'ORDINARY MEETING.

Clutha Leader, Volume V, Issue 284, 7 February 1879, Page 3

'ORDINARY MEETING.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the 'Clutha County Council was held in the Athenaeum Hall on IMday. Present — Messrs Jowitt (Chairman), Ayson, Jenkinson, Mosley, Dallas, Clark, Mackenzie, and Brj r done. The minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed. The Chairman said a deputation from Inch Olutha was in waiting. It was agreed that the deputation be ■heard at that stage. Mr Mosley introduced the deputation, 'consisting of Messrs Gilroy, M'Donald, and Bell, and read the petition they had to present to the Council. The petition "was as follows :— To the Olutha County Council. The memorial of the undersigned residents of Inch Olutha sheweth, That we are informed the Engineer of your "Council lias recommended that the County roads on Inch Clutha be altered, as the present roads held by your County are partially washed away. To this proposal we decidedly object, for the following reasons : — That the proprietors have offered'? land for new roads where the river has •encroached, at a reasonable price, and on con■ditious that the County protect the roads when •given. That we object to the County funds being expended on the purchase of high-priced lands, •when the County has offers of land on such reasonable terms from the settlers. And your 'memorialists will ever pray. [Here follow 26 signatures.] Mr Mosley mentioned that the proprietors along the river bank had offered .'ground for a road. Mr Bell said the river bank road had almost been washed away ; that the centre road recommended by the Engineer would be almost impassable during winter ; that the other road would be given free, with the exception of about a quarter of an acre belonging to small landholders. The only •condition was, that the Council would undertake the protection of the river banks. He pointed out that the matter of the road was urgent, as at present the traffic had to be taken through private property. Mr Gilroy addressed the Council in ; similar terms. The Chairman informed the deputation that the matter would receive full consideration from the Council. CORRESPONDENCE. A letter was read from the Treasury, explaining the cause of the deductions from subsidies for charitable purposes. A letter was read from the Minister of Lands in reply to application re deferred payments, as follows : — General Crown Lands Office, Wellington. 16th Jan., 1879. The Chairman Clutha County Council, Balclutha. Sir, — I have the honour to inform you that it has been decided by the Government to allow the Clutha County Council the sum of £750 out of the £10,000 voted by the Legislature last session on account of roads in deferred paymeut districts, disposed of prior to the Ist January, 1878. And a voucher for the amount will be immediately passed in your favour. The expenditure will he left entirely with the 'County officers, the only condition being : That 'the Land Board approves the line of roads upon which it is proposed to expend the money as being beneficial to tbo deferred payment selections. It is desired that the works may be immediately put in hand, so as to take advantage nf the favourable season of the year for road 'making. — I have the honour to be, &c, P. J. H. Shott, Uunder Secretary. General Crown Lands Office, Wellington, 18th Jan., 1879. Tho Chairman, Clutha County Council, Bal'clutha, Otago. Sir, — Kef erring to my ciicular of the Ifith List.., 1 have to inform you that the amount stated therein, as payable to the Cluiha County 'Council, will be immediately placed to your credit upon the Commissioner of Crown Lands informing this department that fclio Land Board of Otago has approved of the lines of road upon which it is proposed to expend the money. — I have the honour to be, &c. P. J. H. Shott, Under Secretary. JETTY AT CATLINS. Lettera were read from Government, stating that as plans of jetties had to be approved by Government, and be carried out by the Marine Department, the work at • Catlina would be carried out by the Government. Letter was read from the Inspector of Police recommending John Hughes, Bal- • clutha, as Inspector of Slaughterhouses, ■and asking for a book. It was resolved that John Hughes be appointed Inspector, and that the Chairman supply the book asked. Letter from Dnncan Campbell, re valuation notice. The matter was left with the Clerk to arrange. Letter from George Steele, pointing out the necessity for a public pound at Olintoi, and called attention to stray cattle on the road-lines. — Received. Letter from A. Smaill and Sons, pointing out that repairs were necessary at the island entrance to the Kaitangata punt. The Engineer was instructed to expend 2 sum not exceeding L2O on the required repairs. The outward correspondence was read and a/proved. The Chairman said lie. had had a great deal of trouble in getting the valuation of the outlying districts executed. He detailed the action he had taken,, which had resulted in the completion of the work. — Approved. Mr Mosley moved that a deptvtation be appointed to wait upon the Minister of Works to endeavour to obtain the LIO.OOO asked by the Council for the repairs of damages. Seconded by Mr Dallas, the deputation, to consist of the Chairman and Mr Mosley. Carried. — Capt. Mackenzie and Mr Clark dissenting. . The Chairman explained the result of the recent Conference re the Bridge. engineer's report. The Chairman, Clutha County Council. Sir, — T have the honour to report, that, according to instructions, tenders have been called for rf-ad works on Greenvale Road, and on Slain road Clinton to Waipahi. On road to "Waipalii Railway Station, through block VIL, Waipahi, Messrs Trusler and Paul, settlers, have agreed to do part of the work required on this road, "which, will be proceeded '.vith'immediately. I have inspected the main road, Clinton to "V7aipahi, adjacent to'the land of Taylor Brothers, zTxdi estimate that it will take £100 to form the road on the proper line. . . Estimated cost of a bridge over the Waikoikoi Creek, on Gdre'to Tapanui road, 35220. Tho work to improve the appr©ach to the Owake Bridge is being proceeded with. The earthwork to^cost £7 10s, the balance of the vote to be expended in metalling at £4 per chain^ I have inspected fh.e road-line between, sectious 1, 2, and sections 4, 5, Block XI. and also the 'dotted road-line intersecting' sections 3 and 5, t>look IX, Warcpa. To form these road-linos

for a sledge-track, and build a bridge over the Puerua stream, will require from £300 to £400. I have also inspected road-line intersecting block X, Warepa. It would require a large amount of money to form this road as it passes through a bush for al>qut two miles ; but if the matter of about £50 were expended in widening the road by cutting down the bush to a sufficient width on each side of the formation, and putting in a few culverts, it would make the road passable. Gatlin's road. The work at Glenomaru hill is completed, and the stone- walling to protect the road f run: Glenomaru stream is being carried out. The sum voted for this work will not nearly complete it ; the channel of the stream at this place has scoured considerably, necessitating a much deeper wall than what was intended. The foot-bridge across the break at the schoolhouse, Inch Clufclia, will be finished in a few days. The providing of stone for the Matau bridge is being proceeded with ; there are about 11-50 cubic yards at the bridge ready to bo put into the river wb'en the repairs to the punt are completed Messrs Falconer and Co. have finished contract No. 24, on Catlin's road. The following are the. sums of expenditure submitted for payment for month ending 20th inst : — a s. d. To Surface labour on Main South Road, Clinton Riding - - 12 10 0 „ Repairs on tools and blasting ma- / terial 7 17 5 ' „ Surface labour on 'Main Road. , Waipahi to Tapanui • ■ 20 3 0 ( „ Surface labour on Greenvale road, Waipahi Riding - - 912 0 < „Do do on Mataura road, Wairuna Riding - - 9 4; 0 . „ Spikes, nails, pick handles, &c, \ "Waipahi and Wairuna Ridings 715 4.^ „ Surface labour, Port Molyneux road, Richardson Riding - 512 0 „Do do Kaihiku Bridge to Ilogg's bridge - - - 612 0 „ Providing stone for Matau Brideo 60 10 6 „ Day labour on Catlin's Road, Port Molyneux Riding - - 45 1 0 „Do do on old Lake Road, between Poimhaka and Clydevale Ptidiugs - - • - 19 10 6 £194 7 94 Matthew Paterson, The Engineer also recommended that pi-ogress payments be made as follows : — W. Morton, L2OO ; W. Vallance, L5O ; H. Lavender, L5O. The report was received and adopted. ROADS IN DEFERRED PAYMENT DISTRICTS. Captain Mackenzie moved — " That the Chairman, Mr Clark, and the mover be appointed to determine as to the expenditure of L 750 allotted out of LlO,OOO, Government vote, on the roads in the deferred payment district, taken up prior to 1878, and to report at the next meeting." Seconded by Mr Clark, and carried. CONDITIONS OF CONTRACTS. The Committee appointed at last meeting reported p that they had examined the general conditions of contracts in use by the Council, and approved of the same with one alteration. They suggested that the progress payments should be at the rate of 75 instead of 90 per cent. The suggestion was adopted. PRICE OP METAL. The Engineer stated that he had written to the Matau lioad Board, offering to sell them a quantity suitable for road work, and had received a repry offering Is Gd per yard for it. Mr Moslsy proposed, and Mr "Dallas seconded — " That the metal be offered to that Road Board for 2s Gd per yard. " — Oarried. TENDERS. Contract No. 34. — Two tenders v -v-?re received for this contract, but as bosh were considerably over the Engineer's estimate, it was agreed to call for fresh tenders. Contract No. 35.— William Smiley, LB2 3s ; John Taylor, LlOl 11s Bd. William Smiley's tender was accepted. INJURY TO ROADS. Captain Mackenzie referred to a case where a road had been damaged by the removal of gravel by a party who. had no right to interfere with the roads. To prevent such damage in the future, he mnved — "That each member of the Council be authorised to take whatever action may be necessary to prevent damage to roads in their respective districts. " Seconded by Mr Dallas, and carried. ROAD, CLINTON TO TAPANUI. Mr Clark moved—" That the Engineer be instructed to expend LlOO on Main road, Clinton to Tapanui, near Messrs Tavlor Bros', property, in the Wairuna Riding." Mr Dallas seconded the motion. Mr Jenkinson objected to the expenditure. A sum of L 624 had already been expended in the riding, and the settlers had not contributed one shilling towards the revenue. If the settlers wanted their roads made they should lend their assistance. Capt. Mackenzie explained that this was an outlying district where the Government subsidy was L 2 to LI. The County was also to receive a portion of the revenue received from the deferred payment land. Mr Brydone said he could not vote for the work until he was informed as to the state of the accounts as between the several ridings. After some further discussion, the motion was lost by one vote. Accounts. The following accounts were passed for payment :— -A. R. Livingston, L 6 16s lOd ; Daily Times and Witness Co. , LI 13s ; Tapanui Courier, L 7 0s Gd ; H. Wise and Co., 9s; W. Nicol, L 6. An accoxmt, Ll6 18s, in payment of a boat's crew for services at Inch Clutha during the recent floods, gave rise to some discussion but was ultimately passed. An account, Clutha Times for Ll2 7s, for advertising, was referred to the Finance Committee. ROAD TO WAIPAHI RAILWAY STATION. Captain Mackenzie moved — r( That the Engineer be authorised to expend Ll5O on the north bank of the Waipahi road to give access to the Waipahi Railway Station." He explained the urgent necessity for the work, as the road was quite impassable in winter ; the portion of road already formed could not be reached, and settlers were prevented from . getting their produce to the railway station. He only asked that the motion be p'v-sed conditionally upon there being funds to the credit of the riding sufficient for the work. Mr Clark seconded, and strongly supported the motion. Mr Mosley said there wei'e many other railway stations besides Waipahi that required roads made to. them. He referred to Warepa and others. He suggested the motion should be made to apply to all railway stations where roads had. not beer made. The motion was earned.