SELWYN COUNTY COUNCIL.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2696, 28 November 1882, Page 3

SELWYN COUNTY COUNCIL.

An ordinary meeting of the above Council was held this morning at half-past ten o’clock. Present—Mr E. J. Lee (chairman), Messrs D. McMillan, F. Jones, J. D. Enys, H. J. Mathias, H. W. Peryman, and R. Westenra.

The Chairman read thefollowing monthly statement: —The annual meeting adjourned from last Wednesday will be held at noon to-day, when it will be necessary to elect a chairman for the ensuing year. Drainage in Springs district—l have received a letter from the chairman of the Spring’s Road Board, in reference to the complaint made by Mr McDonald respecting a drain near Greenpark. Rakaia Gorge Perry—As the bridge at the Rakaia Gorge is now nearly completed, I recommend that notice be given to the ferryman to terminate his lease, and that I be authorised to arrange with him as to the property belonging to the Council. Dobbin’s Ford—Prom inquiries made it appears that the piece of land applied for by the fordsman is part of a reserve in the hands of the Board of Conservators. The Council is not, therefore, in a position to grant him a lease of it. Woolston Town Board The Woolston Town Board have written to ask the Council to reconsider their application for a portion of the license fees. Mr J. B. Wilson offers to sell to the Council a small house recently occupied by him while employed on the Hororata water-race works. Drainage Courtney District—l have received a letter from the Courtenay Road Board in reference to a certain drain which the Board desires to make at Racecourse hill. Stoppage of roads—Applications have been received from the Courtenay and Heathcote Road Boards for the stoppage of certain roads in their districts, and the standing committee, who have considered the cases, recommend that the decisions of the ratepayers in favor of stopping the roads be confirmed. Mr Chamberlain has drawn attention to a piece of waste land in the Selwyn river bed, which he describes as being an open waste and public nuisance, and offers to either buy, lease, or fence it. This is evidently a matter to be dealt with by the Commissioner of Crown Lands. The Sheffield Domain Board recommend the appointment of Mr Levien as a member of the Board. Bridge at Dobbins’ Ford— Since last meeting I have received a letter from the Ashburton County Council, asking whether we will take the necessary steps under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act to secure the payment of a portion of the one-fourth cost of the proposed bridge, and whether we will contribute an equal portion with the Ashburton Council. I have written to the Government asking whether, if,'a contractor can be found willing to build the bridge, finding one-fourth of the cost, to be afterwards repaid to him by tolls, the Government will accept such contribution in lieu of cash or rates as provided by the Act, but I have not yet received a reply. Letter from Local Committee Southbridge :—I suggest that a committee of the Council be appointed to-day, with power to take the necessary steps to apply to the Government for assistance under the Act. Licensing Act Under the Amended Licensing Act it devolves upon “ local bodies” to appoint returning officers to conduct the annual elections of Licensing Committees. It will be necessary for the Governor to appoint which of the local bodies shall be deemed to have jurisdiction under the Act. Slaughter Houses—The Inspector’s monthly report will be laid before you. Several informations have been laid against owners of unregistered dogs, which will be heard next week. The ranger is busily employed, and further information will be laid during the week and until the end of the year. The decision in regard to the letter of the chairman of the Springs road in reference to a drain near Green Park was deferred until next meeting. It was resolved to give three months’ notice to. the ferryman at the Rakaia Gorge. In regard t® the letter of the Woolston Town Board, Mr Jones was of opinion that the judgment of Mr Justice Williams, recently given in Otago, was correct, and that Town Boards were entitled to a portion of the licensing fees, although Mr Joynt held a contrary opinion. After some discussion, the Council resolved to adhere to its former decision, at any rate for the present year. Sir J. B. Wilson’s offer to sell his house at the Hororata water race works was accepted. The house to be placed at his expense at the caretaker’s cottage. The chairman was instructed to interview the Commissioner of Crown Lands in reference to Mr Chamberlain’s letter.

The appointment of Mr C. E. Levien as a member of the Sheffield Domain Board was approved of.

The Council confirmed the resolutions of the ratepayers of the Courtenay and Heathcote Road districts in reference to the stoppage of certain roads. Correspondence with the Ashburton County Council with reference to the bridge at Dobbin’s ford was read. It appeared that the estimated cost of the bridge was .£36,540. Some discussion took place as to the probable contributions of the Selwyn and Ashburton Councils respectively, and finally it was resolved on the motion of Mr Peryman—“ That a committee be appointed to consider the question of the Dobbin’s ford bridge with power to take all necessary steps for bringing the work under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act; the committee to consist of the chairman, Messrs Jones, Westenra, and Peryman.” It was resolved to request the Government to declare the Selwyn County Council to be the local body having jurisdiction under the Licensing Act within all the ridings in the county of Selwyn. The report of the overseer on the Malvern water-race was read. He described the progress being made with the different works in hand.

The hour of twelve o’clock having arrived, the Board held the adjourned annual meeting, the only business of which was the election of a chairman for the ensuing year.

On the motion of Mr Peryman, seconded by Mr Westenra, Mr E. J. Lee was reelected chairman.

The ordinary meeting was then resumed.

The overseer’s report on the Hororata water race was read and discussed.

Mr Jones reported the result of the meeting of the Railway League at which he and Mr Westenra represented the Council. The whole feeling of the meeting seemed to be decidedly in favor of a direct line to the West Coast.

Mr Westenra explained the view taken by him at the meeting, namely, that its object was not to consider the West Coast route only. He was, however, in a minority. Accounts wore passed for payment to the amount of about .£SBO. The consideration of the following motion by Mr Peryman was resumed : “ That the moneys raised in the several ridings in the county for the current year from the various licensing fees, &c., shall be allocated to the ridings, less 20 per cent, for collection,” His intention was that the moneys should be set aside and allocated, and not directly paid to the ridings. The Council would still have the right to decide the particular works on which the funds would be spent. There was an impression abroad that all the money of the county was being spent on the Malvern water-race, and ho wished to disabuse the minds of the ratepayers on this point. Mr Jones seconded the motion. The dog fees and publichouse licenses for the year amounted to £2099, of which the amount received in the Hcathcote district was £5lO. The amount allocated to that district for works was £3OO, so that if the principle embodied in the resolution were adopted the district would be entitled to £2lO more than it had received.

Mr McMillan, while agreeing that the principle proposed was a fair one, could not see his way to support it in the face of the liabilities for main roads and other works which the Council had to meet. The principle might perhaps be adopted in the case of the dog fees, but not with regard to the publichouse licenses. Mr Mathias opposed the motion for the reasons stated by the last speaker. Mr Westenra also spoke against the motion. He was afraid that if it were carried it would be impossible to apply the

fees raised within the ridings to worts outside of those districts. After some further discussion, the motion was put and negatived on the voices.

Mr Jones moved—“ That the Council notify to the local bodies within the county its willingness to hand over the collection of the dog tax for the year 1883 to them on the terms that one-half of the proceeds, after deducting the cost of the collars, shall be paid to the Council, and the other half retained by them.” The object was chiefly to assist suburban districts, whose rapid progress necessitated considerably increased expenditure. The funds of the county would not suffer by the arrangement. The county could not do the details of the work so well as the authorities in the different localities. Mr Peryman seconded. It would be the thin end of the wedge he desired to see introduced.

Motion agreed to. Mr Jones called attention to the omission from the schedule of the main roads of the colony of the Sumner road. Mr McMillan thought only “ main through roads ” were intended to be included.

This was all the business, and the Council adjourned until Wednesday, the 27th December.