AKAROA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 272, 25 February 1879, Page 2

AKAROA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Saturday, Feb. 22. The usual monthly meeting of this Council was held at the Hill Top, on Saturday, Feb. 22. Present—Messrs E. C. Latter (Chairman), Barker, Bradley, Coop, Dalglish, Fleming, Gebbie, Hay, and Williams. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. * CHAIRMAN'S statement. The Chairman said that it would be in the recollection of members that two imf)ortant matters had been left over from ast meeting. One was the question of the Bite for offices, and another the allocation of the funds. Since their last meeting a further sum of £3620 had been placed to their credit, as the proceeds of the land sales. They must be aware that the land was nearly exhausted. The money now at their credit would probably be all, or, | nearly all, they would have to receive. He | had asked the Chairmen of the Road Boards for certain information as to valuation and mileage of roads within their respective districts which would be laid before them. Another matter was the road over what was called Manson's Hill. Mr Potts had informed him that an engineer was going over the road. The report from the gentleman was not yet received. The Bank balances to their credit were as follows ;—County fund, £7620 ; special grants, £2556. They would be asked to pass accounts for the Mount Bossu and Long Bay roads out of the special grants. ROAD OVER MANSON'S HILL. On the motion of Mr Bradley, seconded by Mr Gebbie, the consideration of the letter from Messrs Potts and Manson as to this road was postponed until a report should be received from the Engineer engaged on the work. PIGEON BAY WHARF. The Chairman stated that no scale of charges for this wharf had been received by the Council. Mr Hay explained that as yet the Road Board had not decided to levy any charges on the wharf in question. POLLUTION OP STREAMS. The Chairman said that two memorials had been received, asking the Council to take steps to prevent the pollution of streams, one was from Okain's Bay, and the other from Little River. The latter was in Maori. (Laughter.) He had understood that Mr Stack would have been here to-day, when they could have had it interpreted. It was agreed to leave the matter over until the Council could obtain an interpretation of the letter. Mr Coop deprecated any interference on the-Council's part with local industries. Mr tdiwiio-w referred to the Road Boards. Mr Williams disagreed with this. He did not think the onus should be placed on the Road Boards. The Council was perfectly independent, whereas the Road Boards consisted of local men, to whom it would be difficult to act in such matters. Consideration of the letters was allowed to stand over. engineer's account. An account from the Engineer, which had been.left over from last meeting, was taken into consideration. Mr Fenton, being in attendance, was asked to explain the account, and did so. After Mr Fenton had retired, Mr Barker moved that the account be paid, but afterwards withdrew that resolution, and proposed that the question be deferred until next meeting, in order that Mr Fenton might furnish dates &c, re the above work. Carried. sits for offices. The Committee appointed to secure a site for offices was brought up and read by Mr Hay. The Committee recommended the purchase of a quarter-acre section from Mr H. Piper, at the Head of the Bay, for £25. The section had 70 feet frontage to the Beach road, was adjoining the Post-office and Telegraph Station, and* was in every respect suitable. On the motion of Mr Barker, seconded by Mr Bradley, it was resolved to adopt the committee's recommendation, and accept Mr Piper's offer. WAINUI ROAD EXTENSION AND LONG BAY ROAD.

An application was received from the Akaroa and Wainui Road Board, applying for the balance of special grants for these roads.It was resolved that the amounts be paid, viz., £860 6s for the former road, and £350 for the latter. NEW OFFICES. Tho Chairman suggested that perhaps it would be well to consider the sort of buildings the Council would require. Perhaps the gentlemen who had kindly acted as a committee in the 'selection of a site would undertake to prepare plans and report to next meeting. Mr Barker thought they could settle the matter at the time. Finally it. was resolved that the same committee be instructed to procure a plan for offices of four rooms, and six-stall stable, and if they approve of the same to call for tenders for their erection, the Chairman being authorized to take the necessary steps for completing the purchase of the land. allocation op funds. As a preliminary to the consideration of this question, the Chairman read the following returns, received from the various Koad Boards: — Little River—Valuation, £16,622; rates, £358 17s 9d. Akaroa and Wainui, £15,083 ; rates, £490 3s sd; Okain's Bay—£s7lo ; rates, £214 2s 6d. Pigeon Bay (approximate), £5000. Port Levy—£49ss; rates, £124. Port Victoria...£33Bs ; rates, £76 9s 6d. Mr Williams thought they should take into consideration the amount of rates in each district. He considered it would be an injustice that those districts which had rated themselves at a high rate should be called upon to maintain roadß for those districts which had not rated themselves in a similar manner. He said that the Little River Road Board asked for an addition of one ninth over and above their share, oh the ground of havjcg a con-

siderable length of road to keep in repair, and yet they had only levied a sixpenny rate, whereas the Akaroa and Wainui Road Board had levied ninepence. Mr Gebbie reminded" members that the road through the Little River district was of benefit to all the extreme parts of the country, and tended to increase the value of property all over the district, whereas roads made, in Okain's Bay for instance, had no effect on the value of property in Little-River. . 1 Mr Barker thoroughly agreed with Mr Williams' that the distribution should be made on the basis of rates levied instead of valuation. On reference to the minutes of a previous meeting, it was discovered jhat the Council had already decided that the distribution should be made according to valuation. ; The Chairman suggested a plan of distribution, viz., that £5000 be allotted, which would give about 2s in the pound to each district. Mr Gebbie would move that prior to the distribution, £1000 be allocated to the Akaroa and Christchurch road through the Akaroa and Wainui and Little River Road Districts. Mr Coop seconded the proposition. Mr Fleming thought such a plan would be very bard on Port Levy. Messrs Hay and Barker expressed themselves to the same effect on behalf of the Pigeon Bay and the Okain's Districts. The resolution was lost, only the proposer and seconder voting for it. Mr Williams then proposed the following resolution :—" That the Council proceed to allocate to the different Road Boards a sum of 2s in the £ on the amount of rateable property as shewn by the valuation list, the amounts so allocated to be spent on the main roads considered most necessary by the Road Boards." The resolution was carried, Mr Coop dissenting. RESIGNATION OF CHAIRMAN. The Chairman stated that at the next meeting he should place his resignation in the hands of the Council. He found that he could not devote the necessary time to the duties of the office. Mr Williams hoped the Chairman would re-consider his decision. They could easily arrange that he need not attend every meeting. The Chairman said he found that the duties of his office rendered it impossible for him to do them that justice which was their due. The Council then adjourned till Saturday, March 29.