COUNTY COUNCIL.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2983, 6 September 1878, Page 2

COUNTY COUNCIL.

The usual monthly meeting of this body rf was,held,a,t the Council .Chamber^, Pollen JstrcetVyesterday" itft'erbobn. Present— Crs Bagnall (Acting Chairman), Mitchell, Thorp, Spencer, Thorburn, and Coutti,, „; .■, „, . ,- „„„: .„. „>[ ' \ ■ ' MINUTES. ■ i The minutes of theordinary and special meetings were read'and confirmed. ] ■ . I.OUTGOING COBRHSPONBKNC*, I The letters sentjjince last meeting were read. , , COKTBAtTOB!« JCiAX,-"! .7 j A letter was received from John Law, the contractor)for the erection of the Big' Pump puppet legs, claimed £10 extras in respect of that* work,' as the plans wer? incorrect, which necessitated him goin£ to further expense. Referred to the Finance Committee. - ■ - - - : .' ." CBMETEBY.? OVE&DBAST. 'I !) ', A letter was received from the Town Clerk asking .that.a/.cheque for £33 10» be forwarded to cover the County's contribution, to | the cemetery' overdraft, amounting to £89... The Borough^ share was £44 10s, ;and, that of Parawai £11. Referred to the Finance Committee to report on. . ■'■<■>■•,]•' ■• ' I - ... • HAPE CBEEK TBAMWAY. ' 1 A letter was received, from W. Adams referring to the dangerous state of the Hape tramway—the lessee having abandoned it.' The writer>prayed that some repairs be made to enable him 1 and others to get firewood and quartz down. A letter of a similar tenor was also received from Thomas Fogarty. Referred to Board of Works'withl power to'act. , t ', , ( 'GbTBBN^tENT f OBANT. ' S A letter was received "from the, Secretary to the Treasury. stating / that the second and final' payment of £4450 on account of the Government 'grant of £7950 for construction, of roads, etc , had been remitted ,to the County Fund Account. Received. • ENDOWMENTS.

A letter was-read from the Under Secretary^ for i Crown lands stating that there- W«» : no 1 J law sunder which the Government could grant certain endowments applied for to the Thames County Council. (The endowments applied for were the Broomhall block and 20,030 acres '"■ the Ohinemuri r.irtrict.)

GOLD DUTY. IA letter whs'received from the Secretary to the-Treasury fUatinjj; tbat £245 2s ,los, Gold Duty and Goldfields KiDVonue, had been remitted to the County Fund Account. . WATEE SUPPLY. A letter was read from the Town Clerk re the increasing of the guarantee* by local bodies to the Water Supply Committee from £1500 to £2500. This matter was dealt, with in the report of the Board ! of Works. 1 UPPER TAIEUA TBACK.

A letter was read from a number of gum diggers,' contractors 'otc.V bringing" utiasr' the notice of the Council the impassable! state of the track leading from the water carriage at Hikutaia to Upper Tairua, a distance of<B miles, and praying that a new track be made which would shorten' the distance to Thames by 15 miles. i Eeferred to Board of Works."' ! | .- T^VEBNMBNT BUTLmtfGKJ.AT. PABBOA,I } -w Gr vMitchell moved tHat £ the''Countyj Clerk be instructed to communicate; with the-County Chairman with reference to the Government Buildings at Paeroa. He said the, buildings had, been, moved! from Mackay town, and the materials were! lying rotting at Paeroa. Carried.,! > ; <"; ! -„ PUJEE'PAfiBOA BOAB. „ - ' : ,,j :' Cr Mitchell, presented a ,petition from! from.James Lavefy, praying that some-; thing be done to the Puke-Paerba road' and that it be fenced where it passed! through his land. .Referred to Board of w ,<°. rks- " "...,,,,' '' 'J BHPOBT OF BOABD OF Woßks. ' "' ' '

The report of the Board of' Works] was read as follows:—" Your, Uhairman| was unsuccessful in. obtaining an inter-j view with Mr Stevens of the Kauaeranga to 1 arrange for a right of road through!'his land, and a letter has been since forwarded to .that gentleman requesting him to make; proposals. • Until • the receipt" 1 df n iiis answer nothing more can' be' done"'to 1 ' expedite, this matter. Your Board has considered the application of 'the' Tliames Water Supply Committee respecting an additional guarantee, from the local bodies for.Jthe sum-of £2000 in .the' same proportion as the previous 'guarantee, for the purpose of- completing .the A works sand, to "renaer lar'lje.mains already *laid,.availablo for an extended supply",' and recommend the Council should'accede to the proposals mWte %y LtHe'OoinmUiee.' Your' Board has instructed) tße! Surveyor to inspeci and^report upon the. state, of the_ Tararu Creek road, and also to interview, the ritfttufttT'lJo"' bevidpAe;" ab*d Jfor" 1 'A' subsidy in a|d.. „ Y^our.. |Survey.qr has been instruct«4\tof v repair the. sleigh track from the Wd .ofjhe Te P ( apa G*llv^o the Lord Nelson tramway, and to lay eat a .n.ew o liae of road, from the, T,e n Papa, Gully to the batteries. Your Board recommend ; the application' of Mr 'X. 1 Eelly'for'-a landing stage on the Thatnef. [River iat and ji ; roi.d fremahepce^lo' ,the Gofrtity I'pad'shoHldije'nfafw'in fcbey'aifce until the propo.sea.Hne has been inspected by the acting Chairman. The following accounts ;were; examined and: 'passed!'for .payment, which are detailed in y^ur Finance Committee's, report:—For roads and,otVr works,' £1,033,35. Id., , r r . ; The Chairman 'said he had been iinable to see'Stevens but a letter had. been 'scut to him on the subject. 'With < reference to the additional—guarantee he might jtfcßtjkfftat a:>eetiri)fc:pf;-the, Jpba) $$$iea had.jbeen held and, i t,had Ijeen,agreed to grant tl^e guarantee! J ■[",, I , . iVj y > 5 'Mitchell, asked., what,, tangible „in: ,ter«94;; t ;thff bounty ,hiad inj the; jVlfAter (Supply-- »-./ • ■ •'v ! ■r: •■■'•' k- .rf ;'i y'i. . :>! GrlThorburn said;thatthe Gounty-iiuc-ceeded'tovthe" interests of the Highway Board. He had- supported the extended "gharinleeV " « . ' .:... T ,*, ' Cr Spencer ■ spoke >in favor of the cxi tendedVuarkniefe/ V-V^ '-" 7- ?3 ! The report was" then'adopted.' PUMPING ABBAN&EMBNtij| 'ddkjtiTTSffß ' "• OrHe-peport lof tnisjcommittee was : read as follows:—" The ■newiipbfJpetjiauiKor rised by the Council have been erected at a cost considerably above the manager'? estimate, as will be .seen on referring..,to itneTast-rnonthly-statementi v^nifeh accounts amounting yto £306 5s 4d passed for this work. Othe'f accounts amounting in the aggregate to £70 or £80 will have to be ttlmo charged to this account, s<} that £4£o may be fairly stated as the cost of their erection. The accounts have alsp been passed in conjunction with., the works, viz., wages to 17th August, ;£232 185.6 d; balance* on June statement,;'£3oo 12s sd; balance on July statement, £530 16s W—£lo64 11s 6d. , ;: m j ;. iln 'answer to Cr Coutts, the' Chairman fs3d hV-wai about td go to Auckland, and he would Bee Mr Lloyd, the maker of the bad winding rope; to see if some arrangements could not be come to. j .CrJThorburn said that before the Counf ciLblamed Mr • Lloyd' an enquiry \ should be made, as ho believed the rope had noj; been made, tat Mr Ljoyd,'s. factory, but bought off a, merchant at j Auckland bjr Mr Lloyd, and only served at his'faci tory? '••'•l 01' "'-''«■":'/';: :\ v.s?; \ i The report was then adopted. v

KEPOBT OF FINANCE, COMMITTEE. 7 / ' The report of_this.(Jpmnftttfeetwaa ther -readjasJoHowrr 1-" Yout Committee have th'e,•honourftr~report as sfollows:—At i meeting held on the sth instant, the following accounts were examined and passed Jefferson, stationery, £.L 14$ '9d^ f Ferguson, .firewood? £2 2s'; rent, £4 6s 8d; salaries,--£74 Is ' Bd;' U.JP.AJ .Accounts, £1,064 118,2 i).'? -For:work Hpipnj roads,ijjt^pii,. road, j£197,,11/J.;. ; Tapu tq Waikawau, £24; Kauaerariga aridwaio-i tahi, £68 2s '■ 6d ;.' 'Krnaeranga Valley! road, £25 ;■ Ohinemuri Siding, £170 153;'', Katikati, £93 16s; H«stings Biding,'! i£1"43,14s 6d;;Wai6tahi Siding.?J6Br 10* i \ -Kauaeran^a Kiding, £52 9s; Ohinemuri maiu road, £42 19s; miscellaneous ac- 1 .Counts for timber, 'ironirork, ;&0,-r£jLß3, 6s ld.-Total, £2,179 i9s',Bd." \ r ' ti , " ' | The report was adopted. -rf : •'■ HEPBESENTATION.-'. i I

The Chairman introduced to the Couek cil a'deputation consisting of Messrs TA.! Hart, Scott Hunter, and W. S. Green-; ville; appointed at <'i meeting-' of- -the Kauaeranga ratepayers to wait on .the Council to urge on them the necrssifcy.of; giving increased representation to ' ttie! riding. ..*',.. . ",',.[' , Mr Hart stated the result of the meet-: ing and Mr Greenville read the resolutions 1 .passed.. He said that there was,great dissatisfaction in the riding at their being under represented, and looking back at the expenditure, they found through being under represented they did not get a fair share of the expenditure. "5 Mr Hunter said at the inauguration.of, the County. system a- mistake had been made, and they now wished,.to .have., it!' rectified. 'i

Cr Mitchell pointed out that the representatives of the Kauaeranga and other ridings cou'd always be with them to hear

their wants, whilst the country representatives being at a distance were at a disadvantage. He assured the deputation that their .member looked after their interests well. He thought that taking population as the basis for representation the Kauaeranga was entitled to another member ; but,as population was not taken as the basis, they were not entitled to additional representation. . - » The Chairman said that he had anticipated the matter -the,deputation brought under the notice of the Council, ad last Friday he had-tabled a 4 notice, of; motion, which was' as follows:—"It is hereby resolved thatthe'Connty Clefkrberarid he, is hereby,,ducted; to,call a;speciar meeting of this Council to ~h% held on the 13th day of September, 1878, whereatTto , consider! and adopt/ or ~ot|ierj?rife "iflpjfl. with, a resolution to alter 'the respeoiife , boundaries^ p£ v the jSas.tings ,and Ohinemuri^ BidingK m ,the*' CjoMut]fsi ThA»es; and also to consider 'aiid adopt' or other-wise'-draP with'ft resolution W«ftlfQhe number of ridings in the said County frorri five td'six^and al*6' to eb4*d6r'iand adopt, or otherwise deal with, a resolution Walter the^nutnber'of iroenAer* 6£tidS Council from seven'to mine; aDd also to consider and adopt, or otherwise deal 'withi a;resolut.oh; to alter'tSt T o f .Councillors to be elected to this Council by the electors of the Kauae~rangalti3ing, in the, same ppun|y,/rom one to two; and also to couiiderv_»hd 4 adopft or ,o4herwise deal with, a resolution to determine the number of Councillors fp K he elected to this Council by the electors of any new riding which may he.'apppinted; mrr thn Council for the said 1 County \h l fttidinle of »thU, resplution^.'^ } f <■ »'i Or Thorburn*aecondedr —

Cr Mitchell said as he had done on previous occasions'' he'iSw'crtiM challenge the right of the Chairman to more a resolution while in the chair; H« had-taken some trouble to enquire into the matter, ahd'wis W opinion that It Aral/not lejral for the Chfe)rtnsnjfo'<dols6. Therejiks men to do so. , ' r . Cr Thorburn said he wbniff mow the resolulion. This wai^Rt-i^ *O,*Wi— Cr Mitchell then moved -aSianrMttend" ment, " That all.the word* after the 13ih of Sept. be strucWrbW»^He>ttd the Chairman had endeavoredjbyijßjjjiece of sharp practice to get thrt^m^tipn carried, and he did not knpvrjt was to be brought on at the general meeting. It wa§ a piece'of-sharp practice tb>paM thVitttfution theni^ind! heVdycidedljrr objected to be tjief endeavoring to do. . : I >; „Cr/J?hpr,by rnifaidi Ox M#phsll djd^fcnow of the resolution beforehand,..;,...oV-mit* Cr Mitchell said he knew' as much about these matters r s the Chairman. It was » piece of sharp .ptsflwh-th* man'brtfging thTi b V {kM^m%lMtptioa of authority. He~.would not have been present; ,if .he h,»d,known of this, and they ;mustr(iut: it dowri W-what!il rea)swasf The, Chairman said that the wak&r aiitchellfc goink in wiis fnbn»«nse. .-Cr Mitchell-a^ed-whether-such-Jan* guage was to be used by the Chairman in the Cowcili/ () X ArlJ ]>i .V Cr Thorburn reminded Cr Mitchell that he had- used itbe words "sharp practice("i-justfhefpr«.,>r r^A) After some further similar discussion-^ .'i.C^uSpenceii -infprlned ithe^PoJtoeUxof what bad been -done at the meeting of Para^wai- Ratepayers.; <-He Baidiin .the^re "of the amendment to the.Counties^qt •it wotkld befoHy! to mate an-«ttompt!lo .alter the boundaries of the ridings, or ad* just tbe representation. He thottgkt Kauaeranga had -not sufficient-representa-tion, but in^CQV^A^r?*)** $f hornet's nest it would bring erjout their ears he thought it-should be kft^alone,. o , _ "The ■ Cokirman pointed'^ut f Ihat by increasing the number of Councillors the representation>cvf rWiiotkbi and Ohinemuri ridings would be reduced from two> serehths to twottinths; that was, they would hare seven to speak against the:n 'instead of ftWa«'at prfesetftJrt'ja'M If

Cr Spencer: Two wrongs do not make a ri-ht, »i'that will rWloc^ithe representation of Parawai. Instead of being one in seven they; will~oirty be one in nine. . Cr Thorburn said' it was the - old itory of the'olxi'mknV^Wboy^a^^^f they could not please erery one: • V t The Chairman then put the resolution vM ■ 'it >J qra& W6&& r" fori >lfy 7Gn Coutts, Thorburn, and the Chairman; against: Crs Mitchell/Spencer and Thorp. The.~Chairman gave his casting rote in favor of the motion^ which; was then diclared, carried. "'""""'; ": '"' '° CEtiETABT E'old: j' 'lv°lf-J'' '^ to .prj^penQer, m,oTed—•'Tkat the matter, of improFing the cemelery roadbS'refcrretl j to the Board of t . yforjwj f! to \ report upon at the next meeting.'* '' °! Cjf Mitchell 1, seconded. Carried. THE UNEMPOYED.

• >A:dumber of laboring men presented themselrea at. the Council, and one of .them n iaid T they,were present to ask for work;'or that'the Council wo^nld iefcd ..them oat of the place, as they could oot get work 4. tfi^Vwere 'fully 250 mel^t of work.. Af,ter. pjpme discussion, , CrMitchell moyedi "That'the acting 'Ghairtoan'be 'requested :\<S< eomttlalieaite with' Sir Geo. Grey by lisleßrtghi)stating that,,a deputatiqn~of working men (who 1 'are now pregent waiting ui»bh'lli#X^¥cll) hare made' strong representations af^> -their want, and Buffering, also their wive!| a^a children"'^wing .■i.ta^eiri^? ! ,eWftl months but of emplbyment.- -•■ -'i I';^Cr Thorburn seconded; ■^'Curried otf»ai. ■v 'l*his"was ttKe:busme>is.J v 'u.-:;i;-- JI >Y> ■