COUNTY COUNCIL.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1422, 20 February 1873, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

[condensed from west coast times.] In. the County Council, on Monday, the members, in committee, considered the tolls chargeable at the Omotumotu tollgate (under resolution of the Council of August 22 last), and the scale of tolls to be charged at the Kan ; eri tollgate, The following is the scale previously fixed :— l. For all drays and vehicles drawn by one horse, 2s Gd. 2. For each additional horse, 6d. 3. Waggons or coaches with four wheels drawn by two horses, 2s 6d. 4. For each additional horse, 6d. 5. For each horse ridden, Is. 6. For each horse carrying a pack, Gd.. 7. Cattle and asses per head, 6d. 8. Sheep, pigs, or goats, Id each. 9. All carts carrying manure, free. 10. Contractors repairing road, and vehicles used by them, free. On the first item of the scale of tolls at the Omotumotu Creek tollgate, Mr Smith moved and Mr Bonar seconded- " That the toll chargeable on a vehicle with one horse" be Is 6d instead of 2s 6d." The motion was passed. The motion reducing the toll on a vehicle with one horse, to Is Gd, was then passed without dissent. It was resolved that the charge on each additional horse be 6d. Items Nos. 3 and 4 were struck out. Item No.*s was % numbered 3, and amended to read :— For every horse, ass, or mule, Is. Item No. 6 was struck out. Item No. 7 was numbered 4, and passed without amendment. Item No. 8 was numbered 5, and amended to read : — Sheep, pigs, or goats, 2d each. Items Nos. 9 and 10 were numbered 5 and G, arid were passed without amendment. Mr Barff moved, seconded by Mr Kennedy — "That the scale of tolls at the Kanieri be the same as the Omotamotu Creek toll-gate." Mr Bonar moved as an amendment— " That the toll on a vehicle with one horse be reduced from Is 6d to 3 s." A long discussion ensued, terminating in the amendment being carried on a division, Messrs Smith, Dungan, and Kennedy alone voting in the negative. The remainder of the tolls were agreed should be Jixed on the same scale as that adopted for yin/ „ o~._»_ .-.> D -w. iwr jLveunedy moved, as. an amendment—" That the first item in the scale of tolls at the Omotumotu Creek tollrgate be reduced from Is Gd to Is, to assimilate the scale with that on the Kanieri road.". Mr Barff seconded the motion, believing that high tolls checked traffic. The Chaiiman thought the member for Greymouth, Mr Kennedy, very unreasonable. If the cases had been similar he (the Chairman) would have at once agreed to the motion, but they were quite different. The Kanieri road was very short and easy to reprtir, while that at the Omotumotu presented great difficulties. The Council divided on tbe amendment — Ayes : Messrs Smith, Dungan, Kennedy, and Barff. Noes : Messrs Bonar, O'Donovan. Cassius, arid Robinson. The number being equal, the Chairman, gave his. casting vote with the noes, and the amendment was negatived.

Tuesday, February 18,

THE DEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE'S REPORT. The Chairman moved — " That the Council go into Committee to consider the interim report of the Departmental Committee." Mr Barff made a few remarks before going into Committee. The exigency of the case, he said, was so great that however great the inconvenience the reductions were absolutely necessary. He had, however, a protest to make with respect lo the latter portion of the report recommending the reduction of some salaries. He did not believe in such cheese-paring economy as taking a shilling a day from police constables, and LSO from the Governor cf the Gaol. Mr Bonar said that in some departments it was found impossible to reduce the staff, and a reduction was therefore made in the salary. This was the case in respect to the gaol. The total amonnt of reduction of salaries did not exceed L7OO. Mr Kennedy said that the report of the Committee might be acknowledged to have some defects, but they could be get right when the details were discussed in Committee. In reference to the reduction proposed in the salaries of the police constables, the principle adopted was to endeavor to assimilate those salaries to what was paid in other provinces. It had been ascertained that even with the reduction proposed, the pay of constables j here would be higher than in any other parts of the Colony, except in the Nelson South- West Gold Fields, while the salary of the Commissioner of Police here, which was L3SQ per annum, was less than in other places. The Chairman said it would have been expecting too much to suppose that the 1 report would have been recsived with pleasure. Jt was only natural that there should be diseatisfaption. He did pertainly expect that objections would" be urged against the reductions proposed in the report, but he thought they would have been of a different nature. He had supposed that the fact would not have been lost sight of, that, the largest reductions affected that portion of the community, the miners, from whom fourfifths of the revenue was derived, and that great inconvenience would be occasioned to them by the reduction of the number of Wardens and Wardens' clerks. The explanation given by the member for Greymouth (Mr Kennedy) in respect to the reduction in the salaries" .of . police constables was correct. The Council then went into com

mittoe. The first clause, -;. which was merely introductory, was passed without discussion. The second clause recommended that no provision be made in the Estimates for the officers named, and the following of those mentioned were passed for excision :— Assistant clerk, County Secretary's Office ; Accountant, Treasurer's office ; County Solicitor ; two Wardens ; three Wardens' clerics ; three bailiffs ; one sergeant and cleik of police three constables of police. In reference to the Wardens, the Chair man stated that it was .intended that a Warden stationed at Hokitika should attend to Ross and Waimea^ and that the Warden at Greymouth should attend to the Greenstone besides the other portion of the district. It would be necessary to communicate with the General Government to effect the proposed changes. The Resident Magistrate at Hokitika had expressed himself confident that he could transact the business of the districts without any inconvenience to the public. There would, of course, be travelling expenses. At present that item was LIOO, and he did not think it would be much exceeded, although it would benecessary, considering the extent of the district, that the officer should be provided with means of travelling at all times at his own disposal. The Resident Magistrate at Greymouth had also stated that he could attend to the Greenstone as well as to his own district proper. ■ It did seem hard, as he had already said, that whatever inconvenience the new arrangement might entail should fall upon those from whom alone the revenue was derived, but there was no help for it. Progress was ordered to b» reported, with leave to sit again, and the Council resumed. ' THE PAROA ROAD BOARD. Mr Kbnnrdy moved — " ThatthisCouncil authorises the Chairman to pay to the Paroa Road Board the sum of L 599 5s 6d, being the amount due to the said Board under 'Payment to Provinces Act, 1871,' on condition of it being applied to the purposes mentioned in their return, furnished to this Council for that purpose." Mr Dungan seconded the motion. A weary discussion ensued, which was ultimately brought to a conclusion by the adjournment of the debate to the next sitting of the Council.