CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Clutha Leader, Volume V, Issue 208, 5 July 1878, Page 3

CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of the County Council of Clutha was held in the Court-house on Friday last. There were •' present-^Messrs M'Neil (Chairman), Dal-" 1 las, Jenkinson, Ayson, Jowitt, Scott, and r Roberts. ; :

A COMPLAINT. '■* Previous to the confirmation of the ! . minutes, . Mr Dallas called attention to the fact " r that it was more than half an hour past ■' c> the hour of meeting before the Chairman and several Councillors had put in an ap.'pearance. Half an hour's grace was al- '-" lowed by the Act, and he was just about to adjourn the meeting when he saw the = Chairman coming. The hour of meeting f had been changed from 3.1 to 12 o'clock, so as to secure punctual attendance, but he was sorry to find it had not the desired ; effect. It was too bad to have to lose time day after day waiting for a quorum. The Chairman said it was not more than half an hour past the hour when he arrived, and that was the time allowed by the Act. He had been waiting to see Councillors go to the meeting, and had not been awrare that any had arrived. BeI sides, they sometimes had a good deal of ]| business) to do outside. 1 Mr Jenkinson waa glad Mr Dallas had 1 drawn attention to the matter. A num- * ber of Councillors had to travel a long §1 distance to attend the meetings, and it g was too bad to have to wait so long after % they arrived. I The Chairman had been keeping a look I out, and was not aware they had arrived. | MXNTTTES. ft The minutes of previous ordinary meet- | ing and special meeting were read and §: confirmed. | CONFERENCE OF COUNTY COUNCILS. I Letters were read from the Chairman of j| the "VVestland County Council, intimating S the postponement of the conference till P 6th August, and expressing a hope that the < g: Clutha Council would be represented at [I the meeting. I H The letters were received. j j| THE COUNTY SUBSIDY. g A letter was read from the Clerk to the K Glydevale Road Board, intimating that 1: the Board was not disposed to hand over I to the Council the subsidy paid to it by I the Government. I Mr Jenkinson said that being a new | Councillor he did not fully understand the | matter, but ho was aware it had given rise I to much unpleasantness throughout the I County. If the Road Boards were entitled |L to the subsidy he thought the Council I had done wrong in asking them to hand it I over, but if it belonged to the Council % then it should have it all returned.

The Chaikman explained the matter. In consequence of the Council not sooner adopting the whole Act, the second year's subsidy went to the Boards. The Government had asked him to act as Commissioner to apportion the subsidy. He might have acted and spent the money where he chose ; but the Council thought the better plan was to relieve the Boards of all responsibilities they had incurred in anticipation of the subsidy, and the^Council to expend the balance. This would have been the simplest way of dealing with it, but some of theJßoards had declined to hand over the j money to the Council. The Council of course wa<3 entirely in the power of the Board in the matter. The Board can spend the monej 7 where they think proper. Mr Ayson said he believed the Boards would expend the subsidy upon the main roads. The letter was received. BYBLAWS. A letter was read from the Vincent County Council, forwarding the byelaws adopted by that Council, and asking the Clutha Council to reciprocate tho compliment. — Agreed to. ROAD TO CATLIN'S. An intimation was received from the Treasury that £500 had been placed to the County account as a first payment of th 3 graut for works on road to Catlin's River. MATATT BRIDGE. A letter^wasfs read from the Minister of Public Works, intimating that the control of the Matau Bridge had been transferred from the Bruce to the Clutha Council. A letter was read from the Clerk to the Matau Road Board, pointing out that a balance of £15 of the vote for Mata\i Bridge was still unexpended, and expressing the desire of the Board that that sum should be spent in forming the approach to the bridge on the Inch Clutha side. Mr Dallas thought that seeing the Board had received so much subsidy that properly belonged to the Council a portion of it could be employed to form the approach. He moved accordingly. The Chairman said the Council had received £15, while the Board had got £50. Mr Jenkinson seconded the motion, which was carried. RETURN -WANTED. The following letter from the Clerk to the South Molyneux Road Board was read : — Sir, — At a meeting of the South Molyneux Road Board held to-day, I was instructed to write the Clutha County Council and ask for a return of the money expended by the Council in the South Molvneux Riding since the end of September, 1877, the same not to include any sum expended out of the money voted by the Government. Also, a return of all work being done in the said Riding on the 30th May last. The Chairman considered the letter a peremptory request to come from a Road Board to the Council. Mr Jowitt did not think there was anything unusual in the request. The matter of the County subsidies which had been paid to the Road Boards had not been well managed by the Council. If the Boards had been properly dealt with, he had no doubt the whole of them would have returned the money to the County. The South Molyneux Board had written to the Council on the subject, but their communication had not even been act knowledged, nor had the slightest notice been taken of it. He thought, therefore, the request was a very reasonable and necessary one. Mr Jenkinson said the Board must know, perfectly well what sums had been expended in the^ Biding. Mr Jowitt said, they had no doubt seen it in the Gltjtha Leader, but they were not supposed to depend for information in such matters upon newspaper reports. Further consideration of the letter was deferred. PLACE OF MEETING. A letter waa read from Mr T. T. Ritchie,

President of the Athensaum Committee, offering the use of the Athenseum Hall for the meetings of the Council for the sum of £25 per annum. The Chairman said the matter of securing a proper place for their meetings had been brought up at last meeting. He had intended calling upon Mr Lloyd about Barr's Hall, but had put off doing so till that morning. Mr Lloyd was willing to give the use of the hall for the meetings and a room for their records for the sum of £20 per annum, it being understood that the meetings of the Council should not interfere with any entertainment that might be held in the hall. Mr Jenkinson said there had been a great deal of remissness in connection with this matter. At last meeting it had been left with the Chairman and Clerk to put themselves in communication with Mr Lloyd to endeavour to arrange for the meetings of the Council being held in the hall. When he (Mr Jenkinson) arrived in Balcluth a that forenoon he found Mr Lloyd had never been communicated with upon the subject, and then he (Mr Jenkinson), the Chairman, and some othex-s had called upon him. But he must say there had been a great deal of remissness and neglect on the part of the Clerk ; the Chairman might be excused. If such neglect should again occur, he would move a vote of censure upon the Clerk, and probably include the Chairman. If order were not preserved , and attention given to the decisions of tho Council, the affairs of the County would get into confusion. He felt very much annoyed that the request of the Council in the matter of tho place of meeting had not been attended to. The Ohaikman said when any matter was referred to himself individually it had his prompt attention. When left to two individuals there sometimes wp.s a difficulty in getting a meeting. It would have been more regular of the Council to have left it to himself alone, as the Clerk was the servant of Lhe Council, and wli.-n anything was referred to him he should be requested to write. Mr Jenkinson said tho explanation they had listened to from the Chairman only made matters much worse. He now had had no hesitation in moving a vote of consure upon the Chairman and Clerk for neglect of duty. There was no seconder. Mr Dallas said that although he was not prepared to go the length of seconding the motion there could be no doubt whatever that the business was very much neglected by the Chairman and Clerk. In the matter of the subsidies that ,had gone to the Road Boards, for instance, the Chairman had been asked to meet tho Boards and arrange the matter. He had not done so. Had the proper steps been I taken, the Boards would have readily handed over the money. ! Mr Jowitt said with ref erence to Lloyd's Hall it would never do for the Council to be bundled out when the hall was required for an entertainment. If the Athenceum Hall could be got, he believed it would be j much more suitable. He had f m-ther to say, there was a feeling amongst Councillors that the business of the County was important business. The Chairman and Clerk had probably discovered their duties to be more arduous than they had anticipated, but he must say that in connection with ths conduct of these very great laxity had been shewn. He had a very strong feeling, and so had many others, that the necessary attention was not given to the business of tho County. Mr Jenkinson asked whether the English Church or tho Presbyterian Church could not bo got for their meetings. The Chairman said the present Presbyterian Church would be empty very soon. He had no doubt it might then be got. After some further discussion, it was agreed that Councillors should inspect the Athonseum Hall during the adjournment for lunch. ALTERATION OF BOUNDARIES. The following resolution, passed at a mooting of the Clutha Road Board, was read : — That this Board respectfully requests t.Tie Clutha County Council to reconsider their resolution in regard to alteration of boundaries of Ridings passed at last meeting of the Council, specially with reference to the Clinton Hiding, as the Board is of opinion that tho proposed alteration is most unfair, and if carried out will give great dissatisfaction. Consideration was deferred till the special meeting re boundaries of Ridings. I An adjournment for lunchon then took ; place. Upon resuming — engineer's report. The following report by the Engineer was read and adopted : — I have the honour to report that according to instructions tenders have been called for forming and metalling about four chains on Catlins-road near to Jackman and Co.'s mill, Glenomaru ; also for culverting and forming portions of Mataura-road, Clinton to Waipahi. I have made a survey of work required to open the road-line up the Waikoikoi valley to the reserve at Mr M'lntyre's. The drawings for the work are not completed, hut I state as au approximate estimate that it will take L 450 to make the road passable. It will not be advisable to expend much labour on Wairuna school road in the meantime ; in order to prevent the school creek from flowing over the road about seven chains will have to be raised. It will take L3O to do the earthwork. Main South Road.-— The carting out of maintenance metal for the road east of Clinton has been suspended for the last three weeks. The men are employed in breaking and spreading it out. At Wahvera mill there has been 14k chains metalled and the formation widened, also about three chains repaired with rotten rock near to tho Waiwers school. Contracts. — Contract No. 14 for the supply of maintenance metal on Port Molyneux road at Somerville's flat is the ouly contract completed. The contractor has laid down a larger quantity than what was specified. I beg to suggest that the Council should take the surplus quantity. That portion of the road has been severely washed with, the floods, and it will take all the metal to keep ifc in repair. I beg to bring specially under the notice of the Council the non-completion of the contracts that were let for the supply of maintenance metal, namely, Nos. 1, 7, and 12. The accounts r-endered for the month ending June 20 are as follows :— Main South Road, east of Clinton — Day labour, supplying metal, breaking, and spreading, L 99; metalling at Waiwera mill, LllO 3s ; surface labour, L 37 15s ; repairing tools, pick-handles, and blasting powder, L 4 4a 4d. Port Molyneux RoadSurface labour, L 9 5s Gd. Catlins ftoad— ■ Surface labour, L 8 11s. Progress payment on contract No. 16, 75 per cent, on estimated amount of work done (LM), L 33. Mr Jowitt called attention to the irregularity that existed in paying the surfacemen. It was wrong that such men should be kept out of their money for three months. They loudly complained of it, and such neglects were speedily

bringing the. County into disrepute. He knew of no reason why the men should not be. paid regularly, and moved that they be paid regularly every month. Mr Dallas seconded the motion.

Mr Scobie said there were great complaints all over the country upon the subject. The storekeepers could not get their money from the men, and the excuse was that they were not paid by the County. When men were once taken on to work the overseer could not discharge them, however inefficient they might be, as he could not pay them what they had earned. As he could not pay, he had no control j over the men. There was great neglect J somewhere. Mr Jowitt asked why the men had not been paid regularly. The Chairman said ho could not tell. He had never demurred to pay a cheque. He was glad the matter had been brought up, as it was not creditable to«the County that such a state of things should exist. The Treasuk.br explained that the men had never been kdpt three months out of their pay. Thcro had been a little delay last month, as he had had a difficulty in getting the cheques signed after he had received the pay-sheet from the engineer. The Chairman said it was a standing rule to j>ay once a month. MrtScoTT said the Inspector should be placed in a position to pay the men at any time. It would be a simple matter to adopt the Government voucher system which would enable the men at once to get their money. Mr Jenkinson said this was just another case of remissness, but after the expression of their minds upon the subject given that day by Councillors, he thought they might safely leave the matter in the hands of the Chairman and Clerk to devise some means of prompt payment of the men. The discussion should drop. Mr Dallas concurred. The Engineer said he sent in his paysheets regularly every month. Tho Chairman said the matter would be attended to and the subject dropped. JETTY AT CATLINS, A telegram was read from the Minister of Works that the sum voted for the jetty at Catlins River could not be handed over to the Council as it was necessary that the plans of the works should have the approval of the Governor. ; PROGRESS PAYMENT. Mr J. Chirnsido applied for progress payments upon his contracts. It was pointed out that the application should have been sent through the Engineer. Referred to the Engineer. ACCOUNTS. G. Bain — reporting on roads, L 7 12s. The Chairman said the Council had asked him to get Mr Bain to report upon the state of the roads when the Council took them over. The work had been done, and ho "considered tho charge reasonable. Mr Dallas said it was distinctly understood no charge was to be made in connection with the report. Mr Bain had furnished a report, but it waa to be without charge. After a discussion the Clerk read the minute bearing upon, the subject, from which it appeared the rej>ort was oil'ered i to be made " free of remuneration. " The account was ultimately paased, as was one Clutha Leader, advertising, &c. , L2G 7s 6d. ADVERTISING. Mr Jowitt asked for an explanation with reference to the County advertise- . ments appearing in tho Bruce Herald. They had that day passed a heavy account for advertising, but that was to the County paper. In that case the whole of the ratepayers got the benefit, and did not complain. It was different with the Bruce Herald. In its case the ratepayers of the Clutha County got no benefit whatever, and therefore had a right to complain. Mr Dallas pointed out that the advertisements were also appearing in the Tapanui Courier. He was aware that it had been agreed to insert in that paper an advertisement calling for tenders for works in that part of the County, but this was all that had been authorised. The Chairman said an advertisement calling for tenders for works had been sent to the Bruce Herald simply through want of thought. The Clerk received an application for the advertisement, and had asked him upon the subject. He was busy at the time, and, without thinking, said, " Oh, let them have a turn of it." If any other advertisements were published in the Herald or any other paper it was without order. Mr Dallas said the advertisements should only be ordered in the Leader — the County paper. Mr Jenkinson produced slips of dog tax, rate notice, and other advertisements from the Bruce Herald, for which he contended there was no necessity, as that paper did not circulate to any extent in any part of the district. The Chairman repeated that if such advertisements had appeared in the Herald they were unauthorised. Mr Jenkinson suggested they should have their advertising done by tender. They all knew that the whole of the ratepayers within the County and many elsewhere got the Leader ; they recognised that it was a very good, well-conducted paper, and the proprietor had their hearty good wishes. But, as a matter of business, they might get their advertising done cheaper were they to call for tenders. — (Laughter.) Mr Jowitt suggested that in the case of .long and standing advertisements the proprietor of the Leader might reduce the charge, on the same principle as goods could always be purchased cheaper wholesale than retail. The matter then dropped. TENDERS. Glenomarn Road — W. Morton, £54 105. This was the only tender for the work, and it was about £10 higher than the Engineer's estimate. This, it was explained, was in consequence of the present unfavourable weather, and it was believed the work would be got better done and at a cheaper rate if it were delayed a few months. Fresh tenders to be called for in three months; COLLECTION OP DOG- TAX. The following tenders were received : — Colin Thorn, 10|d per head ; Robert | Thomson, is ; A. Henderson, 9d ; A. ' Ironside, 9d ; W. Howie (no rate stated).

Mr Dallas considered that the collector of the rates should also collect the dog tax, and be paid by salary. He thought it would be a strange proceeding to send one man round to the ratepapers to collect a dog tax, to be followed by another to collect the ordinary rates. "A long discussion ensued, in the course of which several motions and amendments were made. Ultimately a salary for collecting both rates was fixed at L9O per annum, and it was resolyed to call for applications for the appointment of collector. PLACE OP MEETING. Mr Jowitt moved that Mr Ritchie's offer be accepted for the Athenaeum Hall as a place of meeting ; the agreement to be for only six months. Ho did not think it would be prudent to take it for a longer period, as the Council might determine to erect suitable buildings for themselves. Mr Scobie seconded the motion, which was carried. TE HOTTKA ROAD, Mr Dallas, according to notice, moved that L3O be voted for the road through Te Houka. He pointed out that a large amount of rates would be got from that district and one third of the whole County subsidy was on rates levied in the Pomohaka Road District. He thought, therefore, the district was fairly entitled to the assistance asked. Mr Ayson seconded the motion. After a discussion, the motion was lost by four to three votes. COUNTY ROAD IN INCH CLUTHA. The next motion on the Order Paper was one of Jwhich notice had been given by Mr Ayson, to have the centre road, Inch Clutha, declared a County road, instead of of the one down the Matau branch river bank, as previously decided upon. Mr Ayson said he had received two petitions from Inch Clutha, one in favor of each road. He therefore did not know well what the settlers wanted, or how to act in the matter. Ho laid the petitions on tho table, and consideration was deferred. road — hogg's bridge to kathxku. Mr Ayson, for the Chairman, moved that the road from Hogg's Bridge to the two bridges, Kaihiku, be declared a j County road, . and that a sum of L2OO be at once expended on it. Mr Ayson, in moving the motion, pointed out that that part of the County had received less than any other part from the County, and he thought it was fairly entitled to have the road declared a County road, and the sum he had named expended upon, it. Mr Jowitt seconed the motion pro forma. Mr Scott supported the motion. He had opposed it on a former occasion when the matter was brought up, but he had since seen good cause for changing his mind. The road was in a vpry bad state, and he thought it was one that should be taken in charge by the County. A great argument in favour of this course was that it had been a Government road until forced upon the Board. He thought all Government roads should be declared County roads. Mr Dallas opposed the motion, as it would be unjust to other parts of the County. The Warepa district had a railway and a County road running a long way parallel to the road, and now they wanted another County road. This was not fair. A third of the subsidy came from his district, which had got nothing done for it. Mr Jowitt would not object to the vote of L2OO for the road, but he decidedly objected to the County taking over any more roads in the meantime. Mr Jenkinson considered L2OO would be an extravagant sum to vote for the road. The Chairman supported the motion, which was carried by five to three votes. THE EATE BOOK. The Clerk reported, that the Rate Book had not been completed, as he had been unable to get the roll from the Clutha Road Board. The making of the rate therefore postponed for a month. This concluded the business of the ordinary meeting. Special Meeting. A special meeting of the Coimcil was then held, the same members being present. BOUNDARIES OF RIDINGS. Mr Dat/las moved that the resolution passed at last meeting of Council, altering the boundaries and representation of the Ridings, be confirmed. Mr Jenkinson seconded the motion. Upon being put to the meeting, there voted — Ayes (4) : The Chairman, Messrs Jowitt, Dallas, and Jenkinson. Noes (4) : Messrs Scott, Scobie, and Ayson, and Roberts. The result seemed a surprise, and both the ayes and the noes loudly claimed the Chairman's vote. Mr Scott claimed it for the noes upon the ground that it would leave the boundaries of the Ridings as they were. The resolution of the previous meeting, he said, did not alter them, and could not do so until it was confirmed. He also claimed it upon the ground that the Chairman, since the meeting commenced, had promised to him he would give it against confirming the resolution. Mr Dam. as contended that, according to Parliamentary practice, the Chairman must give his vote with the ayes, so that matters should remain as they were — i.e., that the resolution passed at last meeting might stand. He would upset that resolution and alter the position of matters were he to vote with the noes. Mr Scobie supported Mr Scott's view of the matter, and said the Chairman had also pledged his word to him since the meeting commenced that he would give his casting vote with the noes. He also assured the Chairman that the whole of ' the ratepayers were opposed to the p-oposed alteration of the boundaries, and urged him not to vote to favour a few against the mind of the general public. He pointed to the resolution of the Clinton Road Board on to show what the feeling was on the subject. The Chairman said it had been advertised for a month that the meeting was to ■be held that day to confirm ihe resolution of last meeting altering the boundaries. Everyone knew of it, and yet there had been no petition- against it or any objection taken. There was the resolution of the Clutha Road Board, but that was only a., small section of the community. Seeing there was no other objection,,,the^presumption was that the rest of the-rate-

payers were in favour of the resolution passed at last meeting. In giving his casting vote as Chairman he was obliged to discard his own views in the matter and vote according to rule. A certain resolution had been passed at last meeting ; he would not disturb that resolution ; he must allow matters to remain as they were. His vote, therefore, would be with the ayes.

Mr Scobie entered a protest against the decision. Had he not been thoroughly deceived, he would have entered fully into the matter and shown that the public were unanimous against an alteration of the boundaries. He held that the whole proceedings were irregular and illegal, and protested accordingly. BYE-LAWS. Mr Ayson moved that the Bye-Laws passed at last meeting as to slaughterhouses be confirmed. ' 'Mr Dallas seconded, and it was carried. The meeting then adjourned. PROTEST. I hereby protest against confirmation of Councillor Dallas' motion affecting any alteration of boundaries of Ridings, and the representation thereof. Ist. Because the resolution does not provide for a more equitable adjustment of the representation as embodied therein, and as pretended to affect. 2nd. That the motion as passed in Committee was not reported to the Council a3 required by clauses 83 and 87 of the Counties Act. 3rd. That the alteration has not been confirmed at such earlier period than June 20, as is. necessary for preparing electoral rolls for next general election in November, as required by sections 48 and 60 of the Counties Act. 4th. That the action of the Chairman in giving his casting vote affecting any alteration is contrary to parliamentary practice, and not in accordance with section 2, bye-law No. 1, of the Council. Robert Scobie. Clinton, July 3, 1878.