COUNTY COUNCIL.

Grey River Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 567, 4 September 1869, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wednesday, Sept. 1. (Condensed frqm the West Coast Twines.) Mr Reeves drew attention to a telegram which had been sent to the General Go-: vernment by Mr Gavin, the Treasury Officer, recently in Westland.. j Mr Lahman said that Mr Gavin had deducted from L.26,000. due on the consolidated revenue, L 16,000 permanent charges, which accounted for the difference. Other itotns were left out altogether, of which Mr Gavin could have no means of knowing. No notice was taken of the. debt owing by the General Government on account of the telegraph line. The Government had offered LI7QO ; the County Chairman was trying to make a better bargain, and get L 2500 or L3OOO j and the amount set down in the Estimates (L2OOQ) might b.e confidently relied on. Then, there was the amount estimated to be. received from surveys on native reserves., a,nd also Ij2QOO of Mr Winter's deficiencies wliich would be recovered. Mr Clarke had understood Mr Gavin had come down tp make the financial position of the Qounty plain, and it was strange that he should have gone, away with a false impression himself. * Mr Lahman said it was not so. That telegram had been sent six weeks before Mr Gavin lpft. Mr Gavin well knew the position ctf the County, and no doubt would make it plain. Mr Lahman moved — " That in the opinion of this Council it is desirable, and moreover indispensable, in order to arrive at a proper estimation of our expenditure, that the General Government should fnrnish detailed accounts of expenses of Government departments, prior to their being voted by the General Assembly, and charged to the County, and that the Chairman be requested to apply, without delay, to the General Government for these detailed accounts." He said that although the County was a good customer to the Government, paying it Llß,oooor L 19,000 a year, yet no proper account was ever rendered. He thought it was time that we should know what we were paying for. Mr Reeves seconded the motion, which was carried. Mr Carreras moved — "That a committee, consisting of Messrs. Button, Reeves, Clarke and the mover, be instructed to draw up new articles of contract for the Public Works Department."—Carried. The Council went into committee for the purpose of amending the byelaws regulating the receipts and payments of public moneys as passed by the Council on the 18th February, 1869. Several ameHclmcnts were made, and on the Council resuming, the byelaws, as amended, ir^re adopted, THE ESTIMATES. The Council went into committee to consider the Estimates. The following items were considered :- — * Gaol Department — Gaoler, L.175, Mr Carreras moved that this be reduced to L 250. Mr Reeves opposed the motion. Mr Lahman seconded the amendment, He thought there should be a distinction between the salaries .of the Inspector of Police and the Gaoler, as the latter had far less onerous duties to perform. After further discussion the amendment was lost, and the item, as set down, was pa sad. The following items in the Gaol Department were passed : — Matron, L 37 10s; Chief Warder, Ll2B 6s ; Sergeant and Overseer of Works, Lll9 12s; seven Warders, LBOB 8s ; Messengers, £19 10s ; tools, materials, &c, L 75 ; bedding and clothing, LSO ; medical comforts and mcc dental expenses, LSO ; books for use of prisoners, LI 0 (increased to Lls, on the motion of Mr Reeves) ; arms and accoutrements, L 25 ; rations for prisoners throughout the County, L 525. The items under the head Waste Lands Department, and Engineering Branch, Land and Works, and Contingencies, were, on the motion of Mr Carreras, allowed to stand over. Harbor Department. — Harbor Master, L2OO. Mr Reeves referred to the recommendation of the committee, on the harbor boat's crew, and said that the reduction was too much. He moved that the item be reduced, however, to Ll5O. The amendment was carried. Harbor Master, Greymouth, L 75. — Passed. Harbor Master, Okarita, L 25. Mr Reeves supported the item, but thought the office should be conferred on the man who had the office before, as the present holder was a very good Collector of Customs, but not a good pilot. He had been informed that if v nautical man had been there on Sunday, the Waipara could have been brought in quite easily. Five feet of water were reported on the bar when there were actually ten feet, all the time nearly five hundred persons on the verge of starvation. The Chairman could not accept Mr Reeves' statement. He had before him Captain Bascand's report, and it showed that there was no attempt to go. into the port nor near it, not account of a want of water, but on account of the rough sea. Mr Reeves said that all he could say was that if Captain Bascand's statement was to be relied on, it did not reflect much credit on him for not waiting a day or two there until he could get in. Some explanation should be given by him as to why he left the roadstead when he knew so many people were starving. There was -further discussion, and the item was passed. Signal-man, at Hokitika, L 9 6; Greymouth., L4B. These items were passed. Coxswain, Hokitika (three months), L4B. Mr Carreras moved that the item be -for six months. Wherever the Harbor Master was there should be a responsible man beneath him. There was further discussion, and the item, as amended, L 96, was agreed to. Instead pf voting salaries for two boatmen for three months, L9O, one man for six months was agreed to, and L 45 for one man for three months. The item, Hire of Boatmen, Hokitika, LSO, was struck out. Hire of Boatmen, Greymouth, LSO. Agreed to. „ .Materials and Incidental Expenses, Ll5O. Agreed to. Weights and Measures. — Inspector's Salary, Ll5O ; Contingent expenses, L 25. Agreed to, without discussion. Hospital Department. — Surgeon-Super-intendent, L 250. Mr Reeves thought that the committee had ignored the Council, and if they took

it into their own hands to appoint a County Surgeon, they should pay for him, He did not think a small salary should be given to so important a position. Mr I)A^ M AN suggested that the amount set do_wn far salary should be added to the subsidy, aijd leave the appointment and payment to the committee, After further discussion, it was moved that progress be reported, and the Chair^ man report with the committee as to the best course to be pursued. Mr Carreras moved, with the leave of the Council — ''That a comnjittee, to con-. gist of Mr Hoos, Clark, Reeves, and the. mover be appointed to draw up a scalp of allowances fqp travelling expens.es g£/ officials." • Mr Clark seconded the motion, which was agreed to.