COUNTY COUNCIL.

Grey River Argus, Volume X, Issue 794, 11 February 1871, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

-. Thursday, February 9. The estimates were again considered, and the following progress made : — Under the head of " County Council " the sum of LSO for expenses of elections was passed. rr • Administration of Justice — Clerk to Bench at Greymouth, Ll5O. The Chairman mentioned that the report of the Committee recommended that the salary for the Clerk to the Bench at Greymonth should be paid by the General Government as was the case with other officers of the same kind, but provision would have, in tho meanwhile, to be made for payment of the salary. The item was passed as proposed. Wardens' Courts — Three Wardens, L 75 0; one Warden, L 17 5; five clerks, L 625 ; one clerk, LI 2 10s ; three bailiffs, L 225 ; one bailiff, L9O. Mr Robinson moved, and Mr Scanlak seconded— " That the four Wardens should all be paid at the rate oj L4OO per annum." Mr Guinness suggested that Mr Robinson should confine himself to the item for the three Wardens, and should propose a reduction of LSO per annum. After a discussion, the reduction of ten per cent. (LSO per annum) passed without dissent. The item, L 175, for one Warden at Okarito, passed without dissent. On the item for five clerks, L 625, being put. Mr Guinness moved— "That the item should be rednced by providing for four clerks only at L 250 per annum." Mr Button seconded the motion. The Chairman pointed out that although it was contemplated to dispense with one Warden's clerk, provision would have to be made for the salaries of the five, as the appointments were in the hands of the General Government, and . the recommendation of the Council could not take effect at once. The General Government would have to be communicated with, and it was not likely that the clerk would be dispensed with at once. The reduction, therefore, could not take place until the Ist of July next. The item as set down, five Warden's clerks, L 625 passed without dissent. The item Ll2 10* for one clerk at Okarito passed without dissent. On the item L 225 for three bailiffs being put, the Chairman mentioned that it was contemplated to dispense with the bailiffs altogether, but it was necessary to pass an amount for three months' salaries. THe therefore moved that Lll2 10s be placed on the Estimates for that purpose. The item passed as proposed. L9O for one bailiff at Greymouth was passed. Police.— One Inspector, L 17 5; one SubInspector, LI 50; one Sergeant-Major, L 126 14s ; five first-class sergeants, L 543 ; one second-class sergeant, LlO4 Is 6d ; three third-class sergeants, L 298 13s; three mounted constables, L 276 Os 6d; eleven foot constables, L 995 10a; one first-class detective, L 122 3s 6d ; two female searchers, L 27 3s. On the motion of Mr Bonar, seconded by Mr Button, the first item was reduced by Ll2 10s, at the rate of L 25 per anuum. On the item LI SO for one Sub-Inspector at Greymonth, the committee divided on a motion by Mr Reid that the amount be reduced by LlO. Ayes, 5 ; noes, 4. The item as reduced was then passed. The other items under the head of police were passed, with the exception of that for one firstclass detective, which was raised from LI 22 3s 6d to L 127 Bs. Lower Gaol, Hokitika.— Two constables Llßl. Passed. District Gaol, Greymouth. — One second-class sergeant, LI 04 Is 6d ; one constable, L9o los. Passed. Contingent Expenses. — Forage and saddlery, L 12 0; shoeing and farriery, L2O ; conveyance of prisoners and officers LSO; travelling expenses, LSO ; house rent Sub-Inspector, Greymouth, L 25; uniforms to be repaired, LSO ; dog collars, L 11 5; incidental expenses, LBO. The items "conveyance of prisoners and officers," and "travelling expenses j' were aggregated and altered from L 100; to Ll5O ; and the other items under the' head of "Contingent Expenses" were passed. County Gaol.— One gaoler, L 17 5; one matron, L 37 10s ; one sergeant-overseer, Lll3 2s 6d j one senior-warder, LlO4 Is 6d ; six warders, L 54 3; one messenger, Ll9 10s. The item, gaoler, L 175, was rednced to L 162 10s, and the other items were passed as proposed. Contingent Expenses. — Tools and materials, L4O ; bedding and clothing, L3O ; medical comforts and incidentals, L2O ; forage and keep pf horses, L 8 0: rations, L2OO. District Gaols (including .. lock-up) :— .„ Rations, LI 6O ; medical comforts and incidentals, L 25. — Passed. Land and Work.— Expenses of Waste Lands Board, L 2 6; Clerk to Board, L 125. Passed. Mining Survey Branch.— Chief and District Surveyor, L 17 5; one surveyor at Greymouth, L 17 5; one surveyor at Ross, Ll5O ; one surveyor and draughtsman, L 175. The Chairman explained that the Chief Surveyor would receive LIOO per annum from the General Government as l Chief Surveyor, the salary set down on the Estimates being for his services, as District Surveyor, and after some discussion the item was reduced to LI 50. The other items were passed as set down. Engineering Branch.— Engineer, L2OO ; messenger to departments, L 75. The item for the engineer was reduced to L 18 0; the messenger's salary was passed as set down. Contingent Expenses.— Survey Labor, L 450; camp allowance to surveyors on field duty, LSO ; travelling expenses, L4O incidentals, L4O. The item for camp allowance was struck out, and the other items passed without dissent. Progress was reported with leave to sit again. '