MAIfAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 47, 6 February 1880, Page 2

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

* \f MoNDAYJ' FEHMUnY 2. from last Tuenday's paper.) |R* Y&ARtTAULE AIDI Letter tend from Gta^ernittent, enclosing copies of Charitable Aid Dill, and asking tha Council <o give its opinion. The members resolved to discuss the matter at next meeting, and to privately consider the Bill during the month. fiEBEKVE. Letter redd frtirn L l . G ulbrnnsen, applying to lease a gravel reserve at Kxrere for 21 'ears, at £5 per annum. No resolution was passed. OTAKI POCXD. Letrer read from Highways Boardj Ofcaki, enclosing reo lution rv potlnd at Otaki, and urging early action. Mr Kebbell thought Dr FTewson and MiSimcox were the only persons anxious for a pound af, Otaki. One of therrsulves should be appointed pound 'ceeper. He thought Mr Cootes, who agreed to put up a pound, would not do it while the native * Were opposed to ifc. The Engineer said the last time he spoke to Mr Coites, he Raid he would not erecc the pound. Proposed by Mr Kebbell, "That in reply to the letter from tho Chairman of the Otaki Highways Board re pound, he be informed that the Council will be willing to cancel the appointment of Mr Cootes as pcundkeeper, and to appoint any other person willing to put up a pound that the Board mny recommend." Seconded by M> Gower, and c*rrled. Proposed by Mr Kebbell, " That Mr Cootes, of Otaki, having failed to put up a pound at Otaki, his appointment as poundkeeper, be cancelled, and tlvit he be notified accordingly." Seconded by Mr Grower, aud carried. HOSPITAL. Letter re&d from 0. Bull, member of Rangitikei County Council, statin? that he had sent a man named Hoath to the Wanganui Hospital, and asking that us the man wa.s it former resident of Feilding, the Chairman would give an order. As the man wa.s not a residentjof the Manawatu County wh>n taken ill, the Council declined to give the ord-jr. IMPOUXDIXCr ACT. Letter read from H Graff, askiug for an appointment as Hanger of the Taonui Hiding, to impound all striding horses and cattle. Mr Gower thought such an appointment very necessary. The matter was discussed, and several members suggested improvements in the Impounding Act, which Avould lead to a strict t enforcement of its provisions. Mr Gower moved, " That the Uhairman write to the Government re alterations of Impounding Act, especially drawing their nttention to *he need of such powers as shall enable poundkeepers and others to impound stock off tho public roads." Seconded by Mr Loudon, iu><] carried. An.TOriIN.MKXT. The Cunneil adjourned at ;"> .30 p.m. for one hour. i On resuming, the same members w«ro present. WOKKS IX THE COUXTV. The Chairman brought up a report of the committee nppointed to open tenders re Mangaone road, pirliculais of which have already appeared in our local columns. He stated that the tender accepted would involve an expenditure of £1500, and necessitate an overdraft of at least £800. Ho proceeded at considerable length to justify this, by pointing out that the revenue of Manchester riding amounted to about £3003 per annum, and as the next ye&r's ratea would soon be available, he was warranted in asking for an advance of £800. Lust j ear, upon the same plan, the Manchester Highways Board overdrew up to £1400, but on July 1 had a balance of £l4u to ther" credit. If they had not done so, they might have kept a balance in hand, but the works would have been delayed a year. The credit balance at tho B;»nk amounted to £2000, and it would be unwise I to delay important works for the mere purpose of supporting an idea. There was another matter upon which he would make a statement. A few days ago, when the Hon. Mr Bryce was in the district, he (the speaker) brought before him the desirability of the Kimbolton road being pushed on. Mr Bryco accepted his views, and gave a promise to seoure a £ of Government money for every £ expended by the local bodies. The Eiwitea riding had £400 in hand, and there was still 600 chains of the road to be metalled. He would ask them to authorise the Engineer, Mr Halcombe, and the speaker, to call for and accept tenders for this work. If the Government would not grant the £ for £, then they would not accept i he tenders. Mr Gower refened to the difficulties of settlers in his Riding regarding roads. He mentioned especially the Cimpbelltown road. Tho settlers in that part of the district would never bo able to construct a road from the main line to the township. He would second Mr Mncarthur's proposal if the same privilege were extended to Carnarvon. He would ask that he might be allowed to overdraw to the extent of £300 for the Camrbelltown road, provided the Hon. Mr Campball would give £ for £. Mr Loudon asked what would ho the position if all the ridings were to ad<ipt the same plan, and get large overdrafts f Their credit balance would soon be changed into a deficiency. They were assnming that the rates would be got in very quickly. In the present state of the country he doubted this very much. They were also going on the same basis as last, year, that of a shilling rate. This he objected to. and intended to oppose, as people could not stand it. If the Council would guarantee that the proposed expenditures would not be taken out of the funds of those ridings in credit, he would not object; otherwise he would oppose the proposals. He also reminded tb.H Council that an agreement had been come to not to overdnw. The Chairman, referring to the last remark, reminded the Council that when the matter of Campion's line was brought up, n.embera agreed to the principle of an overdraft. He did not agree with a large overdraft being contracted early in the year, but considering that this was the best season for getting work done, that labour was plentiful, and that th<> Bank was willing to grant the accommodation, he thought the Council would be foolish not to tukc advantage of the opportunity thus prevented to let needful works be pushed on. One of the chief reasons why the northern members wished to seceJe from the southern ridings was because they felt that if alone they couM carry out this principle of an overdraft to an extent they could not at present. The total overdraft he desired was £1500, or one-fourth of his year's revenue. Mr Rockstrow proposed , " That the sum of £600 be placed at the disposal of the Kiwitaajriding, providing that the General Government expend at the rate of £ for £, should the General Government not accede, the riding not to expend more than .£300." Seconded by Mr Gower, and carried. Proposed by Mr Kebbell, « That tenders be called as soon as possible for the work in the Kiwitea Biding, and that Councillors

Ma^arthur and Halcombe, witft'the Engineer, be a committee to open the tenders." Seconded by MrJSansQn and carried. by Mr Gowl^^^at £300 bo expended in improvin^^rckford'a line, leading into Campbelltown ; provided the Hon. R. Campbell will hand over to the Couuty Council a similar amount for ex penditure on same line, pf road ; tli is sum to be hahied over Ito the Highways BoarJ, and ten"dor< to be called for the work at once." Seconded by Mr Saneon and carried "WOBKB AT SANDOX. Proposed by Mr Sanson, " That £50 be laid out in metalling a road leading from the Foxton main road to the Taipo bush. This vote <d be subject td th(s Usual conditidns. Tlie vote to be ham'od to the Highways Board." Seconded by Mr Kebbell, and carried. Proposed by Mr Sanson, " That £100 be laid out in cutting a d.teh on the highest side of a road leading front Bailey's pro^ nerty in Saridon to Frocklhigton's ; to be handed to the Manawatu Highways Board." S :conded by Mr Gower, and carried. Proposed by Mr Sanson, " That £50 be laid out in building bridges over creeks on Speedy's r jad, and making other improvements on said road ; vote to be paid through the Highways Board/ Secoided by Mr Kebbell, and carried. Proposed by Mr Sanson — " That the sum of £150 be laid out on the road leading from the Publio Cemetery at Sandon to Halcombe, said sum to be paid through the Manawatu Highways Boards" t ; econ»led by Mr GoWer, and carried. Proposed by Mr Sanson — " That the sum of £100 be expended on the Cliff Road, leading from Sandon to the Manchester Block. This vote to be paid through the Manawatu Highways Board." Seconded by Mr Gower, nnd carried. WußltS AT I'OXTON. Mr Rockstrow proposed—" That the road from Foxton to the boundary of the Awahou Riding towards Sanson be metalled." He said the Riding had at present a credit balance of £1110, and by anticipating next year's revenue the sum of £1500 conLl be spent upon the work. He also mentioned that he intended to opposa a shilling rate. The motion was seconded by Mr Loudon. Mr Gower spoke very strongly against the proposed expenditure. He said it would be throwing money away. He wis interested in Foxton and Carnarvon, but .should never think of carting stuff while they had a railway running to Carnarvon station. The only persons who would be benetitted would bo the Maoris at Motuiti. lie himself was interested in the other part of the district, along the new Otaki road, — he was not ashamed to say so — and he believed that wan the direction in which to spend the rates, and not where the railway line was laid He thought also the Mouioa people should be assisteJ. He believed nine-*enths of the Foxton people would oppose such an expenditure as that proposed. Mr Loudon said that from the energy with which .Mr Gower had spoken, Councillors would probably bo tempted into thinking 1 that gentleman was an interested party. (Mr Gower — I ara.) A large revenue was derived from property along the lino of road proposed to be metalled. It was true Mr Larkworthy owned a large piece of property near Foxton, but that was no reason why that gentleman should absorb every ihiDg. Large numbers of persons at Sandon would be very glad to use the road, but could not at present. Mr Sanaon said hu would oppose a shilling ' rate in future, as only settlers in the bush districts wanted it. The remaiuder desired a sixpenny rate. The proposed work would cost £1500. If the mover would limit his motion to a certain sum, he would support it. Mr Kebbell thought it would be but little use making the road past the Racecourse Hill. The railway formation could be used after the deviation was finished. Tr c Chairman said Mr Rockstrow was quite wrong in his figures Ihe Riding had only about £090 in hand, as £450 of its balrnce was a special vote for the Otaki road, nnd £70 more was voted. Coming to the next year's revenue, although Mr Rockstrow declare I his iutention of opposing the shilling rate, he nevertheless argued on the money a shilling- rate would afford. Even estimating ths income on a shilling rate basis, Foxton would only have about £800 to spend, the overdraft to be allowed on which would only amount, taking 25 per cent, to £200. Thus, instead of having as he imagined from £1-300 to £2000 to spend, there was only £800, after overdrawing one-fourth of the next year's revenue ! (Laughter.) Mr Gower — (to Mr Rockstrow) — A pretty financier you arb ! (Renewed laughter.) Mr Roclißtrow said that as the Chairman had cut down his estimates so much, he would withdraw his motion. Leave was given, and tho motion with» drawn. Mr Rockstrow then moved — "That the Engineer be ins'ructed to prepare specifications to metal the road from Fox f on towards Sanson ; the expenditure not to ex ueed £700 ; tenlers to le called as soon as specifications are prepared. Tenders to be called in sections." .Seconded by Mr Loudon, and carried. MISCELLANEOUS. Proposed by Mr Kebbell, seconded by Mr Sanson — " That the scale of tolls payable at nll.ferries within the County of Manawatu be altered as follows : — For every horse or head of great oattle carried or towed over, including the rider or person in charge, Is ; every additional horse oi head of great cattle, Cd " Proposed by Mr Rockstrow, seconded by Mr Kebbell— " That the oflioe of poundkeejer at Foxi*n be added to the Ferry, and advertised accordingly." Proposed by Mr Sanson, seconded by Mr Hockstrow — "That this Council having heard the report of the Engineer upon the state of the Rangitilcei Bridge, begs to cuter its strong protest against metal being laid on the bridge, as iv its opiniou the stability of said bridge is considerably endangered, and the revenue of this County would bo liable for one-half '.he cost of renewing or repairing any damage which may be caused thereby. Tnis Council respectfully suggests that some other competent Engineer be consulted on the subject."