DISTRICT NEWS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 4 July 1911, Page 3

DISTRICT NEWS.

MURCHISON. Tin-; corxTv rouxciL. MONTH LV MEKTIXU. The mil ina ry moetiiur of the Mur-(hi.-rrii Cnuniy Council was lu-ld <" 1 y.'itiu day .Juno 12-1; h. I'lcsent: Crs. .loli ii Rait (chairman)- Owen .Lynch, 1-'. C. I\ , i<;e. \V. L. Thomson. (!. Thuniiu::, John Tony and A. .1. liugcrs.

Inward correspondence was received nnd dealt wil?) as tollows: •

From H. Bunn. drawing the Council's attention lo the bad state of 1 lot ham-street. —Resolved that. the Ovi'iseer spend up to £SO if necessary in improving the street. .From ii. 11. Win. asking- for an extension of time to complete his contract. — Extension was gianted.

From E. E. Win, com plaining that he had received only Us a day for work done for the. Council, when others received 10s a day. —Trie Overseer explained that IDs a day had bre:i paid in connection with the expenditure of a special hut that no workman had leceived iO.s a day out of county levenue. The Cleric was iusiruc.ed to inform Mr Win accordingly. From James Hunter, asking that the load thiough the bush leading to his section put in hand. The Overseer reported that a contract had been let *' ur 1 hwork.

Eroni Geo. Whale_ usking the Council to effect lepaiis to the eastern end of Waller-street. —Resolved on the motion of Crs. Lynch and W. 13. Thomson that the Overseer spend up lo £-3 if necessary in repairs.

Ei om 11. E. Sutherland, seating that the road to his property needed attention, and asking that £- 10s bo spent on it.—The Overseer was instructed to attend to the matter.

Prom J. W. llodgkinson, asking if the Council's order for the removal of fences across llotham-street had also included the removal of barbed wire from his boundary fences along the street line, as- he had been asked by Mr Sutherland to rei'iove the wire. Mr Sutherland waited on the Council, a; d asked that, instructions be given to remove -the wire, as the order made by the Magistrate covered this a s w ell as 'the fences across the street. The Chairman said he did not think the Magistrate's order affected the wir- 1 complained cvf. Mr Sutherland asked that a small sum be spen't i-.y the Council in opening the street<f no order was made to remove the wire.—Cr Lynch moved that two days' work be done in opening llot-ham-street. .Seconded by Cr Terry and carried.

The Clerk wa s instructed to notify Mr t T .odgkinson that the Council's instiuctiors referred to the fences across the street only. Fio:n Messrs Dissirens and Burt, /offering to maintain the Lake road I from the letter box at Hope Junction to the Lake bridge for two years, for £4O j>cr annum. —J.t was resolved that £-5 -per annum be offered for tb-» work.

from \V. offering to supply gravel at Is the two-lioTse dwy ]oad. —Offer accepted. From 1. Patterson, of Keefton. statino- thitj eei tain eontractor s need net insure under the Workers' Compensation Act. as they would not employ any labour. —It was resolved that the con-tractors be required to give a satisfactory guarantee that they would employ no labour without insuring the same. From Frederick Lister, asking the Council ,fo granfc £lO towards the co.lt of repairing the load 'to his residence, the writer undertaking to find balance of money required.—.Resolved that the Council grant £ for £ up to £5.

-From Stratford County Council forwarding a resolution asking for tiie repeal of the charge of rate and a halt on imported hardwood timbci where used by county councils for bridge construction, etc.—Resolved that the Council support the resolution of the Stratford County Council. and that the Minister for Railways be written to.

The Clerk reported having obtained quotations for painting a signboard for the Pound, arid that Mr Xeilson's offer had been accepted.

From the District Health Officer enclosing regulations ror the purpose of preventing the spread of plague, etc. —A s 'there were so few rats . in the district the -Council decided to take no action at present. The following correspondence was received:—Prom Mr. liodk. MeKenzie re expenditure of Government grants; from Wairaea County Clerk re imuour,i:ng; fiom New Zealand Counties' Association re proposed conference; from A. R-. Griffin re plans; from R. T. Sadd re road estimates, thirds, and reserves. It was resolved that the Clerk again to the Commission of Crown Lands asking that one of the municipal reserves be vested in the Counc.il for th t * purpose of building Council Chambers thereon. The Reefton Chamber of Commerce wrote urging the Council to ask the Ciovernment to make full provision on this year's estimates for the completion of the xoad from Reefton to the Maruia hot springs. The Olerk was instructed to reply that the Council had just recently let a contract on this road.

Cr Page submitted petition's from Biaeburn fcptfjers asking .the Minister of Public Works 10 make special grants for 'the Braeburn (settlement roafl an;l a bridge over the Buller River at the Owen, on the Hope Junction to t,aUe Botorua road, iandasked the Councl to support the petitions.—Cr. Lynch moved that the Council support both petitions from the Braeburn settlers. Cr Page seconded, and the motion wa s carried. A petition "was received from H. 10. Boyes flnd 14 others, urgin g. the Council to gradn. reform and metal Fairfax-street. —Cr Lyneh ii|Bve4 thut tlie (ivf-'TReer preipare an estimate of tlie cost of grading, re-forming, and metalling Fairfax-street from Downie's Hotel to Potter'g Creek, the formation to be 18 feet wide, gravelling 16 feet wide and 1 foot d'eep. Seconded by Cr Bogera and carried. Messrs J. Bredbury, H. J. Hodgson, and W. H- Eaoderson waited on .the Council at tj. later sifig? in reference to the same matter. Mr l3reclbuvy, representing the local branch of t''o Farmers' Union, referred to the present condition of Fairfax-street, the nrincipal street of the township, autf said he thought for the eft He Of the towDßpeopls the residents of the county as a whole, and Councillors themselves, the mailt street of Murehison should oe 'put in more creditable order, and he hoped the Council would form the street and put a footpath o:i the puincipal side of the street. Mr Hodgson nr>(J Mr Tfandersou, representing the Murchlsoii branch of the Nelson Chamber of

Commerce. also spoke. Mr ißanderson remarked that lie felt sure the Council would for -their own credit, ana that of the whole county, do what thev could to improve the street. In, r.'p'ly the Chairman informed the deputation of the resolution passed 1 hat day, and assured, them that the Council'fullv recognised the need for improvement, and that need would ceitain'.v be met so far as the fund.-* at the Council's proposal would permit The deputation thanked the Council for receiving thcm and withdrew. 'Cr G. Thomson moved that the Public Works Department be urged to -pend the available grant on Lester s Bank deviation without delay. he-, tonded bv Cr Lynch and carried. Cr G. Thomson suggested that the Chairman telegraph to the Public Works Department urging that the £IOO for the Maruia river potect'ion be immediately spent. H was resolved that no telegram be sent.. ~ Mr Alfred Flower waited on tivc Council and complained that he had been disfranchised through the Clerk not giving him sufficient time m which to pay liis rates. The Clerk explained that the rates in t|uestion had been disputed by Mr Flower on the ground that he had no survey of the section, and therefore claimed exception. The matter had been referred to*'the Valuer-Geneial, and the night before the Revision Court sat a reply came to hand statIno- that the section was rateable, i he nature of the reply made known to Mr Flower on the following day, and it was pointed out to Mr Flower -hat unless' the rates were paid that day he would be disfranchised Ihe Clerk said that he had give Mr I-low-e- all the consideration he could, and denied any responsibility for Mr Flowers' loss of suffrage. The Chairman explained to Mr Flo.wer tnat this was one of. many instances where trouble, and. dissatisfaction through errors in the valuation rolls for which the Clerk received all the blame, and he stid he strongly objected to the Clerk being blamed things of this kind when he was in no fault at all. The Chairman read the .e:ter referred to by the Clerk, which dated at Wellington. June 9th, Ihe Revision Court sat on June 15i.h Mr Flower then withdrew. The Overseer reported as follows: That- the deviation of the Lake road a s suggested by Mr P. Disserens would cost from £l5O to £2OO and a errant had been applied for for this purpose- that in reference to the oravel pit which Mr McFarlane wanted to have, filled in, T1 feet of the pit was on the county road, and tt would take about 50 yards of filling to level the road, the cost being estimated at about £5; the filling in front ef Mr Kerr's would cost from £S to £lO- levels had been, taken for . iic pioposed footpath, but _ the grades were not worked out in time tor an 0.-timate to be prepared. The report was adopted as read. In reference to the gravel pit ft Mr McFarlane's, Cr Lynch 'moved that the Council fill in their portion of the pit. Seconded by Cr Page and carried. As instructed the Clerk presented a return of rates outstanding amountira to £9G 33s lOd. and it was rc-f solved that the Clerk take legal proceedings for the recovery of all outstanding rates forthwith. It was resolved that the .-next ordinary meeting 0 f the Council be held on Saturday, t July 22, 1911, at : H a.m.; and that a meeting of the executive be hold when necessary. Mr T. G. Bennett applied for the position of pound-keeper on the following terms, viz., the a-pplicant to receive "s 9d a week, and the Conn-, cil to retain all .poundage fees; the duties, performed <to-.includa proper atention to imported 'stock, feeding, watering, etc., charges 2-or feed to be paid by owners of imported stock. Cr LyneU moved that Mr Bennit be appointed pound-keeper. Seconded by Cr Terry and carried. Accounts amounting to. £272 7s 2$ were passed for paymemt, and a vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the meeting.