WAIMEA COUNTY COUNTY COUNCIL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue XLVII, 7 November 1912, Page 6

WAIMEA COUNTY COUNTY COUNCIL

MOM'H'LY MEETINU. The ordinary monthly meeting of the Waimea County Council was held today. There were .present —Messrs P. Best ('Chairman), .S. .Hoult, J. Corder, G. Macmahon. T. Hewetson, A. Drummo nd, and H. Everett. FINANCE. The bank ipass book showed the following Iba lances : Dr. £. s. d: General Account 6845 19 2 Cr. Contractors' Deposits 38 7 0 Land Fund Tnirds 466 19 7 Interest Rocks Road 103 13 9 Interest iNgatwnoti Bridge 21 410 Interest Baton Bridge 12 6 5 Interest Sherry bridge 9 14 7 Interest Peninsula Bridge 27 16 4 Accounts amounting to £1450 (Genera! Account), and £BO Land Fund 1 birds, were passed for payment. ENGINEER'S REPORT. The County Engineer (Mr. G. S. Whiteside) reported inter alia :-rMaitai Riding.—A new concrete and iron bridge had been, put across the road at Alborough's. A subsidiary traffic bridge was 'required at 'Oldham's Creek to accommodate passenger traffic. • An inspection of the obstruction complained of in the Maitai Valley road confirmed the statement- that the footlbridge at Pole ford was on the legal road. IKr.v-Wai-iti Riding.—The woodwork of the new bridge at the Forks, Wa-iroa Gorge, was completed. The formation and retailing of Whitby-street, Wakefield, was completed. A footbridge had been 2 rec ted near Smith's. Wai-iti Valley. After inspecting the Forty Line ford, the Chairman, Cr. Hoult- and himself decid?d to open Higgins' lane. The Engineer drew attention to the encroachment of aoxious weeds throughout this /riding. Mot-upiko Riding.—A bridge over the n'eek at Best's, Dovedale, was one of the most necessary works the Council had before it. The concrete piers of the Stanley Brook bridge were completxl. The work on .the grant at Fairhall's 'bluff was progressing satisfactorily. Wangapeka Riding.—About 14 chains >f formation on Wadswcrt/h's road, ihrough Gibbs', had been completed. Noxious weeds were becoming very pre /alent in this riding. Motueka. -Riding.—The Taka.ka hill road was much cut up with heavy tim>er traffic, and was a good deal out of repair. More culverts .were wanted, .he scrub along the sides required cutting, and extensive metalling was needed. If possible, the stone-breaker should be used on t/he job. Men, when .vorking on the hill, should carry an the work. The waterfall bridge at Poko roro required renewing this summer. Moutere Riding.—On Bell's- road 47 chains of new forrration had been made with the road machine at a cost of £lO 10s, chargea'ble against "thirds." A bridge at a corner of the road, Upper Moutere, was reported to have some cracks in ithe stringers, and required renewing. At Tasman, a 15-feet. span. bridge and -twa culverts had , been Silt in 'Several of-the Counters had inspected 1 the toads at Tas--1 nan. Regarding the deviation at Horton's, 'the question to be decided was. "'Whether (1) to divert the road through Hdr.ton's, regaining the road at Dr. Deck 's-'k.'orner; (2) go through Hor ton'.t and join the syndicate's sub-divisional voad ; or (3) to leave the road as it is. As this stage o-f the- road vconstruction is said to be a very weighitv reason to influence the Council to. alter the line of voad, and an investigation of the locality, conditions, and ground at the present stage 'hardly justifies an alteration :>f the" line of boundary. Arising out of the "report Or. Corder was of opinion that the fbanks at Oldhams Creek should be out further back';. ; but he was not opposed- at -all to the erection of a bridge, j Arising out of the Engineer's report on the chairman's motion, it was resolved that the -Enginer submit at next meeting alternative estimates for (1) the erection of a bridge at Oldham's Creek; (2) improving the ford. It was resolved 'that a fene'e be erected across the mo-mile road, at a point bej tween. Arnold's Entrance and the Wai-iti river tfiat may be decided upon by the Engineer. .. The. Engineer was instructed to prepare an estimate for the'-erection of a bridge between H. Thorn's aiid Best's,, Dovedale. Resolved a new bridge be built at Pokororo to replace the Waterfall bridge. Cr Everett moved that a series of broken metal depots be /established, on the TaIcaka Hill, the Council's stonebreakier to be used for the purpose of crushing the metal.—Carried. The conditions of employment of the men on the, .Takaka Hill were left to the" Engineer* for arrangement, Cr. Everett moving to this effect. On Cr Hewetson's motion the Overseer was instructed to temporarily repair the bridge at Upper Moutere, near Mr Drummond's hop garden. ' On the same Councillor's motion itwas resolved, that Tasman owners, bie given notice to clear ruboish from the drain.: The Engineer's report was then adopted. RANGER'S REPORT. The Ranger (Mr. Peter Coleman) reported visiting various parts of the county, and finding the roads fairly clear of straying stock so far as the day was concerned. It was at night that stock was turned out, and in several cases he had found people taking their stock off the roads at 3 a.m. iCr. Hoult moved that the fees collected by the Ranger /be handed to the Coun cil, in view of the ranger being paid a fixed sum of 10s a day for two days a mon/tih. Cr. DruTrmpnd seconded the motion. Cr. Everett opposed, as the remuneration ,paid was so small. The motion \vas carried, Cr. Everett opposing. 1 •Cr. Everett then moved that the Engineer instruct the ranger to visit the ridings more frequently. Cr. Hoult seconded "the motion, which was carried. CHAIRMAN'S REPORT. The Chairman reported that he had visited Wellington, and had interviewed the Minister for Public Works re a grant for the Motueka River protection works. The Minister agreed that sorr-e----thing should be done, and had promised to get a report. He had been well received by the Minister, and the Council would get some assistance, £IOOO 'having been placed on the Estimates. In regard to the iStoke waterworks scheme, the Minister was sympathetic in regard to a grant for land, and said that he would get a report; /Taut nothing further had yet been received from the Minister. STOKE CEMETERY. Cr. Corder reported re a .ne.w cemetery for Stoke, that the boundaries of the proposed site on Mr. Black's /property, had been altered. A hole had 'been sunk on the new site to a depth of 6 feet 3 inches and was dry on the following day.—lf was resolvetj to complete the (purchase of three acres of land from Mr. Black.

C OR I; ESPON D ENC E. The Assistant Under-Secretary I'ubli/ Works ;Departinent j intimated that the .Minister could not see his way to vary his previous decision in reference to Edwards' Road being less than 50 feet wide. The Department of Agriculture drew the Council's attention to the provisions of the Noxious Weeds Act, 1908, requesting that effective measures ibe taken to clear land.—Cr. Ee-verett moved that the Council clear its land oi' noxious weeds, and request -the Inspector of Noxious Weads to also take action—Seconded by Cr. Macmahon, -and carried. The Minister of Public Works wrote stating that he had noticed the petition of Mr. J. H. Price, of Baton, and pro mising- careful consideration of same when the Estimates were being compiled. The Nelson Hospital and Charitalble Aid Board asked the Council if it would utilise the services of a sanitary inspector, if one was appointed, and what amount would be contributed towards, his salary.—Resolved that the Board w'as not prepared to contribute. The secretary, Tasman Fruit. Lands Company, inquired if the services of Mr and his gang were available as suggested by Councillors, for road formation on Ocean Beach road, the company accepting all responsibility and payment.—Resolved' to take no action. Messrs F. R. and H. A. Chapman, Wellington, askied the Council to do some work to allow access to their properly at Tasman. —Left to Engineer. Cr. Everett suggested that the district should- form itself into a separate rating areaMr John A. Wilkinson, Stanley Brook, informed the Council that the road down the 'Motueka, river encroached on his property to the extent of a/bout 12 v'hains. and asking the Council to pay about £8 for .fencing in consideration thereof. —Referred to Enginer. (Left sitting.)