WAIRARAPA COUNTY WEST.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 238, 14 August 1879, Page 2

WAIRARAPA COUNTY WEST.

Tile ordinary monthly meeting of the Council was held yesterday at the County Offices, Carterton, Present—The Chairman, 0. Pharazyn, Esq., and Crs Moore, Jackson, McGregor and Minchin, The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Crs Phillips and Bennett applied by letter for leave of absence on urgent private business. The Chairman suggested the date of meetings should be altered, as the Featherston sales fell on a Wednesday, ' THE RANGITUMAU VOTE, The Chairman stated that lie had received communications from Or Minchin and Mr Rutherfurd urging the Council not to spend the balance of the Rangitumau vote in the Wangaehu Valley but at Alfredton, but he considered that they had no alternative but to spend the money in the Rangitumau district, He had consulted Mr Beetham, Chairman of County East, who had acted as a Commissioner for the expenditure of the Government votes, and who held the same opinion. Mr Beetham, who was present, explained that it was understood that the money should be expended in the Rangitumau district,

Cr Minchin said the'vote only benefitted ons'or two persons in the Rangitumau district, while there were scores of other persons thirty or forty miles up the country who had no roads at all, THE GKUYTOWN BOIWDAIIIES. Mr Beetham pointed out that there were some sections in Greytown which should be proclaimed as part of the Featherston Highway District, as at present they constituted an outlying district which had been formerly within the area of the Local Board, and were now outside the Borough. The Clerk was instructed to communicate with the Featherstcn Highway Board on the subject. CHARITABLE AID.

Mrßeetham stated that Council Eastwould co-operate with County West on any arrangements for charitable aid. He suggested that the aid should be distributed through the Hospital Committees. CORRESPONDENCE—INWARDS. From Minister of Public Works re forms for applications for money. From Colonial Secretary re division of

subsidy. From the Featherston Highway Board enclosing account expended on main road for the past half year, £3OO. From the Manuitoto County Council enclosing a resolution against Chinese immigration, From Magnus Neilson applying for extension of time on his contract. From the Greytown Hospital giving ail amended return of the voluntary subscriptions raised for the past year. It was agreed that the excess claimed should bo included in the next return. Or McGregor pointed out that under tho Financial Arrangements Act it was difficult to find out what sum should be appropriated. The Chairman said it might be necessary at some future time for the County to give a less subsidy than pound per pound. CHARITABLE AID. The Chairman said his attention had been called some two months ago to the case of a man, Wenham, in the Wellington Hospital who came from Featherston, He had subsequently received a letter from the Secretivy of the Wellington Benevolent Institution, saying that they had paid £2/10 for the man and asking for the County to repay the money and such further sums as the Institution might spend on him or his family. From enquiries lie found that tiie case was not a deserving one, He suggested that the Institution be informed that they could not admit its claim to spend money on account of the County, Also, the case was not one the Council should assist, at the same time pointing out that the County within its own limits was prepared to do its duty in the matter of charitable aid. The Clerk was instructed to reply in accordance with the Chairman's suggestions. Or McGregor thought the Hospitals would not care about applying for separate subscriptions for charitable aid. It was decided that the question should be referred to the Hospital Committees for their opinion the Council offering to give a similar subsidy for charitable as for Hospital purposes. The Chairman expressed a hope that relief through the Hospital Committees might entirely do away with private charity as subscriptions given by the Committees would be subsidized by County and Government grants, and in every case of relief there would be a proper enquiry, CHINESE IMMIGRATION, Or Moore referring to the comftiunieatieir of the Manuitoto Council, moved that a reply he forwarded stating that the Council would support any reasonable measure for restricting Chinese'imniegration. The Chairman thought that a notice of motion should be given of such a resolution, and in deference to this opinion Or Moore withdrew his motion. FINANCE COMMITTEE REPORT. The report of the Finance Committee was then read and confirmed. Tho Treasurer stated that the balance to the credit of of the Council was £207/10/2 The Chairman stated that nearly £3OO was due the County for land revenue. The County had now but very little money at disposal. MR PANETI. Tlie County Engineer reported that he had suspended Mr Paneti as assistantengineer for neglect of duty by ignoring his instructions. Mr Paneti replied by a counter charge. Messrs Moors and Pharazyn were appointed a committee to report on the circumstances in dispute to the next meeting, in the interim the action of Mr King in suspending his assistant was confirmed. engineer's report. The Engineer reported en the ferries in the Forty Mile Bush ; for the present he recommended the services of the natives being continued. Steps had been taken to make the necessary repairs,

A letter was read from the Waiohine River Board, applying for aid, and asking for the County Engineer to examine the river and report The Engineer reported that there was 110 immediate danger to the road, and did not recommend any expenditure at present on the road. He considered that the .River Board was really responsible for any damage done to the road below their works. Cr Jackson said the river would wash all the metal off the road; if something were not soon done there would be very serious damage'when the snow floods came.

The Chairman pointed out that a river board was for the protection of private property; the functions of the County only extended to the main road.

Cr'Moore moved—That should a\ca?e of emergency arise, the engineer shquld have power to expend £l5O for the.-pro-tection of the road. Cr Jackson would second the resolution il the amount were doubled!

Or McGregor thought it would be more satisfactory to vote the money to the River Board, and let that body spend it as it thought proper. The motion was carried.

The Engineer reported that the contrac tors on tho Eketahuna-Alfredton road were pushing on their work as well as could be expected during the present bad weather.

On the suggestion of Mr Minchin, the engineer was'instructed to lay off, a line

from the Ekatahuna road to the boundaries of the Mangaone Block. . On the motion of Or Moore, seconded by Cr McGregor,, it was resolved that Cr Moore and the engineer be authorised to enter into a contract to construct a drain on the Upper Taueru road provided that arrangements can bo made with the natives foi carrying it through their land. The following resolution of which notice had been given, was considered

" That in all future contracts to be let by the Council a clause should be inserted in the bond to be signed by the sureties of the contractor, whereby they shall in all cases undertake that in the event of their having to take over the conntract for the completion of the work they will be responsible for the debt of the contractor for materials and labor

supplied in the construction of the work under such contract." Cr Moore, the mover said that on fur-

ther consideration he thought it would be well to withdraw it as private rights might be infringed if it were carried into effect.

It was agreed that a further extension of time should be given witli the To Ore Ore Contract. On the motion of Or Moore, Or McGregor was added to the Public Works and Finance Committees. On the motion of Or Minchin, it was agreed that the balance of the old Provincial vote, £312, should be spent in the Alfredton district. RESIGNATION' OF TREASURER. The Council then went into Committee and passed the following resolution " Ilie Treasurer having tendered his resignation on :he ground of his insolvency, the following, signed by fourteen creditors of Mr Gole, representing two-thirds of his liabilities, was laid before the committee, viz, : ' We, the undersigned creditors of Thomas Gole, certify that in our opinion his insolvency has arisen from misfortune only, and that there are no circumstances within our knowledge in connexion with it which should, in our opinion, disqualify him from holding office as Clerk to the Wairarapa West County Council;' and it was resolved that he should for the present continuo to act as Clerk and Treasurer to the Council,"