COUNTY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume IX, Issue 1256, 16 March 1878, Page 3

COUNTY COUNCIL.

SBLWYN.

A meeting of the County Council of Selwyn was held yesterday at 11 a.m., at the Provincial Council Chamber. Present—Hon. J. Hall (chairman), Messrs J. D. Enys, McMillan, Mathias, E. J. Lee, and Dr Turnbull. chairman's statement. The Chairman Baid that Messrs Hawdon and Tiiivoy having resigned their seats for Upper "Wainiakariri ;md Ellcsmerc ridings he h:ul received a return from the returning officer, notifying that Mr J. D. Enys and Mr K. J. Lee had been elected to Sll the vacancies. Correspondence bid taken place with the Government on the subject of the survey of the branch railways within the counties, and he had sent a telegram to the Government, asking the Government when it was likely the survey of the branch lines within the County of Selwyn would take place. He had received an answer to the effect that the subject weuld receive the consideration of the Government on the reassembling of the Cabinet. A meeting of Chairmen of County Councils north of the Eangitata had been held on the 9th February, at which the following resolutions had been arrived at as regarded the distribution of the votes for domains and cemeteries north of the Eangitata: —Domains: Christchurch, .£3000; Selwyn, JE76G 13s 4d ; Akaroa, £900; Ashley, £IOOO, and Ashburtou, £IOOO. Cemeteries: Christchurch (central) £1500: Selwyn, £403 6s 8d ; Ashburton, £475; Akaroa, ,£475; Ashley, .£475. He had forwarded the resolution to the Government, and bad received a letter detailing the mode of payment of the subsidy, which was to be by instalments. He had answered this, pointing out that under the Public Eevenucs Act the payment of the votes was to be made within ninety days after the 31st December. As the Government had the money lying to the credit of the fund in the Bank, he (the chairman) had suggested that it would be perhaps more convenient for the Government to pay over the whole amount at once. To this he had received an answer, stating that the Government would pay the amount over in one sum. Beyond, however, an enquiry as to what Bank the county kept its account at, nothing further had been done. Applications had been received from the Iyttelton and Heathcote Eccreation Trust and from the Eev. J. W. Cree for grants in aid of recreation ground and peatery, A letty had. been received from Mr

E. J. lee, chairman of the Eakaia Board of asking for assistance on the part of tue Council in their work of protecting the land adjoining the river. A number of the residents would not believe that there was any danger, and plated every obstacle in the way of the Board, who had some thirteen miles of river to protect, and they asked the Council to assist them with a grant in aid of the work. He bad replied that the Council had no funds to comply with the request. A letter had been received from the Town Clerk of Cliristchurch, asking him, as chairman, to attend a conference as to the management of hospitals and charitable aid, &c, on Thursday, 21st. He had replied that he would be happy to attend, should the Council feel disposed to instruct him so to do. This was all the correspondence, and it would now be for the Council to consider it. BRINGING THE ACT INTO FORCE. The Chairman said : This meeting has been called by me in compliance with the followiug requisition, which i 3 in accordance with the terms of the Counties Act Amendment Act of the last session of the Assembly, [Read.] It is now for the Council to determine, under section 12 of the Counties Act, whether the whole of that Act shall come into force in the county of Selwyn. Having on former occasions, when this question was raised, stated fully my opinion upon it, it appears to me unnecessary now to trouble the Council at any length. I do not think it would be wise for the Council to take upon itself, or to interfere with the functions which Road Boards have in Canterbury discharged for such a length of time, and upon the whole so satisfactorily, and I must admit that the prospect which may have existed a year ago of the Council being able to undertake arterial works for the general advantage of the county, has disappeared with the repeal of the laws which localised our land revenues. But even if there appears at the present time no great amount of work for us to do, it still seems to me desirable that we should place ourselves in a position to deal effectually with that little, and thus give a fair trial to the system of local Government which the Legislature has thought right to provide I concur in the opinion expressed by our late chairman and by the conference of delegates from the several Canterbury counties held in June last, that the county system would have better provided for our local Government if the counties had been fewer in number and larger in area, and I still hope that some amendment in this direction may be brought about. But in the meantime I believe tbat we ought to make the best of the machinery we have got, and ascertain by practical experience what are its defects, ana how it can be best amended. It is also in my opinion vry desirable that this important part of the colony should no longer be without some recognised body which is in a position to represent in an official and authoritative manner the wants of the county and the wishes of its inhabitants, as well as to render to the Colonial Government such information and assistance upon local questions as it cannot, since the abolition of Provincial Governments, have failed to feel the want of. For these reasons I trust your decision will be in favor of bringing the Counties Act in full force in the County of Selwyn ; but whatever that decision may be I shall readily abide by it, and endeavour to give effect to your wishes. The question now before the Council was the consideration of the bringing the Act into force or not. Mr Lee desired to know whether, in view of the absence of Messrs Rolleston and Tancred, they were competent to cany such a resolution.

The Chairman said they were, hut it would require a majority of the whole Council, or five members.

Mr McMillen moved—" That this Council hereby declares that the whole of the Counties Act should come into force within the County of Selwyn." Mr Lee said that his opinion was that it was necessary to have some body to go between the people and the Legislature, and therefore he should support the resolution. He had much pleasure in seconding the motion. Mr Enys said that he felt with Mr Lee that there was an urgent necessity for some body through which communication might be had with the General Government. There was now a very great difficulty in obtaining answers to the requests of local bodies. The motion was then put with the following result: —

Ayes, 5: Messrs McMillan, Mathias, Lee, Enys, and the chairman. Noes, 1: Dr. Turnbull. The Chairman said as the motion had been carried by a majority of the whole number of the Council, it was his duty t) declare that the Counties Act would come into force from the next day within the County of Selwyn. The next business would be to fix the date of their next meeting, of which seven days' notice would have to be given. It was decided, after some conversation, to fix the date of the next meeting for Thursday, March 23th, at 11 a.m. BUSINESS OF THE COTTNCIIi. The Chairman said he thought it would be very necessary for the Council to consider the appointment of committees to make the necessary arrangements for the officers of the Council, to consider the question of hospitals and charitable aid. He might also point out that the County Council before the 15th April had to prepare an electoral roll of the electors of the various ridings. As this was impossible, he thought they ought to take advantage of the provision which gave the Governor power to extend the time. After some discussion, it was decided to request the Governor to extend the time. It was also resolved that the chairman attend the proposed conference re Hospitals and Charitable Aid. Notices of motion having been given, the Council adjourned.