HUTT COUNTY COUNCIL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5531, 18 December 1878, Page 3

HUTT COUNTY COUNCIL.

S3A special mooting of tho Hutt County Council was helil yesterday, to consider tho question arising out of tho damage done by the recent floods. JClioro were present—Councillors Mason (chairman), Taylor, Lancaster, Morgan, Speedy, Dick, and Smith. minutes. Tho minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. CORRESPONDENCE. Letters wore read from— ._ .. Tho Public Works Department, stating that aU railway free passes would be cancelled at the end of tho year, and that it was not proposed Ure-isauo them to county chairmen and councillors. The Telegraph Department, asking in reference to the application for a telegraph station at Pahautanui whether the inhabitants of that district would be willing to give a guarantee of not exceeding £OO per annum for throe years. ... t The ferry-keeper, asking for permission to erect a house on a certain reserve near the ferry. X conversation ensued as to whether any reserve existed, after which it was resolved to make full inquiry into the matter. . STANDING ORDERS. On tho motion of Councillors Taylor and Dies, tho standing orders in use by tho previous Council wore adopted. TUB "FLOOD QUESTION. The Chairman said the object for which tho meeting had been called together was to make provision for repairing tho damages done by the floods on tho Horokiwl-road. Since the Council last met Councillor Smith and himself had waited upou the Colo-, nial Treasurer to see if any assistance could bo obtained, and had pointed out to that gentleman the low condition of their finances, to show that it was quite impossible for the Council to undertake tho outlay necessary to repair the road, and at the same time to keep on tho ordinary county works. Iho hon. gentleman -ad recognised their position suffi■ciootly to enable him to sympathise with them, but the only help ho could offer was a loan of between £3OO and £6OO, to be repaid out of some future suesidy, and interest thereon to be paid by tho Council In the menntimo. He (tho chairm -n) could not on behalf of the Council accept the offer, but it was now for gentlemen to think the matter over and say what they would do. His own impro-sion was that tho best thing to be done under tho circumstances was to shuffle on as beA they could with their present means, and overcome tho difficulty by abstracting labor from tho direction in which it ought legitimately to be used, and concentrating effort to repair the bad places on tho Horokiwl-road and at Silverstream Thus they would render themselves under no obligation to the Government, and although their might bo temporary inconvenience, would keep out of debt. He nilolit add that a portion of tho annual subsidy would bo payable in a few days. , . , The following report from tho Engineer was read . *‘ Having visited tho above line of road in company with Councillors Taylor and Smith and -Messrs Hastwell and Bates. I am glad to be abio to report that the damage caused by the late floods is not so extensive ns was at first reported. Tho Pahautanui bridge has been considerably shaken, five Jargo culverts have been washed away, and about 28 laud slips have come down, Tho road in many places in the Horokiwi Valley has given way on the lower side. Instead of repairing with timber. I propose to widen by cutting into tho Mil side from throe to four feet, so making the road in the solid. I estimate there will be from 12 to 13 chains to widen in this way. My estimate for repairing the 13 miles from Pahautanui to Paikakarikl tor light traffic is about £00; but to thoroughly repair tho whole of the bridges and culverts clear away slips, and widen t e roads* as to make it perfectly safe fir ordinary traffic, I estimate, after carefully going into the matter, that a sum of £414 will bo sufficient to do all that is necessary.” Councillor Morgan thought the chairman suggested the best way out ef tha difficulty. The Council must economise in other directions in order to set extra men >o work to repair these damages. A conversational discussion ensued, and ultimately a resolution in terms of the chairman’s proposal whs agreed to, all matters connected with the work being left to the decision of the engineer.

THE RECLAIMED LAND. Councillor Saiith drew attention to the proposed sale by the Government of the reclaimed land, and said he thought It a question whether the Coun- il had not a claim on 20 per cent, of the proceeds, in accordance with tho Act of the General Assembly. The land was certainly provincial land at the time of the abolition of the provinces, and the funds arising from the ado of the land would, in his opinion, form part of tho land fund of tho provincial district. That being so, tho Act provided—“ A separate account shall bo kept of the land fund accruing within each county, and there shall be paid to such county, out of the Consolidated Fund quarterly, a sum e t ual to 20 per cent, of such land revenue so accruing in each county.” He considered that under that clause tho county had a very good claim. The Chairman ; It is not within the city boundary. tit x . ~ Councillor Smith said it was not at tho time it was reclaimed, and if the Council had any right it should be thoroughly prosecu-ed. The Hutt County had to maintain two main roads, tho only two which connected town and country, which were as expensive to maintain as any other two in the North Island, and this with very limit d means. Councillor Lancaster said under tho Act aU provincial buildings were to be valued, and he believed the Council had a claim upon tho Government for a share of the assessed value. Councillor Smith remarked that the decision of the House on the recent attempt to sell the land to the City Council proved that the whole provincial district owned the land After some discussion it was agreed to refer the whole matter for opinion of counsel, HOSPITAL MAINTENANCE. X conversation took place in regard to the deduction proposed to be made by the Treasury from tho Council’s subsidy on account of Hospital maintenance. It appeared according to ono account sent in that the deduction for the half-year ended 30th Juno. 1878. was £77 Us., while another account for tho same halfyear was sent in by which tho deduction appeared to bo £302 10s. Tho Chairman said there was a manifest error on tho face or the papers, but the absurdity of the thing was that the Treasury would not admit it, and declined to alter the figures, but insisted on sending in two different accounts for ouo and tho same period, and holding that both were absolutely correct. Ho con* fessed he could not understand it. Tho Council then adjourned.