AKAROA COUNTY COUNCIL

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1833, 7 January 1880, Page 4

AKAROA COUNTY COUNCIL

Saturday, January 3. The usual monthly meeting of this body •was held at the Hotel, Hill Top, Barry** Pass, on the above date. Tho members present wore— Mesars J. Dilgleuh (ohairman), F. W. Williams, W. Cocp, 3. Hay, J. Gebbie, J. B. Barker, O. McDonald, E. Fleming,and Rev. R. R. Bradley. The minutes of the special and ordinary meetings of 26sh November last were read and confirmed. The Chairman made the following statement :—Since the last meeting the treasurer has paid Messrs Hughes and Co., the eontractors for the Council offices, tho sum of £129 7a Id, the sum grantod by the architect's certificate, which still leaves a balance of £3O owing. Tho Colonial Secretary has written, ackuowledgirg the receipt of the by-law in reference to tha regulation of pounds. The by-law has teen now duly advertised, and oame into force on_ the 3lst ult. In accordance with tho resolution of the Council 637 rew dog collars hod been procured, and tho date changed on 163 left over from 187 S. The clerk has executed the necessary bond of security, which would be laid before the meeting.f Mr J. H. Baker, the Chief Surveyor, Christchureh, had fcent, as the Council had requested him, a letter covering four tenders from competent persona for constructing a map of the County, also a tracing from tho samo gentleman, showing the proposed alterations of the boundaries of the Port Levy and Pigoon Bay districts. The Little River Road Board forwarded a copy of a resolution passed by that Board, asking the Council to endorse their action in forwarding to the Government for their favorable consideration the extreme hardship in tho Road Boards having to piy compensation out of their funds for landß necessarily required for roads, in consequonca of the original surveys being so incomplete The Ashburton County Council had written, asking if tho County would pay part of the cost of reprinting the Canterbury Cattle Trespass Ordinance of 1872. Mr Thompson, the Registrar of Dogs for Pieeon Bay, had resigned his office, and it would be necessary for tho Council to appoint another. Letters had. also been received from Messrs Fenton and Wilkin in reference to the regrading of the 3ummit road, and from Mr G-. Armstrong in regard to a road leading to his property at Flea Bay heads. The Akaroa and Wainui Road Board had applied for the balauce of the special grant for the Lake Forsyth road, £202, now in the hands of tho Council. The Chairman also stated that he had insured the now offices for £735. The balance to the credit of the Akaroa county fund that day wbb £252 19i lid ; at tho credit of the County Council was £502 16s. The chairman also drew attentian to the fact that the Council were losing the benefit of the fines paid into the R. M. Court, through the Council having no by-laws. He suggested that this matter should be put in the hands of the Council's solicitor, for the purpose of framing by-laws on the subject. On the motion of Mr Williams, seconded by Mr Hay, the Counoil went into committoe on the matter of the county map. On resuming tho Council, on the motion of Mr Coop, seconded by Mr Williams, reeolvad to accept Messrs McOardell and Llvorsedge's tender to construct the county map on a scale of twenty chains to an inch, for the sum of £175, to be completed in four months. It being further understood that the boundaries of the different ridiogs in the county be also given. On tho motion of Mr Williams, a vote of thanks was passed by the Council to Mr Baker for tho trouble he had taken in the matter.

He tho alterations of boundaries between Pigeon Bay and Port Levy road districts, a letter was read, dated 20sh December last, from the chief surveyor, converting tracing of boundaries recommended by him, elating that he had not found that the tracing and description enclosed adhered strictly to the description given in the petition forwarded to the Colonial Secretary on the 26th ult. It the boundary indicated did not meot with tho approval of the Board ooncernod, the Council were requested to return tho tracing. On the motion of Mr Gebbie, seconded by Mr Williams, it was resolved—" That the chief surveyor's letter and tracing be referred to the Pigeon Bay and Port L?vy Road Boards for their consideration in referereo to the proposed alteration as indicated by the chief surveyor.

A letter was received from the Akaroa and Wainui Road Board, asking for tho payment of £202, part of tho special grant for the Lake Forsyth road still in the hands of the Council to be paid over to that Board, as tho amount expended by them on this road had been exceeded by the sum of £255 Bs, as follows :—Tho amount of expenditure on tho road had been £516 4*, and the amount received from the Council was £260 16s, leaving the balance as stated. As the whole, or nearly so, of £255 8s had been expended in the Little River road district, tho Board trusted that the Council would favorably consider the application. On the motion of Mr Gebbie, seoonded by Mr Hay, it was resolved that a copy of the letter received from the Akaroa and Wainui Road Board be forwarded to the Little River Board, asking them to state their opinion how the balance in hand of £202 should bo divided.

Mr Thomson, tho Registrar of Dogs for Pigeon Bay, sent in his resignation. Mr Hay stated that another schoolmaster had been appointed for the district, and that probably he would take the appointment. The matter was left over until next meeting, pending the arrival of the gentleman referred to.

The letter of the Little River Road Board, in reference toipayment of compensation for roads, owing to the original roads being badly graded, was considered. On the motion of Mr Coup, seconded by Eev. R. R. Bradly, the letter of the Board was directed to be forwarded to the member for the district, with a request to eend the same to the Government, the Council declining to pass any opinion on tho subject. The Ashburton County Counoil wished to know if the Council would join them and the Waimate County Counoil in getting 500 copies of the Canterbury! Trespass of Cattle Ordinance printed. The Council did not see the necessity for the step proposed, and a motion to that effect was put and carried. Mr Fenton, engineer to the Road Boards, handed in a certificate stating that the Pigeon Bay and Port Levy road was now well advanced, and that the Boards were entitled to the balance of the special grant for this work now in the hands of the Council, £3OO.

The Council agreed to pay over the balance accordingly. A report in reference to the now offices for the Council was read to the meeting by the arohitect, Mr H. Fenton, stating that there were certain deficiencies in the work, and also an account for extras from the contraotor. Both the account for extras and the deficiencies in the work were trifling, and the report suggested the one should balance the other. The architect also handed to the Council his account for supervising the work, viz., 2i per cent on the total outlay. After hearing the report of the architect, Mr Coop moved, and Mr Hay seconded—- " That the eMitraofor be now paid tho balance owing to him of £30." The motion was put and carried.

On the question of a poundkeeper being recommended for Leßon's Bay pound e.a arranged at last meeting of the Council, a letter was received purporting to bo from a sub-committee of the Okain's Bay Road Board, but tho Chairman was unablo to docipher the signature. The letter suggested several suitablo poreons for the appointment, amongst others the Chairman of tho Council. Mr J. B. Barker, on behalf of the Okain's Bay Board, repudiated all knowledgo or connection with the letter, and stated that tho Board had never authorised any such letter to be sent.

On tho motion of Mr Williams, seconded by Mr Barker, it was resolved that the lelt r now before the Council be 6ent to the Okain's Bay Road Bop'd, end to ask that b.idy for an explanation, ai..d if the signature was that of their clerk.

A letter was received from Mr George Armstrong, Akaroa, in reforocee to a road to his property. He also personally appeared to support the statements in bis letter. The Council went into committee to conaider tte matter, and on resuming tho following motion was reported : —" That the chairman and Mr H. Fenton bo requested to go over the line of road asked for by Mr Armstrong and report to next meeting of the Council."

With respect to the regrading of tho Summit road, the following report was received from Messrs Hinton and Wilkin, surveyors":—"ln reference to a letter and conversation in regard to the regrading of the Summit road from Cotton's line towards the little Akalca Saddle, we beg to inform you

that we hare commenced work. We < ifeimate that the cost .-will be something like £SO- or £6O, as the whole of the line is through forest. A very good grade can be got for most, if not the whole of the way, by keeping from Cotton's road well up on the siding through the low saddle referred to by yovi. and thence defeonding by an even grade towards the Little Akaloa Saddle, through section 226G3. This will avoid the high and rooky peak over which the present road run?, saving a very steep ascent and giving a line far easier of construction than the present one and preferable in all respeets for travelling."

The report was received. The chairman was requested to employ the Council's solicitors, Messrs Harper, Harpor and Scott, to draft a code of by-laws in reference to regulating trespass of cattle and hawkers' licences.

The chairman was directed to insure tho Council's offijes and tho treasurer to pay the amount.

Tho necessary bond for tho ofHco of clerk and treasurer was laid upon the table and approved of, and it was arranged that the new offices he open two days a week, viz, Wednesdays and Saturdays, from 10 am. to 4 p.m. ; £lO was voted to Mr Latter for the uso of his store as an office for the Council; £2 2i was also voted to Mr Jackson, hotelkeeper, for the use of one of his rooms for tho meetings of the Council. Tho following accounts were passed : Clerk's salary, £32 10s ; inspection of slaughterhouse, £5 ; Messrs Harper, Harper end Scott, £3 3s ; clerk's travelling expenses, £3 3s ; J. Earaehaw, dog collars, £23 16s lid; 11. Fenton, supervising new offices, £lB 7s 6d.

Mr Barker gave notice to move at next meeting of tho Council, that the Council either allocate availablo funds in hand to Road Boards, or take over Borne of the main roads, and further that the Road Boards be asked to f urr.irh the Counoil with a statement of their liabilities and funds in hand.

Tho Council then adjourned to the 31st inst., at tho new offices. Duvauehelle'a Bay.