WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

Kumara Times, Issue 2997, 11 June 1886, Page 3

WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

♦ The monthly meeting of the Westland County Council was held in the Couucii Chambers on Wednesday, at 2.15 p.m.; present—Messrs M'Goldrick, (in the chair), Jack, Dungan, Grimmond, M'Whirter, and Daly. The. meetiug of the previous meeting and of a special meeting were read and confirmed and the outward correspondence approved of. Our exchanges report as follow: INWARD CORRESPONDENCE. Telegram from County Chairman stating he would not be able to attend the meeting.—Eeceived. Prom Secretary Kanieri Literary Institute asking for a donation to enable the Institute to form a library.— Received.—Mr M'Whiiter moved that £lO be voted.—Mr Grimmond thonght it better to bring it forward in another •way, not on the reception of a letter.— Motion carried. Prom A. Cameron county valuator, re valuation, and asking the Council to consider his services.—Received, and referred to the Finance Committee to report. Prom County Auditor as below : I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 4th inst., forwarding explanations re vouchers Nos. 188 and 237, and in reply beg to state as follows: Voucher No. 188.—Payment of £1 2s to councillor for putting on man in lieu of himself to enable him to attend meeting of the Council on the 10th June. I find that this councillor was already paid for attending this meeting, vide voucher No. 1014. So that, as I consider a councillor cannot be paid twice for attending the same meeting, I cannot alter my opinion as to the illegality of the payment. Voucher 137.—Payment of £1 re East and West Coast Railway. I cannot alter my opinion about the illegality of this payment.—Received. From 0. Janion, Kumara Times, asking for a share of all advertising, including balance - sheet. Received. Mr M'Whirter thought it savoured of partiality to publish the balance-sheet in the three Kokitika papers, and not to publish in the Ross and Kumara papers. He thought it suilicient to advertise in one paper.—Mr Duncan concurred, and asked if it could not be sent now.—Mr Grimmond thought it bei-un for the Council to deal with advertising next ye-,:r. From Chairman Grey County Conncil

expressing an opinion that it was not necessary to employ a caretaker on Tereraakau bridge.—Received ; it was i stated that no caretaker was employed. From Kumara Literary Institute, acknowledging donation.—Received. From R. J. Seddon, M.H.R., stating Government had sent Home £4OOO for cylinders for Arahura bridge, and that tenders for work were held over by Government awaiting a vote from the House.—Received. REPORTS. From Finance Committee, as follows : Your committee have the honor to report as follows: RECEIPTS DURING MAY, 1886. Goldfields Revenue and Gold £ s. d. Duty ... • ... ... 112 14 2 General Rates and Dog Tax... 48 8 11 Total receipts, £l6l 3 2 PAYMENTS. Payments have been made since last meeting amounting to £1667 14s. ACCOUNTS FOR MAY, 1886, These amount to £1267 4s. Your committee have carefully examined them and now beg to recommend that they be passed for payment. Your committee would desire to call the Council's attention to the fact that it seems very probable that the largest and most regular source of county income—the rates from Crown lands—amounting to £7OOO per annum, is to be withdrawn this year by. legislation, and : it is also likely that the future goldfields receipts will'be much diminished. Outside these sources of revenue, and the votes for special works, the county revenue does not amount to £2OOO a year. Your committee therefore strongly recommend that the members for the district have their earnest attention drawn to this matter, and that they be asked to endeavor to obtain funds from other sources if the items referred to are abolished or reduced. The number and extent of works now to be maintained in Westland makes it necessary and essential that the county revenue should suffer no diminution. The matters referred to us for report at and since the last ordinary meeting were: (1) Cassidy, ' Binnie, and Co.'s offer to lease the Otira toll reserve, and (2) the question of traveling expenses of members, objected to by the County Auditor. On these subjects your committee recemmend as follows :—(1) Cassidy, Binnie, and Co. 's application—Your Council have no power to grant this application in its present form, but a permit to occupy at pleasure of the Council may be granted subject to the following conditions :—(1) That £5 per annum be paid by way of rent, and (2) that the Council resume possession at any time on two months' notice being given, and no compensation awarded for improvements or other claim. (3) The amounts objected to by the Auditor were paid to councillors attending the Governor, by way of traveling expenses, to Kumara. The total amount objected to is £ll 6s. Your committee recommend that the several sums objected to be refunded to the County Fund, as the Auditor considers the payments illegal'; but your committee find that the councillors who received these moneys were not aware that any question as to the perfect legality of these payments could be raised. Mr Daly moved the adoption of the report, it would l>e seen that legislation proposed would greatly diminish the revenue. The auditor's report had received consideration, and it was considered advisable to refund the moneys. At the time these were paid neither the councillors nor the committee were aware of the illegality. —Mr Jack thought it was necessary to urge upon the Government the equity of retaining the rating on Crown lands.—Report adopted. TENDERS. The Council went into committee to consider tenders. ACCOUNTS. The Chairman moved " That the accouuts for May 1886, as revised and recommended for payment by the Finance Committee, amounting to £1267 4s he now passed for payj ment."—Carried. TRACKS. Mr Dnngan moved, " That Mr Kenbe instructed to put the old tramway track near Dillman'a in a proper state of repair." Ifc was n very dangerous place, and the expenditure of five or six pounds was all that was required. Seconded by Mi- M'Whirter and carried . Mr M'Whirter moved "That a foot b'idgebe elected across the creek on ihe Fox's and Cbristchurcli road ; cost not to exceed £15." A log that previously did duty for a foot bridge was washed away, and now lesideuts could not cross in flood timo.—Seconded by Mr Dungan and carried. The Council then adjourned.