COUNTY COUNCIL.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1092, 27 January 1872, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

. p^brijmpi) from the w. c...time,s.].. „ Thursday,: January 2§. the estimates. ' The Chairman moved — " That t"hi Council go into committee to consider the probable expenditure for the ensuing six months.!' He said : With the permission of the Council I shall refer briefly to the various items as they appear on the, Estimates :— . . ...... RECEIPTS. '„. : Gold Duty, L9ooo.^Although the receipts for the last six months only show L 8242 lls 4d, still the actual duty on gold may be fairly put down as amounting to L 9400, because on the 2nd day of this mouth the suni of L 1257 8s lOd was received for gold duty, which sum will augment the receipts for the ensuing half year. „ , .. ' : ' ; Miners' Rights, L3soo.— The receipts for same during the last six months amountedto L 3243 16s Bd, hut referring to the returns of former years' I find that more miners' rights are issued in the first half of each year than in the second. _. "t Spirit Licenses, L.sooo.— The last six months yielded L5Q5.4 10s, and as we mayreasonably expect that the number of licensed houses has reached the minimum, the estimated sum may be relied upon. Incidental Receipts, Llooo:— Last half year's receipts amounted to L 666 13s lid ' only, but as in the beginning of each yeaiN the tax on dogs is collected, which may be set down as yielding about LSOO to L6OO, we are justified in expecting at least the, estimated amount. Tolls, Punts, and Ferries, LI 300.— This sum is in accordance with the receipts for the previous six months j.the difference in the amount was caused 'by' 'the 'receipts, foiT'the "month of December only "being" paid into the Treasury ori.the 2nd inst. Land Revenue, L3ooo.—^he receipts for the last half-year amounted to L 2129 5s Bd, but taking into consideration that" au application for a very large block of. land has been made, arid has been favorably received by this Council, and also that the new lines of roads now in course; of construction will offer-greater facilities for bona fide settlers, we may safely depend upon the estimated amount being realised. : I have great pleasure to inform the 1 Council that leases for pasturage have been granted to the extent of between 40,000 and 50,000 acres, from which the County derives a yearly income of L4OO to LSOO, and which proves that the actual settlement on the lands is steadily increasing! ! ■ : ; ' • Fees and Fines, Warden's Courts, L2oo.— This amount, aswellasL4oo for Mining Surveys, are in accordance with* the receipts for the previous six months, and are likely sooner to increase than otherwise. , ;,.; : , . . , Deficiency Bills, LBooo.— This amount

is intended to \be borrowed, partly to discharge a bill? of LSOOO, due to the Bank of New Zealand, and which appears under the liabilities of the County, and also under Class 10 of the expenditure in the Estimates. This sum of LSOOO is an heirloom from the late Council, and the 4pan 'for r-same effected"" by 9 !^ predecessor, with the sanction of .the Council. It : was a necessity, in ' order to meet the most pressing liabilities of the County, caused -partly 'by^ttoS financial measure of.the General Assembly, in. substituting the Capitation Allowance for our share in the Consolidated Revenue r- a measure by ; which the County suffered tp, the extent of L 13,000 per annum. The remaining L3OOO are to cover the expenses for building a suitable Lunatic Asylum for both sexes, and also a Hospital in a more convenient 1 part" iii' Hokitika. The necessity for the ('erection of the Asylum has been acknowledged' 'by this Council, and tenders will be called for the same in a few daye. As to the : erection of the Hospital, I. .cannot Buffi- } 'ciently impress. upon the Q ouncii tha^th'e contemplated and most necessary sayings ;in the management of the Hospital will entirely depend on the choosing of a more accessible site for the building. 1 o As mentioned in' my opening address,^ the liabilities of the County are such that they need not cause the least uneasiness. Our debt to the Bank of New Zealand vill be met by 'borrowing' the LSOOOa* before mentioned, or, in other words,' by giving a new Deficiency Bill for the old one, and the, advance of L76oo— which we. revived,; from the General if, (Sin, vernment-— is secured, and more^than, amply secured^ i by^dur share'ln the ~kecumulated Sinking ■Fundf' 1 may mention here that new trustees have been appointed for these funds, and that it is not unlikely that the. shar^iof the County will be much larger-than ; iah.ticipated. 1 regret to state that" since I had the honor to be in office, riot a farthing been received in the treasury- from -Me General Government. The last payment' was made in Decemberj 1870," to 1 : the 1 amount of L30Q0.. Our, share, out -of, the Capitation Allowance has' been [retained, by the General Government .to pay. interest and sinking fund oti .the Canterbury Loan and Departmental Expenses. 1 , Frorii this the Council will see the necessity of exercising judicious economy, 'sndTtiHuftr that I may not be placed in the unpleasant position to be obliged to curtail any ofthe expenditure voted by this Potjncil, EXPENDITURE. . „.".' ','] Concerning the expenditure, classes;;! , and 2 have undergone no alteration," except as to the salary of the: Inspector of Police, which I felt in, fairness; bouridito raise by L 2.5, so as to bring! it more in ; proportion with the salaries enjoyed by r other officers of the force. ■■■< ' ' Land and Works.— -The business of the Waste Lands Board has So much increased that 1 consider it but right to comply with' the recommendation of the Chief Commissioner to increase the salary" of the' clerk to the board to L3OO per. annum, which I hope will meet with the approval of the Council. The increased work of the Survey Department; in connection with the land sales induced me also io ' raise .the amount for survey labor to L 500)" r and also for , travelling .expenses to ; L6oj "'. for which increase' I beg to refer the Council to the Chief Surveyor's, report..,;/ Education, L500. ---I regret. exceedingly., that circumstances prevent us from voting a much larger amount for promoting edu-i tioninthe County. We will- hope arid trust that the Colonial Parliament will settle this most important question more satisfactorily at itsnext session. Lunatic Asyl'umi-^The -proposed expenditure is in accordance with that for the. last months. ... The management- has^ given great satisfaction, as may' be seeja from the report by the County Surgeon/ and as soon as the contemplated erection of a new asylum will be completed, and so place the whole under one management a saving in the expenses wil} be riiad^. i !' ' Hospitals.— The amounts plajied on the Estimates as subsidies will; : 1 "trust, be found sufficient, and be endorsed by the committee appointed by this Council. The additional amount of L 289 9s sd, placed on the Estimates for the iofeira' Hospital, is in accordance with a resolution of this Council. 1 • . : > . Aid to Destitutes.^— l regret to state : that the demands for aid- are alarmingiyincreasing. Public Buildings.— The various amounts placed on .the Estimates are in accjordanqe with resolutions of this Council, as far v a£ the new buildings are concerned. PlanV 5 and specifications are in course of prepara^ ■tion. As : to the maintenance for public buildings, I may state that I have.writteiij to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary to ''as^ certain whether the General Government will not provide for, the mainteniance'.off such of the public buildings as are used for the General Government offices.: ;• i Roads and. Work g ,_The amounts Nos. 1, 2, and 6 are for contingent maintenance and repairs ; Nos.; 3 and; 4 areifor works authorised by this Council as per schedule \ and No. §, £200, is. fqrfoqt bridge? iiitVe Okaritb district. The 1 desirability 'for the construction of foot bridges 'has beeq already acknowledged by this Council,: but I trust that the Council will'a^ree' with me that those bridges; and mi fact * work of similar description, ought to be constructed- by the Road Boards, which " may be the more easilyaccoffiplishedr^s* money has been.ivpteduby^he General Assembly for the Kqad Boards, and for. works flf utility only. ; s ,- -*-* Miscellaneous.— No. 1 : Salaries has: unf. dergone no alteration. No/ 2 •■:■ LSOOO is due to the Bank of New Zealand for an overdue deficiency bill, 'mention of which has, been made before. Nos., 3^tp 13 correspond' with last estimates, No. If jOutstanding debts, L&8.2 10s Ibd. ' It will" be seen that, as stated before, the sum; voted for the Survey Department, was insufficient, and was all expended at the end ( of November, and inorderndtto keep the officers idle, I considered myself -justified to sanction the CQntinuano§ of survey labor. As to the surii /of L 372 10s 6d, owing under the head of Charitable Aid,this was caused by the expenses of |he Hokitika Hospital, &c., being so much in excess of; jfche votes of,; this As to the sum of L 261 153, owing iojs t repairs to ; roads; it originated üby there being no provision' made for- the maintenance of the Ross and Wool- ; house road, because it .was , expected that the General Governmerit Would take over this road as part of the main road. No. 14, LSO, as compensation for Mr Cleary, as keeper of the. Lunatic Asylum; ; will, I have no doubt, meet with the approval of: the, Council, as that offieep performed the duties of keeper for aeon? ; siderable time to the entire satisfaction

of the Government. No. 18, LIOO, fencing of cemeteries in the County, is in accordance with a former vote of this Council. Nos. 19, 20, and 21, are amounts due to the Corporations of Hokitika and Greymouth. No. 22, L 93 9s, is for dog-collars, which are required in the beginning of each year. Since the Estimates were handed to the members, I find that a few items have been omitted, which I shall not fail to bring before the Council in due course. You will perceive from the explanations I have made that I was justified in Btating " that the financial position of the County is sound." It must be gratifying to us that in spite of the adverse Acts passed by the General Assembly, the County Government has succeeded, not alone to tide over the great difficulties which made themselves particularly felt twelve months ago, but have also regained the confidence of the public. All demands on the Treasury have been promptly met, and I cannot conceive why such should not be done for the future. The debts of the County are few, and have been steadily decreasing ever since the present Council has been in existence. But as the County has undertaken the construction of public works on doferred payments, I consider it but right, in order to give the public an opportunity to form a correct judgment as to our capability to discharge our obligations connected with these works, to give some explanation on this subject. The tender for the construction of the road from the Omotumotu Creek to the Arnold has been accepted for the sum of L7BOO, payment to be made at six and twelve months after completion of the work. Therefore, in accordance with the terms of the contract, the sum of L 3900 will become due about December of the present year, and an equal sum six months later— about June, 1873. In consequence of a letter I received from the hon. the Colonial Treasurer, dated 14th December, 1871, and in accordance with section 28 of •' The Payments to Provinces Act, 1871," I have applied to the General Government to devote one-half of the amount available to the County under this Act, to the payment for the Arnold road, and we may safely expect to receive the sum of about L3OOO for this purpose. Therefore the County will have to make provision for thftßum of about L9OO only, and this after a considerable time. The other half, due about June, 1873, may be discharged in a similar way, so that the payment for this work will, be little, if at all felt by the County, the less as we may fairly anticipate an increase in the sales of land, as soon as the road is finished. The motion to go into Committee was then agreed to. In committee', the item L3OO, County Chairman, was passed, and the Council adjourned.