MANAWATU COUNTY COUNCIL.

Manawatu Times, Volume II, Issue 106, 24 October 1877, Page 3

MA NAWATU C OUNTY COUNCIL.

Wednesday, @ctobeb 17, 1877. PRESENT. Crs. Snelson, McNeil, Sanson, Me Donald, London and Thynne, (chairman.) Minutes of last meeting read and confirmed. PBECIS OP LETTERS. From Minister of. Public Works statins that seventy loads of gravel wi|l be allowed to the Council by their paying freight. From Town Clerk Palmerston North, tasking for adjustment of accounts be • weenie Borough and the Council. JFromt J. Munro, H: Dawson, J. Davis, W. Simpson, H. Brown, and Cooper, re [Rates. „ From Colonial Secretary^* ating that the Government have decided not to grant separation of the proposed division of the County. From J. Prisk. stating* his unwillingness to act under the Council. The following letter dated October 11th 1877, was read from the Colonial Secretary's office. . ? . Sir,£rWith reference to the correspondence which hag taken place on division of the. County of 'Manawatu, I am directed by the Colonial Secretary to inform you that the Government after careful consideration of the matter have dejeided, as opinion appears to be divided somewhat equally amongst the parties concerned as to its desirability, not to advise his excellency the Governor to make the changed— l have &c, (signed) G; S. CoppEß.— -The Chairman of the Manawatu County Council. Regarding H. Brown's, application to have the rate book altered, as his property had: changed hands and was become the property of F. Cookj it was thought advisable to charge Mr Brown with the rates and let him recover themfirojpayMr Cook. A letfer#from Mr Walter Simpson, was read stating that he had inspected the rate book and found that lie was rated at £300 whereas the Manawatu Highway Board have reduced it to £50. . After some discussion on the subject, ; Cr. McNeil proposed and Councilor seconded that the Council for the current year accept -rates from Mr W. Simpson at the rate of £50 per annum instead of £300 as rated. As an amendment, it was proposed by Councillor Sanson and st»eondecl by Cr. Gqwer, that Mr W. Simpson pay rates on the sum of £150 annual, value.. As a further amendment it was pro-. posed by Cr. Sanson and seconded by / Cr GoWEB that Mr W. Simpson pay- - rates on the sum of £100 annual value. Both amendments fell t lirongh and . the original motion was carried. A letter from Mr H. Dawson was t ad, m which he jsaid that Douglas, and Co. had been rated for 34,000 acres, twice over. . ; Cr. Snelson sard he would- propose, •That the Council accept, the rate from Douglas and Co. on £3,000 rental instead of £6,000 as shown on the rate book twice inserted this "was seconded .. by Cr. Goweu and carried. : - A letter from Mr J. JDavies was rt-ad stating- tbsit he was rated for . 20,000 acres of land whereashe was only m the occupation of 11,000 acres: It was proposed by Cr. Goweb and seconded by Cr. Lotjdon, That, the l area of 11,000 acres as sent m by Mr Davies, be' accepted m place of 20,000 acres as put down m the valuation roll, and that his rental be placed at £300 ayear,-r-carried. ' ! The Chairman said that it was now time forrthe Councilto strike a rate. Cr..SNEii6ON feaid he would propose that the: Council do now strike a rate of |£cbin the £ on the annual value of property within the. County, payable m one sum for the year commencing on the Ist. April 1877, to the 31st. March 1878; and that such rate shall be now due. The motion /was seconded by Cr. Me Neil and carried: A letter was read from Mr j. Barton, stating that m compliance with instructions received from the Chairman of the County Council m reference to. the continuation of ths Eambolton road, . and the encroachments of the Oroua Biver at Awahuri, that one of the Government contracts for bush falling on that road had not been completed,, owing to the work having fallen upon . the contractors sureties, tb-ereby causing a deh*v, but as soon as the contract was completed, £20 expended on making, crossings to creeks, «sisc. would make the line passable for drays for about? miles. He would recommend that that amount be expended by day labor, and then any monies voted from time to time could be expended m contracts for formation. the Orbua Eiver at Awahuri he would suggest^thiat a large groin be built as soon "a|>convenient at the point threatened, he believed one good groin would be quite sufficient if built soon, and would cost about £40. As to protecting banks of rivers he would- recommend that willows' should be planted above the bridges at all points where a road may at. any time be endangered. The expenses of doing this would Weomparaiively toifling -wnjen coinpared with "the .protection they soon afford.- This could be seen opposite the townof Wanganui, also at the Hutt Bridge. Cr; McNEiELsaid that according to s resolution passed he? had visited the ©rdualiiver, but, that the money Ue

would be allowed to spend was quite inadequate for what was required, so. he had written to 'the Chairman, and hence Mr Barton's letter; ■ Or. Saksoit - said he they ought to take the Engineer's view. 1 The Chaihman sSid he hoped that lCouncillor§ would keep tact resolutions for|pepding money until the next siting of the Council. Vrl McNeili r proposed,.- and Cr.. Snbls^n seconded, That Mr Barton's report on the Eimbolton ltoad and the repairs to the embankment at Atvaihu'ri Bridge be adopted.— carried. Cr. McDonald said that there was a great want o£ a little money being spent on the beach road, there was one sand hill which ought to be cut through and fasciened with- Manuka ; unless something was soon done, he did not ■know how the coach would be able to pasi, over it. The Chaihman said he thought Councillor McDonald had done, a great deal of good by bringing this matter forward. ~ _ ■ ' Cr. McDonald proposed and Cr. Sanson seconded that the sum of £15, if necessary, be expended m repairing Beach Road from Foxton. Canned. The Chaikman said he must ask that two items of accounts be passed, one of £61 18s 6d to pay the Government for seventy trucks of gravel which were, coming down from Palmerston for the Eoxton Main. road. He asked for this to be passed as the Government required ready money, andif they did not have the gravel soon the wind which was now very high would spoil .all the work they had clone on the road. As regarded the ptheratem it was £10 for postage to enable the clerk to send but therequired notices to the rate payers. A letter from John Munro was read regai'dingjhis rates at Fitzherberton and the Council making a roadC The Chairman explained that the road- referred to, was not a County road; ■''■':'■' ■ A letter from the Town Clerk Palmerston was read requesting an adjustment of accounts between the County Council and the Borough of Palmerston, and it was agreed to go into the accounts at the next meeting of the Council. v Cr, McNeil said he thought that they -ought not to be lax m getting a rope for the Lower Gorge Ferry. They would only have themselves to blame if any accident happened. Cr. GbwEß said lie should like Mr Barton to make,' dut a- fair estimate of the cost of building a new punt for the Lower Gorge Ferry so as to put on the river by next winter. Cr.^ McNeil proposed, and Cr.. Snelson seconded that a 'trolly be made for the Western approach of the Lower GOrge Ferry, and ,t hat blocks and rope as requested by the -Ferryman be procured, and that Mr Barton be asked to .get the matter attended to. Carried. Proposed b Y Qt. L 6 jjdojj . and^. seconded by Cr. pNECsoN that m the opinion of .this Council the trade and commerce of the County entering through the port of Fox) on has assumed such, importance us to necessitate the proclamation .of such port being a port of entry,, and that the Chairman be requested to bring this resolution before^ the Commissioner of Customs. After discussion the motion was put and carried. Cr.LouDOK: proposed and Councillor Snelson seconded .that- this Council request the Chairman to communicate with the Minister of Public Works re-. '- questing him ' to cau se the present' wharf to be so extended &&■ to meet the growing requirements of the County as at present ship masters' and all trades people meet with the greatest loss and inconvenience through the present insufficiency of wharf accommodation and that thp Chairman add that sailing vessels have had to haul off from the wharf several times during loading so as to. admit steamers to the wharf. Cr. Snel/Son said he was surprised that this matter had never been taken up before, : a few thousand pounds would make the wharf m such a state that it would meet all the requirements for .sometime to come; ■ Grs. Gqweb Lqudon and the Chairman spoke to the resolution, which, when put, was carried. >; ; Cr. Gowek proposed and Cr. Sanson seconded that the member for the County of Manawatu be requested to take steps to have a clause inserted m the amended Counties Act enabling Councils to make by-laws prohibiting persons from turning loose any rabbits under a penalty of-^— — — ■ "Gr.GowEB said that m proposing the resolution he could from his own knowledge say .that rabbits were getting a curse to the surrounding district and ithat the sooner something was done the better. ; ;• The motion was put and carried. Proposed by Cr. Snklson seconded by Cr. McDonald and carried that the next meeting of the Council be held on .Wednesday the 7th November at 7.30 p.m. - -