WAIRARAPA EAST COUNCIL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1376, 11 May 1883, Page 2

WAIRARAPA EAST COUNCIL.

A HEETiNO of the aboVe Council was held at the County offices, Masterton, yesterday afternoon'. Present—Org G. Beetham (Chairman), Mackay, Bellis, Williams, Chamberlain, McCardle, W. H. Beetham,-. Meredith and McGregor. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and/confirmed. The outward: and inward correspondence was then read. WAIPOUA BRIDGE, • The Ch^irm^nexplained that thp sum applied for the. Waipoua Bridge, which could not be legally expended on that work, was to. be expended pro rata on the three principal roads now under construction, POMS, The .Returning Officer: reported the on May Chairman said the, result was very 1 satisfactory, It wis to be hoped that the solitary per-, son who gave an adverse vote gave it in error. ; : ; - COKPERENOE. ' !. ' The Chairman sai|,'; he had invited 'the members of the ' Jrlasterton Highway.; Board to attend confer , with them over tho question of a County rate.- He regretted %t he had not had time to send a similar.- invitation , to. the members of tlie Castlepoint Bpard. He Was, howeyer, glad to. see : three, members of that Boardjin attendance. ' " ; V PIMOE,i ■ ;The Chairman regretted: that.he did' nbt.reach Masterton in ; time that..day! early enough, to" meett the.;Knance Committee with the object of bringing 'up aieport to the Council; : ; '/■

}' ■ TREASURER'S ; REPORT,',;; • • ■: lie/Treasurer's report presented at last; meeting was agaiii' Tead,T~~The Chairman said it would 'be' as wellfof the .Cpvuicil to gOinto a : view.toascertain their'exact position before^ gojjig into ne Dopty rate. . i

V: /'... adhcroft'S ' ' : The Chairman asked" ..the' Council if they wished to proclaim Ashcroitt's line,' as had decided to Browne's ■there was any' right sto either road i without compensation; Bee;tham thought it would ,be quite sufficient to proclaim Browne's liita/ He ;|houghb they might abandon Ashcroft's,• '-—lt was reßplyed—fjiat the Clerk linform the surveyor that they did noji ■{jesirp tohe^roclaiak i ! ■ ] A tracing was received from the Chief tlie\S?ectipn|: which the above roadmight be taken, —pt Williams stated/ that' the owners of other sections woold gladly

give permission for the road to pass through their land,-.—lt was decided baianoes, Cfc McGregor pointed out that it was impossible to get oxact balances in expending Government votes. Sometimes they were in excess, and occasionally the other way .—ln Council . these. accounts were] before fresh' ones "were jxpetide,d.~. Cr McCardle .thought, the fairest way"" r would be to makflKiijite bskiioea on the debtor spending small ramp available in clearing 'buAfiliuttj | •~-Tlte;flueßtiott was referred toHjfo Public ;Works' Committee. • ' h :;Cr. sugg&jfcd. rescuj|inf their resolution re'Ashcroffy .iiiw, ut ' till they; had sottjeid wjt r h) [ for Browne's Line it was unwise U surrender, any right.-7--£r Beetham ; moved''that' tha previonV resoinded, and that A shcrof t'sLineb# ;i»ojt [! settld.w^G!ame^' : '' •• THE/'itAIMfAY. ilMMlO^^ ■■ The was no railway station site ; fla Opaki plain. It.would bo well for thaN'/i! Council to suggest station at this would be no break for r distanc* of , ■' ■ ' 'W. - .IV V. j •••••; COUNT? MVfc,-:..; three farthings 'were raised, bj rates iu the district tKe three-eightha of ap»nny,-~C!r;Meis ■' l dith thought they would £or >; consideration, 1 His own # .was that a largerproportiqn than threeeighths would be rettssary, ,. they should consider-the ' toll;'quiertioa>"£).' simultaneously;—rThe. Chairman explained that they could not levy a County- rate that; wrf itolifffl was not rtJadyr " They M'lt' Wiir * was completed,——Cr MoGregor said that in tbe interim they eould affirm their intention of making a rate,— Cr Meredith pointed out that the terton Highway. Board met on Saturday, when they, could give the questioa" 1,1 full considoratiori.-—i-The /Chairman reported that tho rateable value of the County at three farthings in tho po.arid; - would be £4239, The' license amounted to : £IJS por they included the toll licetise fees' f and ;si '" a farthing rate their income would" £2033.r-r-Cr W. H. Beetham, asked what amount was available' from the Government;—rrThe Chairman replied thattheycoUld nbt.reiy upoa s»y .V'mregular assistance fronrthis outside the Crown lands .rate, : eboinmr'S-BEPOM.' '''- The following report was Sir, —I havo the honor, in eompliaafii,,-/ with yonr instructions; to'submit estimate of the cost of maintaining tha'ooastructed portions of. tho tuaia ; toads' the Wairarapa East Oonnty (or twelri months— Opaii To Ifanawatu Road; • - 7 'M Permanent maintenance man.. 546 6 o.f Extraordinary assistance;, y200..- Bv.ft'h r Carting road metal. .vi ' 15ft :Painting bridges,,; .. t •,,)■ 150 Benowing bridges a&d.calverts/.t 70 |6 - Superintendanoe,'"«tc. " '.r 'IM Tl, 8". . 1916 0 0 ffatterlon To'WaimataJtoad. PormauoDt mainteiianoe moa.. 871 ' Carting gravel for repairs .. 89 9 0 Extraordinary assiitanco and extra culverts. .; , .. 50 6 0 Maintaining twoForries •. 55,.0 0 Superintendence, eto. ~ wTt . Maslerh* To Bidtford JMdoiSi;l f. I. V Permanent msintena|oe men •• 218 V S iQrjy Extraordinaiy swistinee' .. 2O *0 v OIJ0 lJ Repairs to bridges and culverts.. 29 t 0 Suporintondance. eto. .. . .. : Ekdahuna To Tinul £. i. & Permanent maintenance men. i 218 8 0 Kxtraordinary assistance .• .3().)|p;Jlju Repairs to bridges andculwrtfl., 9 0 Superintendanee, etg. .. .. |i 0 f 276 8 0 I bare, et0,,... . . tf - ('/'lOJStJjsl ; County EnßtnMr. }(asterton, 10th May, 1883. . There was some desultory over the,devils,7—Cr McOapdls obr V jeoted to the work^icW 1,1 should have Keitt' weirwd' !J io t,^4 l ' i ' Finance Committee, Cr Chanjberlain recommended postponing the question till after the Highway Board had Chairman explained, no question ' was before they were,only getting-information; necessaryfor considering themotion of' which Cr Mackay'. had given notice; —The Engineer at the request Chairman explained' that' tHe''. for mainteriance men was likely- to b.6y ' an annual one and an one, also tho charge for carting ;metAl, During the construction of the railway their , roads .would hare extra traffic! He considered thi tush line would require £2OOO per annuo,. -—The Chairman sound very well,'cannot you'doit 'for • less 1 (a. ■ laugh);—i-^Tha, ; thought Williams-did not see that they-ought to. beu^jw^j. i-rrCr McGregor tliaf this road.—Or Beethatn- did ljot see ' why the whole /district should be - . taxed to keep it ojien,-—Cr Meredith said it woi}}d- wllo*mthe wholfl'of .. they- : -injght get assistance Ip the . Government, bvitit .must bejmem--1 bertd'that they' nojr/ had . towards'it;, i the and make a,grant as well. —Cr Mo-' Grigorwd a portion of the road/wu already being .cut up\byj railway traffic. Or Mackay regarded the as a : colonial than a pountyJine.—The Chairman , that Ik special»teof fiwvrelyths'ot'ff&nf. . on' the! EketahiM'Tenui line w«s . all ' /error. It ,ought, tp have wwhil® v • ,trictiwhen a.much, smaller rstfl Wj)i|l4f, lave p® m * ted out that in order, toi inirt ■ their various half-pewiy^

• late would, be necessary,.' They would or *;esoo-t<): these: sartff fif..the ; district: that rceeivfed no from - the ..works. under the <;•■• ■ Act;—-a—(> Mac-;' £\ .?. ft ; In. doing > thin ho. ' , adfmtted 'that a farthing was inauffi-cient'-fpr his purposes and asked leave Sjiljstitute a ■.halfpenny—(Leave l ~ HaVlng-teen given.),- ;He said that he considered /a sepaiateVratft wpiild'Jba ?•'.£ Wnectary as'with. rate o WuM jddjust.' l allj ingqijy itio'j, -he ; therefore, moved ruto,' ,< •• yajaw in one instalment on the first .day of August, bo levied throughout the ' Qounty ; for a-p6riod;sfjhijfj' Cr Williarason/seqQnding tili&.motion' • • th6.;Gblincil hca 'nf chwc^ and that it was very; desirable that . ■ understanjl, .their • ! this - respeftt. '.Th'e-.Cdunty- • "' did noKteke the roads over by theirown tliemby: • - tl j eir d uty tij' keep "the rn poiwidercdthoy wouldgive way ahdcease' - He .also pointed-oiit_ that settlers who. cbntri.rpadfi in v which;; they : Jw» noi interested .would' have their ../ates returned jo .them for expenditure. *,o'n own localities.: -Crj ( fequrie arate there was a tremendous disparity in different parts of the County. N'orthof Castleppint,in of Wainuioru Elding on "the Upper Plain settlers,wpuid ..' not /ba b&iefitcd by the expenditure < • under ithff folds' Construction Act, and •^heir-Highway 1 • Boards should receive •■Jack i fair portion of rates so that -they ipightr'rrrake local roads to give theni aoeess to the County roads,- • Cr-McCardle 'askedif it was intended dispose of the rate question that, 'day,—— Tho Chairman replied -that if; Cr Mackay's resolution was carried > it-Would be his duty to take se;necessary 'stepß to give effect to it. '■^-rCr; McCardle said a good many anticipated only a farthing rate and thought that even this was too 'He regarded ~ Counties as simply paymasters Tor the Government, and that ratepayers had to maintain an expensive staff for this purpose. He believed that Road Boards with 'slightly extended powto.would do better than Countiea., It would be wise for the public to ' consider at present whether they should go on with the County system , or. no. ( In his opinion the sooner, the County was wiped out the better unless, it was conducted, under a different' system.— Cr' Chamberlain cndrirted'Cr McCardle's remark, He bad spoken to mirny residents and one and all were in favor of abolishing the County and giving' Road Boards extended power. . Jf a rata were struck,, a petition for abolishing .the. County : woddibe signed! Ho pointed out that in'. the ManaWatu,- District a similar,' action had been taken, qtlte "understood 'that the proposed addition to local rates was unpopular/' and.was not 'Surprised that ratepayers protested, • They might be congratulated for having carried ;oft.Vf6r. bo. long a period -without a rate; He' had himself repeatedly opposed -one Ming lovied, arid Would do bu£ for the dire which existed for orfe,. He j jthal it would be a sad calamity, -iftbolisij vthe'' -County iCpiincil. They acted as a stepping stone between They the,Qpmment in the past, which.they %ould never have got but for the -influence of the County, ' To discontinue benefits would be a huge blunder. Settlers could not make a better investment* 6£money than by Sp'ending-it in jppening i.,up Counties.v- (Hear! hea 1)_ If settlers looked at the .matter, from qfiview-they would not bo so bitterly opposed to a rate.' Theire was no other way for them to do their ,duty v %d' honestly pay their 1 way. Under these "circumstances he must support .the resolution Cr Meredith . specified tKe portions, of'.the County directly feasted in the, special works.—Cr. 'of the AJfredton Riding might be., added.-—-Cr H. Beetham would support CrMeredith's proposal to ex; I dude■ these portions of the County!: from the generic rate, prvoided that 1 jfliidents within -tljera, pledge themielVeVftpver to drive &- jiersl of cattle . ftlong.the new roads and did not .even. ' them for their buggies,^—-Cr |^ei«ditli• explained tliat , 'he did niji propoßs.i'efunding tho.vhole of the .irate biifeoiily; a mqietjrof It.—Cr Beetham he mistaken Cr Meredith, and - so-- far,- —The OhaimM'did not wish to give a.silerit vofeo'nMcpestion, -He thought Crs MfeCiurdle an&Ghamberlain lost 'sight cf'tliejiuit- lhat the Read Boards were ' ( of liability, ' traDßfetted to the County, ipd'.was b'pundi to'provide for it. If svibe Couhties wero Boad Boards as pro-;; Ced they ; fjgoiild-..suffer' an absolute I during tie ensuing' . twelve monthft viz.y tho amount they wero from'the Colonial revenue. v could ribt 'be obtained -Boards; The"latter mjgjtt from the Government btit they, could ndt obtain it as a . grant fi^t;tp - ;be-.,sMd.'back again. : ' He did wit. himsflltjfeej; disposed to ! sacHfice i 6,900, a? 4 he did not think the ratepay^,,:woul(li vGr ,:McOardle-'waa in a Government expenditure. Hadi he hebn acquainted with" their «M<of finanein| hfr 'to# tiey charged full staff expetises against theQovefnment votes, He believe^it.-would be -unnecessary ■ to..define.^'thft.-areas as suggested.by. CriMeredifc; believed; that they, to; consider; each) district on its own -merits 'and "deal !;Hear 1), ; Each Osuhcillor was. a ai)d. ii was levyran. excessiva rite, With,^eMce' : tb |, aii allusion tMUad b%t ' th e' ! duplicate offi<» u WM^aw''fulit- ,: emplbyea' J iM' i^'iome. ; w' B»

not suffice, it was evident' that not King .less! than a half-penny would do—| [Or jMackay pointed out that if no .county rati's were levied Road Board rates would have to bo increased lVom a half-penny to three-farlhings. ! 'he .Resolution in. favpr.'of tho, hull-penny rate was then carried.'.unanimously on the voices. ''' •' ■\ I ' ; ABOIISHINO. TOLLS.' pr.M^y; i in)nioyffii?ifil. no'tice 6f motion to rit)\ to)Jq. said $o half-penny rate would gi^them,-an which-!wo,u]d enable-:them-to dispense with tolls.r;; The{rovehUd icon- 1 • tributed by the ; gerteral publia'tS'their toll-gates, w,as.veryil|n)ited,, thfej&ain supiport being they iillqWedexisting.leases to-rutt'fiUt 1 they might have; tpVpay.^ompbnsaltion.! The lease of the I To 6re.Ore)bll e|pi'M., .on September 30, arid, of'the jDen,vu toll 'nine months : hence.--Thef iTeinti^toll had been put on for a specific purpose; m, mo'talling which -was- now provided, for by tho: general rate. He'moved that the tolls bo abolished .on / August Ist,——.Cr McCardle seconded;the" motion.'tie was, only sorry it could not embrace the Manawatu Fqrry. ;iTJp country settlera were very heavily taxed; by the latter, ■toll,-—— Cr Meredith moved an amendment to exclude the Te Ore Ore gate. It was' inconsistent to abolish a substantial source, of revemje when , they were short of. fundss. The toll fell on' people who rtade '- tise of the road whereas the Cqunty. ; rate fell on some who did not. He suggested tho Te Ore Ore gate should bej moved nearer to Masterton to catch tho Upper Taiieru : traflSc,—-Cr • McCirdle : "Thank goodness you can't do. this."——This amendment not being seconded Cr Meredith moved as ; a further amendment that tho lease of the. Te Ore Oro, .toll be'allowed to run out,——(h' Bellis .advocated abolishing the tolls on a fixed date,-—After some discussion it waß decided to abolish the Te'nui Toll from the Ist of : August, add. the To Ore Ore Toll from the 30th of September,

• pahiatua road board, , The Chairman asked Or McCardle if the petition of the settlers was ready for presentation.—-Cr McCardle said the time had not yet expired during which the notice of the petition was required by law to be advertised, MAIN LINES. The Chairman asked what was to bo done with respect to maintaining main lines, Cr W. H. -Beetham: Fix a day when one body or the other shall take charge of them.—-Cr Mackay recommended asking tho Road Boards to maintain them till the Counties wero in a position to tako them over. It was necessary to understand' if the Road Boards were to do the- work so that they might arrange their staffs accordingly: at present these line's were like Mahomet* coffin.——lt .was Resolved ; to ask thr Road , Boards to undertake this..maist.enanco : untll' further arrangements wero niado, the County recouping the Boards for'actual outlay, , . : ! BEVISIOS OP ROLLS,'.'' '

There was some discussionjerevision of. rolls and the necessity thom.as complete.aS'possible,was, arranged that a special meeting vfor this purpose should be-heid 'on;' the' 2Sth instant, • ... j.v.; ../' ;

; ; .. : OR MEREDITH, -• •' ' -. -At the suggestion of the Chairman • the name of Cr Meredith added to ' the Public \yorks and 'Committees. • : ■' WILLOWS . ;On the motion of CrMiick'ay-ihe Engineer was authorised. 1 to. r.:- plant wjllows- at Once on the Mungapakeha bridge site. -- . :: ' r ■ LICENSING ACT, : Cr Mackay moved a Resolution' urging the Government to amend! the Licensing Act by abolishing existing' Licensing Committees and • placing the control of licenses in the hands - pf Counties and, .Boards, McGregb'if opposed the resolution.;. He admitted that the existing arrange-ments.-were note«ihomM ! . but .there was something in the principle; of; the Act. The 'liquor traffic was the ;greatest evil' in the colony, and any -.legislation devised to curtail it ought ■to recpive their support, - Tljat the present Act did mofe ||)an tjio old one iii this district was proyed by the., disfavor with which publicans regarded it, They must not- regard it only from a pound shilling and pence point of view. —Cr Williams pointed:-out that in other colonies a oarefui selection was made offlt persons tp-.adiniqister the Licensing Act. At Tenui he believed that Constable Darby' Virtually appointed the whole of the "licensing .Committee, ' A special-knowledge was required by Licensing Commissioners, to protect the travelling 1 ? public from annoyance, -In Australia no bar was allowed- in' J the vicinity of that pprtion if ' the house where visitors boardea; but, in the wayside publich.ouses here it was usual to have access to the bar opposite the sitting rooms appropriated to travellers ■who were annoyed byiill sorts'of rows and- noises.,, ; . He-, pointed. ; .out; that efficient administratioff'iof public houses was of more importiince than mere money considerations,,v-,-He would sup port Or Mackay as. he considered-, some, 'charge was resolution waß then put and carried, .

! , WAirOUA Bfllpflß, ' i j On the motion o£- C3r Chamberlain, supported - by • Cr ' • the' jfingineer was' authorised to incur an ,eixpoAditnre of ilO 'in tiiakin'g the Waipoua' bridgo'passable. for h&) veSfce.rt;; l . --v - ; y-" < '1..1