COUNTY COUNCILS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1650, 7 July 1883, Page 4 (Supplement)

COUNTY COUNCILS.

Waikouaiti County Council. A special meeting of the Council was held on Friday, Crs Duncan (in the chair), Orbell, and Crickmore being present. BALANCE-SHEET. The Clerk read the balance-sheet, audited by Mr H. Livingston. The receipts were £3266 18s 3d; -payments, £4812 14s; balance (overdraft at bank), £1545 14s 9d. The principal items under heading of receipts have been — Licenses, £401 ; gold duty and revenue, £163 15s lOd ; Interest on loan (North-East Valley and Waihemo), £119 Is 3d ; road board rates, £68 10s lid,; land fund, £197 0s sd ; dog tax, £153 8s ; county rate, £1797 17s sd ; Assembly vote (Warrington road), £200. The principal items ] of expenditure — Roads and works, £2476 8s sd ; interest on loan (18 months), £336 ; chairman, clerk and treasurer, and inspector, also members' travelling expenses, £685 7s ; the balance against the Council on the 31st March, 1882, having been £824 Is 3d. On the motion of Cr Obbell the chairman was authorised to sign the sheet.

ORDINARY MEETING. The ordinary meeting was then held, the same councillors being present. , , , OHAIBMAN. Cr Duncan was appointed chairman in the absence of Mr Green at Wellington. DEPUTATIONS. Mr M. C. Orbell and other settlers interested .appeared in regard to the state of the Mill joad. Mr Orbell stated that he understood the 'Council were applying for money under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act for metalling the road in question. At present the part they wanted attended to was in a very bad state, and a small expenditure would be sufriu t. The inspector was ordered to report at next meeting. Mr Ritchie, representative of Mr John Douglas, of Mount Royal, appeared and stated that the road known as Bennett's required repairs. Or Obbell moved — " That tenders be called* for metalling — cost not to exceed £40, to be increased to £45 on condition that Mr Douglas will contribute £5." — Seconded by Cr Cbickhore, and carried. With reference to a further application from Mr Ritchie, about the state of a track to Mount Trotter known as Sandy's track, the inspector was instructed to report to next meeting. Messrs Bray and Hourston appeared as a deputation about a culvert wanted in Dornech atreei, Hawksbury. They would give the atone required if the Council would build the culvert. — Resolved — " That the work be done by surfacemen provided Mr Hourston supplies the stone." Mr Sloan, jun., appeared and wished to know what had been done about building a culvert near his ground (through main road) to clear the land of surface water. Mr Young, a neighbour of Mr Sloan, objected. The present watercourse was artificial, having been made by Mr Sloan. The natural watercourse only required cleaning out, and he wished that course to be kept open. Further consideration of the application was deferred until Crs Duncan and Orbell report as to the desirability of making any alteration. In connection with this matter a long report from the inspector was read. inspeotob's bepobts. The Inspector reported that the road referred to in Mr Carey'B letter was in a bad state, but the grant under the Roads and Bridges Act being available, he recommended that tenders be called for a supply of metal for the road. — Adopted, provided the ratepayers in the district will pay one-fourth of the amount to be expended by the Council, In another report he sta ted that metal |to complete the road Mr Middleditch had complained of would cost about £60.— Received, and further consideration delayed until summer. A further report, referring to the application of Mesßrs Ord, Pitches, and others, was received. ACCOUNTS. Accounts amounting to £152 9s 4d were passed for payment. CONTBAOTB. No. 2 Hummockside Road Contract.— The tender of A, Catherwood (formation and cul-

—^» . — — . yerts, £210; fencing &nd gates, £47 Is) was accepted. _ Waihemo Bridge to Native Village, Contract No. 1 (under Roads and Bridges Construction Act).— The tender of Alex. Semple (£250 ss) was accepted. A progress payment of £45 to Hourston and Randall (No. 1 contract Hummockside road) was authorised. PETITION. Mr G. Read and other settlers complained of the road-line from Omimi towards Mr Eadie's ground not being opened up, although deviated and surveyed.— Referred to inspector for report. CORRESPONDENCE. A letter was read from Mr W. J. Bolt, Purakanui, pointing out the state of the road leading to the railway-station there on the upper side, described as being in wet weather simply a creek, and complaining of damage done in consequence to his land. — The inspector was instructed to report. Mr Cameron, contractor for No. 1 contract Wakari road, applied for an extension of time.— The Council declined the request. ; Mr James Steven, Mill Hill, wrote to the ' effect that he wanted £10 for a deviation through his property, the old road to be conveyed to him. — Resolved — "That the Council having gone to a heavy expense in making a road to Mr Steven's property, they think the claim of £10 might be withdrawn, and that Mr Steven might accept the old road in lieu of the new one." J" v The Acting Under-secretary for Public Works wrote stating that the Minister approved of the grant under the Roads and Bridges Act being spent on the Mihiwaka and Lower Harbour roads, mentioned in a letter from the Council, and that in reference to the Omirai bridge, as there was extraordinary damage by flood, he was able, in terms of section 35, to make a grant of £150, conditionally on the Council expending £50, in terms of section 18.— Cr Obbell moved — " That the letter from the Public Works Office in reference to the grant to the Council under 'The Roads and Bridges Construction Act, 1882,' be received, and the clerk instructed to ask the Minister to increase the vote for the Omimi bridge from £150 to £200, as the tender accepted is considerably in excess of the amount estimated by the Council." — Seconded by Cr Cbickmobe, and carried. Mr G. S. Cooper, Colonial Secretary's Office, wrote stating that by proclamation in the Gazette of 25th May the boundaries of the counties of Waikouaiti and Waihemo had been altered, in accordance with the petitions from Mr John Douglas and the Council. — Received. GBANTS FOR ROADS. It was resolved that application be made for the following grants for roads to be scheduled as main roads under the Roads and Bridges Construction Act, and that estimates and plans be prepared and forwarded to the Government :—: —

GENEBAL. The inspector was instructed to act re Mr Scott's application, provided Mr Scatt carts the metal. The clerk was instructed to apply to the Government for a progress payment of £500 for work now being carried out on the Hummockside road, and £350 -for the WakariWaitati road.

Edinburgh street, Hawkabury Anderson's to Puddy's, via Clark's 'latf Swamp road leckler's road '.. Quarry road lound Hill road .. .. lain road to Seacliff „ lower Harbour road . 'ort Chalmers to Purakanui Vaihemo bridge to Native village .. £1,200 0 0 .. 1,200 0 0 .. 1,180 0 0 , .. 1,410 0 0 .. 1,230 0 0 „ 930 0 0 860 0 0 .. 2,109 0 0 .. 1,517 17 2 .. 3,240 5 0 Total ..£H,927 2 2