WAIRARAPA WEST COUNTY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1612, 18 February 1884, Page 2

WAIRARAPA WEST COUNTY.

The ordinary meeting of the West County was then held, Presenters Booth (Chairman), Mathews,' Phillips, H. Bunny, Braithwaite, Bar-, ton, H, R, Bunny, Russell, and Bu-| ohanan, . • The.minutes of the, : previous meeting were then read'and confirmed . Tho Treasurer reported a debit balance of 14s sd. CORRESPONDENCE. From Phillip Goodin calling attention to 'the bad state of Waterson's line. Prom S. Oatcs and others requesting Park road to be put into repair,.—The Chairman said-the Road Board would undertake. temporary repairs till the Government money was available. From Mr Scllar asking for permission to copy the county rate roll.— application granted. From the Taratahi-Carterton Road Board asking the County to (ill a vacancy on the Eoad Board for No, 5 Ward— The Chairman said Thomas Price was a suitable man. Cr Braitlnvaite. moved that Mr Gallon be appointed. -—The latter motion was carried.— From Public Works Office enclosing a supply of forms and stationery ; re application under Pio.ul and Bridges Construction Act, that £944 for bridges was approved in full, and for road making £Bll would be granted. The chairman said the letter might be referred to the Public Works Committee, which was agreed to. From Beard & Gray re ferry lease. It was agreed that tho lease bo executed in accordance with advice tendered. NATIVE LAND HATES. Tho chairman stated that by a side issue the Government Had escaped their obligation to contribute rates for native lands.—Cr Bunny thought tliey should ascertain why any exemption should be, granted, He moved that a letter of enquiry be written to the Government.—Cr Buchanan seconded tho inotion. He had understood that the reason was because the valuation of the land was considered too high.—The chairman said that , after expecting a revenue from Native lands, they found a trap beneath thoir feet which deprived them of it, LICENSING DISTRICT. . A letter was read from the Colonial Secretary's office stating that the wishes of tho Council for constituting the various ridings one licensing district could not be complied with under the Act of 1881. CHRISTOPHER TAIT. A letter was read from Christopher Tait asking for concessions on his contract. Referred to Works Committee. The outgoing correspondence was then read. The following accounts were passed for payment—H. Burgess, £B7 15s; Mrs Bennett, £2lss j E. G. Beckett, £3lßs; W. C. Nation, £3lßs; miscellaneous, £ll7s; councillors' travelling expenses, £2llos. WAIHENGA POUND. Authority was given for the purchase of a quarter of an'acre at Waihenga for a public pound. LAKE PERRY PEES. Cr Russell said that Messrs Barber and others were still, disputing the payment of the ferry fees. The ferryman was compelled to keep a boat, and if the fees were not' enforced ho could not live. People should be compelled to pay, whether the ferry,was open or shut.—-Cr Matthews said the ferryman could take aotiou himself; j No doubt the Council would support him in such action.——The iOhairman said the difficulty arose from the fact that' sometimes it was a ferry, and at others

a public road,—Cr Russell said Mr Riddiford was the first who had objected to. pay, The ferryman had been given to understand by the Council that he would be able to collect all fees.-!—Cr Phillips recommenmendedthat the parties who refused the fees should not be crossed when the sandspit was under water, so as to throw the onus of taking legal proceedings on them,—-Cr Buchanan suggested putting a toll-gate up at the spit,—The Chairman moved that the ferryman be advised to take a test case into coiirtj if necessary, at the expose of the Phillips moved as an amendment that the ferryman and' .settlers arrange ..the " matter amongst :-themselves.-r-t-Cr'-H. % Bunny supported the Chairman's motion, so that they might, find out/the basis oh which they stood.'—-—Cr Buchanan thought the ferryman had no legal status,——Cr Matthews Asserted 'that a toll-gate could be erected, which would obviate the difficulty,-—-Crißimny moved that they refer the matter to the old Perry Committee. ——Or Barton said that it was a question whether the County boundary to high or low watei mark. —Cr Bunny's motion was tlion put and carried. -ENGINEER'S REPORT. . The Engineer's report was then read,, and referred to the Work's Committee. \ DOQ TAX, Crßussell moved, pursuant to notice, that the question of levying a dog tax be considered, He looked with a great dread to the ; future of sheep farming, on account: of the enormous increase of greyhounds, These dogs were becoming as great a nuisance as .the rabbits. The Maoris bred them, and ,some ran wild on the hills. He moved that the Act be brought into operation again.-—Cr Phillips seconded the motion. In a few years, he said, dogs had increased from hundreds to thousands. All animals partaking of a wild nature ought to be subjected to, control. He hoped the fees would be very light if the Act were again enforced, The Chairman suggested the appointment of a small committee to report on the question.' Cr Barton said that some of the runholders in the Awhea Riding had suffered severely from rabbi Were* dogs.'—Cr Matthews declared that down bis way lie had no trouble with dogs. He considered that groyhounds were necessary for keeping down the rabbits, He did not believe that the imposition of a fee would lead to the destruction of useless dogs.—Or H. R. Bunny said lie. did not like the tax, and did not believe it would ■ be of tbo slightest use. Thev could not work dogs with collars,—Cr Braithwaite failed to see that Bottlers should be taxed for the means essential to destroying rabbits. Tho Act when in force before did not lead to the identification of useless dogs.—— Or Phillips objected to giving way to a popular cry. (The chairman: There is no popular cry in Carterton.) Ho asserted that there was. The same arguments had been brought forward three years ago and demolished.— Cr -Bunny: Are you replying i—Cr Phillips: No, I am discussing it. —Cr Bunny: You've discussed it three times. Cr Phillips objected to making 911 election cry of the dog question. "(A voico: Oh, rubbish!). -—-Cr Bunny thought it hardly fair to impute motives. Mr Phillips might not seek popularity now, but the time would come when lie would do so. Ho thought Mr Phillips was just the man to do so, (laughter), though it would be a long day before he became popular. If they caught tho dog that killed the' , slieop they would not catch tho man ' who owned the dog. He did .lot object to considering tho question, and in order to get opinions on both sides he moved, That Crs Russell, Phillips and H. B Bunny be appointed a committee to report upon it. Cr Buchanan would be only too glad to help settlers in the position of Mr Russell and Mr Barton, but he failed to see tho efficacy of the remedy pro- . posed.—Cr Russell was not sure that the tax would do all, but it might help. Every roadman had a couple of greyhounds, and every little girl was followed by a greyhound. He only : proposed a tax to mitigate tho evil. A. special tax of ten shillings should bo levied on greyhounds,—Cr Phillips would liko to say a few' words.— Cr Bunny: Havo we all a. right to jump up fifty times'!—Cr Phillips said ho was speaking to the amendment, Ho disclaimed attributing personal motives to Mr Buchanan, but that gentleman failed to see tho wisdom of an Act of the Legislature.—The amendment of Or Bunny was then put and carried. ADJOURNMENT. Cr Bunny moved that they adjourn till that day four weeks. COUNTY UNION. Cr Phillips desired first of all to give. ; a notice oi motion, viz., "That at the next meeting of this Council tho question of tho'amalgamation of tho Couties of East and West Wairarapa . bo. considered." He believed that amalgamation would be the best way of arranging existing difficulties in the East County. It was decided then to adjourn tho meeting till tho Bth of March.