COUNTY COUNCIL.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1246, 27 July 1872, Page 3

COUNTY COUNCIL.

[abridged from west coast times.] Monday, July 22. REPORTS. The Chairman brought up the report of the Select Committee appointed to consider tiie claims of the Tramway Companies, stating that they had agreed that compensation should be given, but could not determine upon the amount to be paid to each company. The report was read and received. Mr Bonar brought up the report of the Select Committee on the petition of the Borough Council of Hokitika, recom- . mending that an endowment be granted to the Municipality of some land on the south side of the Hokitika river. ' TRACK FROM MAORI GULLY. Mr Dungan asked— " Has the County Chairman, in accordance with the recommendations of the adopted report of the Roads and Tracks Committee of last session, given instructions to the County Engineer to visit the Arnold district, and report upon the necessity of having a pack-track constructed from Maori Gully to Stillwater Creek I"— The Chairman said that the County Engineer had visited the district, and the result would no doubt be found in the report from that officer laid on the table.

THE KANIKRI COAL MINE. Mr Hoos moved—" That the Chair-

m^)^?m^|e^t^.iijM^P oo °A ft 6 _estima.tes, to subsidise by that sum the i development of the Kanieri. opal pi le." He said that the application was|n|d i on^, behalf of an enterprise which gave . promise of becoming of vast benefit to the . County. About six months ago an A ssociatidn had been formed for the pur >ose of prospecting for coal in the Kanieri district, A snm of L4OO hadibeen'raißec , of > which L3OO had 'already been expei de^ in tKe work itf promecting, antt QieJ renttainijQg * XjMf was Being , applied to the ipjMtep Cy the Cnief 1 Surveyor and ; the . Coujjty. Engineer, both of whom s had presented reports on the subject by which the members would learn the very favorable indicatidns of ultimate success which were, pieMnted. He did not ask that) the money should be handed ovw to j the ~AT«sctttt6ir,lSuT*th;at if ahcroKhbej expended undpr?v;4he supervision of the County Engineer, who he (Mr Hpos) understood had an intimate knowledge of that branch of hia profession. :} Mr Bakff seconded the motion. Mr Fox would offer the most strenuous opposition to the notion. As to local jealousies, let the man wear the cap whom it fitted. The Chairman had said that the County had not sufficient money to pay salaries ; how then was the L2OO to be paid? If the speculation was such a good one, why was not the money raised in Hckitika, instead of coming to the Council for a paltiy L2OO ? If it had been L2OOO he could have understood it, but not to be able to raise such a small amount was not very encouraging. He should certainly vote against the motion. Mr Robinson thought it was well that the amount asked for was not L2OOO. He should support the motion, and would suggest that in voting the amount some conditions and terms should be imposed. . . Mr Dunoan considerod that the matter, was entitled to the attention of the mem-. bers of the Council. He bad read the reports of the Chief Surveyor and! the County Engineer on. the subjecki and he thought the money asked for could not be better expended than, in pushing ahead'a diitcbvery of so. much importance to the County generally. ', Mr Bonar said it appeared that what had been already di«covered were only seams, and thftMhe J«ain bed!4)f coal had not yet been traarf. 'Still th«re were indications suflWeni to warrant "going further with the search. He sboiila vote for tbemothn. : . . .; r. r >>'• MritAL?B opposed the motion. The Chaibmak, while ; ocreeuig with the desirability of pushing the discovery, eo*W*n<* l«wfe sigh* w* the' fatet that the '- vk*Aiif waW not Available. 1 He suggested the reduction of the amoiint toLIOO. ' " '■' Wt Hops, having replied, the motion , was carried on the voices^ ; „ Mr Babfp withdrew his motion respectingM jMuiry into the conduct of Mrs JncLi while employed as matron of the TToHHU HmpW r being- satißtied with the nT ljWPin n ,(rf.^l n j'! nTl * ne Council' that such an inquiry would be instituted by the Hospital Committee. abt Bonar also withdrew hi% n)otipn respecting tHe report of the Inspector of "Wieight^and Measures, that officer hay- ! ing written to the. County Chairmau requesting the withdrawal , from the report, of the offerisiVe .matter com!;"pSed ; of. ' , JtftfSDkY , jjt LV 23. ' Mr BqjfAß presented a petition from .. Eio«Med'V4etoaUerg in several parts of the Cottirty; praying i£ -that ' the Council would reconmtdnd sttttdry altoratiobs in- , .»dioatedLas r being needed in-thelaws aflfectiDg) thd trade. The petition^ was read and. -received, v^- '^- ■■■■ ■ -' l ■ ■'- < ■■■ ■<<*■ Mk Bonab asked— "Whether any cony, munication has takeu place with the General GovernMeht of Mr Brogden, rela^ tive to the settlement pt t immigrants en . special set^enienfs on the Cpast."— The ' "' Chairman said that no oofnniunication „ hud taken place on the subject ■ MR WARDBN SCHAW. : .The CHAiBittAN moved— "That this Council approves of the action taken by the Chairman with regard to dispensing with Mr. Warden Schaw'a services, and that such action was consequent on the Chairman's . statement mr the Council during the discussion on Mr Hoos's motion of the 26th July, 1871, that Mr Schaw's services were no longer required, that he (the Chafrman) intended to com- :•:, •niwuMte with the General Government. on the subjeit-; and that on this account .. akse'the Council negatived the motion ofMrHoos." " ;" . ... Mr Button moved, as ari amendment — "That although this Council cannot approve of the letter of the 29th of 'August; 1871, sent by the; Chairman to the ; General Government, yet this Council did intend to intimate to the General Government through their Chairman, that „.tbe,seryices of one Warden could be dis?, penned with, leaving the selection to the General Government." . : After some discussion, in which' a ma- •-, ,jority of the membert expressed -their disapproval of the Chairman's action, the motion and amendment were withdrawn.

Wednesday, July 24. mr. warden Bchaw. Th« Chaibmaw, by leave, moved without notice— "That this Council concurs with the action taken by the Gene al jOovernment' in dispensing ;witK the atjrvices of Mr Warden Schaw in the County of Weatland." -<;• 'Mr BOnab could not give his support to the motion. He had at the onset opposed , ; the dismissal of a public officer while absent on leave, and should continue' to : ' ; 'do SO. ' ■'..':,'.. \". ' ■ ■ Mr Babft would point out that Mr Schaw ,wa». absent without leave of the •r-r-Gamoitortf the Chairman ; that ho had . • ignored the Oonnty Authorities altogether ; and that the Council only knew of hisab- :. fence from hearsay. - ' Mr Bvsoav thought that ..some of the members of the Council seemed to lose sight of the fact that during, Mr Schaw's absence it had become evident thatj his services were not required,' and that being so the County could not afford to pay a salary for services that rere not needed. . M» Hoo« would support the motion. Mr RoßiwjHrtf would riot object to the motion, but would like that some referonce should be made to the services rendered by Mr Schaw. He 1»4 always been , pauuttaking and conscientious in the discharge of his dutiee,and he thought it was but right that the Council should state 1 as much. I . Mr Button moved, as an amendment, thai the following words be added to the motion— u - At the same tuuV this Council

desires to express its satisfaction with the manner in which he peftoriped l|is duties/ as Warden." ' * . ..Mr Ralf^ seconded the; aipendment ? : • Some considerable disbussion ensued on the amendment, but on a division being taken, it was carried, the only dissentients being Mr Barff and Mr Hoos. , 3T3 . On the question — " That the motion as amended a division" enbued—Ayesj 5 7 £ , NoeßiJtr <■ ' H oeß were r and Mr Button.