BRUCE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXX, Issue 2, 4 July 1913, Page 2

BRUCE COUNTY COUNCIL.

MONTHLY MEETING. The above council met at Milton on Tuesday. Present: Councillors D. Boyd, (chairman) J. M. Begg, E. 11. King, T. Hitchou, J. Clark, W. Bell, D. Gardyne, P. Haggart, T. 11. Russell, H. M. Driver and T. Scott. FINANCE. The statement of receipts and expenditure for the period ending Juno 30 was:—

BANG Eli'S REPORT. The ranger reported as follows 011 cattle and horses impounded during the month: Balmoral No. 1, two cattle, two horses; Matau, live cattle, three horses; Wangaloa, eight cattle; AVaiiiola, four cattle, one horse; Balmoral No. 2, three cattle; total 22 cattle, six horses.— Noted. INSPECTOR'S REPORT. The inspector (Mr .1. 11. Bateman) reported as follows for the month ending June 30:— Roads.—The clay roads continue in a soft state for the traffic. The road leading from Port-hill road to Mr J. McNeil's has been reformed and two new culverts put in and one lengthened. Two culverts of nine inch pipes have been put in at Loudens Gully, and the road is being attended to. Works.—The willows on the riverbank between Stirling and Cresent road ,have been cut back and maintenance metal put 011 a portion of this road. The box at McLennan's, pump, and the one at the Swamp road near Mr Graham's have been put in order, but the Waipori river is too high to allow the box there being lengthened at present. A large wooden culvert at Waihola broke down during the month and has been replaced with three-feet concrete pipes. Maintenance metal has been put down on various roads during the month. A culvert of 6 inch pipes was required at Parkers Road, Stirling, and one at Lawsons road, Inch Clutha. Portions of the main road between Milton and Crichton Hill have become worn down with traffic, and require making up with earth taken from the water tables on the opposito side of the road. The break in the bank at the Kaitangata bridge is being attended to, and a groin placed above the bridge to keep the scour from the bridge approach. The cost of making a footpath at North Balclutha, as requested bv the residents, would be about £ls. The road past the cemetery at North Balclutha, which the borough council wish to have closed,- is bounded 011 the east side by private property throughout its whole length and also p'ortion on the west side between the cemetery and the main road. The district road overseer (Mr Monk) was out for four days during the month in connection with the localities, etc. for which Government grants have been applied. Tenders have been called for the work at the Taieri Ferry bridge and also for formation at Prentice's road. Specifications for the concrete and masonry work, also the approaches and approach fences for the new bridge at Glenore have been submitted to the district engineer for approval, and when these are complete, tenders will be called for the erection of the bridge. Councillor Begg said lie did not think it was in the council's function to make footpaths, and if the North Balclutha people wanted a footpath, the best thing they could do would be to merge into the Balclutha borough. Regarding the cemetery road at Balclutha, he did not see how it was possible to consent to the Balclutha Borough Council's request to have the road closed. He moved that nothing be done in the two above mentioned matters.—Carried. Councillor Russell said the work had been done on the traffic bridge at the south end of Milton, but there was nothing mentioned in the report.—The inspector: "I reported on it a month ago; they are just finishing the work." The report was adopted., CORRESPONDENCE. Matheson and Roxburgh, Berwick, wrote drawing attention to the embankment over the small gully in front of their property. The road was too narrow to let implements pass over it, and and required widening by three or four teet. The road passing Mr Jeffries' was also impassable with an empty dray.— Left with inspector and Councillor Driver to get the work done, cost not to exceed £lO. J. C. Jones, Tolcoiti, applied for permission to remove soil off side of road adjoining his property.—Left with inspector. Jos. Smith, Stirling, wrote that it was his intention to cut down the willows on the roadline leading to his place, which were injurious to the road, and asked for council's assistance in the work—Assistance to be given by council, James Wood, Milton, applied to have the road leading to his property on sections 3 and 4, block 1,, Akatore, opened up and made lit for traffic.—Mr Wood waited on the council and explained , that there was no inlet to one of his sections in Louden !s Gully, comprising about 150 acres. There was a road running to within 40 feet .of the property,

but it only led to Pearce's. —The council advised Mr Wood to endeavour to buy ' the portion of land required for a road | to his section; as it was private laud the i council could not spend any money on the place. D. Russell, Milton, wrote drawing attention to the fact that a culvert across the North Branch road opposite Mr McLeod's property was blocked and stopping his drainage. —Referred to inspector. Josephine Robinson, Stirling, wrote objecting to an open drain which had been recently dug near her sido gate and within five or six yards of her house; already tho smell was enough to breed a fever. She also asked the council to put a stop "to the dumping of abominable rubbish" just alongside her hedge. —lt was decided, on the motion of Councillor Boyd, that the sanitary inspector's attention bo directed to the rubbish nuisance, and also in regard to tho open drainage, and that the adjoining house-owners at Stirling be asked to put in septic tanks. Geo. Barker, Milton, wrote making a claim for damages to his cart caused through the alleged neglect of the council in not having the road cleared of | gorse cuttings, stumps and roots, which lay for months on the road leading past his residence. Was ho to get the cart repaired at tho council's expense or the landowners'?—An amendmont, "That the letter be received," was carried against a motion that the letter be referred to the inspector to report to next meeting. Clerk Taieri County Council wrote tasking for council's co-operation in objecting to the harbour board rating country districts.—Decided to support !he Taieri Council's suggestions. President To Avvamutu Chamber of Commerce forwarded following resolution, and asking for sympathy and cooperation in the movement: —"That the attention of the Government be called to the shocking waste of human life caused through accidents at level crossings, and to respectfully pray that immediate action be taken to reduce these casualties by minimising the existing risks, which to a very great extent are reducible by the removal of obstructions to tho view at or near level crossings. As a further means to this end it is I respectfully suggested that competitive designs be invited for a signalling or blocking apparatus, with a further and , much more substantial bonus for any ' device proving an efficient, enduring and economical safeguard."—Decided •to support the proposal. Joseph Jackson, Waronui, wrote asking the council to put a culvert across the Akatorc road at the old Fortification property, in order to give him an : nutlet for drainage from his land. lie had purchased pipes and was prepared to pay the cost of putting them in.— I Work to be done under inspector's supervision. ! Clerk Clutlia County Council wrote re harbour board rating, and that the ehair- ! man had been authorised to call a special meeting of his council if occasion should arise making it necessary to i do so.—Received. j Trustees Peter McGill, Limited, wrote ( emphatically protesting against any ! .shortening of the span of tho bridge at ihe south end of Milton. With the present width the water has been almost into the boiler-room floor in a Ilood, and by making the span less the mill would be seriously, affected. Councillor Driver: "I never heard of any proposal to reduce the span."—The inspector: '' There is to be a little off each end, but the span is three times the length of the river's width."—Councillors Clark and Scott said it was a mistake to shorten the span, as there was already a lot of | water held back there in floods.—The : inspector said it was jointly proposed | iiy tho Public Works engineer aud himj.elf to slightly reduce the span.—A | councillor pointed out that the council nay be held responsible for any damage ■■•ansed to the mill property through the -span being lessened.—Oil the motion of Councillor Russell it was decided that Councillors Russell and Scott and the inspector, also Milton Borough Council representatives, wait on Mr McGill in regard to the matter, and that a report be presented to next meeting.—Carried. A STIRLING DEPUTATION. Mr A. Blackie said they were before the council with a grievance. It was on account of the bad state of the road below the Crescent, towards Kaitaugata. He had been paying Sates for 50 years, but the road was yet in its natural state, less the effect of the traffic. There were about 48 chains of the road, costing about £250 to metal, and to get this done the settlers there were agreeable to the constituting of a special rating district, :nd the settlers would thus find £l5O. They hoped that the council would apply to the Government for a grant or subsidy for the balance. The settlers were prepared to be rated to pay the loan. Councillor Clark said there was also a bad piece of road at Stirling; also the Stirling-Ilillend road was bad, aud he asked if it would not be possible to raise ;i loan over the Matau riding for all tho roads requiring attention. Councillor Boyd said that if this was done there would bo no end to the requests for better roads. Councillor King favoured tho council taking action in the way of applying for the grant on the lines suggested by the deputation. He moved accordingly. —Seconded by Councillor Driver and oarriod. Councillor Boyd said this matter had his hearty sympathy and support. Mr J. Haggart thanked the council for its attention. TENDERS. Contract 874—formation Prentice 'b road, Berwick.—Alex. Hamilton and R. Petrie, £180; W. P. Fallowfield, £lO2 10s; Jas. E. Sinclair and W. Sinclair, £95 Is 6d (accepted). Contract No. 880—labour and material Taieri ferry bridge.—Watson Rhodes, £6OO, beams 19s; E. B. Gray, £530, beams 19s; J. T. Brown, £509 18s 4d, beams 19s. Labour only—J. and ,W. Sinclair, £SO, beams 3s; J. T. Brown £35 10a,

beams 3s; R. Whytock £29 18 5 > 1 .'is; E. B. Gray £72 10s, beams' Labour and carting—F. llanke, £gg J*! council acceptod, subject to T ■ County Council's approval, Brown's tender of £509 18s 4(1, ' GENERAL. Councillor Clark moved I hat the '■ tract on Love lls Flat-Hilleml ros j®* left with Councillor llitchun and v self and the inspector to got the * ' carried out. —Carried. Councillor Scott moved tliut tender l called for all Government grants t ders to be iu by next meeting,—^!J"' Councillor King moved that spector be instructed to a r to Greenfield, near Mr McLaugti'i which was off the surveyed )oad!in o to report as to what the cost of the matter remedied would be. Carrj

Receipts £ s d Bates, 1912—191:! .. .. 60 9 6 Contractors' deposits l':S 8 6 Traction engine license .. 8 0 0 Motor licenses 1 15 0 Rents 24 9 4 Dog Tax Collection .. 10 7 6 £128 9 10 Expenditure. £ 8 d Councillors' expenses 13 16 8 Salaries 44 7 6 Works, ordinary .. 382 9 11 Works, Govt, grunts 58 0 0 Bridges, ferries etc .. 120 12 11 Refund contractor's deposits 2 5 0 Printing and advertising 8 0 0 L). lieid, legal expenses .. 12 10 4 £642 4