COUNTY COUNCIL-SPECIAL MEETING.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1145, 30 March 1872, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL-SPECIAL MEETING.

Wednesday, Maboh.27. [abridged from the west coast times.] The Chairman stated that he had called the Council together in compliance with a requisition to that effect, for the purpose of appointing toll collectors, and also to make some alteration in the position of two of the toll gates. It appeared that the resolution passed by the Council during the last session was. not ..in accordance with the County of Westland Act, which vested the appointment of toll collectors in the Council, and gave no power to the Chairman to make those appointments. As it might have happened, had he made the appointments, that persons would ! refuse to pay tolls, a meeting of the { Council was rendered necessary. He proposed that the persons at present occupying the situations should be continued in office at the same salaries as they had been receiving. He desired, however, to mention that he had received a letter from Mr James M'Beth, applying to be appointed as a toll-collector. (Letter read.) He would move — " That the following persons be appointed toll collectors at the places, and at the salaries set to their respective names, viz : — John Ellis, Kawhaka, salary,. L 2 10s per week; F. C. Baddely, Arahura, I& per week ; H. J. Winston, Three Mile (Pounamu), LI per week ; William Keach, Chesterfield, LI 5s per week ; J. Waite, Stafford, L 2 103 per week." : The motion was then put, and passed without dissent. The Chairman moved — "That in the opinion of this Council ib is desirable that after the completion of the respective roads the toll-gate at the Kawhaka should be removed to the junction of the. loopline of road with the Christchurch road, and the toll-gate at the Three Mile (Pounamou) road should be removed to vthe junction of the Pounamu and Marsden road." In the case of the Kawhaka gate much of the traffic would, in a month or two, be diverted into the loop line of road, and it would be absolutely necessary to adopt measures for collecting tolls there. The Three Mile gate it would also be necessary to move some quarter of a mile or so, else much of the revenue w;ould be lost. The motion* was amended, aa suggested by. Mr Bonar, to read—" That au extra toll-gate be placed at the junction of the loop-line of road with the Christchurch road, &c," and passed as amended without dissent. Mr Barfp asked — " Whether the statement contained in the. West Coast Tvmes of that morning, as to the resignation of the member for Okarito, was correct ?" The Chairman said that he had received a letter from Mr Soanlan resigning, hi 3 seat, as he was going to Melbourne. The letter was dated from Picton. Mr Robinson asked — " Why the track from the Blue Spur to the Christchurch road had not been constructed V f ' The Chairman said that there was a disagreement just now with the General Government. A claim had been made on the County, which, to say the least, was most unjust. That matter would, he believed, be soon adjusted, and then the track would be made. The minutes of the day's proceedings were then read, and the Council adjourned sine die.