WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

Kumara Times, Issue 2895, 15 January 1886, Page 2

WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

The County Council met in the Chambers, Hokitika, on Wednesday, at 2 p.m.; present—The Chairman (J. Clarke, Esq.), Councillors Dungan, Daly, Spence, M'Goldrick, Grimmond, and Jack. The minutes of previous meeting and of special meeting were read and confirmed. The outward correspondence was approved of. The following report of business affecting residents in this part of the county is from the West Coast Times : KUMARA BEACH ROAD. Mr Dungan asked the Chairman with reference to a contract for the supply of beach gravel on the KumaraBeach road. He asked if the contract had been signed within the specified time- The contractors had only just commenced work. If not signed within the specified time, the contract was illegal, and it was establishing a bad precedent. The County Clerk said the contract was signed on January 1. THE DEMAND PROM CHARITABLE AID BOARD. A letter was read and received from the County Solicitor as follows : “ In reply to your memorandum re demand of £lO4 10s per month from the Charitable Aid Board, I have the honour to state ; • { l. The duty of the Board appears to be ; A. To ascertain the amount of the expenditure required for maintenance of the charitable institutions of the district in every year before the last day of March —in this year for the four months ending 31st March next; B. To deduct therefrom the income estimated to be available from sources other than contributions from local authorities; and C. To call up the balance from the local bodies, upon the basis of the value of their rateable property. “2. From the papers before me, it appears that the Board have estimated the balance required for the maintenance of the various institutions for the period ending 31st March next, to be £9OO, and this after deducting estimated income from other sources. Now, as these figures necessarily deal with estimates only, and the present duty of the Board relates, to a large

extent, to the future, a discretion is manifestly requisite—that is to say, ic would he inconvenient, if not impossible, to restrict the Board’s acts by narrow lines. And this the Legislature evidently realised, for X find nothing iu the Act inconsistent with the. exercise, ou the part of the Boaul, of a reasonable discretion. If then, this estimate of £9OO for the four months is reason* a^e if i* l fact, fairly presumes to represent the requirements for the period named—and I have nothing before me to show to the contrary, it must, I think, stand.

“ 3. Assuming, then, that the £9OO estimate to be unimpeachable, no difficulty should exist as to how it is to be raised, for section 23 provides in unambiguous terms, the method of collecting it. The amount is to be drawn from the various local bodies affected, according to the rateable value of the rateable property in their respective districts. As this is a simple ariih metical computation, I tail to see how any difficulty can exist under this head. Nor, in fact, is any suggested in fhe papers before me. “ 4. In any event I cannot see how local bodies can be their own judges of the question. If any local body deems the amount of the contribution demanded of it unjust, the proper course is to appeal to the Colonial Secretary under Section 25.

“5. Finally, I cannot think that an appeal would be successful, and consequently cannot advise one first, because I do not think the £9OO estimate can be impeached ; and secondly, because I must assume that the £4lB you are called upon to pay bears the same proportion to the £9OO as the value ol your rateable property does to the value of the whole of the rateable property of the local bodies affected.” From Secretary, Charitable Aid Board, forwarding an account for £209, being two months’ contribution.— Amount to be paid. CORRESPONDENC E. From Rodda and [tarty, Stafford, re water-race.—Received. From W. C. Wells, late toll-gate keeper, Otira Gorge, thankins the Council for consideration shown. Received. From James Hai court, Arahura, offering to maintain tracks In that district.—Received, and referred to the Engineer. biom Curator New Zealand Institute, re specimens sent.—Received. Mr Jack asked if any communication had been received with reference to the copper sent to the Wellington Exhibition.—The County Clerk said it had been sent to London. iCr. M'Whirter here took his seat.] From Mines Department forwarding copy of Local Bodies Finance and Rowers Act, and referring to section 3.—Letter received and referred to Finance Committee. From Public Works Department, re Nelson-West Coast road grant. Received. From Public Works Department, re grant under Roads aud Bridges Construction Act, stating an opinion that advances should not be asked for beyond the amount actually incurred. Received.

From Mines Department, re subsidy of £SOO for prospecting, under Act of lust session.—Received.

Circular from Minister of Lauds, forwarding copy of Forests Act, aud asking assistance in giving effect to its piovisions, Chairman to be appointed on the Commission.—Received, request to be acceded to.

From Chairman of the High School Board, re appoinmeraent of representative.—Received,

From Public Works Department, re application for £ISOO, to be expended on the Haast Pass track, and stating that the Government thought it better to expend the amount themselves. Mr Jack thought some wire pullinct was taking place on the east side of the ranges in the interests of a Mr Stewart, ignoring the requirements of settlers on the west, fie moved that a letter be sent urging the expenditure of a specific sum on the west side.—Mr M'Goldrick seconded. A County Overseer was residing iu the Haast district, and he felt sure the work could be more effectively supervised from this side. Mr Grimmond supported the motion. He felt that the difficulty rested in the expenditure being in the hands of a Dunedin official, who spent it all on the east side of the range, and the track was simply impassable.—Motion carried. From J. Brampton, Teremakau, asking for a small allowance for keeping a track open.—Received and referred to the County Engineer to report at next meeting. FINANCE. The following report from the Pm . ance Committee was read and received : Your Committee have the honour (« report as follows ;

RECEIPTS SINCE LAST MEETING. £ S. cl. Goldfields’ revenue ‘ 244 16 3 Gold duty revenue 617 H 3 General rates, Kanieri ... 29 310 General rates, Totara ... 910 3 General rates, Okarito ... 11 16 0 Dog Tax, Kanieri 3 10 0 Dog tax, Okarito ... ... 40 0 Publican’s license ... ... 1 0 0 Total receipts £921 7 7 PAYMENTS. Accounts amounting to £1552 10s have been paid since last meeting. BANK ACCOUNT. Credit balance, general account ... ... ... £365 17 1 On fixed deposit 2000 0 0 Total £2365 17 1 ACCOUNTS FOR DECEMBER, 1885. The accounts for December last are heavier than usual, amounting altogether to £2175 13s. We have gone carefully through all these accounts and recommend that they be passed for payment. GENERAL REMARKS. There are a good many works in hand at present, several of which, however, are being executed by the Council on behalf of the General Goveryment. A sum of £442 14s has been already expended on the Cedar Creek road, and a certificate for this sum has been forwarded. Application has also been made for the rates due on Crown lands for the year 1885-86, and for other sums now due to the Council by the General Government. The financial position of the Council continues to be satisfactory, the present assets exceeding the present liabilities by many thousand pounds. miller’s farm. In reference to Mr Quinn’s oiler to lease the section, Arahura Native Reserve, known as Miller’s land, and lately purchased by the Council from its present tenant, Mr Diedrichs, your committee find that Mr Quinn offers £8 per acre for the lease. We recommend that Mr Quinn’s offer be accepted, subject to the Council having power to resume possession of the land at any time if required for county purposes. [To be continued.]