WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

Grey River Argus, Volume V, Issue 328, 20 February 1868, Page 2

WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

Monday, February 17. (Cqndensed from $he West Coast Times. J QUESTIONS, Mr HARRISON asked the Honorable the Chairman— " If any report had been received from the Westlaiid Board of Educatipn 1"' ' The CHAIRMAN said that no report had been presented by the Board, as the time for presenting the report had not yet arrived. The Ordinance directed that the report should be furnished by $w Board iv March. Mr CLARKE asked the Chairman— "If the discretionary powers invented in Wardens will be limited, if np,t dispensed with?" ' •" The CHAIRMAN replied that a certain portion of the discretionary powers of the Gold Fields' Wardens was limited by an Act of the Assembly passed last session. CASES AT 35IJE WARDEN'S CQTIRT. Mr HARRISON moved— '■' For a return of the number of cases heard and determined during the twelvg mqntli3 ending Decembgr' 31, 1867,' at the Wardens' Courts of Okarita, Ross. Kanieri, Hokitika, Waimea, aqd Gjreyinputh." Mr WHALL seconded the motion which was passed. ■■■■■' ■ r ••' - JSPXTCATIOIf. Mr HARRJSQN v moved— i( That a Select Committee, consisting pf Messrs Bonar, Sljaw, \\ T hall^ and the mover, be appointed to consider the whole question of Aid to Primary Education in the County of Westland ; to draw up resolutions on the subject for the consideration of the Council ; said Committee to report -on Thursday." ' Mr BONAR seconded the motion,. On the suggestion of Mr HOOS, the name of Mr Barff was added to the committee, and the motion a§ amendesd was passed. NATIVE RESERVES AT GREYMOUTH. Mr HARRISON moved—" that in the opinion of this Council it is desirable that such portion of the Native Reserve as is included within the boundaries of the town of Greymouth, as such boundaries are described in the schedule to an Ordinance of the Provincial Council of Canterbury, intituled the Provincial Council Extension Ordinance, 1867, should be sold by the trustees. And, contingent on the foregoing resolution being carried, also to move — That the Honorable the Chairman of the Council be respectfully requested to recommend to the Government to give effect to the foregoing resolution." He pointed out that the grtater portion of the town of Greymouth stood on the reserves/ and he believed that in consequence of the insecurity of tenure many persons were deterred from improving the property erected thereon. He believed that if these reserves were sold, it would not only benefit those who had leased them, but that a handsome sum would be realised by the trustees of the reserves. Mi- WHALL seconded the motion, and said that he believed if the resolution was acted uj3on, it would have the effect of doing away with the jealousy between freeholders and leaseholders which at present prevailed. Mr BONAR would support the resolution, as he did not think that any injustice could arise from the disposal of these lands. The CHAIRMAN said that he should be very glad if the resolution was passed to transmit it to the Government. He could not state that it would meet with the approval of the Government, but he had before stated that he thought it desirable that a considerable portion of tliis laud should be sold. The motion was then put and passed. Mr HARRISON then moved— " That the Chairman be requested to recommend to the Government to give effect to the foregoing resolution." Mr WHALL seconded the motion, which was passed. THE LAND REGULATIONS. The CHAIRMAN, in moving— "That the Council do go into Committee to consider the resolutions pertaining to the sale of waste lands," and of which he had given notice, said that he believed the Council would not consider it necessary that he should dwell on the importance that this question should be settled as soon as possible, at the same time he had no desire that such an important question should be hurried through without lion, members having ample time for considering it. He thought that any person who had resided for some time in Westland would be satisfied that it was a misfortune that there was no land thrown open for settlement. The General Assembly had dealt most liberally with this question, and the present was the only instance in which the Assembly had cousented that the settlement of the disposal of the waste lands in Westland should, be confided to other hands than their own In framing the resolutions which he now submitted to them he had had regard to the report of the Westland Commission, the resolutions passed by the Provincial Council of Canterbury, the debate which had taken place on those resolutions, and the suggestions which had been thrown out by the Westland members during that debate. As to the sale of town lands, he thought it was a question in some degree open to argument, but at the same time he was of opinion that the balance of argument was in favor of their being sold at a fixed price. With rei,a xl, however, to townships certain lines should be drawn, and lands ought not to be sold which were thought to be auriferous, or on which gold mining was actually going on. With the information before him, he had suggested that tlie price of suburban sections should be L 5 an acre, in selling blocks of ten acres, for if the sale was made in blocks of three acres, the number of roads would be greatly increased, and they knew that the cost of making a number of roads in the bush of Westland was enormous. The resolution adopted by the Canterbury Council fixed the price of suburban lands at L 5 an acre, but he was aware that the Westlaud members suggested at the time that it should be L 4 an acre. Beyond those lands he proposed to sell the land at L 2 an acre, in blocks of not less than 20 acres, but at the same time there might be lands at a greater distance from town, of which the price might be fixed at LI an acre. The whole of these points were entirely open to discussion, and the* Government would be very glad to receive suggestions on this subject. At the same time he might state that the General Assembly would not sanction any system of deferred payments, such a system being contrary 'to the system adopted for the sale of" Crown lands in New Zealand. After alluding to the undesirability of

leasing the land, the Chairman moved that the Council do go into committee to consider the resolutions. Mr BARFF moved, as an amendment, that the consideration of the resolutions be postponed for a week ; but, after a short discussion, the amendment was withdrawn, and the first clause of the land regulations— (as they' were printed in our last) was passed without discussion. On clause 2, progress was reported, and leave obtained lo sit again on the following day. HOSPITALS. Mr BONAR, as Chairman of the Select Committee, brought up the report on the , Hospitals, which was read and received, ' as follows : — The Committee submit for the consideration of the County Council the following resolutions : — 1. That it is desjrable that Hospitals in the County of Westland should be placed under local management. 2. That the funds necessary for the maintenance of such Hospitals be derived from public contributions, to be supplemented by a grant from the Government j 3. That such grant should be double the amount raised by voluntary contributions. ' 4. That the management of each Hospital shall be vested in a Committee to consist of a President, two Vice-Presi-dents, a Treasurer, and nine m-smbers of Committee, all" of whom, shall be elected annually from and by the general body of subscribers of one pound and upwards per annum, who shall have the appointment of all officers, and power to make all rules and regulations. 5. That upon presentation each month to the County Paymaster of a duly certified statement of the amounts received from the public the proportion payable by the Government shall be handed over to the Committee of Management, and that a duly audited balance-sheet shall be sent to the Chairman of the County Council every quarter. 6. That patients may be sent from any district for treatment in the Hospital at Hokitika. Provided always that the cost of treating such patients be refunded by the Hospital Committee of the district from which such patients are sent. 7. That all Hospital reserves, buildings, and effects shall be vested in the Governor of the Colony or his delegate, and the President, and Vice-Presidents or, the respective Hospital Committees. Jas. A. Bonar, Chairman. County Council Chamber, 14th February, 1868. THE WAIMEA. Mr CLARKE moved— "That in the opinion of this Council reserves should be made at the Waimea for the following purposes — namely, cemetery, school, church; and hospital. Mr KEARY seconded the motion. Mr HOOS moved, as an amendment, that reserves should be made in every apparent mining centre for churches, schools, cemeteries, and hospitals. Mr CLARKE accepted the amendment, and the motion, as amended, was put and passed. NEW GOLD FIELDS REGULATIONS. Mr BARFF moved— "That a Select Committee he appointed to consider the necessary amendments in the new Gold Fi lls Regulations ; such committee to consist of Mr Clarke, Mr Hoos, Mr Keary, and the mover ; to report in a week." The motion was put and passed. STEAM COMMUNICATION WITH THE SOUTH PORTS. Mr BARFF moved :— " That in the opinion of this Council, it is desirable that a sufficient sum be placed upon the Estimates to subsidise a steamer to visit monthly the various ports on tlie coast. After a slight discussion the motion was amended by substituting the word " periodically" for " monthly," and was then passed. DISTRIBUTION OI" THE SURPLUS REVENUE. Mr HOOS moved-" That it is desirable that the question of the distribution of thes surplus revenue amongst the Road Board and Municipalities should not be considered until after the Council has gone into Committee for the consideration of the Estimates, and provisions made for necessary general public works throughout Westland." After a slight discussion the motion was amended by striking out all the words from the word " estimates" to the end of the sentence, and then as amended was passed. The Council adjourned at 10.5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday.