Horowhenua County Council

Horowhenua Chronicle, 13 September 1915, Page 2

Horowhenua County Council

e ; llie ordinary meeting of the ilorowiTenua County Council was lield m the liorough Council Chambers on Saturday. There were present: Councillors G. Watson (chairman), G. X. Steplu'iuson, G. P. Cutely, G. A. Monk, S. A Uroadbelt, l l '. C. Rotter, J. ivebyj.',, and H. Freeman. .i. fetter was received lruin 11. Lodge, County Clerk, tendering his resignation as from May 31st. The amount of 3Us a day charged by li;e owner ol a team of three horses ni Lh _> Te lloro riding was taken exception to by Councillor Monk, who considered that the amount of work clone did not warrant the payment claimed. Councillor Gately referred generally to the amounts paid for tlie 'work done by these teams, in one riding 25s per day was paid for a three-horse team, and in another it was 30s. It was time some uniform charge was made. Th ? same tiling applied Lo casual labor which in one instance was Ds per day and in another iw (jd. A.ku.Jt seemed wrung lo him councillors should be limited lo' the expenditure ol without the authority of the council, while the engineer could spend what lie liked. It seemed to him that all they did wa.s to come along and pass accounts, and it was no wonder that £u.! council's overdraft was continually up: this would ue the case as long as the council continued the present system. Councillor tStephenson said that there already was a motion on their books fixing the rates paid lor teams and casual labour. The chairman confirmed this and sa'.J that the whole matter would need reconsideration. A deputation consisting of Messrs Ryder, Rickard and Knsby, from To tioro, waited on the council in regard to the proposal of the council to pu'j a culvert through a road formation,, which the deputation considered would Lurn water on to their properties, and to this they objected. One member ol the deputation (Mr Rickard) stated thai if the pipes were put in and hooded his property he would take legal action.

The unbilled' said tliut ne had taken the road over on tile assurance of Air Monckton that- no such trouble ever wculd ensue. '1 ho matter was 101 l to the chairman anil councillors lor the ruling and engineer to report at tlie next meeting. -Regarding the Horowlion.ua Lake Domain Bill, the Mayor, Mr U. K. Gardener, waited 011 the council and explained that the present domain board was unsatisfactory, and the lake alr.'ost was useless to the people ot -Levin. It would be 111 the interests ol Levin and tlistrict if 11 was controlle !by the liurough. The Hon. li. 1). Bel! had told tlieni that 110 one had any right to flood any person's laud, and this orought up the question of drainage 11 Llioy had two controlling authorities,, one over the outlet of the iake and another over uie lake it would be unsatisfactory. The J-ievin iJorough Council recognised that its duty would be to give adjoining tand owi. eis relief i 10111 nood water, and ho thought the Council Council could givj ■with safety the control oj. the drainage 1.0 tliu JJorough Council. Councillor Monk I'iouglit it best Ui M.'i up a cuniniitfee to deal with ♦•ho iiiatter. Councillor lvebbell said it was their duty to look alter the interests ox their ratepayers round the lake. lb certainly would be best to nave the control oi the lake under one body, but it did not lollow that that body was the Levin Borough Council. lie thoiigiiiit best if then. 1 wore a joint board ol coi Uol. it was true Lliat people ol the "borough were interested in the matter, but they seemed to be 111010 concerned in keeping the level ot the lake up lor boating. Councillor .Monk moved and Councillor Catley seconded that a committee consisting of the -members lor the \\ 1rekino riding and the chairman bo set 110 to deal with Mr. Gardener's request re the Horowhenua Lake Domain liill; such committee to have [lower to act. On the motion of Councillor Monk, seconded by Councillor .Stephenson, Mr Yerry was appointed cleric to tlie council at a salary of JL3IU per year to be increased to J.OOU within two years. The resignation of G. j_l. .Newson, as sexton of the Manukau cemetery, was accepted and John Atkins appointed to the vacancy. The application of M. ji. E. . Govringe for the conversion of a private crossing across the railway line uoar Kcputaroa, to a public one, 'was granted subject to the demands of the llaihvay •Department being registered against the property and the cost of construction lieing lodged with ti>~ •jouncil. it was decided, 011 the motion 'il Councillor lvebbell, to inform the Mauawatu County Council that this council could not agree to the proposed expenditure on the W'irokino bridge docking and the engineers of the two councils be asked to confer on the matter. The engineer's report 'was adopted as read.