County Council.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume III, Issue 180, 25 July 1901, Page 2

County Council.

’ SPECIAL MEETING. B i A special meeting of the above trtßv j held yesterday morning; presenpB A i Messrs Bhodes (acting chairman, the chair), Lyall, Hardie, Walkefßv; Elworthy, Boss, Studholme, aoB/J The chairman brought up the J tion of poisoned grain. Since the frtß/,-i supply had been withheld, hardly had been sold, and he gave notice motion to rescind the resolution on The Waimate County Farmers’ CNB ; ’ jj wrote, asking for the use of the Coanflß'. - j C hambers for meetings. lB Mr Walker supported the application® The room was in use by the very seldom, and it would involve cost to grant the request, bestißi-j benefiting a large number of peoplaaß;'? * It was decided to giant the reque^B** It was reported that two nominated 1 for the Waibao Water-nß||fs Committee had declined to act. Mr Boss said there had been so4B*s£! misconception in regard to the of the nomination. They thought $ was for a committee, and the mittee had never dons any good. thought they should appoint a sap<fl|||| Mr Walker said the Waihao nilfl||il race,, under committees, bad constant source of trouble. should have a supervisor. jßi||| The chairman agreed .with tHH||||| remarks, although bo had thought a committee the best to with the question. The engineer *B||||| one or two members might be mittee to draw up a Bcbedulaa^^B Mr Milne did not think they let the engineer have anything with the races. JB||||| On the motion of Messrs and; Boss, it was decided tbatdC visor be appointed to take the Waihao water race, holme, Bobs, and Walker to draw #Bp«Bi

schedule of duties and report at nexi meeting. . .. ' , T , A letter was received - from the Levels County Council, asking the Waitnate Council to fix a day whereon to discuss the question of shifting the northern boundary of the Wairaate County. A petition to shift the boundary to the Springbanlc road was put in, and also petitions against such action. The chairman said the first petition was to bring the boundary to the Levels boundary to a mile and a half past Otaio railway station, past Morriaa’ house. Meetings had been held at various centres to consider the question, at St. Andrews, Gannington, and Southhurn, At the first meeting the boundary hal been shifted from Otaio river to the present place—the Springbapk road, At the SoUthburn meeting, the same resolution was -arried, although only one or two Otaio residents were present, a statement that applied to that at Canning ton. He himself called meetings in the Upper and Lower Pareora schools to discuss whether the Pareora ridum bo cut up or not. This meeting votea against the proposal. He had beet; asked to speak at Gannington and did so, and the result was that they ah figned the petition against At least two thirds of the ratepayers oi the Upper and half of the Lower Pareora, had signed the petition to alter the boundary. So that when ths petitions were sifted the real state of feeling would be seen. Mr Walker thought petitions of any 30ft. ware of little value, their being signed depended largely on the persuasive powers of the canvasser. He favoured the taking of a ballot. Tan chairman did not favour this. Thu whole question was that of rates, the Waiinate Council supposed to rate higher than the Levels. His idea was that each riding should be taken . snnrately and see their opinion. Mr Lyall said it was only at the wi-di of those south of the Otaio river • that the boundary had been shifted. As to obtaining votes, that was easy. A ill an who paid a few pounds to the school could easily gut votes. Mr Rhodes asked was it suggested that he bribed the voters? Was it not usual to pay for the use of schoolvnoms? After the meeting at tinOl no school he told the secretary he --.as paying for the room, and he gave 'him 2s? The secretary asked him for a subscription to the library, anc. he told him to take half the cnequ. lie had not obtained one of the signa lures, and had scarcely seen one oth.' men before. Mr Biworthy supported Mr Rhodes siateiunnt that ho was asked to go t the meeting. All with one voted against inclusion in the Levei County. . I

Mi - Lyall was opposed to going over o the Levels Ceuetv Council. Mr Hamilton, the county solicitor,

who was present, said the petitions---a of no legal effect, merely « ." his. A ballot would be of the same .•■ii-ct. Attention could only b<; effected by special Act of Parliament. Mr Walker was opposed to meeting ;he Levels County Council until more definite information had been ob tabled. Tho signatures on the various petitions were ihc-n gone through and cheeked. Mr Walker then -aid the analysis showed a- m rjomy for secession only Mr Lower Pareora, and they should discuss the subject only on this point. Mr Lvail thought this would be a wiwte of time. The Levels would not take Lower Pareora with >ut the Upper- _ During discussion it was stated that no official invitation to meet the Levels 0 unity had been received. A proposition by Mr Walker, Biconded by Mr Milne —“ That this Council will agree to discuss the advisability of the Lower Pareora joining the Levels County, for the reason that we have no objection from the ratepayers in that riding, but we decline to discuss that tho Upper Pareora and Otaio should be severed from this county, for the reason that we have a majority of petitioners against such proposal” —was lost. °Mr Lyall thought the people must be very lukewarm in the matter wh n they signed two petitions Mr W'alker retorted that this was all the move reasgn why the Council should take no action. . _ _ The chairman said tho majority wore for remaining with Waimate County, and they had not asked that it be discussed on their behalf. Mr Lyall proposed, and Mr Studholme seconded, that this Council am-ee to meet the Levels County Council, and discuss the question of altering the boundaries. This was lost, the mover and seconder for, Messrs Bardie, Milne, El worthy and Walker against. Mr “Walker moved, and Mr Studliolrno seconded, that this Count 1 decline to meet the Levels County Council at present to discuss the question of altering the boundaries, as it has strong petitions against such a course.

This was carried. After the luncheon adjournment, the question of payment for inter county traffic was brought up, and discussed at leng:h. It was ultimately resolved that this Council objects to the demand by the Levels County Council for maintenance of roads used by Waimate County residents. tenders. The following tenders for contracts were received as follows:—^ Contract No. 390, metalling, Main South Road, A. Smith, £ll9 3s 4d ■(accepted) ; T. W. Crone, £133 2s 6d , J. Hardy, £l4O Gs 8d; J. Cochrane, £146 ss; C. V. Clarke, £153 7s 6d. Contract No. 392, metalling, Main South Road, A. Smith, £B9 7s 6d (accepted); E. Campbell, £lO4 lls 8d ; \V. J. Black, £l2O. . Contract No. 393, metalling Timanl Eoad, A, Smith, £6512s 6d (accepted); W. J. Black, £BO 10s; Ross and McOlintoek, £B2 ss; T. W. Crone-, £B3 8a 4d.