AKAROA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 247, 29 November 1878, Page 2

AKAROA COUNTY COUNCIL.

♦ The new Council held its first meeting at the Hill-top, on Wednesday, November 27. Present —Messrs E. C. Latter, Williams, Barker, Bradley, Gebbie, Fleming, Dalglish, and Coop. On the motion of Mr Williams, seconded by Mr Bradley, Mr E. C. Latter was elected chairman for the ensuing year. The minutes of the meeting held on October 24 were read and confirmed. The Chairman gave an outline of the business which would come under the consideration of the Council. OFFICE. The first business for consideration was the site for an office. Mr Coop strongly advocated having the office located at Little River. Mr Barker thought they had to consider the convenience, not of the members merely, but of the public at large, and that such a site would not be convenient. After some conversation it was agreed to defer the consideration of the question till next meeting. DISTRIBUTION of funds. The Chairman stated that a sum of £3095 17s lOd had been paid in to their credit as their share of the Land Fund up to the 30th September. After paying all expenses, there was no doubt they would still have a considerable sum in hand. It had been mooted that they should take over the main roads. He was not opposed to this, but would think it better for the Council to allocate money for certain works—so much for this road, so much for that. He thought if they simply handed the money over to the Road Boards they would scarcely be carrying out their duty. Mr Barker maintained that these funds were Road Board moneys. The Chairman could not agree with this view. Mr Coop said tho Road Boards did not require the money at present. He would suggest that the question be deferred for three months. Mr Barker must dispute that statement. His Board had let a contract which would absorb their last shilling. Mr Williams considered the fairest way" would be to divide the money among the Road Boards pro rata. If any case of hardship existed at any time, let the Council redress it. Tho Chairman thought the members of Road Boards were hardly likely to hear all that was said about those institutions. He thought if the Council gave up the money without exercising any control over its expenditure, they would not bo fulfilling their functions. He spoke entirely without any feeling against any Road Board or any member of a Road Board, but in the interest of tho ratepayers. Mr Williams said the Road Boards had better ideas of what was wanted. Until certain works neglected by them cropped up the Council should be quiescent. Mr Barker considered it would be very hard on them for instance. They had rated themselves high, and were entitled to a certain share of these funds. If the money were spent over at Wainui or -eleewhere, it would come very hard on them. The Chairman reminded the members that this amount waa not likely to be repeated. The Land Fund would not last. If they got £1000 or £1500 during the next three months it would be as much as they could expoct, and after that the receipts would probably be nil. It -was moved by Mr Coop, seconded by Mr Dalglish, and carried—"That the allocation of the funds at the credit of the Council as portion of sales of land to September 30 be considered at the next meeting,"

MOUNT BOSSU AND LONG BAY ROADS. Two applications were received from the Akaroa and Wainui Road Board for payment of the special grants for tbe above roads. With regard to the former application, the Chairman explained that the Council had already voted the amount, and the cheque only awaited signature. In the latter case, it was agreed that tho money be handed over on the same terms as in the former, viz.. certificate that tenders to the amount had been let. PIGEON BAY WHARF. A letter'was read to the effect that the Governor had vested the Pigeon Bay wharf in the local Road Board for a term of 14 years. I RESERVES. j An application was received from the Pigeon Bay Road B'>ard, asking permission to let for grazing purposes two reserves. It was resolved that as the reserves in question had not been handed oyer to the County, the Council had no power to entertain the application. ROUNDS. The Pigeon Bay Road Board wrote, asking permission to erect a pnbli. pound. A petition, addressed to the Okain's Road Board, and referred by them to the Council, was received, praying for the erection of a pound in Le lion's Bay ; also, a counter petition against its erection. Mr Barker said he had attended a meeting at Le Bon's, and promised to vote for this application if a majority of ratepayers were in favor of it. Mr Dalglish supported the erection of the pound. Ultimately, the consideration of the application from Pigeon Bay was postponed till next meeting, and the petition from Le Bon's Bay was referred to the Road Board for consideration. COMPENSATION FOR ROAD DIVERSION. A letter was read from the Pigeon Bay Road Board, applying for their share of the £500 recently voted by the General Assembly for road diversions. The Chairman explained that £300 of this money had already been allocated, and with regard to the balance of £200. he had been informed by the District Auditor that the Council was bound to retain this amount in hand, which would probably be supplemented by the Government in accordance with recommendation of the Commissioner appointed to investigate these claims. MOUNT BOSSU AND WAINUI PASS ROAD. The Engineer's report on this road was read, enclosing specifications for the work. On the suggestion of the Chairman, it was agreed to hand these specifications to the two Road Boards interested, and ask them to agree as to what proportion of the grant they each considered themselves entitled to. SLAUGHTER-HOUSES. The Inspector's report on slaughterhouses up to October 31 was handed in, in which he stated that the slaughter-houses vVere all clean and in good order, but called attention to the difficulty experienced in obtaining returns. The Chairman called attention to the inadequate remuneration for the work entailed which the fees provided. The matter was allowed to stand over. LITTLE RIVER CEMETERY. Mr G. R, Joblin waited on the Council on behalf of the Little River Cemetery Committee, in regard to the vote of £150 to the Cemetery. The view of the Committee was that the condition attached by the Council to the grant to the Cemetery was unjust. The condition in question was that the grant should not be payable if a certain grant made by the Government were paid to them. Of this special grant of ,£l5O, Mr Joblin stated that £G0 had boen expended on a road which was really a public road. Besides, the ground was very difficult to improve, being full of roots, and the whole of the money would be inadequate for the purpose. On the motion of Mr Barker, seconded by Mr Bradley, it was resolved that the money should be handed over without the condition previously annexed to the vote. LITTLE BIVER ROAD BOARD DISTRICT. Petitions were received from the above Road Board District—one praj ing for a portion of the district to be separated from Little River and annexed to Halswell ; also a counter petition, asking that things might remain as they were. The former petition bore forty-five signatures, only twenty of whom, however, were ratepayers in the Little River District. The counter petition was signed by sixty, of whom fifty-six were ratepayers. After discussion, it was decided to forward the petitions to the Governor, with a recommendation from the Council that the boundaries should remain as at present. • HONORARIUM TO CHAIRMAN. Mr Bradley moved that a sum of £200 be voted as an honorarium to the Chairman, and in doing so paid a high tribute to the zeal and energy he. had displayed. Mr Williams took the chair whilo the the matter was under consideration. At Mi Litter's request .he proposed amount was reduced to £100, that gentleman stating that if this reduction were not made he must decline the ofEer altogether. Tho vote for £100 was then carried unanimously. ACCOUNTS. The following accounts were passed for payment: — Engineer ... ... ... £12 12 0 Press Co.. advertising elections 3 18 0 Le Bon's Bay election ... 5 10 6 Tai Tapu do. ... 8 14 0 Berard and other Ridings ... 14 14 0 The Council then adjourned to Saturday, December 28, at the same time and place.