MANIOTOTO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 417, 5 April 1877, Page 3

MANIOTOTO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The annual meeting of the County Council was held on Thursday last. All the members were present. The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed.

The Chairman then read the following telegrams : T° the Hon. ( J. M 'Lean, 011 9th March : " I\J aniofcoto County Council has passed resolution, a copy v ,t wtiieh has been sent to the Hon the Columai .-ecrotarv by post, not to come under tiiu- whole and has tesolved that iinnuai * meeting, uuder section. (38 simii i>e held oji inst. The Council respectfully requests that Mr. R. H. urowne, at present District iilnginei r, who is willing to act-, be appointed ...ounC) Kuguieer, and directed to proceed at; once with repairs to roads immediately neeeaaary; also, desires

such information as will eiiaiile it to tion funds, and requests the Government to instruct Mr. Browne to inspect roaJs and bridges in County., to frame estimates- of probable requirements of each ridirig for coming year, and report to aie before nts.it meeting of Council." - . , .

;. Td this a reply was sent by the Hon. Mr. Al'Leaii, from Wellington,' on 22nd • March,. as follows : —"Government cannot give instructions; .to proceed with repairs to roads, or appointment of officers, as this ia a fluty castupon local! bodies. (Jan oalv ivt\.-r you. to section 68 of" Goto ties Act, aud section ; 31 Financial Arrangements Act as to apportionment of funds at disposal. Hope County have fully considered effect of not bring-. :Act into force where all tile County °ia: outlying district;"-

'The Chairman also, laid on the table a. statement of funds to the credit of' the County to date, amounting in ail to £9OO, .and of .expenditure on roads Xll9 Us ; cost of elections, £75 0s 9d.

■. Gix the-.motion ,ot Air. Turnbull, seconded by Mr. Shannon, the Council lesolved itself hi to committee of the whole 10 coiiQuestion of the apporiiuiimenfc ,qf funds and supervision of works as provided in 'section 63 of the Couhiielj Act/ After'some discussion Mr: IJrown propoced—" That Messrs'. Lkverty, Willisimson, and the Chairman be the persons under whom the works, ia the .County be carried on." ' '■■■-■

wajit of a seconder this was allowed several of tile members stating that they saw no reason why the whole r Council could not act as well as three. ; - After considerable discussion, Mr.. Shannon . proposed, seconded by 'Mr. "Williamson, " That, the revenue accruing to the County of Maniototo during year be expended on the roads and bridges in tlie County, under the J.Qperyision o/ the Chairman." The Chairman Supposing the Chair'.rUan refused P ' • >

'"Mr. Turnbull: It would not be fair, as the Chairman would be the Council, besides acting without remuneration. . Mr. Shannon believed that the Chairman would see better to the works thail: the Council if he is willing to act. • The Chairman expressed himself as. willing to act if the Government the resolution. ' :

•■■A. good deal of discussion followed,when "

Mr. Foster moved :—" That the names or Messrs. Turnbull, Brown, Williamson, JSfling, Laverty, Stewart, and Shannon be added to the motion." Air. Turnbull seconded proform-a'. Mr. Ewing proposed .-—"That in the opinion of this Council, the powers conferred under the 68th clause are so indefinite and so inapplicable to the state of things in this County that no action can be taken under it, and that to beneficially administer the revenue, there is no alternative but to constitute under the whole Act, and that the Council adjourn sine diefor the purpose ol allowing steps to betaken to come under the whole Act." The Chairman stated that the course suggested by the amendment was the wisest they could take, as he f.slt sure; that the Government intended to leave the County,in the lurch if it did not constitute ; that time would be saved, for a special meeting for constitution could, be heldnext week, wjiereas, if the original motion wera carried, further telegrams aud correspondence would be sent and received, and action'still further delayed. Mr. Ewing's amendment was not seconded, and lapsed. . The Chairman 'hen put Mr ; Foster's amendment which was lost on the voices. Ihe original motion was then put, whea there votedA\'es: Brown, Stewart, Williamson, and Ewing; .Noes ; Holland, Turnbull, Laverty and Foster. - -Ihe motion was declared carried. On the motion of Mr. Brown, seconded by Mr. Williamson,-the Council resumed; Mr. Shannon's motion was then re--ported to the Cuuucil, and confirmed on the ypices. _ ;

The rough minutes having been.' read by the hon. clerk- were, confirmed by the Council, when the Council adjourned, sine die. . .

ihe P. 11.—Jem Mace looks'hale and; hearty, though he is '43 years old. He has with him the Champion Belt, consisting of mass've silver pldtes, valued at £2OO. The last plate. was presented by Flood and Mc'Kay of "the Bonanza mine, and consists of : solid bullion. Mace; will visit New Zealand after a tour in Australia His wife travels with him. He asked £250 weekly to appear in Auckland. ' "