RIMU COMPLAINTS.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXIX, Issue 58, 4 March 1913, Page 5

RIMU COMPLAINTS.

COUNTY ENGINEER EXONERATED. included in the county engineer's (Mr :,l. Ramsay) report to the Clutha County I Council on Friday was the following: — 1 attach cuttings taken from newspapers containing reports of a visit to the Catlins district by the Catling Railway League and others, from which you will see it stated therein that the expenditure of a grant of £750 was practically blocked because the council insisted on the projected road being made to a width of 16 feet, while the settlers considered that 10 feet would meet all their requirements. The facts of the case are as follows:—On June 30, 1911, shortly after a visit to the Catlins district by the then Minister of Public Works (Hon. R. McKenzie), a letter caine before the council from the Public Works Department intimating that the sum of £SOO had been granted for expenditure on roads giving access to block XIY., Rimu Survey District, lands in this block having been some little time before taken up from the Crown. On Septembor 1, 1911, three contracts were let under this grant for bußhfelling and logging, as follows:~lst contract, 7,4 chains at 28s per chain—£los; 2nd contract, 100 chains 46ft at 28s per chain—£l4o 19s 6<Jj 3rd contract, 163 chains at 28s per chain—£22B 4s; total, £474 3s 3d. The first two contracts were completed on December 20, 1911, and the third, although partially finished, has not yet been taken over. During the following session of Parliament a further grant of £250 was voted, and has been treated as follows: —Tenders for contract for formation on McLennan 'e river road have been called, and the lowest tender, amounting to >£l42, will be accepted when the approval qf the Department is obtained. The balance will be expended in falling bush, converting, etc;, on Aurora creek and McLennan river roads. The roads upon.

t » v O Y~ A » ' k * Jj- ft » » j | t ( which moneys Were io be expended were' 'niatkeA by the Department. ! Couhcillo? Quin thought the engineer regarding work in < 'atlyis was feasible, and the comments jsnade at the conference with the Bailway League were quite unwarranted. He moved that the engineer's explanation be accepted.—Seconded by Councillor Edwards and carried.