Maniototo County Council

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume XLV, Issue XLV, 6 February 1920, Page 3

Maniototo County Council

The monthly meeting of the council was held in the Council Chambers, Naseby, on Wednesday, 4th February. Present —Crs Inder (chairman), Davis, Hall, Morgan, lowis Mann, and Aitkeo.. Minutes.

The minutes of the last, special and ordinary meetings were read, and confirmed on the motion of Cr Mann, seconded by Cr Lowis. Engineer's Report.

Lauder. Along with Cr Morgan, I nade an inspection of the bridges on school road from St. Bathans road to :he Lauder Creek and found same in a Dad state. I instructed the surfaceman :o fill approaches and make them eafe n the meantime until we can get labour end material, when I purpose hovng repairs done to all these bridges. I >ave had no success yet in regard to travelling contracts. 3t. Bathans. —Hawkdun Runs Road: ' have extended the time for closing enders for this work to March 3rd, not laving full approval of the Lands Dept n connection with the bridges and culverts. Muddy Creek Bridge: I am glad :o say the contractor is making good Drogrefs with the concrete abutments, >ut I am afraid the work will be deayed through timber. The contractor :annot get the harriwocd specified, so I im in communication with the District Engineer, P. W.D., asking if we can Jse other timber. Idaburn. Plans and specifications of this road) have been "approved by the Mines Dept, and also the authority issued for expenditure of grant. The chairman and myself have let a ctntract toF. J. Horo to carry out the work. A contract was ftUo let to M'Creadie to carry out repnirs to the White Sow bridge at Reed's. The protective groynes at Agnew's Idaburn crossing are now being erected by Surfaceman Beck'and Bhould in future make this crossing passable at all times. I have had borings taken Bt proposed site of Idaburn bridge, Oturehua, and hope to proceed with plans at an esrly date. Swamp Road: Having inspected ihis, 1 estimate repairs would cost about £l5O. Mt. Ida. —Dowle's Bridge, Waipiata: Tbi3 is now open for traffic, the old piles having been placed in concrete, and concrete wiriga built to hold approaches, and I now consider that no further trouble wiil be caused by washouts. Storm-water Drain at English Church, Waipiata: I find that no fall can be got by crossing the road into the old drain, the silt of \fce channel being higher than the intake of pipe's at the church. So I intend to carry the drain down the roadside into Dowle's and then across the channel at west side of bridge. Naseby-Waipiata ,Road: This contract is about completed, and general patching is also being carried out on the Naseby-Kanforly road by the surfacemen. - Kyeburn. General surfacing and rf pairs to small bridges have been carried out, but works in this riding are very much in arrears through having no permanent man for this district, but I hope to transfer the Hyde iran in a few days to this district, having appointed another man for Hjda. Gimmerburn.—Along with Cr Davis I visited several roads and bridges in this r'ding, including the HighfieldRanfurly and the Garibaldi roads, in connection with Government grants. Puketoi. —Have had a boring taken of the crossing on the Main Road at Patearoa over the Sow burn for the proposed bridge, and 1 purpose submitting plans, etcj, for bridge at this site to the District Engineer as I consider the site further up stream too far from ir-ain road to be of much service. Murray's Culvert: This is now open for traffic, the filling to approaches having been carried out by the surfacemen. Up, to the present I have not been successful in getting a surfaceman for this riding but hope to make arrangements with Thurlow and another man to work the Serpentine and Puketoi together. Serpentine.—The gravelling of the Litlnturn Ford to Pseran road is .now being carried out by the surfacemen and Weir'i teams, but the work will be very expensive, the gravel having to be carted about 2 miles on a rising grade all the way. It would pay the : council to purchase a portable crushing and screening plant for places where gravel has to be carted this distance, . seeing that there is a large deposit of ' schist rock along the road side. The | cost of plant would be saved on the , Loganburn ford roads. | . Byde.—Bruhne' contract for gravelI ling portions of the Switchback is now completed. I have arranged for Surfaceman Flett to take the -Kyeburn district and Bruhcs to take Hyde. Correspondence received during the month attached. Since writing above I have received authority' for expenditure of, Linnburn Ford and Loganburn Roads from the j Public Works, amounting to £350. ! Waipiata. Cr Hall brought op the matter of the drainage at Waipiata leading from the church. The engineer explained the position when it was dedided to have the work carried out in accord- ■ ance with the terms of the resolution | previously pasEed. ■ - . i ~ Swamp Road, i Cr Nieolson asked about the state 'of this road, and th« engineer explained the position. Cr Nieolson moved, und Cr Lowii seconded —That the report of the engineer re the Swamp road in Ida Valley ' be received and., that he be asked to . complete thi3 work as soon as possible at an expense not to exceed £4O. '< Bridge at Patearoa. A difference of opinion arose be- , tween the engineer and council as to I the site selected. The council agreed] j that the plana and specifications should j be submitted and approved by the council before the work is proceeded . with. p Paerau-Log&nbsrn Ford. B Cr Aitken brought up the matter of widening the channel at Loganburn. Moved by Cr Aitken. and seconded j by Cr Nieolson -lhat the engineer be p instructed to arrange to get the ford ,j across the Loganburn lowered in order B to make it available for motor traffic. —Carried,

Ganger's Report. The ranger reported that for the past month two horse?, 11 rattle,'ami 22 aheep were impounded, «li being releas«d with the exception one horse, tbs owner of which lui i beei. written to. In addition five horses and thirteen head of cattle were released before reaching the pound by their owners or agents. _ The engineer's and ranger's reports were read and approved on tbo motion of Cr Morgan, seconded by Cr Davis.

Gimmerburn Forest Reserve.

The Commissioner of Crown Lands wrote: —The above sections were originally sat aside for tree-plßnting, but it has been proved that they are not suitable for this purpose. Other sections in the same locality—viz., 26, 27 and 28. were set apart for the same purpose, and there is also a stock watering reserve which is not now required. The first-named sections are vested in your council for a forest station, but, after the first attempt at this work proving a failure, no planting has been done for years. The area is presumably being used for grazi ig purposes. If the above reserves could be made available for settlement they would make a nice compact farm of over 500 kcres of flat land that would settle, at least, one returned soldier. As it is very important that every block of l*nd suitaitfe for returned soldiers should be made available, I have to request that your council seriously considers surrendering these sections. On receipt of a favourable reply I will take Btepa to have reservations lifted.

Left in the hands of the chairman to interview the Commissioner in the matter.

Mines Vote, ldaburn-Coalpit Road, Grant £IOO.

The Inspector of Mines wrote:—l am in receipt from the County Engimser of plan and specifications in duplicate for the Idaburn Coalpit Road for approval. The approved specifications are returned herewith and upon receipt of formal authority from Wellington the "work may be put in hand. —Received; authority to hand.

Taieri fiiver Erosion at Kokonga. The District Engineer wrote: 1 have to advise you that the Minister has approved of assistance to the extent of £75 (£ for £) towards above work. Formal authority will be issued when satisfactory detailed plans, etc., have been submitted.

Moved by Cr Mann, and seconded by Cr Ramsay— That detailed plans be prepared by the engineer and submitted to the Public Works Department for approval for river at Kokonga.—Carried. Employees Local Authorities Superannuation.

The superintendant, N.Z. Government Provident Fund, forwarded a lengthy circular in accordance with a request conveyed in a resolution adopted by the Counties' conference held in September last on the subject of superannuation fcr the employees of local authorities.—Held over.

Employees' Insurance and Fidelity Guarantee Fund.

Held over. Re Shortage of Coal in New Zealand. A circular from tha \V6stport District Citizens' Committee, signed by the mayor and Town Clerk, re shortage of coal in New Zealand.—"You are short of coal. Westport district can supply all you require if you are willing to assist in developing tha coal resources of this district."—Received end contents approved. > Becks. • Mr T. H. Mee wrote asking permissian to erect telephone lines alongside the road from the following pltcss:— Mr J. Hamilton's, Mr M. Hamilton's, Mr Jae. Mee's, and Mr F. H. Mee's to Recks. Moved by Cr Morgan, and seconded by Cr Aitben—Tnat the requeit be granted, work to be carried out to the satisfaction of the engineer. Carried. Rabbiting on County Road. Mr J. B. Will isms, Dunadin, wrote asking permission to rabbit along the road lines in the county. lam writing to all the countits and requesting a permit to do so.

Moved by Cr Aitken, and seconded hv Cr Morgan—That the letter be received and the application be decline). —Carried. Tenders. Contract No. 15. —Speddori's Bridge. John Lothian, £l4l 153 6d, accepted. Contract No. 12. Gravelling in Lauder Riding. Jobn Enright, £53 2s 6d, accepted. Impounding. Mr Harrex,-Becks, wrote complaining of the manner in which a horse, his property, wa-i taken possession of by the ranger. The ranger was in attendance and fully explained to the satisfaction of the council that his action was quite in keeping with his position as ranger. Tbe council approved of the ranger's explanation and Mr Harrex will be called on to pay the ranger the driving expenses in connection with the seizure of the mare. Accident Insurance. Mr A. H. Hawkes, late surfaceman for Kyeburn Riding, wrote respecting his compensation for accident. 'Held over until the company replies to a letter respecting same. County Meetings. Cr Lowis moved, and Cr Hall seconded—That in future the meeting starts an 11 o'clock instead of half past two. —Carried, Cr Nicoison dissenting. Hyde to Rock and Pillar. Cr Ramiay moved, and Cr Davis seconded^—That the engineer be instructed to have tbe gravelling in Hyde riding dobe ac prices offered by Mr Bruhns and have the work carried out. —Carried. Surfacemen's Hut. Moved by Cr Morgan That the chairman and engineer be requested to inspect the hut in Naseby and report to next meeting as to shifting of same to Lauder riding. *

Hire of Teams. Cr Hall moved, and Cr Nicolson seconded—That in future the rate of pay for those supplying teams be as follows -1 man, horse and dray, 18s 6d per day; 1 man, 2 horses and dray, 24s per day; 1 man, 8 horses and dray, 30s per day; 1 man, 4 horses and dray, 35s par day.

As an amendment Cr Mnnn and Cr Nicolson seconded—That present prices be adhered to until the present horse work be carried out in Serpentine riding. • For the motion-—Crs Hall, Davis, Nicolson, Morgan. For the amendment Crs Inder, Lowis, Ramsay, Mann. There being a tie, the chairman gave his casting vote in favour of the amendment. Amendment carried. Finance. , Accounts amounting to £Bl6 17s 7i? were passed for payment. Notices of Motion. Cr Mann's notice of motion waß bald over until next meeting. Gr gave notice—That at next meeting he would move—That the engineer report as soon as possible as to the estimated cost of repairing all bridges and roads in the various ridings in Maniototo County, and thai the ratepayers be asked to comph with bis statement, and the variouf rsdings be rated in accordance with his Etatement, and a vote taken accordingly to comply with the Act.