TAIERI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Volume 11, Issue 2280, 11 November 1897, Page 8

TAIERI COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of the Taieri County Council, hold at Mo.'giel on Friday, was attended by Crs Chisholm (elected to the chair in the absence of the chairman, Mr Simson), Ou^htoD, Tcdrf, Harrison, Douglas, Peat, and Miller.

inspector's report,

The County Inspector (Mr John White) tabled the following report : —

The roads throughout the county are in fairly good order, considering the very wet month vie have experienced ; clay roads are a little rough, but not cut deep.

The road from Outratn to Deep Stream will be better left alone until the bulk of the caitiug i* over, as anything done just now would bs put out of shape by the cai eless driving of the waggoners. The road is rough, but the.-ts are no deep ruts or water lying on it. The impiovements at the Lee Stream l>ave been hindered by the bid weather, but will scon be finished. Part of the metal has been quarried, and breakers will be sent up next week, so that the whole of the work wilt be finished by the first -week in December.

The bridge over Lee Greek as D. Millar's will require to be repaired, the top lining of th>i deck being very much decayed. It will require lOtiOfb of black pine, aud the r.o3f- will be £10.

The bridge at Burnside is 32 x 14, Luilfc by the Railway department, but put on -the county, boms: on Princes street, Burnside township, Kaikorai Hiding. A?, this was not thought lo be acharae on the county, nothing has been done to it. It is now in bad repair and dangerous to traffic, and it will require 1600 ft of bluck pine to renew the deck ; cost £14.

The spreading of the material taken froni the ditch and carried out by the Otikia Drainage Board is not satisfactory, and the board has been, notified to that effect. The question will be brought before the new board at their next meeting, when no doubt the matter will be rectified. Three culvorts will be required on this road to complete it.

Several small contracts have been completed during the past month. Connor's Hill cutting, formation, and gravelling is a great impi'ovement upon the old state of thiDgs, the^grade being very easy. In order, however, to give an outlet to the settlers at the top of Mr Dean's sully, the pinch near the big stone will require to ba cut down and some 30 chains of formation carried out at the junction 6f the road.

Duncan's Hill in the Kaikorai Riding has been graded, and is now in as good order as other roads in the vicinity.

The retaiuiog wall at the trough at Bryce's is finished ; also some gravelling on the road a' Bliiv's, which is partot the allocation for the roa< Allan ton to Rock and Pillar The men on the thirds and fourths have finished the work on which they were eogaged at Bald Hill, and intend making a start at Sather!and's, Hunimosk distiict.

'J he metal on the Gladfield road, near the Owhiro station, is nearly ready for putting on the roid, and the metal for the old Brighton, road, near Millar's, ia well advanced, and will be complete! by the middle of November. Tenders have been called for the work* authorised at last meeting — formation at Allcinton, gravel at Brighton, and river protection at Berwick.

It is intended to start the road grader at Ashby's on Monday, 8"h inst., aid 1 would like to know what is to be done with the grader befoio it goes up couiitvy.

It was resolved that the improvement suggested to Millar's bridge ba referred to the inspector to acl in case of any immediate ntceseity ; that the matter ef culverts iv Kirk's road be deferred for a time ; that no action be taken in the meantime with the improvements recommended on Big Stone road, Otakia Riding; that the road from Brown's corner to Gordon's be graded ; that the grader be used on the road from Jas. Callauder's to Brighton for four or five day 3 ; that tenders be called for the formation of road between Blair Taieri and Sutton ; that the inspector arrange to get the necessary protective work on the Waipori River, opposite the Berwick education reserve, attended to; that the inspector obtain from the Lands Office the proper boundary of river section 49, East Taiori.

INSPECTION OF SLAUGHTERHOUSES

The Inspector of Slaughterhouses reported that during tbe past month there had been killed at the slaughterhouses in the county 361 cattle, 3446 sheep, 293 lambs, and 126 pigs. There had always been those who (since and before his appointment) had had nothing but the very best /'stock of all kinds killed. Some had not been so particular, but these were improving. He had condemned two sheep end one cow. The cattle killed duriog the month hed been very good. He bad also given considerable attention to the Kaikor&i Stream. The late rain had given it a good clean out. — The report was received.

CORRESFOITDENCB.

A circular was received from Mr Samuel Vaile, Auckland, setting forth the advantages of the stage system over the mileage system. — Laid on the table. A letter was received from the county s solicitor* (Messrs Smith, Chapman, and Sinclair) with reference to a heavy traffic by-law. It w»« to the tffect thafc a copy ot the by-law should be

published in the Gazette as convenient evidence, under section 132, of the making of it, as there was always a slight doubt as to whether section 306 of "The Counties Act, 1886" applied, though iv theic opinion it did.

The Department of Lands and Survey, Wellington, forwarded for the council's consideration a petition praying that the Government should, in accordance with paragraph "C" of sub-section 1 of section 2 of "The Public Works and Government Railways Aob Amendment Act, 1895," disallow a by-law recently made by the council regulating heavy traffic. The Minister would be glad to have the council's view on the subject as early as possible. The petition 'was signed by about 25 carters. After a discussion it was resolved that a sub-committee consisting of Crs Oughton and Todd be appointed lo draft a reply to the letters from the department, and that the chairman be requested to interview the Minister in the matter.

Mr W. Carncross, M.H.R., wrote that he had presented the petition re charitable aid forwarded to htm to Parliament, and added that he would bring the resolution of the council in reference to amending the Rabbit Act under the notice of the Government. — Received.

A letter was received from the Otakia Drainage Board, forwarding a cheque for £11 14-s, ah payment of half-iO3t of drain oa road. — Received.

The Bruca County Council wrote that ifc had resolved to apply lo the Minister for Public Work* for the control of a bridge to be erected^ over the Waipori Rivar near to the junction with Waipori Lake. — Received.

The District Engineer • of" Railways wrote that the bridge over the Ktikorai S.ream, on the north side of and adjoining the railway at Burneide station, was uuder the care and control of the council. — Consideration deferred.

The West Taieri River Board wrote calling attention to the necessity of causing the removal of fences erected and running on to aud nearly across the Taieri River between Outram railway bridge and tha bridge at Allan tou. — Referred to tbe inspector.

Mr Allan, Mann wrote requeuing that a short deviation be made on the road known as " B!ack'»," to give acces3 to section*' 2 and 4, block VI iI. Maungatua. — Tha matter was referred to the inspector aud the councillor for the riding to report.

Mr F. C. Jones wrote requesting that the fences erected on the road between his property and Mr Tisdale's be removed. — Referred to Cr H»r/i<on and the inspector to act.

Mr W. Bell called attention again to the deplorable state of the road laadiug to his property, known as Gorman's Hill. — Referred to the inspector.

An application by Mr J. W. Joseph to occupy a small p<ece of ground adjoining hi« section 17, block XI. Mauugatua dis-tdor, was deferred till next meeting.

WAIPORI BERWICK EOAD.

Cr Chisholsi r< ported re W*ipori-Berwick road to the effect that the lower portion was almo«t impracticable. — It wa3 resolved, on the motion of Cr Dougi-as, seconded bf Cf Harrison—" Tkab a reply be sent to the Minister for Mines that the council was willing to take over the new track on condition thitib was connected with the council's road below the Waipori Hivdr crossing-, and that a copy of the plans and estimate of tho land required for road deviation be forwarded for the information of the department, and, further, that MrCArociosri be requested to support the application." -,

TBNOHKS,

The following tenders w_ere accepted :— Embankment Waipori River, Berwick — Alex. Hamilton, £11 10*.

Supply 1000 yds gravel, Brighton road — Mr John E. Jbne?, Is B^d per yaiTd.

Supply of 200ydi gravel, Brighton road — Mr John E. Jone?, 1* 9d p*r yard.

Formation of tha main road, Allan ton — Newman aud Co., £33 74 6d.

FINAKCIAL.

The bank book showed a debit balance of £5229 193.