MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume IV, Issue 235, 5 September 1873, Page 5

MUNICIPAL COUNCIL.

An extraordinary meeting of the Naseby Town Council was held at their chambers on Wednesday evening last. Present: His Worship the Mayor (presiding), and Crs. de Lautour, Craig, Brookes, and Wilson. TELEGRAPH EXTENSION. The Mayor read a telegram from J. Macandrewy Esq., M.H.K., stating that the Government had agreed to extend the telegraph 'line from .Naseby to Alexandra. MAIN ROADS. The report of the Public Purposes Committee wa3 real, informing the Council that the Committee had met the Provincial Engineer, in re main roads through Municipality, and • that he had agreed to recommend that the sum of £3OO should be paid to the Corporation for the formation of the main roads through the Municipality, which, on behalf of the Council, they had agreed to accept. A letter was real from the Provincial Engineer, asking the Council to undertake the management of the expenditure of £10(J from the Kyeburn coal-pit to the Upper Kyeburn, and two sums of £SO each to be expended on "the road from Naseby to Kyeburn Diggings ~in accordance with the verbal arrangement made with the Public Purposes Committee. • Moved by Cr. de Lautoctr, seconded by Cr. Craig, "That Cr. Brookes and the Mover be requested to enquire into the Kyeburn roads, and to recommend to the Coun-

i cil.the work that shall be undertaken. " To report as soon as possible." Carried. COMMONAGE. The report of the Commonage Committee was read as follows: " To the Mayor and Town Council, .Naseby : Your Committee appointed to report upon all papers and documents in the hands of the Tosvn Clerk, relative ro Commonage, are sorry to have to complain of the paucity of the returns. Orer tfiirty seven lists were specially directed lor answers, and others were always to be had at tne Town Clerk's office. It is lo be regretted that tnere are no returns .from residents in Naseby, who, while not carrying en trade as dairymen, yet keep a few cows tor their own use. .Xevertheiess, the returns in hand are of great value, as being the oniy reliable data ever yet obtained on the much vexed question of Commonage for Naseby. It app -ars that out of thirteen detailed replies received, all but one—which thinks the question doubtful—give ti.e opinion that a Com monage is desirable. The out districts of St. Bathans and Kyeburn are against it; and Black*—outside the district—is favorable to joint action.

The majority also are of opinion that distance is not a prime object, but rather a secondary one compired to the quility of .pastu rage, provided :hat the provisions defined in question 8 could be fidfdled. It should be stated, however, that three out of four of the dairymen think the immediate district is a necessity for Com nonage. K early all are agreed tVmt fencing would bo necessary. Mr. Plurnmer and Mr. Inder, b >th thoroughly practical men, nevertheless, think that- might be avoided by good boundaries and herdsmen.

The area recommen led generally varies from 15,000 to 100,000 acres, only one person thinking 10,000 worth asking for. The returns furnished by Mr. Robinson, Mr. Newman, Mr. W. luier, Mr. i J ummer. and Mr. Geo. Oliver, diis rv'e especial-utteu-tion, as being the carefully considered and evidently matured opinions of old residents engaged in different pursuits, and representing different interests. Mr. Oliver's return alone deals particularly with the cost of f-jnej—-giving reliable data—Mr. Roberts, however, believes it could be erected at, a ccst of 20s. per chain, but gives no particulars. Mr. Oliver has, however, computed the cost of a very high class of fence, at. a cost as will be seen by schedule attached of £222 per mile : a fence that would probably be superior to the requirements of the district. Mr. Roberts, on the other hand, is as much under the mark. There can be no dobbt a fence, if erected, would have to be cattle proof; as the expense could only be incurred on the understanding that the ranger's exponsts would be less—if any at all. As to the somewhat difficult matter of assessment of stock and rate to be charged, your Committer would draw your attention to".the independent, and well conceived ideas' or Messrs. Newman and Plummer, suggesting a graduated scale of charges per heart, rising in exact proportion to number of stock the individual may . have though -Mr. Tlummer's scale is probably started at too low a minimum.

Tour Committee cannot close their report without stating their conviction that a block of land for grazing purposes should no longer be denied to Naseby and surrounding district, but tluy cannot undertake to' recommend the precise form or locality in which that right should obtain—leaving the matter to the colleclive wisdom of the Council as a whole.

Your Committee .vish to state that they consider the Council indebted to the Blacks Progress Committee for the very kind and courteous way in. which the overtures of the Council had been received. We have the honor to be, Yours obediently L. W.. litfoCii, Cuaircnan. A. Craig. *C. A. l>Ji Lautour. Moved by Cr. "Wilson, seconded by Cr.' Brookes, " That the report of the Commonage Committee be received, . and that the returns lie open, for the inspection of those interested, at Mr. L. W. Busch's store." Carried. FINANCE COMMITTEE. Moved by Cr. Brookes, seconded by Cr. Wilson, "That the report of the Finance Committee be adopted." "Carried. ACCOUNTS. Accounts to the amount of £S 33. 9d.-were passed for payment.