VINCENT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 773, 9 February 1877, Page 3

VINCENT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Tho Council mot on Friday, 2nd inst., at 2 p.m. Present—Vincent Pyke, Esq., (Chairman), and Councillors Fraser, Davidson, Greenbank, Pitches, Mitebinson, Baird, and M'Kenna. Tho minutes of previous meeting wore read and confirmed. Letter was read from Mr. J. C. Chappie making application for tbo position of Collector. Resolved—That the letter be held over for future consideration. Letter from Borough of Cromwell re merging into tho County. Cr M'Kenna tabled a notice of motion that the letter bo held over till next sitting. The report of the Appointments’ Committee recommending that the following appointments be made, was read and adopted : Clerk and Sub-Treasurer, Mr Geo. Clark, salary, L 250 per annum ; Surveyor of Roads and Works, Mr M'George, salary, L4OO per annum aud no travelling allowance. The above officers to give their undivided attention to tho duties of their offices. Solicitor, Mr F. J. Wilson. The Chairman said, as the question of his salary was next to be considered he would ask leave to retire, Consent being given, and Cr Davidson voted to the chair, Cr Baird proposed, and Cr Mitehinson seconded—That the salary of the Chairman he L4OO per annum. Cr Pitches proposed as an amendment, and Cr Greenbank seconded—That it be L 330. The motion was declared carried, four voting for, and two against. Cr Pyke now resumed the chair, aud said —While the question of Officers was on the table he would suggest that Returning Officers, in accordance with Section 6 of the Regulation of Elections Act, be appointed. From information received he believed there would shortly be a vacancy in the Council; he was not at liberty to say further. The discussion was adjourned. Tho Executive Committee reported that •in reply to communication with the General Government the following replies had been received Ist. From Hon, George M'Lean —“ Got on as fast as you can with valuations, and state cause of misadventure for the consideration of the Governor in Council.” 2nd. From Under-Secretary—“'Tell Valuators to use all diligence"; and state reason of misadventure.” 3rd. From Minister of Justice—“lf valuation lists are not ■in, will instruct Assessing Courts, under Section 28 of Rating A ct to appoint valuers, ■and make lists.” Discussion ensued on the communications from the Government re the Assessment, ■eventuating in a resolution that a telegram ho forwarded to the Government asking for an extension-of time till the latter end of current month for objections to assessment to be received ; and explaining that in consequence of Government not having appointed Judges of Assessment Courts for County that the Council is not able to issue notices to ratepayers da accordance with See. 12 of “ The Rating Act, 1870.” The Execu ti ve Committee recommend th at thdOfiice hours of the Council be from 10 to 1 a.m.. and 2 t0.4 p.m., Saturdays excepted, when from 10 to 12 a.m. They reported further, that of thirteen applicants for the position of Valuers they had selected Mr J. C. Chappie, for Manuherikia, Matakanui, and Earnscleugh Ridings, at L 27 10s ; Mr G. Aitken, Hawea Riding, at LlB ; Mr R. Reid, Kawarau and Nevis, at Ll7 ; and Mr P. W. Young, for all Pastoral Runs, at L 25. They finally reported that Tenders had been invited for advertising ; and that they had instructed the Assessment Notices to bo printed on Postal Cards, by tbe Cromwell Argus Office ; and that letters bad been written to the various Banks inviting terms from them for doing tbe business of tbe ■County. The report was adopted as read. Tho Chairman laid on the table, and read following figures as obtained by him from various departments—Area of County in the Provincial District of Otago, 1,550,400 acres; area in Canterbury Province he had not been able to obtain; the area included 7512 acres freehold, 8400 acres agricultural leases, 3979 acres deferred paymc-St leases. ■Revenue of County for the past year— gold duty, L 3307 ; under the Goldfields Act, L 2742 ; licenses, LC2I ; dog tax, L 226. This will show a total of nearly L7OOO without a penny of taxation or any assistance from the land fund. Return of gold for County last year, 33,701 ounces ; for the month of January of current year, 4325 ounces was returned, which would give L 430 as gold duty. Valuation'rolls were nowlaid on the table ; and tho total assessment of each riding was read ns follows : Pastoral lands only— Rawea, L 4590 ; Manuherikia, Llßl3 ; Earnsdough, L 1252 ; Matakanui, L 899; Nevis, L 021); Kawarau, L 530 ; total, L 9704. Houses, leaseholds, and other property—llawoa, 1.5437 ; Manuherikia, L2GII ; Kawarau, L 2213 ; Matakanui, L 1931 ; Earnscleugh, LS9O ; Nevis, L 373 ; total, L 13,453 ; making tho total assessment of County, 123,157 Tlie valuation was characterized as being ridiculously low. Ors Fraser and Davidson, referring to the pastoral lands said the valuation was absurd, it not being anything approaching to tho assessment paid to tho Government. After some discussion it was decided to discuss the matter in Committee of the whole. Letters from tho Banks of New Zealand, New South Wales, and Colonial Bank of Now Zealand, embodying terms on winch they would do tho County business, was read. Proposed by Cr Baird, seconded by Cr Mitcliinson—That tho Bank of New Zealand ho tho County Bank. As an amendment, Cr M‘Kenna proposed, and Cr Pitches seconded—The Colonial Bank of Now Zealand. The motion was carried. Tenders for advertising were read, that from the Cromwell Argus being accepted at

2s par inuli for first insertion, and Is per inch for Tsach subsequent insertion. Tho tender from Dunstan Times was 2s per inch. The following accounts wore now passed for payment : Roads and Works, L 34 13s ; Cromwell Argus, printingaad advertising, L 4 13s ; Dunstan Times, advertising, LI ; Mr Simpson, draughtsman, L 5 ss; Postal Cards, L43s 4d ; D. Jolly, stationery, L2 7s; Hallonstein and Co., stationery, H 18s 9d ; B. Wishart, blacksmith’s work, LI 12s ; potty cash, L2lss 7d. Valuators’ accounts, LB7 10s, was held over till the next meeting. The meeting then adjourned, ti117.30 p.m. On the Council resuming at 9.30 p.m., Tho report of the Committee on the Valuation Lists was brought up: it recommended—That the valuations on houses, leaseholds, and other properties be accepted, but that Mr Young’s valuation Oh the pastoral runs bo objected to. The whole of the valuations were referred to ns being insufficient ; but as it was thought the trouble, cost, and delay of ordering an entirely fresh valuation would probably entail as much loss as gain, it was decided that tho valuation only on the pastoral leases be objected to. Resolved—That the Clerk bo instructed to, on behalf of the Council, object to tho valuation on tho pastoral leases, on the ground of-insufficiency of valuation. Report of Mr M‘George on the roads in the County was reported on by the Executive Committee, who recommended the following appropriations : Conroy’s Gully to main road, LSO. Cromwell to' Clyde (formation and gravelling), L2OO. Clyde to Blacks (at Watson’s), LlO. Do. do. (at Chatto Creek, formation and gravelling), LGO. Culvert across road in Blacks Township, LSO. 'On the proposition of Cr Pitches this item was amended to L 75. Muddy Creek to Lauder Creek, L4OO. Cr Pitches urged that this work should be done at'once, as in wet w’eatherthis part of the road was bad and“dangerous. Butchers Gully to main road LlO. Spear Grass Flat (formation and gravelling) LI9O. Cromwell to Bendigo LSO. Cromwell to Nevis LIOO. Cr M'Kenna urged that this vote be extended to LISO. Cr Fraser did not object to the sum asked : the appropriations it should be remembered were only for two months, and he did not think the Committee should at this sitting vote larger sums than recommended. After discussion the amendment, Ll5O, was carried. Clyde to Nevis, LSO. Sundry bye-roads, L 250. Works of emergency otherwise unprovi-. dod for, LTOO. The Committee further recommended that the road Cromwell to Clyde—be let by tender in two Sections for 12 months, the Leaning Rock Creek to bo the dividing line. The report, as amended, was adopted. Letter from Mr M‘Lean, Manager of Morveu Hills Station, stating that the road in the Lindis Pass is impassable, and asking the Council to set men on to repair it.— Resolved that letter be referred to Executive Committee. Cr. Baird tabled Notice of Motion—That Members of Council be .paid one guinea per day for each day’s sitting. Cr. M'Kenna tabled Notice of Motion— That letter from the Cromwell Town Council, re merging into the County be considered at to morrow’s sitting. The Council then adjourned till 10 am. on the 3rd instant. —o— February 3, 1877. The Council on resuming, the full Council being present.—The report of. the Executive Committee, recommending that the Clyde Pound be the County Pound, and Mr W. Williams the poundkeeper, and the scale of fees as at present, was adopted. Tho Chairman said it was necessary for the convenience of the ratepayers in the northern portisn of the County that another pound be established at Cromwell. Bye Laws regulating pounds, slaughtering, and pedlars licenses, also required dealing with, but there was not time during the present session. Accounts from valuers were now considered. Respecting tho assessment of the pastoral leases, Cr Greenbank said he was of the opinion that the total valuation should have been nearer L 25.000 than L9OOO. The Chairman thought L 40,000. He said in the Manuherikia Riding there was a difference on one run between the Government assessment and tho one now before the Council of over LI2OO. Tho basis on which tho valuation was made he could not. understand, ho could only characterise it as an error in judgment. Cr Fraser thought the assessment court should fix the amount. He did not think it necessary to employ the solicitor to take the case into court, the Clerk ho considered sufficient. The accounts were then passed for payment. The County Clerk was appointed Returning Officer for tho whole of tho ridings in the County in the event of any vacancy occurring before the next ordinary meeting of the Council. Notice of motion by Cr Fraser, Thattbe place at which the Council will in future assemble shall bo definitely fixed upon at the next meeting to ho held. Cr Fraser asked leave to amend his motion in tho following tonus, That the place at which tho Council will iu future assemble, and the business of tho Council conducted, shall bo at Clyde. The Chairman pointed out that tho proposed amendment was introducing entirely new matter. Leave was granted by the unanimous vote of tbo Council to amend the original motion as proposed.

Cr Fraser then proposed, and Cr Greenbank seconded, tho motion as amended. Cr Prasor said, In tho decision ho had come to he was guided not alono by tho convenience of tbo Council but by that also of the general body of ratepayers, and bo maintained that Clyde will best suit the public convenience, aud he would support it as tbe meeting place of tbo Council. A cursory look at tho map of tho County created a different impression, hut those who were acquainted with tho country well know that the population is not in tho northern part of tho County; Blacks, Drybread, and that district arc rich in resources, aud ho behoved will yet ho largely settled. In discussing tho question before the Council no interest outside tho County should be considered, they had nothing hut their own and the convenience of tho County to consider. Cr M'Kenna moved that tho word “Cromwell” he substituted for “Clyde.” He said so far as population was concerned the benefit was in favor of Cromwell, and by the;goldfields revenue returns laid on the table Cromwell contributed L2OO more than Clyde, Alexandra, and Blacks put together, and in the matter of objections to the assessment, people would have to travel all the distance to Clyde. Cr Fraser, No !no ! there will bo an assessment court at Cromwell. Cr Greenbank said he was in favor of Clyde. The question, however, of Clyde or Cromwell should not be raised ; the convenience of the ratopapers of .the County had to be consulted, and not tho claims of people outside the County. It. had been said the population of the Cromwell division of the County was larger than the Clyde division, and the revenue returns also were greater, the valuation lists would he found to show very little difference. The main bulk of the population of the Cromwell division was centred round arid about the town of Cromwell, whereas tho population of the Clyde division was scattered, consequently it would be manifestly unjust to ask one half of the ratepayers to travel or send their delegates a very long distance while tbe other half were able to stay at home. Cr Baird said to compare the claims of Clyde and Cromwell was simply absurd, the preference should be given to Cromwell. The Chairman said be regretted that Cr Fraser’s motion had been allowed to be altered. In its present form he could not vote for it, for he had resolved not to support the claims of any township which was not in the County. His desire was that the boroughs should merge in the Counties ; and so long as Clyde and Cromwell were isolated from the County he would not support either as a permanent place of meeting, or “ County Town.” If either Cromwell, Clyde, or Alexandra were now selected, not one of them afterwards would come in, because the town selected would have got all it wanted, aud the others would then consider they had no'advantage to derive from merging into the County. He was, therefore, opposed to the settlement of this question until one or other of the towns came in, and so became part and parcel of the County. At present Blacks was the only township in the County possessing any claim to be nominated tbe “County, Town.” In the meantime he was in favor of the Council meeting alternately during tho present year at Cromwell and at Clyde ; and if an amendment to that effect were proposed he would support it. There were two branches of tho question to be considered. The Offices of tho Council should be established with regard to the convenience of the ratepayers ; and he had already seen enough to convince him that it would he necessary to have one office at Clyde, and another at Cromwell. The place of meeting of the Council was a different matter altogether ; and if forced now to give a casting vote he should certainly give it in favor of that place which was most convenient to the largest number of Councillors. As to permanently fixing the County Town, that could never he done within any township which was outside tho County. Let the townships come in and then, and not till then would the residents have a right to put forward any claim. At present their interference in the affairs of tho County Counoilwas, toput itmildly, presumptuous. As to the Council meeting at various places being undignified, as one councillor had said, he disagreed with the remark. There was nothing undignified about it, but much good might result from allowing the people in different localities to sec the working of the new institutions. He hoped, at any rate, the motion would not he forced on until the townships or some one of them came in. If it was, he should vote against the motion and the amendment both, for ho was convinced that any decision now [arrived at would be both impolitic and injurious. Cr Pitches said so much had been said by the press on the subject that it almost looked as if the local papers wore to govern tbo County. He was in favor of choosing a piece of ground outside any borough and building their own offices. Blacks should bo the place of meeting ; ho looked upon it as the most thriving place in tbe County, and bis fellow councillors, in a very few years, he was assured would agree with him. As there was to lie assessment courts at all the Resident Magistrate’s Courts, the ratepayers would not be particularly inconvenienced wherever the Council met. Cr Davidson said it was unjust to put town against town, Clyde was tbo most central place in the County, aud bo should vote for it. Cr Mitebinson suggested that tho question he deferred till next meeting. Cr Fraser said what ho had heard had not in tho least altered his views, ho thought there should bo a special meeting place and a fixed office, and when onoo fixed and found to he convenient, tho good senso of the Council would allow it to remain. The amendment was now put, when Crs Davidson, Fitches, Fraser, Greenbank and Fyke voted against, and Crs Baird, M,Kenna and Mitehinson for. It was therefore declared lost,

Cr Pitches proposed, and Bocoinleil by < ,'r M'Kemia, as an amendment—That tho word “Blacks” be substituted for (Jlydu. Lost on tho voices, Cr Baird proposed, as a further amendment, seconded by Cr Mitohinson, That tho question bo loft over till next meeting. Cr Fraser rose to a point of order, that Cr Baird’s amendment being in direct opposition to tho vote tabled. He spoke against such a course being adopted as a difficulty might be treated that could not bo easily got over. Cr M'Konna agreed with last Speaker. Tho original motion was now put and carried, tho division being—Against :Crs Baird, Mitohinson, M’Konna, and Pyke. For: Crs Fraser, Davidson, Greenback, Pitches. The Chairman said that he entirely disagreed with tho course which tho Council had taken in tho matter, for reasons previously given. But, as ho had been forced to give a casting vote he should give it in favor of tho place which w’as most convenient for the greatest number of Councillors, and undoubtedly that was Clyde. Notice of motion by Mr Fraser- That tho whole of the Counties Act be brought into force in the County of Vincent, on and after this 3rd -day of February, 1877. In support of his motion he said, in passing the resolution there could be no possible harm, whereas it might do good, as, if not passed ‘thejGovernmont might, or could say they would pay no monies into the County Fund Account, as without the proposition the [Council could, within three months, pass a contrary motion. The Chairman supported the motion. Cr M’Kemia thought the motion hasty. On being put it was carried. Notice of motion, by Cr M’Kemia—That tho letter from the Cromwell Corporation re merging into County, he taken into consideration. Cr M’Kemia asked leave to add tho words “ and be referred to tho Executive Committee,” which was granted. Cr Baird suggested that the wholehnotion be withdrawn as, if the Cromwell Corporation knew at the time of writing the letter what they now' know', it would never have been written. Cr M’Kenna w T as in favor of motion being withdrawn. Cr Fraser objected to the withdrawal of the motion ; to do so would appear as if the Council had no desire to treat the letter with that courtesy it demanded. The proposition as amended was declared carried. Notice of motion by Cr Baird—That the members of this Council be paid one guinea per day'each s-'ttiug. Cr Greenbank most strenuously opposed the motion. He said the form of Government was supported and adopted on the assumption that there were men in each locality willing to bring it into operation without pay. If such a vote was carried our constituents might kick us out, and he thought they would richly deserve it. Cr Fraser was pained at such a motion ; he had tried to prevent it being tabled, and ho would now oppose it. He did not disagree with the principle as he thought all men should be paid their expenses ; at the present time the motion came with very bad grace, and he would oppose it ; he would endeavor to prevent any stigma being cast on the Council, or imputation of sordid motives. Cr M’Kenna proposed an amendment, seconded by Cr Mitchinson—That the question of remuneration to Councillors he left over for consideration of next meeting. For : Crs Baird, M’Kenna, Mitohinson, Pitches, and Pyke ; against : Crs Fraser, Davidson, and Greenbank. The amendment was carried. Cr Baird tabled a notice of motion for next meeting —“ That at next meeting Cr Fraser’s motion touching the place of meeting be altered. Tho Chairman said he was not aware of any further business; he had to thank all tho members for their attendance, and for the very earnest consideration they had given to all matters brought before them. He congratulated them, as also tho Executive Committee, in getting through so much work, and felt assured there were hut few Councils that had, or would accomplish as much in a fortnight. With the customary benediction the meeting closed.