VINCENT COUNTY COUNCIL.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1126, 30 November 1883, Page 3

VINCENT COUNTY COUNCIL.

The statutory meeting of the above council was held on Wednesday, the 28tbimt Present s Crs. Fraser, (Chairman) C. Coldough, M- J- Macginuis, J. Stronaoh, J. Pitches, *nd McCarthy. The business was the election of Chairman for the year 1883-4. After soma slight discussion, Or. Cololough proposed, Or. McCarthy seconded—Cr. Fraser, Dunst.m Riiling, he appointed Chairman. Carried on tlie voices. Ordinary Mkktiko. The minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Chairman laid on the table the audited balance sheut for th i term en ling 31st Septem'ier last, and said that the audi. tor had informed him of his lieing well satisfied with the office woi k in regard to the books apd accounts. Or Stronach, by pernrsaion, laid on the table a petition re slaughtering fees. Crs McKellar and Jolly here took their seats. Schedules of inward and outward correspondence were read and the following letters were' dealt"with :. : From MriWin. Olds,.ranger of the Cromwell Commonage, asking for ou increase."! remuneration ‘’ ; After long and desultory conversation it was decided to defer consideration'of .the letter till next meeting, j From Property Tax Commissiuner,«tating that by error in several instances mining property had l>een included in the valuation rolls sent down, and requesting that the names be expunged from the rolls, i ■■ l The Chairman explained that the Pro-.-pe ty-Tax Department had been communicated with, pointing out. that though the mining properties in the cases referred to' had been inc uded. in the va nations sent down, the names not necessarily had to lie struck out, as the parties held property rateable under the Rating Act,, and ashing, for such information as would enable the County authorities to set opposite the various parties the Value of their rateable properties: 1 Discussion ensued, daring which in trans oired that numbers of names were omitted from the rolls as sent down bv the Property Tar Department, evidently because the parties did nut come within the scope of the Property Tax-Act. The omission, however, was a serious loss to the Comity. an I, moreover, deprived the parties of the privileges of voting.' The Chairman said he had gone into the question carefully and minutely, and quoting from the various Acts, pointed out that it was quite within the power of the council to supplement the rolls by sibling on all names omitted, and suggested that he be empowered, to insert advertisements in the local papers calling upon ail ratepayers who feel.agrteved by their names being omitted from the rolls so as to remedy the omission. The matter was left in the hands of the Chairman to deal with. From the puntman at Lowburn, pointing out that the e was now a very heavy traffic across the punt, and pointing out that some repairs were urgently required to the punt. This letter had the effect of bringing up all the correspondence lietween the Education Board and Cr Colclougb with regard to the establishing a school at Lowburn; also the qnestson of officially and practically opening the newjroad from Cromwell Bridge past Quartz Reef Print. A great difference of opinion appeared to exist - hetweeii'Cra' MaSkeUar ah C-dclough as to the relative values for general purposes of the new road and the Lowburn punt, Cr. McKellar holding the opinion that.: when the new road was practically opened the punt would be but little used excepting by the people on Quartz Reef Point who did business with Mrs Perriam’s Store, ail 1 consequently any great expenditure on the punt was not warranted, whilst Cr C d dough maintained that the traffic would not be lessened by the road as but few would care to travel by -it, and that it would be high time to neglect thepunt when the traffic on it was reduced to a minimum. Cr McKellar said, though adverse to any great expenditure on the punt yet thought it extremely improbable that the communication between the two aides of the river would be stop|>ed. . The Engineer was instructed to make the neeps-ary repairs to the punt. , From Mayor, of Alexandra, accompanied by copy of resolutions passed at a public meeting at Alexandra, and asking the cc operation of the Council in urging the Government to expend the vote placed on the estimates for opening np the Waikaia Bush. I-etters on the same su' jeet from V. Pyke, Esq., and Hon, Mr Roll estop, also were read. It was resolved that the County Engineer be authorised to make a Avia'.' survey of the road fo- the pm pose of estimating coat, and that the Chairman request the Tuapeka County to allow their Engineer to accompany Mr Macgeorge, and if the combined report is to the effect that th- mad can lie made fur the sum voted, fee Chairman place himself in commuuica'ion with the Government, asking to vest the sum in the ban Is of either one or both of the Counties interested. From C. T. Marie, respecting the roads to his coal pit. Resolved : Resolved that the Chairman and Cr. Macginuis visit Mr Marie’s coal leases and report at next meeting.' From the County.Engineer, asking for an increase of travelling allowance. Decided to i efer consideration of letter to next meeting. Evening Sitting. ' The, Engineer’s reports'oh" rdads. contracts, bridges, and'ferries were' read, and the following recommendations were agreed to :—That L 25 be expended on mad Clyde to Parcels, L 75 on Lindis road, LSO on road Alexandra to Watson’a, and that the Englneer he authorised to complete road Cromwell bridge to Lowburn. The report on bridges contained the statement that the planking of Cramwell bridge was getting very rotten, and that new planks had repeatedly to be put onThe council retired into committee to consider tenders and accounts. On resuming, the lowest tender for contract Xo. 112 was accepted, and a number of accounts were passed for payment, Cr Maeginnis was appointed Treasurer; and Cr Pitches was appointed in place of Cr Maeginnis to sign cheques, in conjunctio with the Chairman and Treasurer, ,i - notice or motions Or Maeginnis moved, and CrStron ach seconded— *• That £SO sterling he voted lor forming a road from Teviot Main Road- to the newly-discovered reefs, at head of Obelisk Creek, Old Man Range.” Crs Mackelldr, Colclougb, and Jolly thought the Council should nut be too hasty in ex, ending any money until the reefs were more fully developed, their experience on the Carrick Range and Bendigo proving that a hasty expenditure on newly opened reef-country was but money thrown away. The Chairman and Cr Macginniss were fully satisfied that the field wonld be aprofitable one, and thought the Council should not be backward in expending a few pounds in attempting to develop the field.

Eventually it was resnlvml That this Council suhsi I iso at t o rate of £to£ to the ox.eat of £23, in nuking aMi l lip the range. The Council now adjourne I till the following morning at 10 a.m Thursday, 20th Novkmbhu. On Council resuming all 'he Council in attendan-e except Cm Mackeliar ami Jolly. Cr McCarthy moved the Punt Vicoiitly purchased, ai)d now lyinar at Alexandra South, be placed at the Legate Ferry." After discussion it was resolved —That the Council do not deem it necessary to remove the pun from Alexandrtia? present. Cr McCarthy moved r~ “ That the Engineer be authorised to effect winks "to the extent of 1.500n the ;Ma)catora Truck.’’ •,:.j The consideration of this motion Was ordore 1 tostaul over till the E I' incur reported outlie iieeeasity of the work. Cr Fraser moved “ That the Cotm il take'’idto consideration the, petition of the inhabitants of' Clyde, district jin regard to a WjftaK' Supply to* dohiestic purposes and irrigation.” . " Cr Fraser explained that he was notjfully prepared Mgo into the whole .question, as the necessary petition was liot yet Signed; He, however; would like to hear the Opinion of the council on it.. He said it had .to bo home in mind that'smpe the merger of the borough’of Clyde, the county had gained LLIIS over and above all sums expen ed, and that henceforth, with the expenditure and receipts at the existing, rate, thore‘would be an ever recurring profitof Ll5O per annum to the county. He accordingly thought the request of the people for this special; work was a fair and reasonable one, and that the council should give such assist mce as would enable the schem.) to be carried out. The position he said was this :, The estimated' cost was L 25 0. an ' as the uttermost rate that could be levied would only , produce interest on L2 00, the council, when the question wa» fairly before them, would be expected to give all their assistance in carrying out the scheme, and to make up any deficiency. The question, however, was not before the council, it was now merely asked tor the council to take steps to ascertain the cost and work out all details, the cost of that would he, by employing the county officers, nothing. Cr Macginniss, whilst looking upon supplying the town with water was a necessity, yet thought the County had no right to pay anything towards it; it would be better for the town to again become incorporated as a borough or take advantage of the Town District Act, and thus get control of their own revenues. Cr Pi'ches would be favours' le to the County ascertaining the cost of the scheme, and if £3OO would complete it to advance it. Here the whole question of the existing wat r supply cropped up, eventuating m the reso'ut on—That the Chair-nan get a legal opinion as to tire right of Mr Holt before making him any further payments. The meeting hen dis-ole I.