MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 45, 24 March 1877, Page 2

MAN A WATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

. A meeting of the above Council took place on Wednesday at 1 p.m.i but ho business was gone into by arrangement until 7 p.m. "' >■ COUNCILLORS PRESENT. Messrs E. S. Thynne (chairman), H. Sanson. G. M. Snelson, D. A. Macarthur, Hector M'Donald, Gower, and A. F. Halcombe. The minutes of the previous meeting and special meeting having, been read and confirmed, the Chairman presented the following report ; —

chairman's bepoet. Gentlemen, I have the honor' to report that I have received ' copies of specifications of works m hand, but they are those which your Council have decided not to take over. I have had the honor of interviewing the Minister for Public Works with reference to a letter received from that department, m which U contained the paragraph "that the charge of the roads m question devolves upon the County by law, and that the County is responsible for their maintenance and management ;" and-. I am enabled to report that the Highway Boards and not the County are decided to be the authority answerable. . " , .. I had also the honor :of interviewing the Colonial Secretary^relative to his letter of the. Bth; March, and arranged that theGoyernment wjllbecome answerable, to the Bank fpiHan overdraft oofn f the security of -subsidies becoming due, and I am expecting .; an \ answer at once, stating the amount of such* overdraft, I have not' been able: ; as 'yet to call for tenders; for leasing, the ferries, as upon looking into the. matter, I found it would be hecessaryito 'ihave the ferry reserves transf erred to the Council first, and I have xeceiveda promise; in answer to my enquiry; that they shaill be. ; v . I am gladf to -inform- ydu <that free passes to Councillors, when attending theOpuncil, have been grainted^ I now beg to hand ypu-.thQ -precis, of Go verrimeiit letters received si^fie" last meeting. .••"M^; >:-..,' • .-''/ '„ .' Freois of JJett^s.y.i :\ '■ Letter,f rom Pubic Works Office,under date March 6th, referring to letter from Eangitikei County ■ Council and advising the .course therein suggested, viz., to set apart the tolls, on, the Bangitikei Bridge a,s a sinking fuiidifor its maintenance. '.-■■ .> : ;,-^';; ; '.v r : ;^:^v .... ' \; , ••■■'; 'Letter from Golonial Secretary's Officer' under date,, March;. Bth, expressing regret that the Government cannot assist the Council'intthe manner proposed, . viz., by advising the. Governor to authorisebqrrowingv; v the direction given .to the Governor tp meek technical difficulties would not justify such a; departure from the meaningpf the Act.Letter. froi^Public^orks Office, under date March Bth,"regretting that the Council refuses to; take charge' of the. works proposed to be, taken over, and setting forth that the unexpended bal-* ance from the K-arere. contract represents the saying effected by the Goyernment providing, a., locomotive, and that no f u rther. expenditure can be sanctioned. . v ... ■'■■.■:-: ■■■.■..., . ; ".Letter from Colonial Secretary's Office, under date ; March 9th. Letter will' be taken as application for the . Perry Reserves .whicli will' be immediately placed under the; control of the County Council, ?ind particulars of co ntracts supplied^/: . . : : , . from Public- Works Office,.under date March- 10th, states jkhat the charge of the roads-ih question devolves upon the County^bj^jlaw* and that the County i's responsible 1 for. their maintenance and management. •. " r Letter from ■': Public" ; Wrorks, \Office, under date March 10th, intimating the granting of fre^ passes to Councillors on the Railways within!' the County; • Lettertrom Colonial Secretary's Office, under date March 15th, requesting the Council to submit the • name of some suitable person to carry out the "Dog Nuisance Act." : . Tenders have been received for the metalling of various lines, which remain unopened until pur position is ascertained. -■;.-.;■; : :^':-}r^&<: :.]'..' .■ : The CffAiEMAN further stated that on that, afternoon he'had received a telegram : from the Government to. the effect that an overdraft of £1000 would be guaranteed to* the -Bank. He also laid upon the table : the. following correspondence. • JV . . i, ; ; Letter from 'the ferryman 'at Lower Ferry. ■ -■'. ;'■. . ' -■■-- / ■.':■■ ' :.-'; '-. ;" Letter from the Chairman of Manawatu Highways.- district and' Local Boards stating that an /Engineer not -being required at present ln this district, the arrarigemeiit suggested, by the County Council as, to participating m such an officer's services .could • not be entertained. „.■•..'■■:■: ;.■•■:■•. Councillor . Halcombe laid beiore Councillors the report of *; -the Committee appointed to consider thejbye-laws. The further consideration of this matter by the Whole Cbuncil was deferred . r- • Counciilor. Macarthue stated that two the bridges on, : the • road to Feilding being out of repair, he had on his own authority bed them made secure as they were dangerous, and he con sidered the Council would have been responsible had . any damage been caused. . ' !■ Councillor Sanson : proposed, That" the commisstoners pf ( .any riding be empoweredrto have any urgent, repairs to bridges or culverts on ;Cpiinty roads through his riding executed t with despatch, provided that .the T amount does not m any case exceed.Pive (£5) pounds. Agreedto. .''.:■;- ;*H;.. ir ;.,;.; ' Councillor M-Donald stated that tl^e, bridge which he was authprised to have repaired m his riding' £ad cost twice as much as the sum -voted for it would cover. . ■,;' ''/ - ; . : .;.-:. /'. ';/ r"" - ■ ■ The Chairman brought forward for discussion the proposition, of which . Councillor Liddle had given, notice, viz., to advertise for a clerk- and treasurer at £250 -per^annum. /i , ; Councillor Sanson suggested that the amount lie -deduced -to £200 per annum, and tha^ the, collection of the dog tax be added to the duties of clerk ; and he further would like to propose, that Mr Medges, of Sandon, be appointed, whom he knew would' give satisfaction m every, respect. He thought it would be far better to do; so than to advertise, as if they,, followed the latter pla»^^ they might jbfe inundated^

with applications and find it difficult to make a choice. He begged to move* That Mr G. Hedges be appointed secretary at a salary of £200, and his duties be amongst other things the collection of the dog tax. ■";.■■■ The above proposition not being seconded. .. . . . . Councillor Macabthub proposed, < That advertisements be inserted m the local papers calling for applications for the situation of secretary, and treasurer, if required, at a salary of £150 per annum. ■■.-.■■■ .-■ Seconded by Councillor Snelsoit.. „ Councilor Halcombe, m speaking to the above .proposition, stated 5 that he . .understood » that .at a previous it was agreed that the chairman and , secretary's duties should be united^ and ,he thought he .should have the feeling of the Council with him when he said that the duties could have hardly been better nerfprmed.t It appeared; to him 'tthat tiie only difficulty: m the, present arrangement was'CouncillorLiddle_'Siob- -„ jection to act as;treasurer;b,uthe thought . tliis'might be. overcome .if he understood that the clerical duties would: be, peT- - formed by the clerk.: There would be no collection of rates, and when that necessity arose, perhaps some arrangement ; could be made with the collectdrs. ot the . County boards. ; The dog-tax should be looked af te* by the police, and a • registrar only was necessary. _In suggesting that the presei^gjujrangement continue- he was spfeSMp^withOut knowing whether -the Chairman" desired v some alteration,;; Of course, if l that was the case"\beb should : '.bowo to his wishes.. :' ■■."■"■••.• -.'. •.,;-- v,- .■ : The Chaibman. stated that when he undertook th^ ! ' combined, duties of Secretary and"; Ch airman he ! ojily considered it as a temporary arrangement, m fact, until the work became sufficiently onerous to; make it worth while "tojobtain clerical assistance, which time he considered had now arrived. At the '> same time he would give Councillors to . .understand that, so long as he was at the head of the CouuciLhe should neyer allow : the main work of ; = the^correspondence, viz., to the GbvernnlentjtO' go out of ; his hands.; Vj;; - ''■■- '.. r . ./. Gouncillpr HalcOmbb said that after 'hearing the statement jtlst made by the Chairirian he should, as previously stated ", support- the proposition, now before the Council. Councillor Goweb heartily supported the • proposition, and he did so 'on the consideration that to advertise for applications was by fair the better plan, as he \ had .no doubt they^ each name some particular; man whom they themselves .thought would suit: -the office, but such a method was open to grave objections, and would, possibly prove a • more difficult problem to solve than picking out a suitable applicant from a number of applications. ' , ; The proposition was then put and carried. Councillor Saloombe moved, That Councillor Gower be appointed treasurer. .Agreed to. : - : :,-u'--'' . -^-* ' • Mr Barton, the /Acting County Engineer^ brought up his report upon the tenders^reeeived for the different works specified m an advertisemeiit m the , Manawatu Times. ;; ThU tenders received were as follows :— ";"• '■::.; .■■ ' :I . . ■ * Poxton. and Sandon road — Alfred Wyldes, £7 9s^per chain, informal ; James Alexander Baily, £*I 10s per chain. • . : : ,_ Sandon to Ran gitikei Bridge— -James A. Baily, £4 10s per chain— i or staking, 8s per yard-; E. Read, £4 per chain— "for stakingj 5s per yard. .. ;:, Mount Stewart ;tO' Sandon— Jas, A; Bailyj £2 19s 6d per chain ; E. Read, £2 15s. per chain ; Harvey and M'Caul, £3^. 5s per chain; Matthews and..Bowater, £3 7s Bd/ — ■'.'■.- " Awahuri to Mountf Stuart— r James A. Baily/ £4 per chain ; Thomas Jenkins, £4 19s per chain ;H. Hughes, £3 3s per chain ; Matthews and Bowater, £4 18s 6d per chain ; G. Lucas, 4s per cubic yard, informal ; sPesmond £3 « 18s per chain. '." Awahuri to Feilding— Hedt^Bpoth and Co., £3 10s 6d per chain.- r r:' On the conclusion of his 'report^ Councillor "Sanson moved, That the Council resolve itself into a committee ot the whole to consider the tenders and report m half an hour.— Agreed to. ' ' ■■'■■■;■ ; : -■[•-;■■■:■■, ■-: . On the Council resuming, the . following recomihendatipns were agreed to :— That a sum of £400 be voted to each of the road lines, viz;,- Carnarvon to Sandon, and Awahuri to Bulls ; £300 to Feilding roadi arid £150 each to Foxton main street and Palmerston main street ; and that the Councillors m each riding, m- conjunction.with:.the;Engineer, receive and accept tenders for the various works named. : - . Councillor v Goweb moved; That the Engineer be instructed to take the necessary levels and prepare the. estimates for the construction of a railway from the junction Of Palmerston line to the township of Sanson, the cost to be defrayed from the amount allocated them. —Agreed to. Councillor Haicombe moved, That the next meeting of the Council, be held on the 17th April nextat 7.30 p.m. — Agreed to; - a.!,. .