AKAROA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 1956, 1 June 1880, Page 4

AKAROA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Satubday, Mat 29. A special meeting of this Council wa3 held " at the offices, Duvauehello's Bay, on the abovo date. The members p-esent. were—Messrs J. Dalglish (chairman), R.sv. B. R Bradley, J. Gebbie, J. Hay, W. Coop, G. S. Fleming, and F. W. W«lli*mß. The apei'ial moeting wa3 keld in terms of tho Oliunticß Act for the purpose of receiving a?it" annual accounts as audited. The clerk /road a (statement of acoount3, showing that iho total receipts) from all sourous for the year ending 31afc MarcVi last, were—£3696 19a 9d on general account, and that th»> disbursements for the same period had been £1952 lis 23, leaving a balance at the credit of the Council of £1744 8? 7d. On tho special acraounfc, being allocations by the late Provincial Council, the balance at credit of la*t year's iiooount sub £lOl6 12s, oi. which £1143 i6s had been disbur-ed, leaving a credit balance to this account of €202 16? at 31et March. The accounts had betn audited by the district auditor, Mr Ollivier, and found correct.

Mr W. Coop moved—" That the accounts as read be rec-ived and adopted by the Council as the accounts for the past year." The motion was seconded by Mr Gebbie, put and carried. The ordinary meeting was then held, the same members bi'ing present with the addition of Messrs J. B. Barker and O. McDonald. A letter was received from the Ashburton County Counoil, asking their co-operation in reference to the stopping of certain moneys forming part of the £IOO,OOO accrued land fund by the Government. Mr Coop moved—" That this Council cooperate wich the Ashburton County Council and other Councils in urging upon the Government the propriety of handing over the balance of the impounded land f und " The motion was seconded by Mr Barker and carried.

Tne Colonial Secretary wrote, advising the appointment of Mr Donald Stewart as registrar of dogs for the Pigeon Bay district. A letter was read from the Pigsou Bay Road Board, calling the attention of the Council to the fact that the county funds were at present being exponled on a local work in the case of the Bilguorie road, now in process of formation, and requesting to be informed if it was the intention of the Counoil to subsidise other Boards to an extent equal to the amount granted for the construction of the above mentioned road. Mr Gebbia moved—" That the Pigeon Bay Road Board be informed that the Council will be quite willing to subsidise any work 'that that Board may require on necessity being shown for the same." The motion was seconded by the Rev. R. R. Bradley and carried. In reply to Mr Cardell's application for an extension of time to complete the county map, on the motion of Mr Gebbie, seconded by Mr Hay, an extension of two months was given. Mr Boulton, the chief inepector of sheep, wrote stating that there was no copy of the sheep brand book in existonee. The Chairman explained that the clerk had been able to prooure copies of the Trespass of Cattle Ordinance, and suggested that the same be forwarded to the various poundkeepers in the county. Mr Hay did not think that copieß of the brand book were necessary. Mr. Gebbie thought that it was important, and moved—" That the four counties in the pro•vincial diatriot of Canterbury be requested to join the Council in getting copies of the " Register of Brands Book " published. " The motion was agreed to. The Little River Road Board wrote complaining of the existing boundary between -that district and the Akaroa and Wainui district ; also covering a resolution of that Board on the question, which had previously beon seat to the Akaroa and Wainui Board, and no notice taken of it. The following was the resolution referred to:—" Resolved, that the Akaroa and Wainui Road Board be written to, informing them of the nature of an application made by Messrs. Wood and others for a road to be made to land situated in the Akaroa and Wainui Road District, and that the Board suggests that as acoess to the property cannot be conveniently had in any other way than from the Little River side of the boundary, an alteration in the boundary line between the two districts be made so as to meet the difficulty, and that the proposed new boundary line commence on the point of the spur on tho western side, of Peraki Bay, facing the sea, seotion 22000, from thence through the Devil's ■Gap in a straight line to the South Peak, and continue along the watershed to Mount Sinclair and along the Purau track to its junction with the boundary of the Port Levy dis.trict."

The consideration of the matter led to a long discussion, in which Mr Williams stated that he was sure the Akaroa and Wainui Road Board would never agreo to the proposals of the Little River Board. The part of the country proposed to be taken was one of the most value in their district, and was of increasing yearly value, wirile that proposed to be given was rocks and gullies. The whole thing was an evident move to get another member for that side of the hill at the -Council table. Moved by Mr Gebbie, seconded by Mr Bradley, and carried—" That the Little River Road Board be informed, in reply to their letter re the alteration of the boundary between the Little River and Akaroa and Wainui road districts, that the Council have no power to do anything in the matter, except on receipt of a petition from both Boards asking for such alteration." A letter was also received on this subject from three residents in the Little River Valley. Mr Gebbie moved, and Mr Hay seconded—" That in reply to the letter received from the residents in Little River district, a copy of the previous resolution be forwarded to them." Mr Geo. Armstrong wrote to the Council in pursuance of a resolution come to at the last meeting of the Council, offering to give land for the extension of the Balguerie street road at £lO .per aore, and fencing at 30s per chain, provided the work was proceeded with at once. Mr Coop moved—" That a vote of £125 for the continuation of the diversion of Balguerie road, for the purchase of land, fencing, and formation, in terms of Mr Geo. Armstrong's offer, be granted ; and that this sum be charged to the Akaroa and Wainui road district." The motion was not seconded. Mr Barker was of opinion that by so doing an injustice would be done to the rest of the -district. He had no objeotion to the purchase of the land, but nothing else. He moved—- " That this Council do not vote any further money to the Balguerie road, beyond the -purchase of the land for a diversion through Mr Armstrong's property—viz., 30 chains, more or less, to fence the said diversion where necessary, and to form the first 10 chains of •the diversion on condition that he gives the -land free. That Mr Armstrong's offer of £lO ■per acre for the diversion to be accepted by this Council, subject to his withdrawing the .condition mentioned in his letter of 28th May last—vie., the Counoil form the whole of the road within twelve months." Mr Fleming seconded the motion, which was carried. Mr Armstrong stated that he would not <sonvey the land without a guarantee, and that practically the Council were stopping the whole matter. It was ultimately agreed, after a long discussion on the subject, that the Counoil accept Mr Armstrong's offer for the upper twenty chains of land required at £lO par aore, to be fenced by the Council when neoessary, and on the understanding that Mr Armstrong would not insist on that part of the oondition which required the Conncil to form the road in twelve months. It was further understood that the Counoil would at once form the lower ten chains of the road, Mr Armstrong giving the land free, the Conncil paying all charges of conveyance and fencing, as it was important that a road should be made to Mr Armstrong's mill.

The Chairman was authorised to call for tenders for forming the first ten chains of the diversion of Balguerie road through Mr Armstrong's property before tho next meeting of the Council, and the chairman was also authorised to accept whichever tender he thought the most suitable. Accounts to the amount of £63 14s 6d were jjpessed for payment. Mr Barker gave notice of a motion that at the next meeting of the Council he would more—" That they take over such main roads in the county as they consider necessary."

Mr Williams moved— " That Messrs Fenton -and Wilkins be written to, asking them to complete the grading of the Waterfall road." The Oauncil then adjourned.