WAIMBA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 199, 21 August 1880, Page 4

WAIMBA COUNTY COUNCIL.

WEDNESDAY, August 18.

The Council met on Wednesday last, when all the members, except Mr Shephard, (absent on leave) were present. The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed. .The Chairman stated that in pursuance of instructions from the Council, at its lnßt meeting, he had caused tenders to be invited fot the erection of a pound at Waimea West, and thai ho had, in conjunction with Mr Thompson, accepted the tender of M>Fsra Watkin and Wallace for the euro of £24 105. On the motion of Mr Dencker, seconded by Mr Phillips, it was resolved, That in the opinion of this Council the establishing of a uniform scale of fees throughout the Colony by tbe Government, as proposed in Ihe Impounding Bill now before Parliament, would operate unfairly and mischievously, and that the said Bill should be amendod so as to confer on the 'several local governing bodies the power of fixing the fees and charges incidental to the working of the Impounding Act, by which means only suoh fees and charges could be suited to the varying circumstances oi each locality. That a copy of this resolution be sent to the member /or Waimea, with the request that he would, if possible, procure the introduction into the Bill of an amendment of the kind indicated. Tbe Chairman Btated that no reply had yet been received from the Government relative to the deduction applied for last month in connection with the charges for the maintenance of the Motueka and St. Mary's Orphanages, and that owing to the great pressure of work in connection with Parliament, Mr Sbepbard had been unable to obtain any definite answer to the representation made by bim to tbe Government on tho subject. A letter was read from the Srcretary of the Motueka Highway Board, making applioation for " the grant of £350 required by that Board to pay off the amount overdrawn for expenditure upon the main line of road in consequence of the representation of members of the Council (who were at the time the expenditure was made members of the Board), that funds would be available from the Council for tbe works then undertaken." On the motion of Mr Wells, seconded by Mr Bird, it was resolved, That the Council desire to remind the Motueka High wav Board, that it is primarily the duty of that Board to keep that part of the main line ofroad within their district in proper repair, and that with respect to the sum now claimed the Council has never in any way rendered itself responsible for that amount, or any portion of it. The Chairman stated to tho Council that in the beginning of this month the Secretary of the Motueka Highway Board had informed him by telegram that a number of large logs ware lying against tbe Motueka bridge, and asked whether the Board should clear them at the cost of tho Council ; the Chairman having replied in tbe affirmative, the Board had made arrangements fur an expenditure of £3 10a 6d for that purpose as appeared by letter from tilth* Secretary now before the Council. The Council ordered the payment of this sura to the Board bo Boon as it may be informed of the work having been done. The Chairman informed the Council that a certified statement in detail of the Council's expenditure in charitable aid had been forwarded to the Government on tbe sth Aug. with a view of obtaining the remission of tbe half promised by the Government. No reply had yet been recoived. A letter from the Secretary of the Waimea Highway Board was read in reply to the enquiry of tbe Council, as to what Bteps bad been taken by that Board to ascertain the exact position of tho boundary between tbe

Highway diatriots of Waimea and Upper Mofcueka, where the aaid boundary crosses the road between Dovedale and Stanley Brook, from which letter it appeared there is an immediate prospect of the boundary being defined by a Government Burvey. Tho Secretary then intimates the willingness of the Waimea Board to undertake the completion of the road, if furnished with funds from the County Council. On the motion of Mr Bird, seconded by Mr Maomabon.it was resolved, That the Waimea Board be asked to furnish tbe Council with an estimate of the cost of completing the new road from Dovedale to Stanley Brook, and what assistance the Board will require to complete the same. On the motion, of Mr Dencker, seconded by Mr Macmabon, it was resolved, that bis Excellency the Governor be requested in exercise of tbe powers given by the 89tb section of the Publio Works Act, 1876, to declare tbe road from Nelson to Takaka, via Moutere and Motueka, to ba a Q-overnment road. On the motion of Mr Phillips, seconded by Mr Wells, it was resolved, That in the event of a sura of money being voted by, Parliament for rendering the road from Nelson to the West Coast fit for coach traffic, the Chairman urge on tho consideration of the Government the ill oondition of tho portion of that road lying within the County between Bellgrove and the Buller, and the necessity of applying a fair portion of such vote to its formation and repair. On the motion of Mr Bird, seconded by Mr Macmahon, it was resolved, That the Q-overn-ment be urgently requested to re-instate the Richmond constable, as his discharge has caused tbe moat serious inconvenience to that part of the country. That if the removal of the constible from Richmond be persisted in, that the Chairman be authorised to make suolr arrangements as he sees fit fcr the distribution of charitable aid in that neighborhoods On the motion of Mr Macmahon, seconded by Mr Denoker, it was resolved, That the undermentioned drains be declared to be public drains', in accordance with sub-gection 5 of section 176 of the Counties Act, 1876, viz — the drains commencing at the north-was corner of eeotion 41. Riwaka, passing along the north side of the same section ; through and along the east end of teotion 39 and 33 and along the west end of section 35, 36, and 37, and terminating near the western limits of sections 28 and 51 respectively in the said district. The consideration of the motion respecting the administration of the publio reserres within the County, notice of which had been given by Mr Phillips, was postponed till the first meeting of the Council after the rising of Parliament. Noticb op Motion. By Mr Denoker, That the Oounoil ask' the Government to deolare the road from Nelson, via the Wairau Gorge to Cbristchurch, a Government road. The Council adjourned to Wednesday, tho 15th September, at 11 o'clock.