AKAROA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 185, 26 April 1878, Page 2

AKAROA COUNTY COUNCIL.

A meeting of the above was held yesterday, at Garwood's House on the Hill Top. the members present being Messrs E. C. Latter (chairman), Hay, Gebbie, Bradley, Dalglish, Barker, and Priest. The minutes of the previous meeting having been read and confirmed, the Chairman explained that the chief item of business to be oonsidered, were the appointment of engineer, and an amendment of the scale of wharfage rates which had been passed at the last meeting. CORRESPONDENCE. The Chairman stated that he had written to the Chief Surveyor concerning the laying out of roads through unsurveyed sections in Le Bon's Bay, and had received a reply from Mr Williams, of the land office, intimating that the Chief Surveyor was absent, but that the matter would receive prompt attention on his return. Also, that he (the Chairman) had written to the Government, requesting that all moneys accruing to the Council since March sth, might be placed to their credit. With reference to the Duvauchelle's Bay road diversion, a letter, was read from the Chairman of the Akaroa and Wainui Road Board, asking that the matter might be held over, as it would not come before the Board for some little time. The Chairman stated that he had Avritten to the Pigeon Bay Road Board, with regard to the diversion from Kay's gully, to the effect that clause 93, sub-section 9, of the Public Works Act, must be complied with before the Council could call a meeting, and that he had received in reply the plan pf the proposed diversion, but not the decision of the Board itself as required by the Act. Mr Hay said the Road Board and the ratepayers were unanimous upon the matter, and that he would see the Chairman with regard to the decision required. APPOINTMENT OF ENGINEER. Applications for the above were then read from the following gentlemen :—

From H. H. Fenton, Esq., C.E., at £500 per annum, exclusive of eipenses, or £600 including horse and travelling expenses. From J. R. Brown, Esq., at £400 per annum, with actual travelling expenses, and £50 for horse allowance. From Messrs Bain and Warner, offering to undertake the work at 5 per cent, on all engineering works, and three guineas per diem for survey work' with expenses for the same. From H. 'G. Grimes Graham, Esq., Timaru, at £400 per annum. From Hardy Johnston, Esq., C.E., at £600, including travelling expenses. On the motion of Mr Barker, seconded by Mr Bradley, Mr Brown was appointed Engineer .to the Council, at a salary of £450 per annum, subject to details to be left to the Chairman to arrange. WHARFAGE TARIFF. Mr Barker proposed, and Mr Bradley seconded, that in addition to the rates already passed, free storage be allowed for imports for 48 hours, and for exports ' one week, afterthese periods, in each case tho wharfage rates shall be charged again for each week, or fraction of a week. THE PREMIER'S VISIT. •.A letter- was read from, the Akaroa Borough' Council asking that a sum be .voted towards paying the'cost incurred by them in connection with the above. After-sbin'ie ; discussion the Clerk was instructed !to reply to the effect that as there were no funds available for the purpose, the Council could not entertain the request. On the motion of Mr Hay, seconded by Mr Barker, the question of the Pigeon Bay road diversion at Kay's gully was held over to the next meeting.

SPECIAL VOTES. The Chairman said this was a matter that should not be forgotten. Tho case of the German Bay road diversion into Akaroa was one that demanded apecial attention. The Government had voted £500 toward paying off compensations for land, but the case referred to was ignored by the Government. Mr Barkkr said Mr St. John's case was a very hard one, and an old Provincial liability. He thought the Council should pay Mr St. John the £300 compensation due out of this £500 vote, which was so small as to be really useless as regarded the many other compensations still outstanding.. After some further discussion, the Council unanimously empowered ' the Chairman to see Mr Piper, the Chairmanof the Akaroa and Wainui Road Board, and to state that the. Council would pay the compensation if diat Board would undertake the other expences, and open the road forthwith.

. Mr Dalglish proposed that the Chief Surveyor be written to requesting that instructions be given to the district surveyor to exercise . care in flaying out suitable roads where required, within the County, in all sections under survey. Mr Barker seconded' the motion, which was carried. . ■•■■•; r ... •

Mr Barker thought the Council should urge upon the members for the district the necessity of taking some steps at the next session of tho Assembly, to provide for the outstanding Provincial liabilities.

'' The Chairman wished the members to make it generally known that names oj. firms were omitted from the electoral roll so that it would be necessary for such to write to the revising officer stating which name of the firm was to be inserted