COUNTY COUNCIL.

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 3776, 3 February 1881, Page 3

COUNTY COUNCIL.

" The usual meeting of the above was held yesterday. -Present: Councillors Brodie (Chairman), and Messrs Brown, Carpenter, Bagnall, Coutts, Deeble, Porter, Thorburn, and Greenville.

The minutes of last meeting were read and confirmed.

GOLBFIELDS EOADS. A communication from the Government stated that the Council's application for a sum of money for goldfields roads had been considered, and that a decision had been come to -to the effect that they would grant a subsidy of £100 for the Moanataiari Eoad. The other roads referred to in the Council's schedule did not appear to be of sufficient*importance to justify,the granting of a subsidy. The only exception, however, was the Tairua Road, which would cost more than the amount proposed to be expended on it, viz., £200. If ike County would im-

prove the Coromandel Eoad between Hastings Waikawau, and would throw a bridge across the latter river, the

money would be profitably expended, and if the--:C,6Wnißil: would submit to the .Government further' proposals as to the Coromandel and Tairua Road extension

they would bo, considered. , The Chairman considered the Council had been treated very unfairly by the Government. They bad been offered

£100—and that ou conditions derogatory

to any local body—for tlie Moanatairi **££&, which would cost £500. The Coromarmel road was a most important road but should be constructed at the cost of the colony. The Tairua road was also important, but the Council could not give a larger amount than they had offered. Cr Porter said the offer of the Govern-

ment should be declined. From reading

the letter before him;it appeared that the Government took more notice of ignorant officials, who knew far less of the requirements of the district thafl the Councillors. It appeared as if the Government were being made

buffers 'of for other people's schemes. The fact that tenders had been called and contracts let for £500 worth'of work was sufficient evidence of the Urgency of the work referred tom the Council's.schedule. He thought that Mr Aitken was quite as capable of reporting on roads likely to open up the mineral resources of the district and conduce to its settlement as the Mining Inspector. In order to prove this they had only to consider the works carried out by Mr-McLaren and their own engineer. If the'money for the improvement of the roads was to be expended under the- guidance of the Mining Departxnent, and not by the Council, the sooner one or;other of them was abolished the better.,; '.-.' „-. - : .';.,••-• : ■ ■• ■ r

The Chairman said he had applied to the Government for a copy of the Warden's (]%..Kenrick) report, and had received a'reply ,to the effect that the re quest could not be granted, as it was a most unusual one. ; His opinion was that if the GoTernment only kept the officials of. the Goldfield's Department to act as spies and inquisitors over the actions of the local; governing * b6die«,' ,and that their reports 'were not to become ultimately public property, the sooner such departments and. officials were' wiped out of existence the better, and the control of the whole goldfield handed over to the several local governing bodies who possessed the best knowledge of the requirements.of the goldfield, and were directly responsible to the ratepayers at any time. ■ ■ ■:■'.-.-??"■ . ' -■;■;■" '~ "~. ---.

Cr TJagnall" said that-; a committee should be appointed to draw up a reply to Government. He moved that the Chairman, Crs Carpenter, Brown and himself be the members of. the' committee. The road to Coromandel' was of no value as assisting the mining industry, although it might be useful for a.certaih high official to ride io that towhship. The, iTairua road -could only _WVußed,, ; fp.r^ triding; > pr packing, but'.was'noj; iiearly" so ,important as some of those bj . the Council.. ;He.thoughtthe,sum agreed:to be spentj £200, would :be sufficient. He believed -the report: forwarded by- the Warden was a-gross piece, of impertinence, and the soonerthe Council took a stand against Government officials going out of their way the better it would be. ■- ' . Councillors Deeble and Goutts followed in a similar strain:

Cr. Greenville, in supporting the resolution, said, ;he,| not in the confidence of the.'.. ;^lf^ldj^rl)epartmeivt, but he knew, thar'the! Council^ h^ad been most shamefully treated. V-Two roads which he had recommended had been altogether ignored, whilst one or two which would be of no utility as regards the industry had been recommended. Cr Brown moved—" That the members

of the district be respectfully requested to move for a re tutu showing the allocation and expenditure of the two votes of £100,000 each in aid .of goldfields roads and tracks, and other minor works on

goldfields, passed during the sessions of - 1879 and 1880. And, also, that the application from the Thames County Council, dated the 11th January, 1881, together with the reports of the Warden and Mining Inspector pf the Hauraki gold mining district be laid. upon the (able of the House of Kepresentatives." ,Cf Brown said public report had it that two officials here has made a most damaging report to Government on the application, of ,th© Council,-and he thought it would- be well to obtain copies of the reports in question, so that they could see. whether the rumour was true.- If it was the officials shouid be treated as they deserved^ He felt strongly on the matter and tsjJN§pifc that the Council had been anything but justly treated in the apportioning of the goldfields vote, and if he found that the rumour was correct, he would strongly advocate the council taking steps to have gentlemen-.appointed to the Goldfields Department who had the welfare of tho district .more at heart than the present occupants of the offices. Cr Porter seconded the resolution, and pointed out the liberality of. the Government in offering one-hundredth part of the vote of this year, and none of last. They ought to be thankful for small mercies. The. motion was then agreed to. JUNCTION EOAD, OHrNEMFBI. Mr James Lavery wrote in regard to fencing on the,Qb Jinemuri Junction road. A petition was also read from a number (tf- natives asking that the road be continued through their settlement. Cr Porter urged the, Council to settle this matter at once, as a good road was urgently required. Mr Lavery had, he considered, behaved liberally in the matter. , Cr Bagnall moved, " Thafc the matter be referred to the Board of Works for their report/ ' - The Chairman said' the duty of the Council was not. to.make roads through" everybody's land and increase the value of their property.

Or Carpenter seconded the resolution. An amendment was moved by Cr Porter, and seconded by Mr Brown, " That the Engineer lay off a direct line of road to the Junction, ascertain what the landholders are willing to contribute, towards the work, and obtain an estimate of cost." The amendment was ultimately carried. The Finance report was adopted. HAPS CBEEK BATTEBY. The adjourned discussion on the proposal made last meeting to vote the proprietor of the Hape Creek battery £50 as compensation for the loss, of water for motive power, was resumed .• Cr Carpenter thought the inoDey. should be paid. ■ Cr Brown said that according to a statement of Mr Greenville in the Advertiser the Council had done that gentleman a food service by taking away his water. Cr Carpenter moved the adoption of the report. The resolution failed tofind a seconder, and consequently lapsed. A resolution was then passed regretting that the Council could not vote compensation in the face Of the County solicitor's opinion. The Engineer's report aa printed in our issue of yesterday was adopted. iho Special Committee's report as already printed in yesterday's issue of this paper was adopted. Cr. Porter's notices of motion, which we gave yesterday, were withdrawn after considerable discussion. This was all the important business.