WALLACE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Western Star, Issue 1004, 2 December 1885, Page 2

WALLACE COUNTY COUNCIL.

ORDINARY MEETING. The Council met yesterday morning at 11.15 o'clock. All the members were present. CORRESPONDENCE. Letters were re:id from Mrs Stirling ai'd John Miller y e obstructions to road in Native r serve. Tb« Clerk stated that the R n a I Board had considered this matter and decided that no action be taken until the Nativo Minister had been heard from.

From D. Co kin requesting extension of time to complete contract. —Granted. From Daniel Henery, stating that d.p. setilers at Dipton wanted money accruing to sui'h sections spent on road through d.p. block as soon as possible.—Engineer to repoit. —In conriiction with this ma'.tor the Chairman said it woulci be a good tiling if the Engineer reported to the Council at each meeting as to the works he had visited during the interval. If that were done, it would be a protection to the Engineer as well as enabling the Council to kr.ow the condition of works throughout the county.—Mr Hamilton concurred, stating that he had made a simdar suggestion some time ago. John Roberts wrote enclosing an account j for £9 12s for work done at outfall ditch, River on and Otautau road. The writer stated that the work wae a case of emergency and was ordered to be done by the late chairman (Mr Hirst) last year.—MrMcfntyre suid that as the work had not been ccr ified to, the Engineer should report upon it before the claim was paid.—The Chairman asked why the account had not been sent in before that date, to which the Clerk replied that it was forwarded six months ago.—Tho Engineer explained that the account was for clearing outfall drain, on the Hat near Jacob's River bridge. The late chairman had authorised the work, which had been done in a satisfactory manner.—ln reply to Mr Hamilton, the Engineer said the work had not been let by tender. —Mr Hamilton said tho sooner the limit of £2O which the Chairman was authorised to expend without the authority of the Council was done away with the better. He was under the impression that thepmount that the Chairman c >uld so expend had been reduced to £5, unless in cases where a bridge or culvert had given way. He considered this work was a pi'-ce of jobbery, and he said he would give notice that the authority of the Chairman to expend money withou' the sanction of the Council be rescinded. This work should have come before the Council in the , usual way.—Mr Johnston said there were c««es of emergency, and the Council could not mike a cast rule in regard to such expenditure.—On the motion of Mr Hamilton, the acount was ordered to lie over, that gentleman stating that he would visit the work and satisfy himself as to its utility before he consented to its being paid.

The Under-Secretary, General Crown Lands Office, wrote forwarding copies of the Cemeteries Act, 18S2, and Amendment, 1885, and asking if the Council would accept a delegation of the powers under the latter Act to appoint trustees for the control and management of the Cemetery reserve, section 189, Wairio District.—Received. A copy of Professor Kirk's report on " Fruit Blights and Diseases of Fruit Trees in New Zealand " was received. The Under-Secretary for Public Works wrote in reply re the application for £SOOO under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act, that as that measure had been repealed, no further grants could be wade under its provisions.—ln kounection with this matter •Vtr Mcfniyre aslcod if th» money had been s?ot under the Koads and Bri Iges Construction Act for bridge on the Wrey's Bush Winton road.—The Clark replied that application bad oeen made for a vote for thr bridge, but declined, as the Council had not xpen.Jod one-fourth of the sum required. J. Tennant, Heddon Bush, wrote calling attention to the state of a road running from tho Winton and "Wroy's Bush road to Aparima river, requesting that it be put in repair.— Earner to insne-t and report.

From E. J. E. Richai'dson, Merrivale, calling attention to the dangerous condition of the bridge over tho Orawia river, on the main road between Otautau and Clifton. — The Engineer said he had reported upon this as well as the Otautsu and Jacob's River bridges some time ago. The bridge in question was too far gone to be patahed up. The difficult? in this ease was (hat when the river was fl toded the ford eouH not be crossed nor c mid the l~ri Ige be roa< h 'd. From the Clerk Atmrima Roa I Board forwarding plan of dotted track through section 10, block 6. Janob's River Hundred, proposeH to be closed, and stating that all tbe steps required by Jaw towards chains said track had been token, and thai (it. a meeting of ratepayers it, was decided by a majority of 18 to 6 that the road miv be closed. The B>ard resolved 1o confirm tbe decision of the rateparers in the mutter and refer ifc to the C unty Council. —A petition objecting to the closing of tho road, signed by a number of ratepayers and residents, was lodged, and J. R. Stuck was heard in support of same.—The objections to closing ?this road were fully reported when the matter was discussed at the Road Board meeting.—On the motion of Mr Hamilton, seconded by Mr Mclntyre, it was resolved that the recommendation of the Board be approved of and that the road be declared closed.—Mr Hamilton stated that it was his intention to move at a future meeting for a vote to repair the present road.

STATUTORY MEETING. The adjourned annual statutory meeting for election of Chairman was then held. Mr Williams proposed that Mr Johnston be elected Chairman. That gentleman was ono of the oldest members of the Council, and the mover thought tho office should bo a rolling one. Mr McPherson seconded the motion.

Mr Mclntyre thought tho Council had been well satisfied at the manner in whicL the present Chairman had fulfilled his duties,and he thought it was therefore duo to that gentleman that he should be again nominated. He then moved as an amendment that Mr Basstian be re-elected. The mover had nothing to say against Mr Johnston, but he thought Mr Basstian was entitled to the position another year.—Mr Walker supported the motion —Mr Hamilton agreed that Mr Basstian had fulfilled the duties well, but he thought the office should bo a rolling one Besides, Mr Basstian had other duties to attend to —notably as representative of the Council on the Hospital Board. He (Mr Hamilton) assured Mr Basstian, however, that the latter had the good-wishes of the Council for the manner in which ho had carried out his duties.—Messrs Mackinnon, Ellis, and Johnston followed in a similar strain. —The motion was then put and carried unanimously, the amendment not being seconded.

Mr Bass'ian then Tacalol the ebair : n fiv r of Mr Johnston, and in cVng so returned thanks for the repressions of approval of bis ae He Edit himself (hat he hud done his duty, and he was pleased at the harmonious manner is which the business had been e'trriod on during his term of offi'.-e. He would be <;lad if at. en 1 of Mr Johnston's term, he cou'd eomp'imcnt that gentleman upon a similar satisfactory result. Mr Johnston returned thanks for the honor that they had conferred upon him. He reminded members that the Chairman could only keep order if ho were supported by tin Council, and while he was inclined to al'ow every latitude in discussion, still the debates should be conducted in order. Tho Council was a school for the Assembly, and some of the younger members might bo cailed upon to occupy the latter position. Ho enjoined them therefore to make them r selves acquainted with the rules of debate, which would provo a qualification for the, higher position. - j