COUNTY COUNCIL.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1272, 27 August 1872, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

Friday, August 23. [abridged from the west coast times,

PRIVILEGE,

The CiiAiRM.iV, before proceeding with the order paper, desired to call attention to a report in the West Coast I'imcs, of the 23rd inst, of a statement alleged to have fallen from the member for the Kanieri to the effect that the liabilities of the County amounted to something like L3O,OCD. He considered this statement, if made by the member, a most unwarrantable one.

Messrs Robinson and Dungan replied that the report was perfectly correct, and the matter then dropped.

MAINTENANCE OP THE CHRISTOHUROH ROAD.

On the inpfctqn of £h.e Chairtnan f the Council went into Committee to cqn§ider the offer of Mr H mgerford for the maintenance of the Christchurch road.

The County Engineer's report on the offer was read. The report stated that the mile and a-half of new road, near Fow's Accomodation House, should be at once made, in consequence of the continued encroachments of the Teremakau. It also gave the following estimate of the cost of the wftrks ;— For making one mile and a-half of new roadUo Bow'§, ]9ff wide, Ll2 per chain, L 1440 Os 6d ; for maintaining the road in repair for seven months, from the Ist January, 1873, to the 31st July, 1873, at the rate of L 3750 per annum, L 2187 10s ; with 25 per cent additional for contingencies, such as floods, &c, and on account of the short duration of the contract, LS4C 17s Gd. Total, L 4174 7s 6d.

Mr BuiTQJSf iflftved.— "Thatno contract be accepted until the new Council ni^ets, and that day labor be employed under the supervision of the County Engineer." Mr Robinson supported the motion.

Mr Ralfe moved as an amendment — "That Mr Hungerford's offer for seven months' maintenance, and making the road at L 4200 be accepted."

Mr DusQiy supported the amendment.

Mr Button's difficulty arose from tho report of the County Engineer. Mr Frew distinctly put it that the heavy cost of maintenance was on account of the short time for the contract, and that the County would have to pay less if the contract extended over three years. If no contract a ( t all wore accepted no injustice would be done jkq'tfye cojjtractqp. Tho Chairman was oj: opinion that Mr Hungerfurd's offer for the seyen months' maintenance was far too high, and lie was opposed to r.ceepting it. He thought it preferable to accept another offer made by Mr Hungerford for three years' maintenance, in which the County would say 3 considerably and get besides six mile 3of new road Jnade, and several wire bridgts constructed. The' resuty VPftlfJ be that ifter three years, the County woulct hqiyQ ■x road which could be maintained for LISOO per annum, instead of L 37&0. He would not support the amendment. i The amendment was then put and car- '

ried on the voices, Messrs Eobinson, Button, and Lahman, being the only dissentients. TRAMWAYS. . ... Mr Hoos moved-^-" That all former resolutions passed by the Council with reference to tramways be rescinded, and that theJJouncil go into Committee to ' Sonsider^bTnpehßation ' ' to the Train way Companies." He had brought this motion forward, believing that members desired tojhave the question re-opened. ...The,, Council liad hurriedly carried'Mr Robinson's amendment, which shelved the question, and in this had not fulfilled its duty, this Council being the proper body to deal with it. Mr Barfp secohded the motion pro forma to, give members an opportunity of expressing their opinions. He, however, would be disinclined to enter into the question again unless the claims of each Tramway Company were dealt with separately. Mr Button considered the Companies entitled to something, and thought the eight per cent, offer a fair one. He wfotild,' however, still emphatically oppose separating their claims. ' - . Mr 'Ralfe thought it unjust to leave the question unsettled for six months. ( Mr Robinson ifegretted this attempt to re-open the .discussion, ;i :1 Mr Dungan would oppose the motion, not because he thought tho Tramway Companies were entitled to, some com' pensation, but because the member for, Hokitika (Mr Hoos) bad .give^-no new, hopeful, or forcible reason w^J the question should be re-opened. The . Council seemed to agree, that, conioensa-' ' iiqn pUjgKt'tb be given, but : wbjrfd "never* decide on the amount. / , , „ The motion W&s losf on!, a division, Messrs Ralfe and Hoos toting in favor of it, and' the Chairman, Messrs Robinson, Button, Dungan, and Barff against it.