Southland County Conucil.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 15, Issue 1356, 16 January 1894, Page 4

Southland County Conucil.

" l i,\^Kjn2Ly».J2XH : JANUARY,. . The monthly meeting at In veroargi 11 was attended by Conncillbrs Green (chairman), Hast, McOalltun; Fraser, Baymond, Ward, Hamilbn and MeQueen. . „-•. h ~ ■-■ :■ . ■<•,•: ■\ .- Th^Gquriiy^Treasurer reported that owing' to the increased, valuation of property in the West Plains speoial rating district the present rate of five-eighths of 8' permy 1 was more than required: It yielded L7l 2s lOd, while the debentures amounted to only L55 7s 2d in the year. A halfpenny rate would -meet the exrditure as it would yield 156 17s lOd. surplus of L 36 was also in hand. Spesial order made reducing the rate accordingly ; order to come into foroe on the llth(P l ebruary, The County Treasurer, reported that ©wing to the increased value of property in_the South Hillend .special rating district, the present penny rate was in excess of what was required, yielding L2OO 6s Id, as against annual debentures of Lll9. A halfpenny rate, yielding LIOO 3s would be sufficient for a' few years, as there was a* surplus to the credit of the account of about L63.— Sate amended accordingly ; order to come into force on the .Ist June. r ..'., ... - •.-, . ... ThejjTreasufer, further '.reported .that tbe Hospital ana Charitable Aid .rate of one-eighth of a penny /in the' ;& was' yiel^. ing a little more than was required to meet contributions. The accumulation, which would be about L 609 16s 6d, although in the books and, all good as estimii^, .was Sever" all in hand. as early as theXcpntrißutibnß were>paid, brjtnevertheless it might be deemed advisable to reduce the rate to one-twelfth of a • penny for oae or two years. This the Oouncil could do when striking the new rate next July without reference to the Auditorgeneral. At present a statement and the H.and G.A. account would show a surplus at credit of about L 603, which increased -yearly. Any decision on the question would not be required , till winter.— On the motion of ? Councillor Baymond the report was held over till the June meeting 'of the Council. ' '■• >'. Beferring to an application from T. G. Dods for -work on road through , sections 663 and 644, Qtapiri Gorge, the engineer reported that no deferred payment funds were available, the amount having' been overdrawn to carry out a number of accessary works during the previous year. —Copy of report to be sent co/ applicant. A. Thompson and others petitioned to have a number' of works done in' the Otapiri. Gorge.— The Engineer reported that' the matter had been .arranged..'... Michael Le'e'n applied' for a month's extensiqß of time, for the completion of his contract for 'work' on the Gordon to

Mstaura road.-^Granted. The N.M,^«'nd A. Co. wrote with refer- < ence to the road from Mataura Island bridge to -Seaward Downs, that they would fence 6£E a ' chain road ' along the tiTer.'so as to stop all traffio, and then decide the matter by a friendly suit with the'Conncil should the chain road be washed away. They. did not take kindly to the idea that the' Gonnty Counoil step in and take'! their land, especially for & road so seldom used.— Received.

. The' Otago and Southland Investment <30. wrote, pointing oat that the combined Cknfnlj^&tf&ladßbaM'ratesjfor SbuthUna^fiS to 1 nearly double those of the Wallace .County, where the whole work was being done by.tfie£punty,.and suggested, that Hoad Boardß should' be iboiiehed altogether.— Received. Off'the motion' ofi' Councillor Green a «aWdy £ Jot. £ wrfs granted to the Wairaarou Roadißoard for bridges Jon the Mataurft' and Park road and jgrbwn's road, wlal amounfnot to exceed

..Ih&Treasurtir reported, that if a dog Jioense fee 'q£2s 6d all round were agreed Upon instead. of; as formerly, 2s 6d for ohßep dpgs^andrSs /for 'others, .'the det fioienoylng" year's collection would be nearly L 165. It was decided to fix the fees at 2a 6d-for sheep dogs (subject to statutoiy,; declaratipn) andSs tor all • pthers.-:"" __ —- • The Gore Borough Council gave notice that they intended to construct a trafflo bridge over thp Mataura at Gore, and that, as the bridge when erected would be. of considerable benefit and advantage to residents and ratepayers of the county, they would, ti .aXter t :the ; ei:piration of:two months from the service of the notice, apply to. the .Governor for power, under the Public Works Act Amendment Act, J£B9,«*td construct the bridge, and to recover one third of .the cost (estimated #t,L3000; from the county, j Objections canine part of the county would, the notice stated, have to he lodged within two months of the date of seryipe. (jgth January).— lt was-pointed out ■ that the bridge would be wholly within the borough of fctore.— Councillor McQueen snored, seconded by Councillor Graen, " That the County Chairman obtain legal opinion as to the Council's position in regard to the soheme of the Gore Borough traffic bridge over the Mataara river, and that the matter beagain considered at the County Council's meeting in February." (tarrieg^jpn 'the motion of Councillor jSaytnond a committee of the whole Council was appointed to investigate arid advise on the question, Councillors Green, McQueen,' and. Hast, to be a sub-com-mittee tO'obta'in necessary information and advice* W *v=-V-.^' ■■ _ The Council agreed to accept jurisdiction, as offered ■by the. : Government, under "The Alcoholic Liquors Sale Control Act." . ; A communication from Wairarapa North Coucoil proposing the formation of a County Councils' Association in the colony was held over till next meeting. The Chief Engineer for Working Bailways intimated that the Department wets prepared to pay towards necessary work for the protection of the railway and road from the action of the Oreti river, below Caroline, It had been suggested, however, that an attempt should be made to divert the river from ~ the threatened point of outbreak, which might be done at a very small cost; ' The Department was 'communicating with the New Zealand Agricultural Company, and if they conourred the experiment ..jponldttp made.— Beceived. . X>- Murray-Menzies asked permission to erect a temporary fence from the corner of section 43. block 302, IJokonui, to the Dipton bridge, for the purpose of keeping stock off his property. — Engineer to report. M. Leen applied for a three weeks' extension of time; for. his contract on the Mataura- Wyndbanl road.- Granted. T. Palmer, postmaster at Mataura, drew attention to the faot that the gutter pf the water table in front of bis residence jn Kana street had been blocked Dp by bis neighbor, causing the water to ran through bis backyard and garden and soak under the bouse. — Engineer to take itKelneoefisary steps- to remove the pnisanoe complained of. H. Duncan and others complained jihat a Jacked gate obstructed a roadline ~xa . Otapir/ The engineer reported tbafc/ithb gate referred to was on pritatepropeH^. '

The Scottish and New Zealand Investment Company requested the Council to remove the slaughter-yard on section 23, block 4, Wyndham, as it was a nuisance to the- tenants of their adjoining property. — Councillor Raymond said the yard was within the Wyndham Town District, and moved that the company be informed to that effect. — Carried.

.The engineer was instructed to inquire itte a complaint that a contractor for the work. on the Woikawa Valley had net begun his work at the proper time. ■John McKay asked, to have, a culvert, pat in on the main road opposite the road leading to section 2, block I, Lindhnrst.—Engineer to report. R. Patterson, on behalf of himself and eight others, asked the Council to grant half an acre of the road reserve at Hodge's Gully (Winton riding) for a public sheep dip.— Held over for further particulars.-;' ■ ' \'• •••"■ , The engineer .'.reported that the bridge adjoining' Maguire's .claim on the road from ' Waipapa to Six-mile beach had fallen in, and as the timber was quite rotten a new bridge would be required, preferably on the newly-surveyed line of road. He considered the Mines Department should make the new road referred to.' — On the motion of Councillor Kayroond it was resolved to forward a copy of the engineer's report to the Minister for .Mine«, pointing,-, but that no ratepayers -'were interested in the road, and as the rates undei;'tbe' Mining''Properties ■Act are nil, the Council trusted that the Department would authorise a vote of LIOO to make this and other portions of the road passable. It was deoided to continue the services of last' year's dog;- tax collectors in, the various'' ridings at tbe same rate of commissioa.

-. On the recommendation of the Finance Committee, accounts and salaries amounting to L 1642 18s 9d were passed for payment.

Councillor Hast moved— "That the. attention of the travelling publio' be drawn (through the" press) to section 2 of the Police Offences Act Amendment Act, 1890, by 'which drivers of traction engines are compelled to stop their engines and render, all possible assistance' to ' drivers ' of vehicles on country roads, and that the attention of owners of traction engines be drawn to the above Act." The mover said his object was to let the publio know their rights in the matter, as frequent complaints had been made with regard to the traction engines, especially on the North road. — Councillor Fraser seconded the motion, and expressed the opinion -that drivers' of traction engines ought to be very careful. — Councillor Dan lop said he did not think they were so bad now as they had been. — The motion was. carried.

. Councillor .Hast moved; seoonded by Councillor Fraser, " That application be made to the Otago School Commissioners for assistance to make nine chains of side cutting, mostly rock, so as to enable the ocoupier of sections 9 and 10, block VIII, Wendon, to get his produce to market ; cost of work, 'say, L2O, of which this oounty will pay one-half. — Carried. — A copy of the resolutiod was ordered to be forwarded to the Invercargill agent for the Commissioners, requesting him to -report in time for their first meeting. On. the motion of Councillor Green tenders were ordered to be called for workmen the Clearwator road to Barracks street, Biversdale.- . «-^"< '-'■ ■

Councillor MoCallum moved, secondel by Councillor Raymond : "• That tbo attention of- the Minister of Public Works be called to the fact that tbe railway works on the Seaward Bush line have out off the traffic on the district road at the swamp at Oteramika Gorge, and that he be asked to at once give instructions to have this matter rectified.'-' — Carried. ■ ' ' ' ' ■ ■ ;>'-■•

Tenders were ordered to be called for five chains of gravelling from main road to the Fine Sash churcb, on the motion of Councillor Raymond. On the motion of Councillor McQueen', seconded by Councillor Hast, the engineer was instructed to call tenders for grading the hill near Brook's, on the Gore to Pnkerau road.

Councillor Baymond moved, seconded by Councillor Ward f "That in consequence of the striking and collecting of the mining rate absorbing all the revenue collected, this Council decide not to strike any mining rate." — Carried. The Chairman, referring to tbe small bird nuisance/ said LSO worth of different kinds of poisoned seeds had been ordered from Powell, - of- Ashburton, and would be to hand immediately. Half would be left at Gore and. the other half at the County offices. Surfaceman' would be employed to lay the grain on the roads at infested places, and farmers would be supplied, on application, free of cost, on the understanding that tbey would send in reports as to the resultsThe Counbil then adjourned.