COUNTY COUNCIL

Patea Mail, 7 May 1881, Page 3

COUNTY COUNCIL

The monthly meeting was held on Wednesday 7, Present Messrs Dale (in the chair), Bridge, Hunter, Gane, Horner, and Milne. MOKOIA DESERVE. Messers Hearn and Kennedy wrote as to expiration of their lease, offering to trim the fences of the reserve, but considered they 7 bad complied with the lease as to the present state of the grass, having sown 14 bushels of good Canterbury 7 seed. Resolved that tho Chairman be empowered to submit the matter to arbitration, if the lessees be willing, one to be chosen by each side, and that Mr Win. Wallace be asked to act on behalf of the Council. WAIMATE VALUATION. The valuation list made by Mr Bate was found to contain alterations and erasures of figures ; and as the judge had ruled in previous cases that no alterations must appear on lists coming before tho Court, the Council agreed to return the lists to Mr Bate for clean copies to be made. It was also resolved lhat Councillors Gane, Winks, Milne, Hunter, and Partridge be a committee to examine the Waimate valuation lists when received. GRAVEL. In response to an invitation from the Waverley Town Board, the Council agreed to co-operate with that Board and with the Wairoa Highway Board in applying to Government for permission to get gravel out of the pit near Waitotara Station, now reserved to Government. ENGINEER’S REPORT. Mr Harden reported that “Contracts 65, 66, 68, and extension of 63 are in progress ; that the extension of 62 is completed, and contract 7 in Waimate district is in progress. The Patea railway 7 bridge is now altered satisfactorily 7. I have engaged a staff of men for the purpose of screwing up tho Patea and Whcrmakura bridges, and the latter will require new straining blocks throughout.” The Engineer was authorised to procure blocks for the bridges, and his report was adopted. REFUNDING DOG TAX. Mr Bridge moved “ That a refund of 9s be made out of the, dog tax to every 7 owner of sheep or cattle dogs according to the following scale ; the occupier of 500 acres of land or under, for one dog of such kind ; and for one dog of such kind for every 500 acres or part of 500 occupied in excess of the first 500. He said Major Atkinson had suggested this mode of relieving farmers from a grievous tax on necessary 7 dogs. Mr Gane seconded.

The Chairman and Mr Horner contended that the Council would have to refund much more than the collcclor had paid to them. Mr Bridge then got leave to alter the acreage to exempt only for holdings over 40 acres, to meet the objection that many owners of dogs in towns would bo able to claim the refund. Mr Gane proposed, after some discussion, that the refund should be 5s for one sheep or cattle dog, and 2s for each dog of the same class for every additional 500 acres or part. Mr Hunter seconded. The amendment and motion were each put and lost, the majorit}’- objecting to change the system this year, though favorable to the principle of reducing the tax on sheep and cattle dogs. ROAD BOARD ELECTIONS. The following dates and places were fixed for the annual elections to Road Boards;—Patea West, June 9, at Kakaramea Town Hall ; Patea East, June 4, at Whenuakura School-house ; Hawera, June 4, at School-house : Ngaire, June 4, at Ngaire Railway Station. CONFERENCE OF COUNTIES. Mr Bridge moved several amendments upon resolutions passed at the conference in ’7B, these to be suggested to the conference of County Councils now proposed to be held the first Wednesday in June. The amendments were agreed to. FINANCES. The monthly statement showed that the receipts had been £GIB 10s lOd, including £9B for rates and £502 Os 5d from Government on account of deferred payment lands. The expenditure \vas £396 0s 3d, including £lßl for wages. Accounts were passed for payment as follow : W. Dixon 7s Gd, S. Taplin (Hospital) £24 Is 7d, wages £lO7 19s 6d. WAIMATE ROAD BOARD. Mr Gane renewed his proposal for a new Road Board, but was again defeated, as already reported. The Council adjourned early.