THE OHINEMURI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 129, 21 November 1885, Page 2

THE OHINEMURI COUNTY COUNCIL.

On Tuesday last at iioon the first meetingjof the Ohinemiiri County Council was held at fWoa in the Public Hall, All members present) viz. i Crs Cock, Nicholls, Butler (Paefoa) \ Corbett, Moore (Waihi) ; Walsh, Humphreys (Karangahake) 5 Strange (Waitoa). There were also present a number of local residents aad others interested in the proceedings. Both the local papers (Tribune and NeWs) were represented. On the motion of Cr Code, seconded by Cr Nicholls, Cr F. Strauge tock the chair pro tern. On the motion of Or Cock, seconded by Cr Corbettj Mr E. Edwards was requested to act as dlerk, ani take th.3minutes of tho present meeting. The -Chairman proposed that the first j business of the meeting 'should bo the elrction of a chairman for tho first financial year. Ou the motjqn of Cr Mpqi\\ seconded ; by Qr puck,,it was Tosolvo^to St first fix s -'the chairman's salary.

'' CrrCorbett, ;in sup^orfimg 1 the mo tionj remarked tlitt ifcJwouM.plabQ therchajK man in; an awkvvard if he^had to vole hfs /owhf alary, » l^hey' shotijd" : first fi^the- pay and thusi give* him tlie option of saccVptingtor declining the post. The Chairman f said he \ considered «the salary should be as little as possible, for they would fin.l they had none too much to spend. Cr Walsh moved that the salary be fixed at £50 per annum. ' Or Humphreys remarked it would be well first to state what duties would be expected of the chairman. In some cour.ties the chairman also performed the duties bf clerk and treasurer. The Chairman 'said that in Piako County they have only a secretary, and the Chairman simply attended the council meetings. Probably there would be more to do in their own county, and such a course be inadvisable, to adopt. Cr Humphreys seconded Cr Walsh's proposition. Cr Corbett proposed that the salary be fixed at £100, and that no travelling expenses inside the county be allowed. If called outside the county in connection with the county work, that would be a different matter. would also be desirable that the chairman should attend at leasb one day a month, say on the day after the ordinary meetings, to look over matters with tho Clerk and attend to any duties requireJ. Cr Cock cordially agreed with Cr Corbett's remarks re travelling expenses, which had often been the cause of much heart-burnings in county councils. The salary should include travelling expenses. He would second the amendment. The amendment " That the salary be I £100 per annum, and no allowance for travelling expenses inside the county," | was then pub by the Chairman and declared carried, the following voting for [ it : Crs Moore, Cock, Nicholld, Corbett, and Butler. Cr Nicholls then moved that Cr F. I Cock be elected chairman of the Council. There being: no amendment, the motion «raa declared carried, and Cr Strange vacated the seat. ! Cr Cock ihen took fie chair and said : He trusted that he fully recognised the honour they had done him, by electing him to so important a position, and he hoped to so conduct tue all airs of the Con:ic!l n« to merif their continu d mm t < port. No doubt they had difficulties before tlifiiii ;w be overcome, <md could nut expect that there would always be a unanimity of opinion, but it waf for them all to make up their minds to carry on the business to the best of their a-ility for the goo I of the county at lar«»e. He vinwed tue&iateof their dis trict as one entiiv y dep -ndent on t ie ■ ninirn? inlustry; in fact they ha i uothtuuf else t> tail upon, and te the utmost of his ability lie siioul I endeavour to Jotitor tuo milling mterosU. -

A Later uiid telegram as under r>'la-, tivo to the n 'point nio.nfc of a councillor to' ivpr<»»i'nt Uliinemiin on the Thames District Hospital Board svas noxt read : Uiiice, Tnam-s District bfospital Board, L2lii November, Id i 5. !Sir, — At the tirst meeting of the Thames District H-upital Board it was. decided lo a ijourn without doing any business until the evening of the 17th, so that tue member o£ the Board to be appointed by the Oiiiuetuuri County Council illicit be present. Will your Council elect your member, and request him to be present at the adjourned meeting of tin* Hospital Board on the evening of ihe 17th at 7 p.m. at the Borough Council Chambers, Thames, if your member left Paoroa at 4 p.m., he would have plenty of time to reach Thames for the meeting. Will you kindly being this matter beforo your Council — I am, your obe iiont servant, F C. Dkan, Acting fcJec. to Board. F. Cock, TJsq., Councillor, Ohinemuri. (TelegMto ) Thames, Nov. 17, 1885. Ohinemtiri County Counpil, Paeroa. i Nominate your member 1 to-day for Hospital Board, and get Governor by telegram to appoint him under sub-sec-tion 2 of section 7 Hospital Act. Do this to-day and send your representative, to meeting this evening. Jas. RtsUtshaw. Cr Humphreys moved that Cr Walsh be appointed to represent the Council on the Board. Seconded by Cr Moore and carried. The following correspondence was then read, consideration in each case being deferred till next meeting of the Council : Application from Messrs Jackson and Keinij, surveyors, Thames,' to be appointed surveyors to the Council. Telegram. Wellington, Nov. 14, 1885* Obinemnri County Council, Paeroa* Professor Black and assistants Tttll bo in Thames distnet next week to deliver lectures at principal mining centres, they should prove instructive and valuable. Hope that local bodies will render every assistance to facilitate his arrangements. W. J. M. Larnaoh. Thames County Coiindil Chambers. ! I Thames, Nov. 14, 1885. l $\ Vf — In compliance with my iustruc-r-tions I have the honour to request; , that; the Council of the Ohinemuri vOpUnty: will at aitenrly date appoint a dny upon which ft conference may be held in' rola-^ tion to 7 the adjustment^ of assets and' liabilities with the Thames County.—; I have the honour to be^ Sir, _youi< ; obedK eiifc servant,, '. >> ~>- : >f it i : \'" •<■ % ; . '^'-W " - Ev^W. r Ilofi.ia,; 1 '• j 'Y. Clork an 1 Treas. '

|tnac;the iplldWing^ttpsiaieSfeWeriifatttn^ra - Work '^%b w - -tri tli iifsy<|S'rS^tt n ty/i!^J?^^^@ pecting, track to^^aitefea^ja^£-16Wi3^^ 4<l $^&]£tymga} roa^'^^fer|¥gafihko;|^ bridge i2l?8* r jjte^Bd^".^^lp'd^ £400 was alsVgranted Low v Level Tunnel, which it is nojv, pro- v ' c posßil to wii hdraw,. and? divert n stun 1 not exceeding £200 towards tlio cost 6t :- constructing a track to theJclaims afe the 1 new discovery at Tui Greek, -on a con- „ tribution of otic- third by the County. Will you please state the" intentions of • £he Council with reference to carrying* out these works during the current financial year.-^I have the honour to be* Sir, your most obedient servant,H. J. H. Eliott, Under- Secretary* The Chairman, Ohinemuri Cotmty .Council; An application from the" froprietor* of the Aroha & Otif NEfluiti ■ News reI questing that all county advertisements: be inserted in their paper.A letter from the Colonial Secretary enclosing copy of the " Hospital and Charitable Institutions Act, 1885,' r and stating that Ohinemuri County being under 8000 inhabitants, were entitled to one member. The next matter referred to was res* pecting the appointment of a clerk. The Chairman remarked they had besfi first fix a salary and then invite applica- ! tions for the position ; it was a question that should be dealt with at once. Cr Corbett said he had been consider* ing this matter of appointing officers over for the last few days, And thought if they could get some one capable of acting as foreman of works and clei k combined, it would be desirable.- It was a well-known fact that contractors were often willing to slip their work if they got an opportunity of doing so, and ho considered they required a man who could do the clerking and also act as foreman of works : by adopting such a course they would effect a considerable saving. It was certain they would find they had not any funds to waste. With respect; to the duties of a foreman, he should go over evfry recognised county road at least once a forfni lit, and report on same at each c.ouncil meeting, showing what uiid been •lotu', w.iat needed doing, and the uiobaule <.val, etc l>y adopting his su -gestion he considered these positions would be filled at a cost not excecdiug £200 per annum. The Chairman remarked that whilst no dou'ut (Jr Corbett's suggestion was a good ;oue, he was afraid the two things would r elasu. tie looked upon a foreiran of works as a costly luxury. A. competent clerk Was nut likely to be fit; for nineh physical lahour. He woul I advocate carrying out all wc-rlts M far ftd posdible-by aontracb; Cr Corbotfc said he did not wanfc a foreman aiul /'lerk to take oh 4 his coat and work 1 wall tlie men, but let hfm see that, thf work wm^ propprly dnnr 1 ; aven contrucU)rs required looking after. Cr JStrangd said lie Faileil to see the force of Cr Corbett's ai't>n went. Thera wore larger coun'y councils than theirs that had no foreman It was the tltlty of the county eu^iueer to Bv»e t lat cmtract specifications were properly carrietl oul. All svorksj possible, especially tie maintenance of roads, should be let by the year. He should certainly oppose cumuimug tiie offices of foiemftu of works and secretary, and strongly objected to the employing oi many officials oi to paying mini who would not take off their coats and go to work. Cr Corbett : There must be some suitable person whom the council can look to and hold responsible. It would be impossible to do all the work of the county without some day lai our, ulthough it was desirable ;to fop as much as possible by confract. It. would ho absolutely uecessarv to h&ve some person capable of s lowiug t.ie ro.vis auj, vrorks necessary to be done. M.tny of their roads sadly needed attention, ami would require a man te travel over them occasionally and see if contractor* were doing their work properly. The Chairman thought they alionl I aim as much as jxvssiblo with doing away with day labour. Nearly all their roads would require to be made again j if they were once properly formed their conrse wooW then be clear. The best plan would be to invite tenders for breaking out stone, to be laid down at; certain phv e3. He agreed that thtir clerk might ro deputed to visit and travel over their roads, and report afc> each meeting, but could not be expect e*l to act as a foreman of works. £250 per annum should suffice for both secretary and chairman, mul no other permanent officers would be required ; ttieir engineer should be paid for joat thetime his service* were reqnired, .' Cr Strange remarked that' the Pia&» County Council only paid a clerk. Their engineer being paid, ft ; per centage on works carried out. Cr Humphreys proposed as an amendment that the 1 Chan man be 1 asked to undertake* the duties of clerk an-1 treasurer at a further remuneration, of £50 per annum. Seconded by Cr Corbett, The Chairman declined f.7 accept -the additional duties, nnd said he considered the duties devolving, ok the clerk and treasurer' were most important, and "required a thoroughly competent man. , , /Or Corbett then moved, that appiica^, tions be. invited by advertisement diomj persons competent tofuHl tho^Mo^ ? of:cierlV treasureiv collector,; ana^ore^man of works, salary to Ueiat %o ratog^ £•200. per annmn, % "i^,<jrftj6jjig^expenis^ 'i allowed/- 1 ,4 * ' - ; -"^ \ Sjcondod by Cr. Humphreys. : >|