Vincent County Council.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 360, 2 April 1903, Page 5

Vincent County Council.

The bi-monthly meeting of the Vincent County Council took place at the' Council Chambers, Clyde, on Wednesday, 25th ult., when the following-mentioned councillors were in attendance :—Crs Horn (chairman), Kane, Laidlaw, Butler, Rutherford, and Pitches. Before opening the proceedings, the chairman referred to the recent demise of Cr Partridge. It was needless for him to say that the council regretted the, presence of tbe vacant chair. The late Cr Partridge was council'or for the past seven years, and he (the chairman) would move M that the council stand .adjourned till 4 p.m., in i*espect for their late fellow councilor, a'so that the clerk be instructed to convey to Mrs Partridge the council's sympathy with herself and family in their sad bereavement." In seconding the motion, Cr Butler referred in feeling terms to the late Cr Partridge's many sterling qualities, and his singular abilities as a councillor. ! a Crs Laidlaw, Rutherford, and Pitches also spoke in high terms of praise of the late Cr Partridges abilities as a councillor, and the warmth of his friendship and feelings as a man. The motion was declared earned. Tbe council resumed at 4 p.m. The minutes of the second ordinary meeting of the year were read and confirmed. . CoBBESPONDENCE. The Minister of Defence forwarded

Soldiers' Memorial Fund. 6 Resolved HR That the circular be received, that each councillor be supplied with a subscription list, and obtain what amount he can towards the fund.

Several departmental communications were read and received.

A circular was read suggesting to the council the importance of their finding'..sticks of phosphorous to settlers to poison birds.

From the Mines' Department, re IvPteto road from Cromwell to Lowburn, arid from Clyde to Lake County boundary,—Received.

Telegrams between the county clerk and the chief engineer respecting withdrawal of authority of vote for Ha wea Lindis Pass road. : - From the clerk of the Cromwell Borough Council, thanking the county council for. promise of assistance re bridge indebtedness.—Received. Notices of allocation of Government votes i were read and received. The sum of £6OO was available for the Clyde-Lake County boundary road. From the Supervising Valuer, pointing out that rates wore.not leviable upon certain runs in the Hawea district. - '• ■ ....u.:. >: ,■: ..,:.'.. . ■j.u

From the Otagd Central Railway League, complaining that the county clerk did .not send information with regard to progress of the railway within the county. • ''" ' ' ;: ' J ; The clerk stated that the railway had only just touched the fringe of the county. -He would be" pleased to iorward any information if he was at al' conversant with the progress of the railway, which he was not.

The Lands Department wrote stating that- £U$- 4s 4d ("thirds " and "fourths ") had been paid to the council's credit.—Received.

W. Charles wrote asking for payment of fencing material. Resolved—That the Clerk write to Mr Charles, stating that the council does not pay until the work is done. Mr Warburton, Cromwell, wrote with reference to price paid for county advertisements, and asking that the Same be advanced to one more in keeping with schedule rates. Or Kane thought this matter had been settled years ago, and that newspaper proprietors- had agreed to the figure proffered by the council. -The council should adhere to the present rate. .-..'.. ■

The chairman turther explained the position, and events leading up to same. Should any of the newspaper proprietors break the agreement, the council would have to reconsider . the whole matter. . ... „ the clerk; inform Mr Warburton that the council adheres to its previous decision in respect to the price of county advertisements, and that the council cannot see its way to alter the present arrangement, unless the proprietor gives notice of intention to terminate such agreement. R. Love wrote calling the council's attention to their action in accepting A. Pitches' tender at an advance of £4 16s on his (Love's) tender.

The chairman stated that Love was the cheapest tenderer for two contracts. The council thought it advisable to give a contract to the lowest and second lowest tenderer, so that the separate works could be done simultaneously. The letter was received, and the clerk instructed to write Mr Love in explanation. From the Railway Department, pointing out that indigent persons could travel on the railways at reduced rates. —Received. '*".".,

Mrs Young and Lindsay Davidson were granted permission to occupy separate portions of the Clyde Bridge reserve, the engineer and Crs Butler and Pitches to see that a roadway was left free to the Vincent Company's claim.

G Atkins and A Excell, Clyde, wrote asking that the pipeline of the Clyde water scheme be extended to their residences.

Mr Pitches supported the request. The cost would not exceed £2O.

Resolved—That the pipeline be extended as requested by Excell and Atkins, the work not to exceed a cost of £2O.

Cr Pitches suggested that the work o cleaning the Clyde > water race and reerecting new fluming be gone on with before winter sets in.

Agreed that the work be gone on with as suggested.. „ _ Elliott.Bros, were granted a progress payment on their contract at Matakanui.

Resolved — ; That the engineer be authorised to pay R Love when the work is done satisfactorily, . ■ M'Knight Bros, Ophir, wrote about the inefficiency of the Ophir waterworks.

Resolved—That Booth and Macdonald, Ohristchurch, makers of the windmill in use at the Ophir waterworks, be asked to have one of their experts report on the mill.

The dinner adjournment was agreed to. The adjourned meeting was resumed at 7.30.

Daniel Kinny wrote, stating that he

met with an accident when crossing on the Ophir bridge. His horse got a leg through the decking of the bridge and sustained permanent injuries thereby.

Resolved That the engineer be instructed to make enquiries about Kinney's claim for damages and report particulars to next sitting of the council.

From the Mines Department, drawing attention to dredging operations near the bridges over the Molyneux river. The Department deprecated the action of the council in permitting dredges to work so close to the bridges. The workings of the Alexandra Lead dredge has thrown the force of the current towards the eastern end of the bridge where it was undermining the abutment.

Or Kane—l have always maintained that permission should not have been given to dredge so near the bridge. I hold still that it was a wrong course to have adopted. (Cr M'Whirter now took his seat at the council table.)': Or Laidlaw suggested that the chairman and engineer should visit the Alexandra bridge and find out what steps were really necessary to secure the approach to the bridge. The chairman had some experience in dredging and he could give the council the benefit of that experience in devising means to prevent a further wash-out at the bridge. Resolved—That th 9 engineer and chairman visit the ground and if necessary, make, arrangements with some dredgeowners to throw up tailings against the abutment. Also to'cancel, if found necessary, the right given to the Alexandra Lead Company to dredge over the five-chain limit.

Or M'Whirter thought the right should be cancelled at once, such right should never have been granted. The resolution did not go far enough. He would move—That the right of the Alexandra Lead to dredge near the Alexandra 'bridge be cancelled.— Seconded by Or Laidlaw and carried. ': '.

The Inspector of Mines worte stating that the practice of riding and driving over bridges in the county was more honored in the breach than in the observance notwithstanding notices posted at the bridges for public information. •■•■'■

The engineer stated that the police had promised to attend to offenders, but really they have done nothing although the practice is persisted in. Or M'Whirter—A copy of the letter from Inspector Green should be sent to Sergeant Rogers, and in the event of no action being taken the council could go a step further. Resolution accordingly. ;'.•■'. Or Rutherford moved—That the inward correspondence as read be received and the outward approved. Seconded by Or Laidlaw and carried. Cr Horn took up the petition from Nevis residents. The engineer had a report on the subject matter of the petitition which would come up for consideration at a later stage of the proceedings. A petition from settlers in the Upper Olutha Valley, Lindis, Tarns, and adjacent districts praying for the immediate erection of bridges over the Olutha River was laid upon the table. Resolved : That the standing orders be suspended, and the council go into committee to consider tenders and accounts.

On resuming in open board the chair man read the report of committee as follows. Contract No 477. Resolved that the tender of Leslie Arthur (£B4) be accepted. Contract Uo 483.—Resolved, that the tender of H Tohill (£137 10s) be accepted. Contract 487.—Resolved,; that the tender of Holt and Robertson(£l4 7s 6d) be accepted. ! Accounts ammounting to £1629 12s were passed for payment. The report of the committee was adopted. Resolved.—That the council stand adjourned tiil 8.30 a.m. next day. (Remainder of report held over till next issue.)