Page 1 Advertisements Column 6

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1368, 13 October 1883, Page 1

Cr Gannon said Cr Weetrupp’s remarks were much to the point, and an estimate should he sent to tiie Government, then perhaps they could get their proportionate share. Anyhow they could not get more than £5OOO a year. He thought the best thing to do with the sohedule was to let it go through the Engineers hands. They, themselves, could not go through it properly that night. The Chairman thought that it would be rather an invidious proceeding to take, and would be saddling extra work on to the Engineer’s shoulders. He endorsed what Cr Westrupp said that an estimate should be made up to £15,000. It was their place to pick out those works which were most necessary to make up an estimate, that night. He considered they were pledged to the ratepayers, and in amending the schedule the Council ought to put as much down as possible for good metal for the roads. Most of their money was wasted by putting bad metal on the ror.ds. For that reason he thought they ought to stick to the old schedule. Cr Gannon said that when they made those promises to the ratepayers, they thought they were going to get a much larger sum, something like £20,000, and now they found they could only get L5OOO. He was of opinion that the tramway from the Borough to Patutahi would therefore, have to bo abandoned. The Chairman said that they must either abandon the LlO,OOO loan at once, or else they must put the L5OOO into their original schdule and carry it out. If they diverted this L5OOO for other purposes than metalling the road, then they would break faith with the ratepayers. Cr Johnston thought it was a difficult thing to arrive at. He took it that they could go on a fresh line altogether, and reject the old schedule, as the Government had asked them to amend their schedule. He would read out his plan for an estimate of LlO,OOO. He then read out his estimate. Cr Westrupp also made up an estimate for £15,000 from the old aud new schedule as follows Item 1, struck out {item 2, £lOOO ; item 3, £227 ; item 4, £3OOO ; item 5, £3OOO ; item 6, £lOO ; item 7, struck out ; item 8, £2000; item 9, struck out ; item 10, £500; item 11, struck out; item 12, £2000; item 18, £lOOO ; item 14, £2OOO. Bringing up an estimate to nearly £15,000. This would give the outlying districts good advantage. Crs Gannon and Allanach thought the schedule a very good one. The Chairman wished it hid gone to £15,000.

Cr Weston objected to item 4, and would propose that it be reduced to £lOOO. The Chairman said that if the money was used for the works proposed by Crs Gannon, Johnson, Allanach, and Westrupp, they would get properly hauled over the coals by ratepayers. Cr Gannon said the Chairman laid great stress in pledging themselves to the ratepayers. It was distinctly understood that the next loan was to be devoted for the outlying districts. He thought the gteat object which they now had in view, could now’ be performed, and each party could get alike. Cr Weston agreed with the Chairman and thought more ought to be devoted to the metalliug of the roads. He would Jke to see the matter further deferred. Cr Westrupp thought the only way was to go to the ratepayers, and liorrow a certain sum of |money if the roads were to be considered in the schedule. Cr Gannon here read clause 6 of the Amendment Act, and said that by it he did not see how they could send in application for more than the £5OOO. The Clerk.said that he understood so by the reading of the letter from the Government. The letter was next produced and read by Cr Gannon, who said the application would have to be reduced to £5OOO. The Chairman was also of that opinion, he admitted that Cr Westrupp’s schedule had been carried. It was therefore read and reduced down to an estimate with £5OOO as under :— Item 2, £1000; item 3, £227 ; item 12, £1000; item 13, £5OO ; item 14, £1,500. The others were struck out. Cr Gannon proposed, and Cr Allanach seconded, thattne balance, £773, be divided pro rata among the whole of the contracts. Cr Westrupp proposed that it be expended on the Oweta Road. The amendment was put and lost. The Chairman proposed as a further am-en-lmeut, that it be added to item No. 2, which was lost, and the original motion was carried. Crs Gannon’s and Johnston’s Motions. Cr Gannon withdrew his motion, as full discussion could be taken on Cr Johnston’s motion. Cr Johnston said that he just brought the motion to open up the question. It would be a long time before a contractor could lay a tram and bring metal in any large quantities, and something must be done in the meantime. Settlers were prevented from cultivating, because they had to pay so heavily in bringing down their produce, on account of the bad roads. The metal at Williams’ Quarry was as good as that at the Patutahi Quarry, and was there in unlimited quantity. They could get it down as far as the bridge, and should carry it out, or ascertain if they could or not. Therefore he tabled his motion “ That tenders be called for raising, breaking and carting metal from the hill near Williams’, at Patutahi.” Cr Weston seconded the motion. Cr Westrup would agree to it if he was assured the metal was as good as that of the northern Quarry, Patutahi. The Engineer said that he could not state whether there was a sufficient quantity of metal at Williams’ or not. He would not recommend the Council to open the Quarry till it was tested. Cr Gannon proposed as an amendment that a certain sum be put aside forj the purpose of having the metal tested. Cr Johnson said he would then withdraw his motion, as he had only put it to open up the question. He would second Cr Gannon’s motion. Cr Westrup put as an amendment that the metal be procured from the Northern quarry. Seconded by the Chairman. Cr Gannon pointed out that he did not propose that the metal should be got either from one quarry or another, but th it the metal of the Southern quarry should be tested. Cr Westrup then said he would withdraw his former amendment and put another, that no money be expended in testing the metal of the Southern quarry. T.ie amendment was put and lost, the original motion being carried. Council rose at 12.30.