HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Shannon News, 29 May 1923, Page 2

HOROWHENUA COUNTY COUNCIL.

CR MONK RE-ELECTED CHAIRMAN

Title annual statutory meeting of (he Horowhenua- County Council was held in Levin on Wednesday, there being present Cr s Monk, Barber, Ryder, Whyte, Bryant, Harkness, Catley, Broadbelt and Jensen. The County Clerk, Mr P. W. Goldsmith. presided and said that the first business of the meeting was to appoint a chairman, and asked that some Councillor move in this direction.

Cr Broadbelt moved-that Cr Monk be elected, there being, he stated,, no more capable man for the position. Me had sat under Mr Monk’s Chairmanship for some years and could not speak 100 highly of the capable manner in which he had conducted the business of the Council. Cr Harkness said it gave him great pleasure to support the motion. The able manner in which Cr Monk had carried out his duties as head of the Council in ihe past, was sufficient guarantee of his fit v >ss for the position. There hod been so ./e criticism to the ( effect that Mr Monk dominated the Council—that it was a one man show —but. if this was so it was the fault of the Council who had matters in their own hands if they cared to exercise their will. Cr Ryder also expressed the pleasure it gave him in supporting the motion. It- was not always a good policy for one man to he at the head of affairs too long. At this juncture, however, he thought there was one big reason why Cr Monk, should remain at the head of the Council. The Main Highways scheme was coming up for settlement shortly and Mr Monk, who knew more about the Bill (ban any other member of tfhe Council, was the right man to (be at the head of affairs '"whilst arrangements were being made.

In putting the motion to the meeting, Mr Goldsmith stated that, it looked as if Cr Monk was going to put up a record for length of sendee as Chairman of the County Council. The completion of the present term would mean eight years’ of continuous occupation of the chair. ■ Cr Monk, in taking his place in the chair, said he would be less than human if he did not realise the honour ihat had been done him. He used the word “honour” as he felt that had he not hod the confidence of the Council lie would not have been elected, and lie was proud that ho should have retained this confidence. Mr Goldsmith had spoken of a record. If he was spared for the length of this term, he would probably establish a. record for Ihe County. When he had joined the Council lie had felt that it was a had Ihing thal one man should occupy the position of Chairman for a. lengthy period, hut in the present case there were certain reasons which made a difference. There had been a good deal of opposition at the recent county elections, 'and he looked upon the result as a vindication of the County’s policy. Another thing was the Main Highways Act. This would comie into force if sufficient pressure could be brought to hear on the Government, and it was the duty of every county to see that the provisions of the Bill were .kept up to by the Government. He extended a hearty welcome, first to the old members of the Council who had been his colleagues in tlie previous term, and next to Cr. Catley with whom he had worked before, and he could say that he never wished to work with a better or more conscientious man. He also extended ia welcome to Cr. Jensen, who was *a fellow-councillor for the Te Horo Riding. As a new member he would have a lot to learn, but would soon drop into the running of things. One thing that every councillor had to learn was to consider the County as a whole and put the good of the County before that of a particular riding. Again, he (extended a hearty welcome to all.

Cr. La Hey thanked the chairman for his remarks concerning himself. He had previously spent, some .very pleasant. years on the council and although he had not always seen eye to eye wilh the chairman, they had always worked together for Ihe benefit of the (listriot. One thing that he thought, however, was that the occupant of the chair should live as near Levin as possible. There seemed to be a sort of economic waste.about bringing ihe chairman from the far end of the County every time a matter required attention. He spoke from conviction, and not in any personal sense whatever. There could not be a better chairman of the Council than the pres" out man. and it was a pleasure to s if under him.

Cr. .Tensen also thanked the chairman for his kind remarks. As was mentioned he had not been on the Council before but had always taken a keen interest in Council matters, and would do his best for the County as a whole. He quite recognised that it was necessary to get a good grip of Council matters, hut he had seen certain'matters which needed attention at his end of the riding and it

was his intention to try $0 get these fixed up. Further he recognised that everything depended on funds, but he intended to do his best in the matter.

Cr. HaTkness said that as an old councillor he had to thank the chairman for his welcome and also to congratulate him on being returned for a term which would mean his eighth year of office. He felt with Cr. Catley that the future requirements of the County and its (efficient working required that the chairman should live in a central position in the County. This was necessary so that the Council could get together oftener so as to give adequate support to the Engineer. He did not mean that they should hold more meetings, but an Executive Council which would consist of one man from each riding controlled by the chairman should be set up for this purpose. He agreed that cr. Monk was the best man available to : hold the position as chairman. He had been called the dictator of the Horowhenua County. This was mostly nonsense, but if it was true it was the fault of the Council, as the chairman’s power could be soon curtailed by thie Council if they so desired. A thing he would like to mention at the present moment was the neces. sity for providing suitable office accommodation for the Engineer. The work of the Engineer had 'been steadily growing and it was, a shame to ask (him to carry on under the present conditions. The lime had come when adequate accommodation must be provided. He again thanked the chairman for his welcome.

Cr. Ryder said that during his term on the Council it has been a pleasure to sit under Cr. Monk, who was easily the best man in the room for tfie position of chairman, and he hoped that everyone present' would work \<*- gether in the best interests of the County as a whole. That was what they were there for: there was a certain honour about holding the position of councillor, but they were there in the interests of the district. He was pleasied to welcome Mr Catley 'back to the Council. Mr Catley was a sound man and could be relied on to do his best for the ratepayers.

Cr. Monk briefly thanked the councillors for their expressions of confidence. He was not going to enter into a controversy as to where the chairman should live: the main thing was that he should give his services freely to the County and if he did this, where he lived did not matter very much, (Applause).

The County Clerk explained that he did not wish to bring much business forward, but there were a few small mlattera demanding attention. During the month a letter had been received from the Railway Department to the effect that over-bridges at Koputaroa and Tokomaru required redecking, and the Engineer was attending to the matter. The Railway Department also wrote about the condition of a railway bridge south of the Otaki river. The decking of this bridge was higher in the middle than at each end, there being a sharp rise for some distance at each end, and the Department wished them to raise the ends. The chairman said that this would necessitate considerably increased fillings at each end and possibly a concrete retaining wall. It would be better if the centire: portion of the decking which was unnecessarily high could be lowered.

After .some discussion it was left to the Engineer to report as to the comparative heights of the bridge .and tunnel with a view to possible lowering of the bridge. Robinson Bros, wrote re repairs necessary to the Bnller road opposite their property.—Received.

The chairman said there was one thing he wanted the Council to decide. (It would be.' necessary for the Council to consider the estimates at next meeting and it would be better if they could meet .at 9 a.m., as this would probably be- a lengthy business.—Agreed, the date of meteting being fixed for Saturday, June 9. The following resolutions were passed Proposed by Cr. Broadbelt, seconded by Cr. Harkness: “That the seal of the chairman, councillors, and inhabitants of the County of Horowhenua be attached to one debenture for £SOO in respect to> a loan for the said amount raised for the purpose of the protection of the Horowhenua water-race system, and that the debenture be countersigned by the treasurer of the Horowhenua County Council.”

Proposed by Cr. Monk, seconded by Cr. Barber, that public notice be given under the provisions of section 28 of the Rating Amendment Act. 1910: “That on and after the 20th June, 1923, an additional charge of 10 per cent, be added to all rates unpaid at the expiration of six months and fourteen days from the date of the demand therefor.”

This concluded the business of tlhe meeting, sevferal councillors and the Engineer leaving by car 'afterwards to inspect the Shannon Bridge, .which was reported to be damaged by the late flood.