WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

Kumara Times, Issue 3027, 16 July 1886, Page 2

WESTLAND COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of the Westland County Council was held in the Council Chambers, Hokitika, on Wednesday, at 2.30 p.m.; present— The Chairman (J. Clarke, Esq.), Messrs Grimuiond, Dungan, Jack, M'Whirter, Daly, and M'Goldrick. The following report of business pertaining to this part of (he county is fiom the West Coast Times : The County Clerk read a communication from the returning officer, notifying that flans Juergen Hansen had been elected a member of the Council in the place of James Spence. The Chairman briefly introduced Mr Hansen to I he Councillors, expressing the pleasure he felt in meeting him ; the Councillors present welcomed Mr Hansen, who thanked them and took his seat. The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed, and the outward correspondence read and approved. INWARD CORRESPONDENCE. Letter from Mr Spence, forwarding resignation.—Received. From J. Harris and party and others, Dnnedin Flat, asking for erection of bridges and opening track.—Received. From C. Harris and party and others, Dnnedin Flat, asking for construction of mad. Received. From F. Barrowman and W. Morris, asking for formation of road, Dillman's Town.—Received. From F. A. Olden, Hon. Seoetary of School of Mines, Kumara, according thanks for grant.—Received. FINANCE. The Finauce Committee reported as follows: "Your committee have the honor to report receipts for June, 1886, as follows : Publicans' Licenses 901 0 0 Goldfields' Revenue 79 0 G Gold Duty " 203 4 4 Subsidy on Rates 225 19 2 I>ogTax [" "3 0 0 General Rates 22 3 1 From General Govermuentfor Cedar Creek Road ... 757 $ q £2191 13 1 "The publicans' licenses are over £-100 leas this year than I. tS t, or than ever they have been before. Most of the hotels in Goldsbomngh and Stafford, formery taking out eleven o'clock licenses, this year contented themselves

with ten o'clock licenses. Two hotels in Rimu are closed, bub a £lO accommodation house has been opened at Kokatahi. The licenses this year therefore, stand as follow : ' 8*22 licenses £240 0 0 22 r f* „ 550 o 0 6 r ~l° » - •:■ 60 0 0 °* s » 30 0 0 1 £2O (wholesale license) ... 20 0 0 1 £1 license 10 0 £9Ol 0 0 " Under the Local Powers and Finance Act each County Council is e ititled, quite clearly, to a subsidy in no case less than £2OOO per annum, on general lates. When application was made for die money the General Government forwarded £225 only, and they deny their liability to pay the latger sum. The loss of this revenue to the Council is a serious one, and altogether unexpected. " The Bank Account at di\te stands as follows : —Credit balance, general account, £533 ; on fixed deposit, £4OOO ; total; £4533. "The accounts presented" for the month of June' amounted to £2Boß* of these, accounts to the amount of £B4 had been already paid from Imprest Account, being emergency accounts. Accounts to the amount of £145 15s your committee did not feel justified in recommending your Council to pay without farther information. The total amount your committee i'commend for payment ia £2603 ss. Your committee have very carefully gone through these accounts, and reommend that they be passed for payment." The report whs adopted. COUNTY ENGINEER'S REPORTS. Arrangements were ordered to be made for priming the County Engineer's report of his southern trip. The County Engineer's monthly report, as below, was read and received : 1. Contracts.—Since my last report the following contracts have beon completed and passed, viz., Sections 4,5, and 6, Dillmau's-Christchurcb road widening; gravel supply Kumara sea liench road, and Knmara borough boundary road extension to Mignonette Fiat. "2. Surveys.—The survey of the Browning's Pass track, via Arahura Valley, has been completed from the second gorge to the terminating point, a distance of lOf miles, where it joins the Styx River, which has lately been cleared out. A survey has been made for protective works between German Gully bridge and Killery's claim, Goldsborough, and plans and specifications are now in couise of preparation, which will bo ready in a few days. Plans are prepared for widening section 1, Kumara sea heach road, and Kumara borough boundary road. Several other surveys have been authorised, but I have not, had time since my return from south to put them in hand." TENDERS. The Council then went into committee to consider tenders. ACCOUNTS. The accounts for Juno, 1886, as revised and recommended for payment I'V the Finance Committee, and amounting to £2603 ss, were passed for piyment. GENERAL RATE. The Chairman moved " That a general rate of three halfpence in the £ on the capital value of property in the County he now made £>r the year ending 31st March, ISB7, said rate to be payable in one sum on Wednesdav July 21, 1886."-Carried. ' STANDING ORDERS. Mr Dalv moved, "That by-law No 1 of part IX of the Council's Standing Orders be rescinded."—[The by-law proposed to be repealed isas follows: " No tender will be accepted which' is thirty per cent over, or thirty per cent under, the estimated cost of the work as given by the Engineer. The lowest tender, complying with these conditions will, under ordinary circumstances, be accepted,- bat the Council reserves to itself the right to decline the acceptance of any tender or tenders."]—His reason for this was owing to discrepancies which constantly arose. On one occasion a number of tenders were declined because they were all low They had the to accept or reject a tender in any case. Mr Hansen seconded the motion. It was very ridiculous that the Council should teach the contractors their business. Mr M/Goldrick thought the mover had made a good case, but he thought the principle had not a fair trial. I n the past they had endless trouble with contractors who could not carry out their works. He opposed the motion. Mr M'Whirter did not believe in making a hy-law and then directly afterwards fcsciivling \ L It f,. c^ ucnt .]y.

happened that contracts were undertaken where the men could not possibly carry them out. The by-law had worked well, and it would be folly to alter it. Mr Jack supported the views laid down by Mr M'Whirter, if a tenderer could not come within 30 per cent, of the engineer's estimate he should not get the work. Mr Dungan thought the present system was woiking well, and no sufficient reason bad been brought forward to alter it. Mr Grimmond had heard nothing to cause him to alter his views and he would oppose the motion. He would not object to increasing the per centage 35 per cent. He would be glad to know if any contractors had made more than wages. The Chairman thought the margin was if anything too moch, many men had token contracts who did not make 16s a week. He objected to altering the standing orders. The motion was lost. The following resolutions were also carried:— On the motion of Mr M'Whirter—- " That this Council views with great dissatisfaction the action of the Legislative Council in throwing out the Gold Duty Abolition Bill, and that a telegram be sent to the Hou. Sir Robert Stout, requesting him to take steps during the present session of Parliament for the total abolition of the gold duty, and that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the members of the district, Messrs Seddon and Bevan, also the Hon. J. A. Bonar." On the motion of Mr M'Whirter—"That a sum of £l9 be expended in making about ten chains of road, commencing at the Dilltnan's road, opposite Holmes' stables, and terminating at the outlet of No. 2 sludge-channel. On the motion of Mr M'Goldrick— j " That this Council urge on the j Government the necessity of establishing telephone communication between Boss and Okarito, and that the members for the district be requested to co-operate in the matter." j Mr Dungan moved "That the branch track from main road to Larrikin's, and leading to the Tich borne claim, be widened into a dray road; distance 8 or 10 chains; cost not to exceed £l9."—Seconded by Mr M'Whirter and carried.