. — Mr Seddon seconded. He believed ihe cemetery bad been vested in trustees who were dead. He thought it ought to be vested in the Council.— Mr M'Goldrick asked if the overseer had recommended the necessity for the work. — Mr M'Whirter said the necessity was obvious to everyone who knew the place- — After some discussion, the motion was carried. ARAHURA BRIDGE FENCING. The Chairman moved, "That Mr Ken? be instructed to get 3 or 4 chains of fencing erected at the eastern side of the Arahura (Thomson's), bridge." This piece of road was dangerous. Unless fenced some accident might probably take place. — The motion was carried. HEW EOAD. Mr Grimmond moved, "That Mr Kerf be irstructtd to survey a uew lineot main road from the Kanier. Brid»e to O^ilvie's, Ross road." L'nder the Roads Construe- ( Continued on fourth page.}

tion Act assistance might be obtained. Strangers going to Ross by the present road, began to think they were lost as they went over all the hills and down «U the valleys in the diptrict.— Mr Hirter seconded The Rosa road waß tbe worst in New Zealand.— Mr S.'ddon moved and Mr Rose seconded an amendment 'hit the consideration of the motion be held over until tbe Boss Bornuph became merged in the Council.— Mr M'Goldrick aareed to a great extent witb what Mr Grimmond asked for, but it was rather too early <o ask for it. The miners would be benefited by a road on the south side of the river as proposed some time ago. He could not Support the mo 1 ion at the present time. — Mr Jack said that the county had cut down hills on the road to Kumara Borough. This was what was wanted on the Ross road. Ross Borough would never have been created but for the way the district had been treated by tbe Council. Why not act the same way as they had acted with regard to the Kumara road. He would support the motion. The survey would be very U3eful to the Council. — Mr M'Whirter thought the interests of Rimu should be considered. As honest men they should not take the traffic away from Rimu.— Mr Grimmond, in reply, was sorry to see the position taken up by members. Any one could see that the rjad was not a proper one to Ross. All he asked wa« that a track should be cut through. He •was not speaking from a Ross> point of view, but in the interests of the country. It would not annoy him if the road was not surveyed. — The amendment was carried on a division :— Ayes : Messrs Gumming, Seddon, Rose, M'Whirter, and the Choirman. Noes: Messrs Grimmond Hirter, Jack, and M'Goldrick. 1 TOTABA PACK TRACK. Mr Grimmond moved, " That Mr Beck be instructed to put the pack track up the Totara river, to the Mikonui tunnel, in passable repair." The track was entirely out of repair During the next two or three years there is likely to be a large amount of traffic on it.— Mr M'Whirter seconded the motion which was carried on the voices. BOSS BOAD TBACK, Mr Grimmond moved, " That a track be cleared from the Hokitika-Rose road to tbe beach, about one mile south of the half-way houee."— Mr M'Goldrick eeconded.— Mr Seddon said there should be a specification for the work. He moved an amendment to refer the matter to Mr Kerr to report.— Mr Camming seconded the amendment. — Messrs Rose, and M'Whirter supported the amendment. —The amendment was carried on a division. Ayes; Messrs Cumming, Roee, Seddon M'Whirter, ond the Chairman ; noe3 : Messrs Jack, Hirter, Grimmond, and M'Goldrick. WATEBOA BOAD. Mr M'Goldrick moved, "That the culverts from Wateroa to Okarito Forks be put in a sound condition, and that the road be repaired from Wateroa to Okarito Forks."— The Chairman ruled the motion out of order. PUBLIC WOBKS COMMITTEE. Mr Seddon moved, and Mr Cumming seconded, " Tbat the following constitute tbe Public Works Committee for the ensuing year, namely — Messrs Roee, Jack, M'Whirter, M'Goldrick, and the mover ; and that Mr Rose bo chairman of the said committee."— Mr Grimmond would oppose tbe committee as proposed as unfair There were five members on it and three of them came from one district. Even supposing the chairman's name was excised, either Mr M'Whirter or Mr Seddon's name should bk struck out and tbe name of a member for Totara inserted, lie moved au amendment that the name of Mr Hirttr be substituted for that of Mr M'Whirter.— Mr M'Goldrick seconded. — The original motion was carried on a division. FINANCE COMMITTEE. Mr Seddon moved, "Tbat the following constitute the Finance Committee for the ensuing year, namely— Messrs Jack, Grinimond, Cumming, M'Whirter, and the mover ; and that Mr Jack be chairman thereof."— Carried. WATEBOA CULVEBTS. Mr M'Goldrick by leave moved, " That plans and specifications be prepared by uext meeting, according to Mr Butler's report, for 12 culverts from Wateroa to Okarito Forks." The Council adjourned at six p m,

Liabilities, IJeckmbeb 12th, 1883. £ r. d. Bank overdraft Bank of New Zealand. 2337 2 6 Xovelnber accounts 1110 16 0 Ferry subsidies to December 31st 371 0 0 Grants to benevolent society's unpaid 31 5 0 Balances due ou current contracts 2701 0 0 Contingent liabilities (say) ... 200 0 0 Tolal liabilit es £6751 3 6 Assets, December 12th, 1883. £ s. d. Due by General Government — Crowr* lands rates 5306 0 0 Di 1 1 m a n's-Ckrisichurch road v.te 350 0 0 Main south road vote ... 570 0 0 £2 for £1 on gildfields tracks Lt 1246 0 0 Under Roads Construction Act 1000 0 0 Goldfielda receipts October and Noveu.ber (gay)( g ay) ... 550 0 0 Dne by Grey Comity — Teremakau Bridge ... 52 0 0 Geueral rate 1883-84 ... 200 0 0 £9274 0 0 Balance of assets over liabili its £2522 16 6