MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 76, 11 July 1877, Page 3

MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

(Continued, froy/i our last.)

ESTIMATES. The .Chaibman said the" time had now come to go into the estimates for the current year. The Executive Chairman, £150 ; Clerk to the Council, £15.0.— Passed.- , Engineer and 'Inspector of'JKoads, £350. Councillor Sanson said it would be better to continue the services, of the Engineer ; at present, he Was neither engaged by the Council or anyone else. He should like to know if- they could afford to retain the services of Mr Barton. Why did not the Highway and Local Boards join m employing him. The time had now come when the Engineer should .look after the public money, now that the Government had ' handed over the roads. If Mr Barton "■ was willing to engage with the Council he was just the man they wanted. If they allowed him to go awayto another part, they would not.be able to get the services of a man who knew the locality so Well; it would therefore be better to engage the services of Mr Barton permanently, and then ascertain whether the local bodies would also work with them m retaining his services.Councillor Goweb said he had also thdferffnt over the matter, and did not thiifk that they always required a man of Mr Barton's capabilities; a roadoverseer might do as Well. He was sure that Mr Barton's services could not be retained for £250 a yea*. He did not see .how. the overseer was to be paidras, there was nothing on the Estimates for him. It would, he .thought, be better to consult Mr Barton,, and if he remained m the district;- call-him in.at<such times as his services were required m laying out roads -and forming bridges. He could' namcone man>to ; act as overs.eer.; Mr 'Prisk, and he .thought Mr Barton could., corroborate^ his, words, had _ been employed r both by the Government and local bodies when Mr Barton had been away, 1 and had been able to do all the work 'required. "He would propose,—" That the services of Mr Barton, as Engineer; be. paid up to this evening." .Seconded, by Councillor Halcombe.' Councillor Sne^soN' moved, as> an amendment, which Councillor McNeil seconded,— "'That the services of Mr * be retained, at least for the pre-.; sent ; and that, m the event of the Council deciding to dispense wi'than engineer's services, at least three months' 'norice>be i given to Mr Barton." He thbughfc that it would be nothing but just thatfanotice of, three months' should.be, given to Mr Barton. The Council had beenSrery 'willing to accept his 'services, and it would be very hard to send him away m such' a manner as proposed. Mr ■ Barton had always been most willing to give his suggestions m all matters of engineering. Councilloi*' Macabthub" said he believed it had been proposed that the Chairman shoulc^try and-come to some definite agreement with the Engineer.'The Chaibman said' % it- was a very difficult matter to' come to' any agreement with Mr Barton, as' " his , ideas were much too liberal. He had stated that he was willing to take any sum the 'Council up to last meeting thought best , to vote him, and that the best way was to end his services, and infuture give, him a commission. ' ' Councillor Snelson asked if Mi* Prisk was' to be appointed overseer perma- , jiently. • ' ', ! ( The Chaieman said that at present • there was no conclusion come- to/-'" He had tried to' get 'the -local bodies 'to go with the Council in f getting a suitable m'dnto overlook the' 'road work. " Councillor Sanson '■ said that unless they ' had a j competent man the 'roads would'have to be laid off twice'o'r three times, as they had been m Sandonv As to Mr Prisk, he did not think that he was able to send m proper accounts' to the Council. He 'might'be able to do so to'the Secretary,- and have them 1 recqxflffaby that officer. Councillor Halcombe said he thought it- would <be better r to get Mr Barton to come to a definite arrangement with the Council for part 'service if not all. ' He did not consider at' present there was sufficient engineering work for a professional engineer. The E'dad Boards might also, employ him. 1 r The; extent of country ivas too'larg'e? for one man tefdo all the overseeing' Vso'metimes he might - be -wanted -at different places %t" once. If Mr Barton' continued to' live m the district the Council might employ him as ' '" Consulting, Engineer." ; It was better to employ overseers to, lookf over the; work m different parts; \*i .He- did not consider £250 a^year^an adequate sum for any engineer who gave his, whole services. He -was' m favor of employing the/best engineer, decidedly Mr - Barton, if m the district. _ He had. always found it the best way during his experience m road- making, to* have an overseer always on (the work, s, 'He could not see > why a professional man was always required., t ■ - Councillor Goweb said, m speaking to the amendment, he thought Councillor Snelson had> spoken yery hard and unnecessarily. He had had a great deal tp do -with Mr Barton, and had heard Mr Barton express a wish that* his/ eh- 1 , gagement, should be ended. Mr Barton,' had said 1 tad not enougn t0., d0, particularly : as *- tne ' railway to J Saridon was now laid off." If Mr Barton's services J < were continued "at £350 a year, and they- could not give him less than he had- been receiving from the Govern•ment, he.-would not always be able to -be on the road, and the Council "would want two or three overseers as well. He would be very sorry that it 'should go before the public that 'Mr' 'Barton ad bednrscnt away withoutany notice,

but lie believed Mr Barton Would be more krio^ng that he was : settled with fronv to-night. The CHAiEMiif suggested that Mr Bat ton for his i Jseryices, should be .paid the sum oi £90 up to that night, and then that his services : should be retained by an agreement on commission for work done._ Councillor Sneeson asked leave to withdraw his amendment. Councillor GrOW-BB also asked leave to Withdraw his original motion, and m its place bring forward another to the effect, That £90 be paid to Mr Barton for his past .servicesV £50 out of the " County Fund rind £40 for railway survey, and that Mr Barton be applied to, to ascertain if his services are available as consulting engineer to the Manawatu CouuibyV -Seconded by Councillor Halcombe. . - ; . ; Councillor McNeil asked if the £90 was to be paid by ihe County generally or from the riding -that the work had been done m. He thoughtJthat the riding m whi«h the railway was situated ought to contribute towards it. The;CHAlBMAN said that the, services w§re to be paid by^ the Cbunty generally, } the Chairman, etc, were to; be paid out of the £100 voted to the riding to Which the railway belonged; Councillor Mi.cAETHUE;' 1 said that he was; quite of the satn& opinion as Councillor McNeil, that the money for surveying the railway to" San don should be paid from the money voted to the riding m which the railway was situated. Councillor Halcombe said he understood that -no- definite ; arr a,ngemen t' had. been ihade^ With '-Mr ■Barton, and before! he wasvpaid the £90 it ?vould be better for the Chaiirinan to see 'Mr Barton. 6n the subject. = ' : : ■<■ : '■ ■•■/■.■ / ' '•' "' . •• The motion of Councillor Grower was carried/ .iThe-oouncil-here; resplvedj itself into committee :to r consider the remainder of ■ the^estimates.;^] ;'x'u>\^ ;;;/■'■- y ; :• . EXPENDITURE.

* Council Resumed. . •' . Councillor Sanson laid on the table the report of the ' Engineer relative to the Carnarvon and Sandon Railway, and movecK That the -plans 1 and estimates presented by Mr Barton relative to the branch railway from 'the Junction' to Sandon be accepted, and that Councillor' Gower arid the mover be a committee 1 to take charge of the same. Seconded. '-by Councillor Grower, and carried. ' 'Proposed by Councillor Sanson, and seconded by Councillor Gower, that the amount, £28 12s Bd, presented by Mr Barton for Chairman, etc-, employed m surveying the railway line be passed, the same to be charged against the sum of £400 voted for repairs to FoxtonSandon'road. 1 Carried, i Councillor Sanson would now suggest that the 'Council should consider- the circular sent by the Government regarding the Counties Act; , / The following suggestions were proposed, seconded, and passed. 1. That it shall be compulsory on the owners or occupiers of laud, alongside of

I any road which has been formed, after ' three months' notice has been given, to have one chain on each side of the road felled, and m the event of this not being complied with that the Council shall have power to do the work and charge the owner or oocupier With the same. 2. That a Clause be inserted m the Counties Act enabling any County Council to apply a portion of its revenue towards pa^irig the working expenses of branch railways for a period not exceeding ten years. 3. That the* Council suggests to the Government that the Waste Land Laws , require amending', and tbat m futur§.all Crown Lands, which •shall be placed m the market, shall have a percentage of . the land revenue set apart for road construction, before the sale of such land, whether it -be upon an actual or deferred payment. And this Council is decidedly of opinion that 'settlement has been, seriously retarded m bush districts by the sale of lands without provisions being made for making roads out of the upset prices realised by the sale of such lands. . " , 4. That the Government Eeserves throughout the County be handed over to the County for public services. 5. That all .parties felling bush into any creek shall be obliged to clear out the same. ■'.■',. 6. That the functions at present discharged bjr the County Councils would be efficiently and more economically per-' formed by the various Eoad Boards. The folio wing amendment was put to this, suggestion and carried, That the question involving the giving all road . work now m the .hands of the: County Council to Highway Boards be adjourned until next meeting. , 7. That a. triennial yaluatipn of property be substituted for the, present system, and an acreage rate be levied m accordance with a<previous resolution passed by this Council. That any new purchasers of land be changed at the same rate as contiguous holders. There being no further suggestions brought forward the following resolution was proposed by Councillor McNeil and seconded by Councillor Halcombe, That the Chief Commissioner of Police be written to asking him r to allow the police m- the several districts to impound cattle off the highways of the County, on application, and that he receive the fees allowed by law. Carried. ' Councillor Goweß. proposed, and Councillor Liddell seconded, That the Chairman be empowered to advertise for tenders for the lease, of- Foxton and i Lower Gorge Fe"rries. Carried. Councillor Sanson proposed, That the next meeting of this Council be held m the Council Chambers on Wednesday, the Bth August next, at 730 p.m. Seconded by Councillor-. McNeil and carried.

Engineeb's^ Depabtjient— ' Proposed. Passed. Engineer •'&' In-' £ a. d. £ s. a. spectorofß'ds 250,~ 0 0 150 0 0 Occasional assist- ' ■> ance '..'. *„.. 100 0 0 , struck out Roads Fobmation— ■ Carnarvon June-, „ , tion to Sandon 400 0 0 400 0 0 Awahuri to Bulls ?400 0 0 '400 0 0 Awahuri to Kiwi--tea "\.'''- ".. 300 0 0 300 0 0 Palmerston Sta^Y ' tion to bound- £ 150 0 0 150 0 0 ' ary Local B'd j < Road f torn Ferry -, , through F'xt'n 15Q 0 0 150.0 0 Palmerston to Oar- ( narvon Junct'n 35 0 0 35 0 0 , ' a' ' £1,435 0 0 Roads Maintenance — „ > i t Paid by Public Works D'pin't 212 13 0 212 13 0 Palmerston to Carnarvon Junct'n 65 0 0 65 0 0 Palmerston to Bl's 640 0 0 565 0 0 Foxton to Sandon 303 0, 0 303 0 , 0 Awahuri to Feilding , ... 'k. 179 .0' 0 179 0 0 PalmJtn.to Gorge 150 0 0 150 0 0 Beach to Foxton 75 '0 0 75 0 0 Road through Otaki, .. . ,25 0 0 25 0 0, Repairs to Otaki Road . . t II 1 ?- 9 0 ,17 9 0 £1,592 2 0 Febeies — >' 'Foxton-Ferry (improvements) .. 75 0-0 75 0 0 Lower Gorge Ferm . ry (imp'vemjts) 164 - 0 ,0 164 0 0 Do. (approaches, wire & punt) ..150 0 0 150 0 0 Ohau h. ... 25 r Qt 0 v ,25 0 0 Contingencies .'l 50 0 0« 50 0c 0 ' £464" 0 0 Doe Rb&istbation — '» '»f . Registrar .. • Kil. , Nil. Advertising .., 20 f 6 f 0 10 0 0' . Confingencies, ... 10r,0j0 Nil. Hospitals — • Hospitals '.., 117 10' 0 117 10 ' 0 Miscellaneous — Pubjic Works Department, roads 212 13 0 212 13 0 Cost of first Election 89 19 3 89 19 3 Cost of "Valuation ' List for County l 7Blp ,0 78 10 0 ' Map 1 of ' County 20 ' 0 0 20 0 0 Safe ; ... ' .'• 52 '4 6 52 1 4 '6 • Printing . .' '100 '0' 0^ 100 0 0 Stationery .. 23 15 0 23 15 0 Rent 'of Offices /. 56.15J 0 ' ''36 15" 0 Contingencies ... 30 0 0 30 0 0 ./ •• */ ) = £653 16 9