VINCENT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 963, 1 October 1880, Page 2

VINCENT COUNTY COUNCIL.

In consequence of the protracted sitting at the last meeting, the Council not adadjourning till nearly 11 p.in, on Thursday evening, we were only able so far as our report of the proceedings went, to give tho results arrived at. omitting all argument. We now give a summary of the ar.uments, and the concluding portion of the business transacted.

Cl Colclougli in tabling his retrenchment motion, as follows :--Th.it in view of the linancial embarrassment of the Countv, an.l tile consequent stoppage of County works, tiie Connell take into consideration—

Ist The abolition of the offi -e of County Engineer. 2nd. The reduction for next year of the salary paid to the. olliee of County Chairman to LIOO. 3rd. dhe abolition of payment of any kind to the members. ■lth. The amalgamation of the offices held by the County Clerk and those held by the Collector. And that the Council do order thereon.

prefaced his remarks by saying:—lt must be understood that he was not bound to any one section of his motion, he had tabled it in a fair spirit, entirely free from factionness or opposition. In the face of an almost moribund exchequer an.l a decreasing revenue he lookedu onit that retrenchment was accessory, and purely in the spirit of economy, ami in the fulfilment of the duty he owed his constituents he had determined to face the difficulty. The Council had gone into the question of finances and had discovered that, supposing nothing lint works in connection with existing contracts was gone on with between this and March next, there would then liu an overdraft of between three and four thousand pounds. In dealing with the motion, either as a whole or in part, this fact should be borno in mind by Councillors, and should prove to the most obtuse mind’ the necessity of putting the house in or ler. He would now briefly deal with the subsections of his motion in their respective order, Regarding the abolition of the offi te of Engineer he said, had he consulted his own private feelings he would have left that officer’s department out, as both as a private and a professional gentl man he had the highest possible respect for him ; in the present position of the County, however, with all its works requiring engineering, skill under weigh and in a fair way towards completion the office could be abolished. He had heard it argued both in and out of the Council that the office could not he abolished—he did not think so, and it was very evident other Counties were of his mind as they hail long since dispensed with the office j-he, however, was prepared to admit that the services of an Engineer were sometimes required, and as a way out of the difficulty he would suggest that tha services of the officer should be divided between three or four Counties, As to payment of ' ’haii-man, he still held the opinion he had so often expressed at that table that the salary paid was too high, the more especially considering that the present occupant of the office spent so much time tc? Ins parliamentary duties. As to payment of councillors, in face of the retrenchment resolutions, he considered the Council Would be stultifying itself if it did nut reduce or abolish their own pay, he was perfectly consistent, as he bad always voted against it. The combination ol the offices of Clerk and Collector was imperative. With a paid Chairman, a clerk, and a cadet, one officercouklefficiently perform the two duties. Reserving his right to reply, he would now leave the motion ni the hands of members.

_ The Chairman said to bring the discussion into order, it would be advisable to agree to the first part and last line of the motion, which comprised the principle, and afterwards to deal with the sub-sections separately. This being put and carried, The Chairman said it was competent for any member to speak to the first sub-sec' tion.

”'Cr Jolly rose and said excepting in sn far &s it was necessary from a Financial view of the question to abolish offices and reduce I salaries, he entirely disagreed with Uio mover. So far as the Engineer was conoeme I bethought if the office was abolished it; Would bn a loss to the County, the works now under construction on the one bridge j costing close on LIti,U(JU, and on the other LSOJU, required the supervision of an engineer, and uoueso competent as theone whose nans they were. It was plain each County coul l not maintain the necessary stall to cany out its works efficiently, the only way ho saw out of the' difficulty was by ail on--1 rg ni'.Mt of Counties the merging of tiVo nr more into one. For reasons stated, he Imped the Council would not agree to the motion, he however, intended when the time arrived to move an amendment m the Shape of reduction ot salary. The salary Was now L-tOO per annum and LIUO travelling expenses.' Cr Fraser did not like the motion as it Stood, as he did not see that the E.igineer could be dispensed with, it was plain, however, that the Council could not go on paying nearly LIOOU a year in salaries to this xleparcment alone, and if the Engineer was retained he would have to inspect the roads ami bridges. The Chairman said he was fully prepared for a change and a reduction of salaries, but thought the scare was made too much of, and was of opinion that things come right in the long run, he was of opinion however, that it would do good by eventuating in the amalgamation of two or more Counties into one.

Cr Jolly moved as an amendment—that the office of Engineer be retained at a salary of L 350 per annum and LSU travelling expenses. Cr M'Cinnis said if the duties of bridge and road inspector was combined with tbe office of Engineer, the officer whoever he was would be constantly in the saddle and thought the salary proposed was not euongh, he proposed as a further amendment that the salary be L-IUO and reasonable travelling expenses. After several other amendments it was eventually resolved—that the -salary of tlie Engineer be L4DIJ per annum and Lofl travelling expenses, and that he perform the duties of the bridge and road inspectors.

A division was taken as follows i—For L33o—Crs Masters, Fraser, Jolly, and Ryke. For L4UO Crs Naylor, Fitche ß , Stronacb, M’Ginuis, and Golclough.

On moving sub-seotiun No. 2. Cr Jolly proposed as an amendment that Ihe Honorarium paid the Chairman for tbe next year be Ll5O, he said tbe time had passed for paying a salary to the Chairman, ami his amendment provided for merely an Honorarium, he did not suppose the Chairman would devote his whole time to tlie 'office, and for the matter of that with a professional Engineer and Clerk who knoas his duty he did not see that the office was other than a superficial one. Had the Engineer been discharged he could then under' stand a large salary being paid the Chairman.

Cr Masters moved a further amendment —that tbe Honorarium paid tho Chairman for the next year, tie L 230. Crs Fraser and Strouaeh objected to the sum of L 230.

Gr M’Ginnis supported the further amendment, not because of Mr I’yke but on the principle that every man was worthy of his hire, and if the duties of the office Were fulfilled with anything like satisfaction the sum named was not to great. Cr Pitches would vote for 1/2.30 as next year would require more tlian ordinary skill and attention.

Cr Gololough protested against the Amendment asserting that under tiie existing circumstances no other Councillor but Gr Fyke would aee pt of the amount.

Willi the exception ui Cr -M 'll.muss' eornur of the County lie bad been nil through it mul hu could sny the whole of the ratepayers wore unanimous in thu opinion that the salary of tiro Chairman was too high. The Chairman protested against tire personal allusions of Cr Coleiongh anil would :i l on him to apologia >, and would ask the Council to supportjiiin. The Council with one voice supported the Coairman an I Cr (lolelou hj after vainly endeavouring to shirk the question* eventually tendered an apology which was accepted. Cr Fraser here proposed that the words “ no allowance he made for travelling nr other expenses” hu added to the latter amendment.

The Chairman said in the discussion just ended every allusion of certain Councillors that conveyed any slur had been aimed at him as present and future Chairman* lie was not sure and he was quite sure those Councillors knew not, if he, Vincent Pyke, word i honor the Chair again, he however was convinced that if Or Colclough neld tins Chair next year the County would go to tile dogs ; still further, that the affairs of the County were in such a state that only himself with Ins experience and intimate knowledge of details could pull it through he however, would require every assistance from the Council.

The section is amended, was then put and carried—That the honorarium paid the Chairman for the next year, lie L 250 and no allowance made for travelling or other ex peiises.

A. division was taken as follows Ayes, Naylor, Pitches, Masters, M'Giflnis, and Pyke. Noes, Fraser, Strouach, Colclough, amt Jolly.

Sub-section No. 3, Cr Colclough urged in favor Ilf it that if Councillors thought a seat at the board an honour they should not look for payment, the amount now received was small and no good individually but totalled up to a good round sum. Cr Strouach also supported the motion. Cr M'Gimiis op nosed it on the ground that by the abolition of payment to members. small as it was looked upon by supporters of the motion, it would exclude the two principal industries from a scat at the Board, as they could not afford to attend without payment. With squatters and mercantile men it was a pleasure On a division the motion was carried.

The division was as follows Ayes, Naylor, Fraser, Stronach, Cotclough, and Jolly. Noes, Pitches, Masters, M’Ginnis, and Pyke. On sub-section No 4

Cr Colclough said the Chairman’s salary was now sufficient for him to devote a good deal of time to office work, and with a cadet and one officer he thought the whole of the duties could be performed. The motion was carried, to take effect from the 31st March next.

Cr Fraser thought as the roads wore now in pooil condition, the maintenance men could be dispensed with. Cr Jolly maintained that it would he be folly to take the men off road Gorge to Kirtlehiirn.

Cr M’Ginnis argfied Chat the road Alexandra to boundary was the worst in the County, and it was imperative to keep l men constantly on it.

It was eventually decided to retain only three surfacemen—one from Alexandra to boundary, one from Clyde to Cromwell, and one from Gorge to fvirtleburn. Cr M’Ginnis moved—That a sum not exceeding LlO sterling be voted for erecting a footbridge over the Gorge Creek, on nniu road Alexandra to Teviot— lleduced to L 5 and Carried,

Cr Pitches moved—That a sum not exceeding LIOO sterling bo voted for repairs

an I formation of a road between sections 2 an ;t, block [X., Ida Valley,— Lost. Cr Fitches moved—That the petition of the miners at German -Hill relative to the Bridge channel lie taken intd consideration, anil that the County. Engineer be requested to visit the district, and report at the next meeting of the Council what amount the petitioners are entitled to. —Lest. Mr O. Christie Ophir, Was elected Returning Officer for Manuherikia Hiding, vice Mr Simpson, .resigned. Resolved—That a vote of thanks be recorded Y- Fyke, Esq , M ii K. and other Members of Parliament for their valuable services in obtaining for the Counties their fair share of the impounded laud fund. Cr Naylor asked leave for the question of the approaches to Clyde bridge to be again brought on, as at the time he failed to understand exactly the letter from the bridge Contractors, leave being gr inted, he Uldved— That the offer of the contractors. Messrs Grant and Mackellar to complete the approaches simultaneously with the bridge at a sum not to exceed LIOOO be accepted Cr M'Cinnis moved un amendment - That tenders be called for the work, the same to be considered at next meeting, -Which Was Carried.

Cr Pitches raised a po’nt of order—that as the Chairman had always ruled that every councillor who was present when a division was taken must record his vote; be (the Chairman) was not in order in refusing to vote on tbe motion for eSeisiitg a portion of the last meeting. The Chairman said he had wished not to vote on that matter from motives of delicacy, but now that bis vote was challenged on a point of order he had no option but to instruct tbe Clerk to record his vote with the Ayes.

Cr. Colclough characterized the proceeding as a most irregular one, and handed in a written protest against it. Tenders for Luggate bridge held over from last meeting were brought up for consideration.

The Chairman said he had met the lowest tenderer (Mr Watson) at Lawrence, who hail fold him he wits Willing to Carry out tbe work, and to accept payment extending over tour or five years. He bad, however, only a verbal statement. It was resolved-That Mr Watson’s deposit cheques be returned, and that the Chairman place himself in communication with Mr Watson with the view of obtaining terms on which bo will be prepared to carry out tbe contract, the same to bo considered at next meeting. The Council then rose.