Oroua County Council

Feilding Star, Volume V, Issue 27, 6 March 1884, Page 2

Oroua County Council

The Council met in their • ffices yesterday. Present -Mr Macartbar (Chair* man), Crs i ngle, Douglas, Sly, Linton, Bailey, Skerman, Mcßeth, and Walke*. The miuulcs of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Tho following precis of correspondence was then read : — COBBESPONDENCB. From Under-Sccretary Public Work** circular re canceling oi grants; reload, division, Longburn junction ; re applica.tiun of vote for Manawatu Gorge Bridge; to Colonial Treasurer, application for imprest payment; to Cr Skerman x» Awahuri Bridge, ana his reply. — FrbmCir Engels, with report of committee meetings — From Property Tax Comiumioaer (2). — From James Linton, re claim far travelling expenses. — From the Department of Justice, re Halcombe Licensing District. — From Chairman Manawatu County, re adjustment of accounts.— From J. Parkiss, re Licensing Committee. — From Chairman Halcombe Town Board.— Front. E. Gcodbehere, re Xiwitea District, members received.- -From Armstrong,. re .allo- ■• cation of grants of Taonui and Fitzherbert ridings (3). — From Town < 'Jerk,' Palmer* ston North. — From Town Clerk, Kangitikei Council (2).- From Schmidt, application for slaughter license— From Bank of Australasia. — From Death, application for slaughter license. — From Sinclair* complaint re ferry. — From Falloon; re complaint re ferry. — From Rev C.Meyer, re Jobnston family. — From It. JL Read, re dram in Gorge road. - From Armstrong* re contracts. — From Bartholomew,, re tramway. — From i roperty. Tax Depart--. inent, rt* rates for Native lands. ; -. The report from committee recommends ing completion ot repairs to the Awahuri Bridge was adopted, bat the Chairman itated he did not know where the funds were to come from until the Government was able to assist them. There was some discussion between the Chairman and Cr Skerman on the subject of the repairs to this bridge. . < Cr Sly asked if the Chairman considered it advisable to go on with the repairs. The Chairman did not, but if the committee thought it advisable he had no objection, they having the control of the bridge. There was some conversation on the ■!', subject of Mr James Linton's letter re travelling expenses. Cr Sly wished to know if the natter was to be reopened. He thought it waa settled last meeting. The Chairman said it could be brought up afterwards. Cr Walker spoke generally on the subject. He considered it only right and proper that Mr Ltnton's claim for expenses, incurred in carrying out the wishes of ratepayers as expressed by them at a public meeting, should be paid. They were wel! earned, and appeared fair and reasonable. Mr F. Bassett and Julius Andersen here waited on the Council re the overrating of their property. The error was ordered to be adjusted, and the rates reduced. It was proposed by Cr Bailey, and seconded by Cr Skerman, That the request of Messrs P. and J. Bartholomew to lay a tramway across the Simboiton road be granted, under the supervision of the Engineer. On the motion of Cr Mcßeth, seconded by Cr ly, it was resolved, That an extension of one month be granted to Dia- r,>r mond and Wilson, contractors on Mack- ■••• ay' i line. On the proposal of Cr Douglas, seconded , by Cr R. Linton, a license to slaughter ■. ■ great and small cattle on section 15, Halcombe. was granted to T. L. Schmidt. A letter was ordered to be written to Mr Beid, stating that the roadmen would do the work requested. The Council here adjourned until 3 o'clock. The Council resumed business at. 2. 12 p.m. A motion by Cr Walker was brought on, notice of which had been given at the last meeting. As this notice had not been advertised, the motion: was 'held over until advertised in accordance with the Act. . . ; , r The Chairman said that with regard to the Htupension petition for the abolition of the Counties Act within the County,

the petition was now ready for presentation to tho Governor any time after the 12th inst. An account of the amounts of contracts let and the commission and other expenses in each riding, as against the grants for each riding, respectively, was read out by the chairman. The Chairman brought forward the matter of the charges for the repairs done to the Awahuri Bridge, which had been put down to the Taonui and Fitzherbert Hidings. He called attention to a reso lution of the Manawatu County Council , passed some time ago, that all bridges over 30 feet ir length should be deemed county bridges. He thought, however, ! that as the Taonui anl Fitzherbert Kidings had virtually taken over the control of the bridge by objecting to the action taken by the Chairman at the time the bridge was damaged by the flood, those ridings ought to pay for the repairs. Cr« Skerman and Sly protested against such a course as a great piece of in j ustice. Cr Walker spoke strongly upon the subject, and said that the ridings did not intend to undertake the payment of the charges for the repairs. The Chairman strongly objected to the principle of the county as a whole having no control over tne bridge, and yet being required to pay for repairs. Cr Walker spoke warmly against the two ridings in question being saddled with the expenses of the repairs. Cr Douglas supported the views of the Chairman, and thought that the iwo ridings had acted unwisely in having fresh plans prepared by Mr Armstrong for the work, when they had already Seen prepared by Mr Fray, and that the ridings should pay for the work. Cr Linton spoke to a similar effect. The Chairman contended that charging the two ridings with the payment was simply a corollary of the action of the Councillors for those ridings at the last meeting in insisting upon having control of the bridge, and that if the county as a whole had to pay, it must also have a nay in the management of the bridge. ITltimately it was moved by Cr Engela, seconded by Cr Sly, That the practice of the Manawatu County i ouncil to apply county funds for maintenance and repair of county bridges of 30 feet and over, "under the control of the whole council," be continued in the Oroua County. — Curried. ■ After a conversation on the matter of the presentation of the suspension petit iou it was moved by Cr Engels, seconded by Cr Sly, That the petition for suspension of the < 'ounty of Oroua be entrusted to Cr Douglas for presentation to the ' olouial Secretary, requesting him to urge upon the Hon. the Secretary the desirability of giving effect to the prayer of the petitioners. The council then went into committee for the purpose of opening lenders. Resolved, on the motion of Cr Bailey, seconded by Cr Macarthur, That the lowest tenders for Bunnythorpe road, A*hurst rf*ad, Kiinbokon road, and Mackay's Line be accepted. Acer unts to the amount of £223 1 4s 4d were pnssed for payment, and the council then atljourned tili Wednesday. April 2nd, at noon.