MANIOTOTO COUNTY COUNCIL.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XL, Issue XL, 3 February 1911, Page 3

MANIOTOTO COUNTY COUNCIL.

The. monthly meeting of the ManiotOto County Council was held in the County Council Chambers, Na3eby, on Wednesday, Ist February. Present Crs Hall (chairman), Nicolson, Kinney, Hunan, M'Atamney, Inder, O'Regan, Johnstone and Davis. - . Minutes. The minutes of the last special and ordinary meetings were read, and confirmed on the motion of Cr Kinney, seconded by Cr Nicolson. Correspondence. A circular was read from the Chief Health Officer and Inspector-General, T. H. A. Valintine, Wellington,; that under section 5 of the Hospitals Amendment Act, 1910, Control of In ■ fectious Diseases, the responsibility of controlling infectious diseases-now devolved upon the Hospital Boards, which for such purposes became " local authorities " within the meaning of the -Public Health Act. He would respectfully suggest that until the Hospital Boards have provided the necessary, machinery to give effect to the amendment of the law, the council continue to act as at present with regard to any infectious diseases that may occur in your district. The Distridt Health Officer will approach your Hospital Board at an early date ■with a view to relieving the council of the responsibility as soon as possible. —Received. ,

Lammermoor Mining Co., Limited. The sec. to the above company wrote asking that a road-line be ploughed and. harrowed from the hill at the back of Shepherd's Hut Creek, Rocklands Station, to the claim. It would also serve Henderson's claim which ia in the same locality. The Taieri County had already ploughed a chain'" road from the main road into Shepherd's Creek, and they receive no rates as the claim is not in their county. Mr Edie, Tuapeka County engineer, he understood, had mentioned the matter to Mr A. E. Inder.—Received, and held over for further information as to locality. Hogburn Gully Protective Works.

The Hon. R. M'Kenzie, Minister of Mines,. wrote acknowledging receipt of letter from the chairman respecting a grant for protective works in the Main Gully, and that a further communication would be made regarding the matter. From the Under-secretary of Mines, of a later-date: He was instructed to state that the matter had received the careful consideration of the Minister, who, however, is of opinion thatin view of the expenditure of £BOO on the works last year a further grant scarcely appears warranted, and he accordingly regrets he is unable to see his way to accede co the request.

Left in the hands of the chairman the engineer to consult \yith tfya mem

ber for the district with a view to renewing the application. Linnburn Runs. Sir Joseph Ward, Minister of Landß, forwarded following telegram, viz. " Referring to your repesentation regarding the roading of the Linnburn runs, I have to inform you that your application for same to be placed on the Supplementary Estimates of the Lands Department for- forming roads oh the runs was received too late to be dealt with last session. The present position is this: That the Land Board has made no recommendation as to what amount—if any—should be granted for reads of-access to Linnburn runs. The matter iB now being referred to the Commissioner of Lands for a report, and when-'this is received I will fully consider the matter, and will decide whether anything can be done to assist the county in the matter."

Moved by Cr Kinney, and seconded, by Cr Davis—That the chairman communicate with the Commissioner of ' Lands, Dunedin, stating that the Lands Department should have made provision for roading these runs; that ap-r plication for a grant had been made by the council in July last; and the member for the district had personally interviewed the Minister with \ the vi6w of providing a grant on the Estimates; that in anticipation of a. grant an expenditure of several hundred pounds had been incurred by the council. Mining Rents. The Receiver pf.Goldfields Revenue, Naseby, forwarded retnrn' of goldfields revenue payable tothe County of Maniototo for the. half year ended 81st December, 1910. —Received, and laid on the table. Waipiata.

John Lothian wrote for permission to erect a footbridge across the Taieri River at the intersection of the-Nase-by-Waipiata and Waipiata-Gimmer-burn roads. The route which would be used by his three children on their way to school would be shortened by a mile and aquarter each way. The length of the proposed bridge would be about 84ft. He asked the council to help him by giving him a sufficient quantity of the old decking from the Taieri bridge now stasked at Mr Dowle's yard at Waipiata, also three pieces of angle iron for piles now lying at the tailings near Mrs Udy's house. •He was prepared then to erect the bridge himself. Moved by Cr Inder, and seconded by Cr Lunan —That the engineer be instructed to report to next meeting of the council the probable cost and neces sity of the work asked for. —Carried unanimously. Half-yearly Balance-sheet.

The half-yearly balaace-sheet for period ending 3oth Sept. last; certified correct by the Controller and Auditorgeneral, was read and laid on the table. The Ranger. J. F. O'Malley wrote that his term of appointment as ranger terminated at this meeting. He was willing to continue his services and would endeavour to perform his duties to the satisfaction of the council as in the past. Moved by Cr Nicolson, and seconded by Cr Kinney—That the ranger's services be continued for a further term of three months.—Carried unanimously. Complaint. M. M'Aulay, Hyde, wrote asking that the Bum of 5s charged by Ranger O'Malley for taking possession of a cow and calf which, it was alleged, were standing at the gate and not wandering or grazing on the road, be refunded;

W. Beath also wrote that two bulls had been roaming cn the roads adjoining his residence night and day, with the knowledge of the ranger, and pointed out that a grave danger is being caused by the presence of such animals.—Received. Cambrian.

F. A. Haig, Cambrian, wrote that he held a grazing license over two reserves near Mr Beattie's land on the Downs. A road had been graded on an\ angle through one of the reserves. He asked permission to erect two gates, which would be well hung, and would not interfere with the made road.

Moved by Cr O'Regan, and seconded •by Cr Nicolson —That this council does not object to Mr Haig's application to erect gates, provided the provisions of the act are complied'with.—Carried unanimously. " _ Motor Regulations.

v Mr T. B. McNeil, solicitor, wrote that on several occasions he "had written to the Minister of Internal ATairs in respect to the registration letters. He knew the county clerk had also telegraphed, but no reply had as yet been received. Kyeburn. Moved by Cr Lunan, and seconded by Cr Inder—That the engineer call for tenders, to be dealt with at next meeting ofthe council, for 400yd3 of gravel for road leading to Mr Joseph Preston's homestead at. Longlands, Mr Preston agreeing to bear half the cost of the work. —Carried unanimously. Engineer's Report.

The Engineer reported : Grader. —The Austin grader nas completed the re-formation of the road from Ranfurly to P. Law's bridge, doing two miles of work on this part. Thirty four chains of new formation have been done on the creamery road, and 224 chains reformed between Peter Law's bridge and Patearoa. The Champion grader hasbeen employed on the roads through Linnburn small grazing runs, and has now completed the road from the top of the hill at Captain's bridge to the boundary between S.G. Runs 303k and 353 d, with the exception ofa few chains near the Willow bridge, Linnbuin Runs.—ln conversation with the Commissioner of Crown Lands, I explained that the road formation through the Linnburn runs waß being proceeded with, and that it was intended to erect bridges across the Lpganburn and the Serpentine Creek. The Commissioner appeared to think that the building of the dam was likely to be' carried out, and that the whole flat would before long be under water, and the roads and bridges constructed would be uaeleaa,

Seeing that tha Commiaaioner bas been asked by the Minister to report on the council's application for a grant for these roads, I would recommend that the urgency of the matter again be brought under the notice of the Minister, and that the expenditure already incurred be fully explained. Contracts.—Dow's contract for gravelling at Vinegar Flat has been completed, and advantage was taken of his teams being on the ground to have stenes carted for the creek crossing, and a short stretch of road formed. Marshall's contract for gravelling at Ranfurly is completed, and a pipe has been put in on the nursery road, where the road has been raised and gravelled over the bed of the creek. Armitage and Dillon have commenced work on their gravelling contract on the Hills Creek road. Home Hills Road. —The unformed sections of the road through the Home Hills runs have been levelled and pegged, and plans are being prepared showing the work required to complete the road. The first piece levelled was John--Btone's Creek section, one mile in length, of which 50 chains is in good level country, and the balance on the steop ground down to and rising from the Greek.

The second section is only 2J chains, requiring a pipe-and the making up of the road across a flat gully. The third section, 26 chains long, is over a boundary ridge and across a branch of Pierce's Creek, where an open crossing can be made.

The next, 51 chains long, is over flat, stony ground for the first ten chains after which it dips off the terrace to the creek bed, Pierce's Creek, rising to the opposite terrace, and across the flat terrace before it comes to the ridge between Pierce's and Gate Creeks. The road over this ridge has been laid off with grades of 1 in 10. The last section, 17 chains long, is also steep, the grade being 1 in 10. On the whole the country is good and presents no difficulties in the making of the road, 'except that itis steep. Hogburn Gully.—Scrub walls have been extended to opposite Mrs Stephen's residence, and the channel built across in places to prevent the drawing of tailings from above the bridge. Mine Valuations. —The various mining properties in the county have been valued, and a Valuation List has been prepared, as required und<:r the Rating Act. This list I beg to submit herewith.

Pound".—The pouhdkeeper continues to carry out his duties satisfactorily. The inner gate he asks to have rerenewed, as it is old and decayed. Surfacemen.—At the present time, two of the surfacemen, Fennessy and Martin, are engaged with' the graders away from their own districts, and the men fiom adjoining districts have to be sent over their roads.

With the Upper Taieri opened up, his district is too big for a man of Ledingham's age. Under these circumstances, the roads in parts of the county do not get the attention they require to keep them in order. -

I would suggest the appointment of an additional surfaceman with a readjustment of their boundaries, and an understanding that the men may at any time be required to work in gangs in their own or other districts. Poundkeepeer's Report.

The Poundkeeper reported that since last meeting six horses and fourteen head of cattle were impounded All were released. Fees, 13s; feed, £1 Is; driving expenses, £1 18s; notices and advertising, 10s. Total, £4 2s. A bull was sold for £3 10s, leaving a surplus of £1 17s. -Received. Surfacemen's Boundaries.

It was resolved that a special meeting of the council becalled for Wednesday, 15th inst,' for the purpose of re adjusting the existing boundaries of the surfacemen, and for the transaction of other business in connection therewith.

Finance Accounts amounting to £544 9s 6d were passed for payment.