COUNTY COUNCIL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 629, 9 May 1878, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the County Council was held this morning, at tiie County Chambers. There were present T!:e Hon. R. Campbell (Chairman) ; Me."--s. Craig. Todd, Thomson. Murcott, Johe.son, W. Sutherland, and Duncan.

Tire minutes of the last meeting wore read and continued, and the outward correspondence was read and approved. A letter was read from the Public \Y..rks oiHce. stating that the matter of cailinir for tenders for the erection of t!ie Maerewhenua bridge must remain in abeyance pending the receipt of intelligence from England relative to the raising of the loan."out of which funds for the purpose woidd have to come. An additional sum of L 2.3 was _voted for the repair of the track from Naseby to I Irekaike. the money to be expended under the direction of Mr. H. W. liobinson. warden, of JNnsebv.

A letter was read from Mr. R. Davies. ■Secretary of the Oamaru Mechanics' Institute, asking the Council to vote a sum in aid of the institute.

On the motion of Mr. Murcntt, seconded by Mr. Thomson, tiie Council declined to accede to the request, members expressing the opinion thatsueh an application should be made to the Municipal Council, the County Council deriving none of its revenue from the town of Oamaru. The resignation of Mr. Little as poundkeeper at Kurow was accepted, and it was decided to ask the new Manager of the station to act in the capacity of poundkeeper. A letter was read from the Clerk of the Waimate County Council, forwarding a resolution passed by the Council, agreeing to join with the Waitaki County Council ami the Government in the construction of the Upper Waitaki Bridge, and that a Commission consisting of the Chairman of the Waimate Council and one of its members, with a similar number from the Waitaki County Council, be appointed to confer together fx;r the purpose of fixing the site and construction of the bridge. .Somediseusfiion took place, during which Mr. Murcoti said that it seeui.-d to him that tiie only thing the Council was likely to be called upon to do in connection with the construction of the bridge was to provide a portion of the money. A site had bee;! fixed- and t?nd_rs had been called for. without the Council bavin ■„' been called ;:pou !o approve -jV disapprove of the site.

Tiie Chairman stateil tiiat i-li-J Rite selected was the best, and tue plans mill iiL'r.-i! prepared by the <i'o\vnn;.e!it. On' the motion of Mr. Cra'.g. it was decided that before the Council paid over any money on account of the bridge, the Engineer should inspect tile site and report thereon. On the motion of Mr. Murcott, ilie Chairman and Mr. W. Sutherland were appointed Commissioners on behalf of the Waitaki Council.

Leave of absence was granted to Mr. Duncan Sutherland duntiu' his absence from the Colony on a visit to England. The sum of LlO was voted to the Waiareka Road Board as portion of the salary of the ranger in that riding for six months. !

A letter was read from the Chairman of the Westland County Council asking for an expression of opinion by the Waitaki County Council as to the desirability of holding a conference of County Councils in Wellington at the end of May, for the consideration of several matters of importance. The Chairman was requested to attend the conference on behalf of the Council. A renewal of Mr. Turnbull's slaughtering license at Otepopo was granted. Tenders for various works were then opened, and the following were accepted : —Contract No. 32 earthworks in Moeraki riding, Mr. W. Nicholson, L 95 ; Contract No 33, formation of portion of road from Maheno to the cross road leading to Kakanui Bridge. Mr. O'Sullivan, Lll2 8s Gd ; Contract No. 34, supply of 600 Cubic yards of road metal between "Weston and Juncton with the main south road near Oamaru, Messrs Robertson and Biggar, L 228 ; Contract No. 35, metalling and gravelling main road. Papakaio, Mr. S. Kusbatch, L 403 10s Gd. [Left sitting.]