Clutha County Council.

Clutha Leader, Volume XVI, Issue 831, 20 June 1890, Page 5

Clutha County Council.

♦ A special meeting of the council was held here on Tuesday evening. There were present — Messrs M'Lnchlan (chairman), Hunter, Christie, Bradh'eid, Hay, Robertson, Mackenzie, Scott, and Dallas. The Chairman' explained that the meeting had been called on the requisition of three members as follows : — To the clerk Clutha County Council. SIR, — We, the undersigned members of the Clutha 'County Council, hereby request you to call a special meeting of the council for Tuesday, the 17th; inst., at 4 o'clock, to take into consideration the folio wing questions : — (Ist) To enquire into the reason why the Recounts due by the council have not been paid after List meeting as hitherto, ami to adopt aucli means <is the council may deem best to have the same done. (2nd) To decide what is best to be done in the mi'tter of two bridges in the Clintoa Hiding which are considered unfit for traffic. (3rd) To he ir the engineer's monthly report read (the same not having been brought before last meeting), and fco deal with the report. Wm. Dallas Wm. PI ay Peter Hunter. Juno 7th, 1890. With reference to the first question in the requisition the Chairman said that owing to three members leaving last meeting and the accounts not having been passed,' he could not allow any accounts to be paid. He had wired to the bank and to the clerk not to pay the accounts. Formerly a nuance committee was appointed to deal with the accounts, but now there was no such committee. He had stopped payment of the accounts in the interest of the ratepayers and being fully, aware of the consequence of his action. No cheques presented to the bank had been stopped, but he gave the clerk strict instructions not to issue cheques until a special meeting was held, and he intended to call a special meeting for Friday, first . had not the three snembers called it for that evening. Ie would clearly have been illegal for him to have allowed the accounts to have been paid, seeing they had not been passed by the c mncil. . , ■ , yiv Dallas asked whether it had not ■bjeen the practice to pay contractors on the certificate of the engineer , without .'bringing the same before the council 1 '■/- The Chairman said it had.. been the practice for the council to pass payments to contractors. . f Mr Dallas explained that these, were

never submitted to the council. He said that pupposing three councillors left a meeting and a quorum was not present, the standing orders made provision for the course to be followed, and there was .no occasion to stop the business of the meeting. The chairman had slightly failed in his duty in the matter. When the councillors who left last meeting returned, which they did almost immediately, the business should have been gone on with and the accounts been passed. At last meeting a resolution had been passed that the council would not again meet for two months. He (Mr Dallas) would like to know how the chairman intended to act with the accounts during that time. The Chairman said that he would have considered them bi-monthy accounts and haye kept then over for ntxt meeting. Oapt. Mackenzie thought last meeting shonld not have been brought to a close as it was. The business should have been resumed when the councillors returned to the chamber. Mr- Robertson said the chairman was not to blame in the matter, as after the councillors had left the room he had moved a motion adjourning the meeting. Mr Christie said Mr Robertson could not then have moved such a motion, as there was no quorum then present and consequently no meeting. After some further remarks the matter dropped and the monthly pay-sheet amounting to L 143 193 3d and a few other amounts were passed for payment. THE UNSAFE BRIDGES, ETC. The Chauman explained that after last meeting he had written to the engineer regarding the bi'idges referred to and these were dealt with in the engineer's report. The engineei-'s monthly report was read as follows : — " The Chairman, Clutha County Council, " Sir, — I have the honour to report that since last meeting of the council the following contracts have been completed , viz. :— Contract No 382, on Kelso-Wai-kaka road, Wai pah i Riding ; contract No. 388, on Owaki-Clinton road, Wairuna Riding ; contract No. 396, on upper station road, Clydevale Riding ; contract No. 416, on road, block i. , Woodland, South Molyneux Riding ; contract 417, on Mataura road, Wairnna Riding. The contractor has abandoned- contract No. 413, on Owaki road. I found it necessary to stop. work on contract No. 403, Catlins road ; the road was not in a fit state to put metal on, besides the carting of the stone was cutting up that portion of the road it was being carted over and making it impassable. " The bridge ovt*r Kaihiku Stream on Kaihiku to Hogg's bridge road has been j repaired. The beams had to be renewed as well as the planking. " Soon after last meeting of council, I inspected the upper Clydevale bridge over Poniahaka River and found that the four centre piles of one of the piers were scoured oat and swinging on the spur piles ; as soon as possible steps were taken to put stone around the piles. The work is not yet completed, but by this time I expect that tle .pier is com para ivoly safe from a flood in the river. I may state that a number of beams and struts are pretty rotten and indeed the whole bridge is getting very shaky. ," The .culverts applied for by Mr Shanks on road-line passing between his place and Mr Russell's land has been attended to. " Mr Sherman, Cone Hills, has made an ofFer to give his teams two days to work the grader to form a portion of Waipahi to Tapanni road. lam also informed that Messrs Robinson and Brock are going to give their teams to form portions of the road that passes their properties. " I inspected the closed road-line in blocks I. and iv., Catlins, and 1 have valued the land at Ll per acre, the purchaser to pay all expenses in connection with the closing and conveying of the same. " The time has expired that Messrs Taylor and Sons were to take charge of the South Molyneux punt and they wish srjme agreement in regard to taking charge of it for the future. — I have, etc., " M. Paterson." In a supplementary report, the engineer said : — " The Chairman, Clutha County Council, " Sir, — I received your letter requesting me to report on bridge over Wairnna Creek on Wairuna Main Road, and bridge over Waiwera Stream on Waiwera School road. " 1. The bridge over the Wairuna Creek is quite done and a new bridge is required The length of the present bridge is 22ft. In buildintr a new bridge, 17ft in length is quite sufficient. I estimate) the cost at L3O. "2. Bridge over Waiwera Stream. There are three of the piles on the north end of the bridge which are consderably decayed about the ordinary water-line, and showing symptoms as if they would break in two. These piles I propose to strengthen by bolting a plank on to each of them. If this were done and some trifling repairs, the bridge will accommodate the ordinary farm traffic for a few years. Only I may remark that bridges over 20 years standing require looking to and are constantly needing repairs. — I have, etc. " M. Patkrson." The reports were adopted. Mr Scott moved— "That the bridge over the Waiwera Stream at Brook's be • repaired, and that Roy's bridge, Wairuna, be re-erected in accordance with the engineer's report." — Seconded by Mr Dallas and carried. SOUTH MOLYNEUX PUNT. Mr Bkadfield said it appeared the South Molyneux punt did not work satisfactorily. If tho wind were contrary it could not be taken across. The consequence was that there was no traffic. He asked whether the engineer could suggest a remedy. ' The engineer said the remedy would be to provide, floating stages,' also a chain across the river and a winch. ; Mr Bradfielb said Mr Taylor, who has charge of the punt, reported that during the whole time he had been in charge — 14 months — the fees had only amounted' to about L 6, and he (Mr Brad field) ques : tioried whether the couucil would be justified in incurring the expense the I remedy would entail. ' ■'- i Mr Taylor, who was present, and hav-

ing been introduced, said he had attended the meeting to ascertain whether he could get better remuneration for attending to the punt in the future. The fees wore' not sufficient remuneration. There. was but very little traffic, as people could not depend on getting across at anytime in consequence of the wind or the tide being unfavourable. Mr Christie said the punt had cost about L3OO. He thought it should be put to rights, as Bruce Gounty would contribute half the cost. The engineer said the greatest expense would be the floating stages* Mr BradfieiiD asked whether the K-ii-tangara Borough Council had ever paid the L3O they had. agreed to contribute towards the cost of the punt. It was explained that the sum had never been paid although it had repeatedly been applied for ; and the clerk was instructed to again write to the council asking for payment. Mr Scott said it would be better to abandon the punfc altogether rather than go to the expense of floating stages, Ac. Mr Ila\ said the fact wjis that punts were a public nuisance. The day of punts waa past, After some further discussion Mr Braopxeld moved—" That consideration of the matter he deferred till next meeting, and that in the meantime the engineer and the Bruce County engineer consult and ascertain as to the cost of floating stages, chain and winch. — Seoonded by Mr Hay, and carried. MISCELLANEOUS. Mr Dallas moved -" That a committee be appointed to pass accounts at the end of the month, such committee to consisc of the chairman and Messrs Hunter and Dallas." — Seconded by ,Capt. Mackenzie and carried. Mr Hunter, moved — " That fresh tenders be called for Steel's contract at Mount Mistake, tenders to be called in time to be dealt with at a meeting of the finance committee." — Seconded by Mr Ciikistie and carried.