ASHBURTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1550, 11 July 1885, Page 2

ASHBURTON COUNTY COUNCIL.

A special meeting of the Ashburton ; 'ounty Council Was held at the Council Chambers to-day. at 11 a.m. Present— Messrs Harper (in the chair), Taylcr, McLean, Jackson, and Megaon. * On the motion of the Chairman the Council went into Committee to consider the questions to be discussed. A telegram and letter from Mr W. O. Walker, M.HR., referring to the local 1 bodies, were read. COUNTIES AMENDMENT ACT. i The Council disapproved of the proposal ; to make t iwn districts ridings, considering ■ it unnecessary. The Council objected to the Chairman . ; being elected by the ratepayers. > f i The Council also objected to the clauses t of the Bill providing for the election cl , auditors by the Ooanty at large, instead of having them appointed by the Governor. f as heretofore. f The Council were of opinion that the I provisions with respect to the publication s of special orders should be the same as in : the case of by-laws, section 42, to a\oid - unnecessary advertising expenses, s The following resolution wsa passed >• with regard to the clause dealing with the s majority of votes required for sanctioning t a special loan:—“ Where special loans y are required for portions of the County i. requiring such, it shoald he allowed to i, raise them on the vote of that particular - A portion on the understanding that that ■- particular portion shoald be responsible is for the re payment of the loan, and the ,t polling of votes for such loan shall only >. take place in that portion of the Ooanty II requiring the loan.’* t r The Council were of opinion that no towa district shoald be allowed to separate ir from the County until the Connell had d considered the proposed boundaries of such n town district. LOCAL BODIES’ USANCE AND POWERS SILL. In connection with the question of distribution of subsidies, the Council decided to suggest that all local bodies be placed on the same footing, and subsidies granted >. by Government be equivalent to amount raised by such local bodies by rates. HOSPITAL AAD CHARITABLE AID BILL. •- The Council were firmly of opinion that [1 the whole question of Hospital and Chari. A a table Aid should be made a colonial quea- |By 1 tion, and not referred to local bodies at If a all a LICENSING ACT. , t The Council resolved to suggest to the Government that the Licensing Act shoald a be amended a ith a view to aave the an* i. necessary expenditure incurred by the Y annual election of Committees, snd fur- . ther resolved to suggest that the County I Councils and Borough Connells be ths . Licensing Committees for their respective I districts. RECOMMENDATIONS, c On resuming, the recommendations i adopted in Committee were reported and - s approved of, and it was resolved to send , a copy of them to the Government and to 3 tbe two members for the County. 3 WATER-RATE. On the motion of Mr Jackson, it ni r resolved—“ That a water-rate bo struck. ; and levied on the basis of 10s per quarter* i mile minimum, and that tenants of the , crown lands and public reserves be charged r at the same rate, for the year ending April 30,1885,-payable in one instalment f on October 1,1886. RIVER PROTECTION, i A prolonged discussion, lasting npi wards of two hours, took place on the i whole question of river protection. Mr J. Jackson moved—“ That this Council define the boundaries of a district which would be fairly liable to be rated ■ for the conservation of the North Ashburton river banka, and a poll of ratepayers - to be taken over that district whether or . not they will agree to be rated specially for river protection the same way that they would be nnder a Board of Conservators distinct from this Council, such river conservation work to be kept aepemle from the County Connell funds.” Mr McLean seconded the motion. IV Mr Megson moved as an amendment—- “ That the Engineer draw up an estimate of ccst of work now required to make the present protective works secure, and that a poll of the ratepayers in the present district be taken as to whether they am agreeable to be rated to meek such expense, and also the overdraft on that work. Mr Taylor seconded the amendment, which was carried. It was resolved that the damage dona by the late flood at the end of the bulwark of the Wakanui Protective Works be repaired at a cost not exceeding L7O. MAIN SOUTH ROAD. " A petition was received from several ratepayers requesting the Council to re-form and metal a portion of - the Main South road. - The Chairman pointed ont that applications under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act were doe in June hist. He suggested, however, that tbe petition be forwarded to Mr Walker, requesting that gentleman to endeavor to get a vote snfflcient for the work placed on the Estimate*. —Suggestion adopted. A letter was read from the Mount Somers Road Board, stating that the Ashburton Gorge road had been considerably damaged by the late flood, end this Board considered it inadvisable to repair It, and suggested that a new line of route shoald be taken for the road. They proposed that the Council shouldprovida the money for this work ont of the Government vote of LBOO, It was resolved—“ That the Connell cannot entertain the request, as the proposed road is beyond the district for which the '■ grant for LBOO wss voted.” The Connell then adjourned.