WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

Kumara Times, Issue 2669, 10 April 1885, Page 2

WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

The County Council met at the Council Chambers, Hokitika, on "Wednesday last, at 2 p.m. ; present—Messrs Jack, Seddon, Dungan, M'Whirter Daly, Spence, and M'Goldrick. Whilst the minutes were being read the County Chairman entered and took his seat. The following particulars of business relating to this part of the county are extracted from the West Coast Times report:— CORRESPONDENCE. Letter from Mr Harcourfc, siating that he would be satisfied with 38 chains of fencing, for his claim on the Council.—Received. Letters from the Under-Secretary of Public Works and Minister of Public Works, stating that £3300 had been set apart for repairs to the Arahura hndge, rendered necessary by flood damage, and that £2OOO would be forwarded at once; the remainingone-fourth of the money required would have to be found by the Council.—Received. M.i Dungan said the result of the negotiations was satisfactory inasmuch °as no special rate or borrowing was necessary. The Council should be grateful to the Government for their action. The delegates had done their duty well.—Mr Jack said the Government only had done what they ought to do. Letter from the Hon. Mr Bowerj, Chairman of the East and West Coast Railway Committee, Christchurch, expressing a hope that the West Coast Boroughs and County Councils would contribute towards the cost of sending the railway delegates to London.—Re°ceived.—Mr Jack moved that the County guarantee £IOO, a similar amount to that guaranteed by the Hokitika Borough Council. He hoped the delegates in London would be successful, in which event the money would not be required. The railway would be of much benefit to the Council.Mr Seddon seconded. Though the Council guaranteed £IOO, nothing like that amount pro rata would be required. The motion was necessary in order to show that the people on the West were as anxious as those on the East Coast to have this railway made. The people here were not demonstrative enough on the subject,—Mr Dungan was not averse to the proposition at all, but asked whether the motion was in order.— The Chairman said it was not unless unanimous leave was granted. Leave being granted, the motion was carried unanimously. Letter from the Chairman and Mr Seddon as follows:—" When at Wellington the Minister of Public Works asked us what steps the Council intended to take re the Otira toll-gate. We pointed out to him that his predecessor in office had offered the Council £ooo if the Council would remove the gate to the Taipo, and that the Council declined to accept the offer, but that l li^n Veniment Would § ive the Council £IOOO we would use every endeavour to get the Council to accept the same as fall liquidation of the amount expended by the Council on the part of the road maintained by it, and which would be repaid if the toll-gate was kept on. Also, that it must be borne in mind that the Council had to maintain eight large wooden bridges and some sixty miles of road, and that in justice to the County ratepayers the Council could not abolish the gate without compensation being paid. The Minister promised to bring the matter before the Cabinet, and subsequently told us that it had been favourably considered, but that was a matter Parliament would probably have to decide by passing a vote for payment of the sum asked by the Council. On arrival at Christchurch, Mr Seddon, at an interview, brought the matter before Sir Julius Voge), and that hon. gentleman expressed an opinion that the offer was fair and liberal, and would be attended to on his arrival at Welliugtou. We recommend the Council in rmss a formal resolution ratifying the offer made by us autl that copies of the resolution be

forwarded to tbe Government."—Received. PETITION. Mr Dungan presented a petition from Michael Borlase and a number of other miners on the Kumara goldfield, praying that the Tichborne track might be completed.—-Received, and to lay on the table till next meeting. REPORTS. Several reports were read and received. A long discussion took place on the Finance Committee's report proposing to pay £SO each to the Chairman and Mr Seddon, the expenses of their recent trip to Wellington.—[Several members while admitting the success of the deputation, demurred to the precedent of the Finance Committee sending two members of the Council to Wellington without the sanction of the whole Council.] The report was adopted after discussion. TENDERS. Several tenders were opened and dealt with in committee. [To be continued.]