ORDINARY MEETING.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume VII, Issue 631, 1 August 1882, Page 3

ORDINARY MEETING.

The ordinary meeting was then held, the same memibers being present. MINUTES. The minutes of the prior meeting were read and confirmed. APPLICAITIO-f. Mr Thos. Brooks waited on the Council respecting the license of the Somerset Hotel. He said he had proffered the Clerk the license fee on the last d>iy of June, but the Clerk had refused to take it, saying it -was illeguh He had not at first intended to take out the license, but afterwards determined to do so. As his former license ■did not expire till the Ist July, he thought he hud a right to the license if he paid the fee before the other license expired!, and he had been told in Christchurch that Ibis was the case. He had 6ecn a Chri_ipaper in which appeared an advertisement telling publicans to take out their (licenses at the end of June. He understood that as long as the certificate from <the Licensing Committee, to the effect that „ lioense would be granted, was taken up by the publican within 14 days of the time that the Committee had decided the license should be granted, that the money could _c paid any time in June. Mr Latter explained that on the 21st of June Mr. Brooke had paid the money for the Hill Top Hotel license, but had stated distinctly that he did not intend to take up the license for the Somerset Hotel. He had taken the certificate on the 7th, the date of the meeting of the Licensing Committee, and the Act clearly stated the money must be paid in 14 days after, or the license would be forfeited. He nad told Mr Brooks on tbe 21st that it was the last day. When Mr Brooks had afterwards offered him the money, be had told him he •did not think he could take it, but he had at once telegraphed to Messrs Harper & Co. for a legal opinion, and they had replied, " Section 70 of 'The Licensing Act' as decisive. Do not think you can take fee." Mr Brooks said he was sure that- Mr Oram had not paid his license fee till the •end of the month. Mr Latter said that if the certificate had not been taken out so soon it might have been managed, but it was clearly illegal to receive the money more than 14 days after tho issuing of tbe certificate. Several members spoke of the great inconvenience resulting through tbe closing of the hotel, and Mr J. Gebbie moved : v That tho Council knowing the inconvenience to the public through the closing ■of the Somerset Hotel, requests the Berard Licensing Committee will consider the case re granting conditional license." Seconded by Mr Masefield and carried. It was specially mentioned that the Council were of opinion tbat Mr Latter had acted in a thoroughly proper manner in taking tho course he did.

ES.. STATEMENT. iade. a statement of the efore the meeting. (WENT CIRCULAR. to go into committee lestions re local Govinson's circular. Redon, Mr Fleming was ection of Chairman in Mayors,' on the ground embers of the County as Chairman, because listance, and that suppose a Chairman were elected by all the electors as a Mayor is, people knowing he was elected for that special post would choose some one living in the neighborhood capable of doing tbe business. Other members, however, were opposed on the ground of the expense of the election. The question, therefore, was answered in the negative, and the same reply was returned to questions 2 and 3. Regarding No. 4, it was resolved to reply-that the present system'was considered most suitable. ' It was resolved not to answer' No. 5. To No. 6 the reply was—Only on the petition of a majority of the ratepayers; To No. 7—Alteration shou'd only be made with the consent of both. Nos. 8 and 9— As at present. No 10 not answered. No. 11—As at present. No. 12—No. No. 13— No. Mos. 14, 15, and 16 not answered. Mr Gebbie proposed as an additional recommendation—"That the County Chairman for the time being should be a J,P." (Agreed to.) Mr Fleming proposed as additions—lst. "That engineers, whenemployed to lay out the best road to be found, and failing to do so, either from carelessness or a want of knowledge of their profession, should be liable to be brought before a ■court of enquiry, such as is held over captains of ships When their vessels are wrecked, and ii it is proved that the road is not as good as it should be, that tbeir certificate be taken away—(negatived). 2nd. That the County Council only discharge such duties as Road Boards cannot undertake—(negatived). After discussion, in which Mr Fleming explained that he meant the Council should not undertake any more works like the Balguerie Toad or that done for Okain's Bay Road Board. Mr M. sefksld and other member* were of opinion that a case might occur in whioh it would be absolutely necessary for the Council to do certain works for the immediate f-elief of tbe ratepayers. The Council then went out of committee. Progress was reported, and the replies ordered to be seßt to the Government. CORRESPONDENCE. Letters were read— From Selwyn County Council, as follows :— " Christchurch, May 30. 1882. "Sir,—l am directed by the Clmirman of the Selwyn County Council to acknowledge the receipt -of your letter of the 10th instant, in reference to the lowering of the water in the lagoon- at Ahuriri, and to state that the Council is of opinion that tiie best advice on the subject would le obtained from tbe re-dents in the neighborhood, and oe-i hearing their-opinion, and the estimated cost of the proposed works, the Council will further consider the matter. —Yours, etc, " W. Jameson* Clerk to the Council." Mr Gebbie produced /plan .of. land affected, that'had been asked for. After much discussion, it was proposed by Mr Bradley that the letter of the Selwyn County Council be forwarded to I lie Little l.iv. r Road Board, stating that the Akarua Couruy Council coincided in the reply of the Selwyn County Ooun.i!, and would take the matter into consideration when tiie necessary information was forwarded. Seconded by Mr Gebbie and carried unanimouely. From the Government, re Gazetie notice of allocation of boundaries of county. From the Little River Road Board, as follows:— " Little River Road Board, June 7th, 1882. " Sir,—l have the honor, by direction of the above Board, to acknowledge receipt of your letter, requesting to bo informed what action this Board have taken in tho matter of closing a road'leading to section 21799 <&c, and to inform you in reply that this Foard have not been aware that the road referred to is closed, having had no notification of the fact from the survey department, but that the matter will now be enquired into.—Yours etc., " T. QUEALY, " Clerk to iho Roa-d." , From Mr R. F. Holdernesß, sheep and cattle inspector, asking for list oil-licensed -laughter-house-i in the county. j'. The list had been fora_-K__><J. From Ashburton Cbunfy CtouneH, re resolution regarding return by owners of steam thrashing machines of grain thrashed. It was resolved that a copy of the letter received from the Ashburton County Council be forwarded to the Government. From the Colonial Secretary's office, asking for return of expense of carrying out Licensing Act in each district. The Clerk stated the retnrn had been forwarded. From Mr J. Armstrong, as follows :— " Akaroa' 24th July, 1882. " Sir,—l wish to bring under your notice the present state of the Balguerie road made by your Council. The culverts are all choked up and the water that should escape through them is cutting up the road with ruts, and the water channels aro all blocked up with land slips. I think it is a pity the road is allowed to be destroyed in this way for want of an outlay of a few pounds. I have spent something on it myself for the safety of my trams, but for the future must hold the Council responsible for any accidents that may happen to them. Could it not be arranged that the cost of keeping it in repair could be stopped out of any subsidy the Council might hereafter grant to the Road Board, and if the Road Board was made aware of this fact they might consider it their duty to keep the road in repair.— Yours etc., G. Armstrong , Moved by Mr Gebbie, and seconded by by Mr Wm. Masefield, that Mr Armstrong be advised to apply to the Akaroa and Wainui Road Board. (Carried.) Mr Fleming said that he thought the matter should be put at rest Mr Anson had said at Little River that certain roads were County roads. He should like to have it clearly understood that if the Council made a road they were not obliged to keep it in repair. He was much opposed to any work of the sort being done at all. Mr Masefield said that if the main > road were stopped the Council would [ have to get it cleared if the Road Board i had no funds. J From Mr Jollie, Chairman of the'

German Bay School Committee, asking for 50 trees for planting round the school. It was resolved that provided there were any of the trees left in the Domain, the application of the German Bay School Committee be granted. notice of motion. Mr Fleming gave notice of motion for next meeting as follows:—''That the resolution fixing members travelling expences be rescinded with a view to alteration." ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £.1 9s lid were passed for payment. THE DEPUTATION TO WELLINGTON. Mr Bradley said he had waited as long as possible before saying anything about the journey of Mr Joblin and himself to Wellington, in the hope that Mr Joblin would be amongst them himself. He regretted much that owing to severe illness in his family Mr Joblin was unable to be present. In the first place they got to Wellington on Friday, which was too soon for them to do any business, as they could not see Mr Blair till the Monday. On the Monday they saw Messrs Blair and Blackett.and expected to see the Minister for Public Works, but had to go up to Parliament House to find the latter. They threaded a labyrinth of passages before finally reaching what he might term this formidable person's den, and when they got there, the first thing he asked was, " What have the County Council to do with the lake ?" Mr Joblin very properly answered him that, as residents along the line of railway, they were all largely interested*in the lake doing no damage to the line, and that as the Government did not seem to be aware of the danger to the permanent way owing to the rising of the Lake water, the Council had deputed himself and Mr Brad: ley to put the matter prominently before them. There was little more said then, but on Tuesday they went to the Engineer's office, and laid plans and evidence before Mr Blair. Mr Blair said he did not think it possible tbe lake could be filled up from the sea. It was entirely new to him, and of course he could not understand why Mr Hardy Johnston had made no mention of it. Mr Joblin said the evidence of some of the oldest settlers had been that the water had risen several feet with little or no rainfall. Mr Blackett said that if a weir were made, the basin formed would soon be filled up with shingle. He (Mr Bradley) then replied that if this was not the case when the water came right into tbe lake, how could it be the case when a weir was erected. Mr Blair said if there were any danger to the line they would raise it, and on tbeir replying that it would bo an expensive matter if tbey had to raise the line four feet, Mr Blair said the water never rose to that height, and that they were wrong in their levels. They had, however, promised to fully investigate the plan, and see what could be done, and Mr Montgomery, Sir John Hall, nnd Messrs 0 Callaghan, Wynn Williams, and Buchanan had promised to give the matter their best attention and support. He (Mr Bradley) believed that the deputation had done a great deal of good in going to Wellington and bringing the matter prominently forward, as be was sure that their personal'explanations laid tbe matter in a clearer light before the Engineers. The Chairman said he thought tbe best thanks of the Council were due to those gentlemen who bad gone up to Wellington regar ling this m-ittcr at their own expense. That they hid done good no one could doubt, for before they went the Government did not seem to know that water came into the lake from the sea at all. He begged to propose a nearty vote of thanks to Messrs Bradley and Joblin. This was seconded by Mr Boleyn and carried unanimously. Mr Bradley thanked them heartily for Mr Joblin and himself, and hoped they had done good. He was glad to go because what he saw did good to himself, He had learnt a lesson ho should not forget regarding wasting time in trifles, when he had seen the M.H.R.'s at their work from 7.30 in the evening to 7 the next morning. ADJOURNMENT. The Council then adjourned till Saturday, September 23rd.