Meeting Etc.

Dunstan Times, Issue 993, 29 April 1881, Page 2

Meeting Etc.

VINCENT COUNTY COUNCIL.

A special meeting of the above Council was held in the Council Chambers, Clyde, on Wednesday last, April 27, when there Were present:—Mr Pyke (Chairman), and Messrs D. A. Jolly, Colclough, Pitches, M’Ginnis, Naylor, and Stronach. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed.

FINANCE. The Chairman said the first business of the meeting was the consideration of the estimate of the proposed expenditure of the Council during the year ending March 31st, 1382 ; to be followed by the question of making a rate. Ho then called on the clerk to read the statement.

The Clerk then read the statement (which we publish in another column). Cr Colclough said it was very strange that the valuation of the whole county was only L 40.000, while that of the town of Cromwell was LB,OOO. The Chairman said that, in spite of the increase of freeholders, the valuation bail decreased by L10,0i)0 since the starting of the county system, and explained that it was due to the tenure of the runs becoming less year by year. He thought, nevertheless, that the valuation was too low.

Cr Colclough said it was an outrageous thing that LI,OOO should be incurred for salaries and only L4si) for all the roads. He moved that the item be reduced to LSOO. The Chairman remarked that the motion before the meeting was the approval or rejection of the statement. Cr Colclough proposed as an amendment that the salaries item be reduced to LSOO. The Chairman seconded the amendment.

Cr M'Oiunis did not see the use of pissing the amendment. The terms of office of the councillors terminated in November,and it would be advisable to leave aiiy radical changes to the new Council.

The Chairman, with some warmth, said he could not let the opportunity pass without referring to the attacks made on the Council’s officers. Though they were fallacies and many of them untruths, they carried a sting, and tended to do a great deal of harm. The proposed amendment was a hidden attack at the Chairman and the officers. The attitude of some of the councillors—thank Heaven, they were few ! was scandalous and unreasonable. In comparison with that of other counties, their expenditute was low. The Lakes County Connell paid for engineer’s services for one bridge alone LB2O, while for a little more money this county had had six bridges. Their engineer was as good as any other in the country, and instead of being nagged and grizzled at he should be encouiaged. The dignity of the position of Chairman was lost by the conduct of a few council lors. Taken altogether, his salary was leas than that of any other Chairman. The people were told that he was allowed travelling expenses. ’Twasa falsehood contempt ihle as the man who told it. The largest sura he had received in one year for buggy hire—not travelling expenses—was L 32. After the insults directed at the position, he would not hold it another year, hut would take good care that the slanderer should not occupy it. For the Council to sit quietly by and allow the thing to continue, and the chair to ho insulted, was bringing the Council into contempt. O Jolly said there was no need for the amendment. As treasurer, he had assisted in compiling the statement, which was only approximate, and by which the Conned it hound to nothing. He disagreed entirely with Cr Colclongh in saying that LI.ODD for salaries was to he paid for the expenditure of L,4do on roads. It was one of the fallacies referred to by the Chairman, and no one knew it better than di 1 Cr I Colclongh. The whole of the revenue had ! to he expended, and the contracts on band, (some of which were of an important nai ture) had to he carried out He failed to see that the statement.could hi amended. The amendment was put and lost, and j the motion was carried. A XEW RATE. Cr M’Ginnis proposed that a ra‘e of one I shilling in the L. he made for the year i 1881-2. In support of the motion he said | by the statement just dealt with, it appeared there was over (.4 )0) of goldfields’ revenue, besides which the miners paid the ordinary tax, and as the minors did not complain, ho saw no reason why others should. Every class benefited by the good roads, and free bridges and ferries established since the adoption of the Counties’ System, and thought no one could conscientiously complain of a one-shilling rate. Cr Colclongh did not agree with the shilling rate, hut supposed that he would j have to submit to it ; neither did he believe ' in the statement made by Cr M’Ginnia as

t,o the benefits from good roads and free punts, as it was stated before the Railway Commissioners that carriage now was dearer than before the railways were constructed.

Cr Stronach thought the rate proposed was in excess of what it should be

The Chairman said he again felt himself impelled to defend the Council from fallacious statements made by some interested parties as to tlic financial position of the county. He explained that but for the action of Parliament in withdrawing the land fund and subsidies, the position of affairs would be exactly reversed ; as, instead of being i.3.000 in debt, they would have had L 3,000 to their credit. Again, if the Council had agreed to the loan instead of paying 10 per cent, interest, they would have had but 7 per cent, to pay on any deficiency or overdraft. Withal, the state of the finances was in anything but so deplorable a condition as was represented.

There were but few counties but bad no'” on hand a deficiency, and it was patent to everybody that some counties had had to stop payments for a time. He was confident that by the exercise of economy, in eighteen months the county would nee the worst of its times, and would he enabled to carry on with works out of the current revenue. It was to he remembered that the flood in 1878 had cost the county at least L 50.000. fie instanced the works that had been necessitated through the flood—viz., the Kawarau, Clyde, Alexandra, and Blacks bridges, the road from f’erriam’s to Bendigo, via Quartz Reef Point, the road from Clyde to Cromwell, and other expensive works. He maintained that hail it not been for the flood, the County would have been in credit at least L 20,000. So far as the rate was concerned, it only produced L 2,000, and for his own part lie was quite agreeable to strike it out altogether. Cr Jolly could scarcely agree with the Chairman in doing without a rate, the exigencies of the situation demanded a shilling rate, and he concurred with Cr M’Ginnis in saying that the ratepayers received full benefit for the rates paid. He was fully aware that ho benefited by the good state of the roads, and free ferries and bridges, and maintained that those who said that cartage hadn’t been reduced by it knew nothing about it, and had no transactions with the seaboard ; the statement was fallacious, and on a par with other stab mints made, and referred to by previous speakers. The motion was then put and carried.

THE COLLECTOR AND CLERK. After discussion, Crs M’Oinnis, Coldough, Naylor, and Pitches voting fur, and Crs Pyke, Jolly, and Stronach voting against, the Council went into committee to “ Consider and determine which officer shall bo dispensed with, in consequence of the amalgamation of Clerk and Collector.” On resuming, the Committee reported that the sei vices of Mr Clark he retained, he being the senior officer,” A PUNT FOR THE LUOOATE. The motion—“ To consider the revocation or alteration of the resolution affirmed at the last ordinary meeting, respecting the erection of a punt or a chair at the Luggate, ami to order therein, as may be deemed advisable”—was next considered. Over this motion points of order in every direction were raised. Or Jolly thought the sum required for a chair should be agreed to. The Chairman said he had put the motion on the paper to redress an injury inflicted on the residents hy the Council having refused to erect a punt or chair there. The Chairman being interrupted hy cries of “Order,” said if he was not allowed to explain he would leave the chair, which ho ultimately did. _Cr Jolly, who was voted to the chair, said as the mover of the motion was absent, the motion would lapse. THE RAILWAY COMMISSION. The motion to consider the publication in pamphlet form of the “ Morning Herald’s ” report of the Railway Commissioners’ tour Otago was lost, councillors thinking they could not afford such a luxury. • The Connell then adjourned.