COUNTY COUNCIL.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIV, Issue 9662, 8 November 1882, Page 3

COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of this Council took place yesterday morning. Present — Gra Thatcher (chairman), Craig, Dymock, Kennedy, Poison, Parsons, Montgomerio, and Abbot. Minutes. — The minutes of the previous ordinary and special meetings were read and confirmed. Finance. — The clerk reported that the balance at the bank was £734 19s .2d; £1600 had been received on account of the Murimofcu Road, leaving £400 to come. Between £300 and £400 of the balance at the bank represented nexpended Muriraotu Road money. Mubimoiu Track. — Cr Poison said there was one place on the road where it was carried by a zigzag over a hill seven or eight miles beyond Mr Mason's, and it was desirable that this should be altered. — Cr Kennedy said there was no zigzag of any importance. — Cr Poison thought if there was any money left out of the grant it should be employed in altering the spot he alluded to. — The chairman thought that any discussion on the road was premature, until they had Mr Field present. It was unfortunate that Cr Sommerville being absent his motion could not be brought on, but as there was a reasonable prospect of obtaining another £2000 grant it would bo well to prepare plans and specifications for a cart track. With this view he (the chairman) had seen Mr Bryce, who said that the .Council would not get the money if the contract were started anywhere within a Hoad Board district, though beginning it at Mason's was another thing. Mr Bryce further said that it was contrary to the spirit of the grant that it should be given for road-making in settled districts. This reinaTk applied not only to the £2000 balance of the grant already promised, but to any further sum thoy might obtain. — Cr Kennedy thought that Mr Bryce could hardly expect them to start a dray road in the middle of the bush. — Or Poison took the view that so long as the money was expended not in repairing old roads but in making new ones it did not matter where they started, but so far as the Government special grant was concerned they had a right of course to make the special condition that it should be expended in opening up native land and other country. — Or Kennedy said that if the people of Wanganui expected much from the road, it should give them, access direot from the town. — Cr Craig reminded the Council that any money thoy raised by rate could be expended how and where they pleased. — The chairman said the question before them was what steps Mr Field should take with reference to the dray road bo as to obtain the farther £2000. — Cr Craig suggested that it should stand over till Mr Field was down. — The chairman said that before they could apply for that sum they must lay off the track, and he would suggest that Mr Field should be instructed at once to do so from Mason's. — Cr Dymock said that the Government required plans and specifications before making the grant, and even furnished a sample plan for the Council to go upon. — Cr Poison was of opinion that if plans had to be prepared they should be tendered for. — The chairman pointod |out that, as to the £400 still remaining out of the £2000, it would be desirable to wait for Mr Field's report before expendiug it in embellishing the road. —Cr Kennedy said that the track had not been properly laid off from Mason's to McGregor's crossing, through the whole of Mason's property. — Cr Dyinock moved, That the engineer be instructed to prepare plans and specifications for a dray road from Mason's boundary, on the "present track, to Murimotu. — Cr Montgomerie seconded the motion. —Cr Poison moved as an amendment, That no action be taken until the Council had MiField's report before them. — Cr. Dynioek rammed the Council that the sooner the plans aud specifications were prepared the sooner they would get the £2000. If they let the matter go on too long the session would be on, and the vote would lapse. — The chairman also pointed out if the amendment were carried it would be necessary to call a special meeting. — Cr Poison's amendment was not seconded, and the original motion was put and carried on the voices. MlssiONAltY Line.— The ohairman reported that only one settler was eni closed by this Hue, and he (the ohairman) had asked Mr Annabell to survey right up to that person's section. — Cr Kennedy thought that this road should certainly be carried right through, so as to open up the country to the river. Uppjsb WANaAEHU Bridge. — The menders, of the JRangifjifcei Gwueiy

consisting of Messrs Milne (chairman), '. "Willis, Maclean, MoDonneli, B. Simpson, Bull, , Galpin, A. Simpson, and Scott, attended the Council to confer with" them as to bringing the site of the bridge over the Wangaehu to a successful issue. The chairman (Cr Thatcher) said that he thought it a pity that a conference of this sort had not taken place long ago. The Wanganui Council, amongst whom there was great divorsity of opinion, thought that the matter had better be left to the Government surveyor to decide. It appeared, however, that the Bangitikei Council was of a different opinion, and they would be glad to hear what that Council had to say on the subject. — Mr Milne, as chairman to the Kimgitikai Council, advocated tho Kaiwhaugaroa site, as the one originally intended by the Government, and preferred by the majority of local settlers. The Bangitikei Council had expended large sutns of money in making roads to thia site, providing accommodation house, and so forth, at the ferry. The Kangitikei Council, therefore, after hearing their own inspector's report, had unanimously decided in favour of the bridge being at Kaiwhangaroa, and he (Mr Milne) believed that a large number of ratepayers on both sides of the river had memorialised in favour of it. Mr Milne then read the Bangitikei inspector's report, which was strongly in favour of the Kaiwhangaroa side, and stated that if the bridge was erected higher up it would be of no use to the Turakina Valley settlers, and would have far steeper gradients than those at Kaiwhangaroa. He hoped therefore that with the least possible delay the Wanganui Council would adopt that site. With regard to the construction of the bridge, he believed that the Government intended it to be made under the Koads and Bridges Construction Act,' and if so it would be desirable for both Councils to memorialise the Government on the subject. — Cr Thatcher said that the Council had it on good authority that .£2OOO had been placed on the Supplementary Estimates for this biidge. — Mr McDonnell said that he heard it was JildOO. — Mr Milne, on the other hand, had always understood it was £1000 only. — The chairman (Cr Thatcher) said that both Councils were evidently working in the dark ' ou this subject. — Mr Maclean asked that the correspondence which had brought about this meeting might be : read, which was accordingly, done by 'the clerk. — Mr Maclean said that if the Wanganui Council had come to . the , foregone conclusion that the matter should be settled by the Government engineer, the Bangitikei Council might just as well have stayed at home. The matter was not one for an engineer to decide, but for the inhabitants of the locality to say what part of the river the greatest traffic would cross. The Kaiwhangaroa site would bring the Murimotu traffic to the town of Wanganui, but the iuterests of the settlers in the locality was the first thing to be considered.—The chairman said that the Wanganui Council had expressed its opinion, and had as a matter of courtesyasked the Bangitikei Council to come and state what they had to say why such opinion should be changed ; but there was never any intention that the two bodies should meet as one Council to decide the matter. — Cr Kennedy said that the Wanganui Council had merely come to a decision by 4 to 3, a result which might have been different had there beon a full meeting ; and he certainly thought that the wishes of tho settlers on the Bangitikei side of the river should bo attended to. — Mr B. Simpson thought that the correspondence certainly invited the two bodies to meet and decide the question of site. — Cr Poison was very sorry that such an unfortunate difference of opinion as to the meaning of the conference existed between the two bodies, but it must ho evident to the Bangitikei Council that the Wanganui Council, having come to a resolution, eouH not alter it that day without notice to rescind it. He expected that the Bangitikei Council would have come down simply to staie their reasons against the Wanganui Council's decision. —Mr Milne asked why the whole B&ngitikei Council had been'asked to come down to discuss a resolution which it appeared the Wanganui Council had not even rescinded, so as to leave it open for discussion ? — The chairman admitted that a suggestion fjr a. conference had been proposed, but clearly there was a misunderstanding, though he doubted whether tho two Councils had power to meet together and vote on such a question. His idea was that it j would have been better to invite the Bangitikei Council to attend and give their reasons." — Major Willis aaid that the Bangitikei Council was an equal body to the. Wanganui Council, and could not be expected to come to the latter body, hat in hand, as a deputation asking a favour, —Cr Dymock thought that, as the Wanganui Council's decision had been arrived at by so small I a majority, all questions of form might be waived. Had he beon at the meeting he should certainly have voted against the resolution. — Mr Maclean suggested that, as this was the regular meeting day of the Wanganui Council, the Bangitikei councillors might retire and ftive the Wanganui Council an opportunity to first discuss the matter amongst themselves. — Cr Craig was not prepared to go into conference at all, unless the Baiigitikoi Council first showed good reason for the decision being altered. — Cr Poison remarked that it was not desirable to confer upon the matter in tho absence oE Cr Sommerville, the wellknown opponent of the Kaiwhangaroa site. He(Cr Poison) felt sorry for the Rangitikei councillors, but there were legal difficulties' why the matter could not be gone into that day. For example, to rescind a resolution all the members must be present aud be unanimous. Ho agreed with the chairman that to sit in couference and jointly vote would not be legal or binding. The Act did not provide for any. such thing, but for an arrangement being come to between the two bodies. — Mr Maclean said that he had merely suggested an adjournment to ailow the Wanganui councillors to consider the matter, because he wished to help a lame dog over the stile. The Wanganui Council was the lame dog in this case — it was them and not the Kangitikei Council who were responsible for allowing Captain Sommcrvillo to go away shooting at Dunedin. Au apology was due from the Wanganui Council under the circumstances, for, if anything, the Kangitikei Council was the superior I and stronger body. — Cr Abbot reminded Cr Poison that his remarks seemed to entirely ignore the other Council. — Cr Poison protested against that remark. — Air Bull said that the time had net arrived for the Bangitikei Council to give reasons, for thoy did not know whether- they were in conference or not. — The chairman deeply regretted that there was a misunderstanding, and quite admitted that the Wangauui Council was the lame dog, though he really could not see how to get over the difficulty.' Ho certainly had not expected the whole of the Bangitikei Council to attead the meeting, hut only a deputation from it.— ln reply to Cr Abbot, Mr li. Simpson said that the roads on his side .of the Kaiwhangaroa ferry were iv a good, condition. As to others ho could not speak, but he had no personal interest in the bridge or site whatever. — Tho chapman poiuled out to MrMaclean. that there was not a full meeting ot the Waiigaiuu Council, and as their reaolua

, "ion could not therefore be rescinded, it ■ was no good adjourning and confer--1 ring afterwards. — Councillor Poison ex- : plained that the real position of the 1 matter was that the Wanganui Council ■ had simply declined to pronounce an i opinion upon the Kiawhangaroa or any i other site for the bridge. — Or Abbot said l that the -word " Kaiwhangaroa" had ■ been struck out of the petition, and the : words " Upper Wangaehu" inserted-, so ) as not to endanger obtaining the grant. ■ — Mr Macleansaidthatallthe Bangitikei 1 Council could do was to gracefully ' retire and express a hope that the Wan- ■ ganui Council would oome out to Kangitikei aud confer, with some better rosult. — Mr Milne trusted that this meeting would not cause any ill feeling between the two Councils. — The Bangitikei councillors then retired. — Some further discussion then took place amongsi tho councillors, but no decision 1 was arrived at, the chairman remarking i that it would be well for to-days proceedings to be discussed outside, so that 1 tho mattor could be coolly dealt with. Slaughter Yards. — A memorial was received from a number of Mosstown settlers protesting against a license being granted for slaughter yards in that looality. — The clerk said there was no application in for a license. Field's Track. — Two letters from Mr Field were read, giving an aocount of the progress of the works. Poundkeeper. — Mr Joseph Obadwick wrote, resigning his appointment as . poundkeeper at Durie's Creek. — .Resignation accepted. — The chairman said that Mr Barns had expressed his willingness to act temporarily poundkeeper, — Or Poison thought that if Mr Bams would undertake to find a man to look permanently after the pound, a better appointment could not be made. — Ultimately, on the motion of the chairman seconded by Cr. Craig, a sub-committee consisting of Ors * bbot and Poison was appointed to . make arrangements for a poundkeeper at Durie's Creek. '- . Accounts. — Various accounts were passed for payment. Oi.d Toll-house. — The clerk was instructed to tike steps to sell tho old' toll-hotiß9 on the Wangaehu road, ■which the Council could not let, and which was reported to he simply a harbour for tramps. , Notice or Motion. —Cr Dymoek grve notice of motion for the next meeting to rescind the resolution come to by the Council as to the Upper Wan^ gaehu bridge. The Council then adjourned.