VINCENT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 778, 16 March 1877, Page 3

VINCENT COUNTY COUNCIL.

—o The Council met in the Town Hall, Clyde, on Monday, the I2th inntant, at 12 o’clock, noon. Present : —Messrs Vincent Pyke (Chairman), Fraser, Davidson, Groenbauk, Pitches and Mitohinson. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Chairman said he had received letters from Councillor Baird, of Hawea Biding ; and CrMTCenna, of (Nevis Biding, resigning their seats. It was only fair to Mr Baird to say that that gentleman’s resignation had nothing to do with the dispute of the Cromwell people in the matter of the meeting-place of the Council. (Mr Baird had explained to him before the last meeting of the Council, that private affairs called himti Pun din, wheiehe would belocatedin the future, and that was the reason of his resignation. Pie (the Chairman) thought it was only fair to Mr Baird and the Council that ho should mention this. A statement of estimated receipts and expenditure of the County Council for the year ending March 31, 1878, was laid on the table ‘and read. Estimate of Expenditure, &o , prepared as required by Seelies 107 of the “ Counties Act, IS7G”:— Expenditure. Main roads,—formation and maintenance £4427 0 0 Branch roads, —formation and maintenance 3550 0 0 Bridges,—'construction and repairs 1000 0 0 Works otherwise unprovided for 1000 0 0 Salaries 1050 0 0 Contingencies 301 0 0 Office fumitaro 200 0 0 Cost of collecting rates and taxes 100 0 0 £11,028 0 0 Revenue. Sums available— Balance to credit at Bank after payment of accounts to date £4OO 0 0 Estimated receipts from gold duty 3307 0 0 Estimated receipts under Gold* fields Acts 2700 0 0 Estimated receipts for license fees ... 600 0 0 Estimated receipts from Dogtax 200 0 0 Estimated proportion of surplus land fund from Canterbury and Otago 1000 0 0 Additional sum required ... 3421 0 0 £11,028 0 0 Total rateable value of rateable property on the Valuation 801 l £51,290 6s Bate thereon necessary to raise the money required, at 81 iu the £ ... i £l7lO 10 0 Bate as per contra, at Sd iu the £ £l7lO 10 0 Government subsidy thereon, payable under the “ Financial Arrangements Act, 1870” 1710 10 0 £3421 0 O Clyde, 12th March 1877. 0.-A.p.i I VINCENT PYKE, Chairman, j Wm. FRASER, hon. Treasurer. A schedule of estimated expenditure in detail was also read, and ordered to he laid aside for future consideration. Cr Davidson proposed—That the Council resolve itself into a Committee of the whole tononsiderthe statements as read. Seconded by Cr Mitohinson and carried. The Council now sat in Committee. Cr Greenhank said ho did. not think it would he right for the Council at this early stage of its existence to agree to the statement in detail. Between now and the cad of the year many urgent works not now thought of would require attention, and there would be no funds for the purpose,

Tho Chairman said tho statement was merely an estimate, and bound tho Council to nothing. It was prepared by tho Executive, with tho assistance of their Surveyor, with tho view as much as anything of shewing tho Council that a certain amount would bo required for works during tho ensuing year. Cr Pitches said he did not think the Council would be bound by it. Cr Fraser said it was merely an estimate by which the Council wore in no way bound. Cr Grconbank, ho thought, was laboring under a misconception concerning it; but, perhaps, to get over the difficulty, it would be as well to vote lump sums, out of which at future sittings of the Council sums could bo voted as necessity demanded. He thought, however, before the question was decided either one way or tho other, main roads and branch roads should he defined. It was agreed to accept the classification proposed in tho schedule. Cr Greenbank did not think the Road Surveyor was sufficiently acquainted with the district to draw up such an estimate ; however that may be, it was very evident that it was prepared as a basis on which to strike a rate. He questioned, however, whether a rate was required, without a rate there was a very large sum of money at the command of the Council, and-he thought as much as would be required. Cr Pitches was decidedly iu favor of a rate ; there was a very'great deal of work to be done, and it would require as much money as they could get to do it. The amount {1,200) proposed to ho spent in Ida Valley would not do half the work. The contract, Muddy Creek to Lauder {{Creek, for which L4OO was voted, by very good authority he was informed would cost Ll-100 to LIGO9. He would support a rate and a good one. Cr Fraser : It had not occurred to him the question of striking a rate would he raised ; ho, however, would have to support a rate, as, in accordance with the Act, the subsidies would only last five years, and as it was only upon rates any subsidy was given it was tho duty of the Council to get as much money as possible and expend it on tho roads, makejthem good, and when once good it would take hut litCojto keep them so. The Chairman doubted whether the subsidy would last the five years under the existing financial difficulties of the Colony. He might say it could not last. A comity reaping so large a revenue from the goldfields should not stand back from rating property ; the object of the Council was to get as much money as possible to put the roads in such a state of repair that travelling should he as easy iu winter as in summer. It would never do to follow in the footsteps of the County Council of Maniototo, who virtually were disfranchising the whole of the property holders. As he read the Act, unless a rate was struck, it was only tho miners who would be entitled to be placet oa tho Electoral Roll. Cr Davidson was against a rate, but if it was correct about the disfranchising of property holders he would'give way. After soma further discussion, during which members questioned the Chairman’s reading of the Act respecting the Roll, CrFraser proposed, Cr Davidson seconded. —Th it a rate be struck. Cr Greenbank, after speaking against a rate, proposed as an amendment -That no rate he struck. There being no seconder to the amendment, the motion was carried on the voices. Tho Council the i adjourned. On resuming at 2 p m. Cr Greenbank proposed, and Cr Davidson sccondel—That the rate he 61 in the £. Cr Mitchinson proposed, and Cr Pitches seconded, as an amendment— That the rate be Sd in the £. On division being taken, the following voted : for the amendment, Crs Pitches, Mitchinson, and Pyke, with the casting vote of the Chairman ; against, Cr Davidson, Fraser and Greenbank. The amendment was therefore’carried. Cr Pitches was elected member of the Executive Committee, vice Cr Baird, resigned. Ec merger of the Town of Clyde into the County, a letter from the Corporation was read. Resolved—That the Executive Committee be authorised to meet the Clyde Town Council, and confer with them re Merger of Borough into tho County, and to report at the next meeting of this Council. Schedule of correspondence, inward and outward was read. Cr. Fraser, County Treasurer, said that he had changed the Banking Account from the Cromwell Agency of tho Bank of New Zealand to tho Alexandra Agency of the same branch-- Action confirmed. Resolved -That iu terms of letter from Mr J. M'Lean, Morven Hills and A labour Stations that his offer for maintaining tho road from the Liudis Pass to tho lowest crossing of tho Liudis River for tho sum of LBO per year lie accepted. Resolved—That the offer of Mr Thomas George, Dunedin, to supply a Map of the County, showing all roads, division of runs, agricultural and leasehold holdings bo accepted, price not to exceed LS. Cr. Fraser said the Executive had agreed to expend LlO iu repairing branch road from Conroy’s Gully to Alexandra, on condition of residents expending a similar sum. Action confirmed. Tho Surveyor’s monthly reiort was road and approved of. The Tender of the Dunstan Times Office to print certain forms, relative to contracts, was accepted. Tenders for maintenance of road for a year, between Clyde and Cromwell, m two Sections, worn opened, and that of Mr L Botzjorwas accepted, first Section between Clyde an 1 Leaning Rock Creek for .1,120 ; for secon 1 Section, Leaning Rook Creek to Cromwell, LMO. The other tenderers wore, first Section—B. Carliuo, L2SS ; C. Calonitis, L2SO ; F. Alpass, Ll7O ; J. Riley, LlO3 ; J. Holloway, Ll-lfi; W. Adams, 1,140 ; VV, Uron. 1,140 Bs.; J. Thormaht m, Ll2O ; second Section—R, Read, L 47 3;

Emerson and Maxwell, L33G ; B. Carliuo, Ll4O ; for both Sections together, Emerson and Maxwell, L 024. Accounts amounting to L 222 Gs. 10d. were passed for payment. Election expenses, reduced from Lll3 to LOG wore passed for payment. Tho Executive Committee wore empowered to call for Tenders for the maintenance of all main and branch roads. Tho meeting then dissolved.