WAITAKI COUNTY COUNCIL

North Otago Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 6138, 26 August 1886, Page 2

WAITAKI COUNTY COUNCIL

A special meeting of the above Council was held yes erdy to <ake into consideration petitions for and against the merging of (he Waitaki Road B mrd in the County. There were present Messrs D. Sutherland (chairman), Borrie, Morton, Findlay, Jobns.on, Thomson, Hutton and Gemmell.

The following ia the substance cf the counter petition :

That underitanding there is a petition sfgjcd by some ratepayers in the Wait»ki Road Diitriot pre?ented to your Council praying thifc the road district may be mergea fi the oouaty of W»ifcak ; , Th»t we b jlieve our intereß^ would be i jariously i! the road district were merged in the county,

That the Waicaki Road Bo»rd, r instituted ai it ia ol local resident?, 1* better able to judge of the requirements of the diitriot. tho amsnnt of ratei nroessary to be lo\.td, and to ccc that the rate* so raised are jadioioasly and economical y expended than the roudty Cjunoil,

We, therefore, pray that you- honorable Cuuooil may not gire eff«ct to the prayer of such petition, and not merge the Waitski Road District in the county.

Tno clerk read a statement showing that the tofal valuation of tho Road District was L 530.784, and the number of ratepayers on the roll 318 ; that the petition to merge had been signed by 206 ratepayers, and that against by 107. The first represented L 309.623 of the ratetblu value, and the latter L 244,241.

The Chairman said the counter petition required 99 additional signatures to make it of »ny value. The Act, specified this.

Mr Borrie said 'ho terras of the Act only required one-third of the ratepayers, and more than that number had been obtained.

After some discussion on the subject, the claeua of the Act bearing on the question wai read, and osembers generally agreed that the counter petition was of no value.

Mr Borrie then propose! that do action bs taken in the matter. The signatures to th» petitioa to merge had been obtained on the s'.reog'h of untrue statements. The who 1 * thing; had been set going by members of the Couocil, aad it was a moat discreditable* thing that th : a should have been done. The Road Board had don* nothing to interfere with the Council, and it was a moat unfair thing th»t the Council should hire 1 litiated steps that the ratepayers themselves were not altogether agreeable to. Although it was quite true that the person who had ctnvassed for aigoatarea was not in the employ of the Council, it was jist as true that he had been paid by members of the Council. A great deal had bean made of the faot that >he riding was not fully rs* presented, and although promises had been made to amend- this stats of affairs, nothing up to the present had been done. The Chairman said be would have proposed a motion la ta« 4Ut«tiga himself,

only that he had dUcoversd th*t nothing could be done to niter tbe boundaries of

the ridings till March next.

The Chairman and Mr Johnston denied that Mr Baird had baen employed by them. Mr Johnston said he would like Mr Borrie to be explicit, Mr Borrie said it was well known how it was done, and there was no need for an explanation.

Mr Johnston said Mr Borrie was wrong. He might say that it had been stated by the person who had taken tht counter petition round for signatures that the county was rating ihe ros^ '''•'rota and spending the money on imkiug roads up country. This was not true. The Chairman read a por i ion of clause 46 of the C. unties Act, which said that after the ordinary expenditure had besn provided for, the balanca of rates could only be epent in the district where they wore raised.

Mr Johnson produced petitions previously presented from the Lindon and Awamoko sub diri-iona of the Road Board asking to be merged in the Couuty, to show that tho ratepayers were anxious to have the Road District marged,

Mr Borrie's motion was not seconded.

Mr Morton then moved that the Waitaki Road B ard be merged in the County. Seconded by Mr Findlay, and carried.

Mr Borrie protested, saying the petition was not sufficient for the Council to ground it* action upon.

Tbe ordinary meeting of the Council wbb then held. The minutes of the last meeting were re id and confirmed, and tbe outward correspondence read and approved. The Treasury remitted L 3 8s 6d goldfield's duty ; and L 278 Is 7d as subsidy under the Local Bodies Finance and Powers Act. The Hon. Secretary of the County Acclimatisation Society wrote conveying the thanks of the above body for the use

of tbe county roomi.

The clerk to tbe Waitaki Road Board wrote asking on behalf of the Board that tbe County Council should use its influence in endeavoring to get the Government to reduce its rates by 50 per cent on She haulage of gravel, pointing out that if this were conceded during the alack season, it would be no loss to the Government and a gain to the local bodies. Ia reply to a communication on the subject the General Manager for railway* wrote stating that the Council's application on tbe above subjeot would receive consideration.

Mr J. MacphersoD, Totara, drew attention to the necessity of placing three or four wires along the appioaches to the Kakanui Bridge so as to prevent sheep being driven acroß9 getting through. It waa decided that tbe engineer should attend to the matter.

A letttr from the Survey Office stating that the Government were agreeable to bear the coat of erecting fence on one aide of road through the Company's land at Kurow, and Mr Brydons had agrtsd to allow the road making to go on was re id.

Messrs Sevwright, Stout, and 00. wrote on behalf of Mrs de Carl», declining the Council's offer for Und at Maheno, but stating they were prepared to take LlO.

The membsr for tbe district said the amount was " pretty salt." It wr?, however, decided to give the amount to avoid further disputes over the matter. Mr Charles F. Roberts, sreretary to the Livingstone Sludge Channel Committee wrote to the efieot that they intended to proceed with the construction of a public t 11 raca through Mr M'Rlaarer's gully, cud asking tho Council's permission to oxoivate a race aoross the old road. I' was the intention of the Committee to erect a substantial britl^e or culvert across the road.

Mr Johnstons said a difficulty cropped up. The old road was not now tbe property of the Council. Permission should be obtained from the owner of the land.

Mr Hutton said the owner of the land had given the permission, but r* the old road nis yot used by the Council it had been decided to aek for permiiaion.

Mr Jjhnstou moved that tbe applicants be referred to Mr M'Maa'er for permission, and that the Council will throw no obj*otion in tbe way of taking the channel through the surveyed road, provided a culvert be made there also. — Agreed to.

Mr Wrn. DiDnison wrote on behalf of a number of ratepayers asking that the road leading from crossing north of Hitderthorpe to next croaeing be shingled, at in wet weather it was almost impassable.

It was decided to reply that the member , for tbe district and the engineer already hid the matter under consideration.

Tbe Secretary to the School C>mm!snioners of Otago wrote stating that the Canomiisioners were agreeable to allow the deviation proposed by tbe Council in the road near Tncholme,

It nas decided to proceed with tbe for* mation of the road.

Meisrs C. and J. M. Todd asked that tbe B'orm culvert opposite their property be repaired. It had bfcoaio ohoked du-iog the floods, and water was damaging their property.

Referred to the engineer.

Mr George L?diugham wrote drawing attention to the state of the road passing through his property, and gave a description of the damage done, and asked that the rosd be repaired.

The mftttsr was referred to the member for the riding to attend to.

Mr G. A. Goodall wrote drawing attention to the damage done to his wheal

lar d through the water being thrown on >o it by defective drains and bridges, and stating that bo would appoint one valuator and the Council could appoint another to aisosi the damage. Mr Goodall waited upon the Council with reference to the matter. He rJd he *t one tima blamed the railway bridfe partly for the damage doae, but the rail* way engineer blamed the county bridge. The railway bridge had since baen raised a foot. He described the damage that had been done, and'said he preferred that tha question of assessing the damage -hould stand over in the meantime, in order to ascertain the exact damage, as o'hars were inrolred as wall as th* Council, He, however, intended to have) the matter definitely settled this time, as he had sustained so much damage ia th« past. The Engineer ssid the county bridge) had nothing to do with damming <the water baok on Mr Goodall's property, and it was decided to inform that gentleman

that the Council could accept no responsibility in the matter. Letters wera received from &f* W. J. o*in with tef*rence to the Uppe? F«n/, saying that owing to the rain traffic wa* stopped until such times as the Council would get the obstructions in the river remortd. Mr Ciln made application* for the subsidy, L 35, stating that two years ago he had agreed to do the wore of the settlers at Waitangl at a reduced scalo on the understanding that be gJt all the traffic. This arrangement and not bean carried out, with the except In of the Waitangi station. Sine* Ike arrangement had been entered into the) traffic had declined to th» extent of LJjO per annum. The writer also stated that

fie had crossed teams at every hour from six o'clock in the morning till eleven o'clock at eight without extra charge, a»d offered to sail th« ferry applianc.es af a> lair v«ilu«tioo, or to leaao them to the two

Councils at a yearly rental of ten per cant OQ the capital value. The Chairman said the aubaidy wan not dna till September. He alao s»id he believed it was tho iutentlon of the Waimate County Council to appoint two of their members to interview this Cou icll with reference to the ferry. Mr Gemmell said the subsidy was given by tbs Council for the benefit of the public, and he thought that Mr Cain abould be informed that during the tirrm tbo ferry wa* not being worked no aubaidy cnld ba paid. Mr Hutton laid it was hard that Mr Cain should bo compelled to clear tbe river at ing uwn expense. It was pointed out that Mr Cain had chcien hii own site for the ferry. On tbe motion of Gemmell, seconded by Mr Johnston, it was resolved that Mr Cain be informed that during the time the ferry was not being worked no aubaidjr would ba paid by the Council. The Chairman and Messrs Johnston and Hulton were appointed to meet the members of the Waimate County Council to disouai the subject of the ferry. The Clerk to the Lmd Board wrote

drawing tbs Council's attention to the fiot that the sum of Lll7 10i lid, on account of deftrred-payment third?, was lying at tho credit of tho Council, and that on forwarding plans of tbe rot di on which it wai propoied to Bpend the monoy tha amount would be remitted. The engineer wt. intruded to forward plan*. The following tenders were accepted : Formation of road in block 5, Macro* whenua, T. Wright, L 63 16 2d ; supply of 1500 yardo of jravel near Peeblea, J. Crawford, L 143 3s ; lup^ly of 300 y*rdi or gravel at Pukeurf, D. M. D.-nuiaon, L 27 10«.

It was decided that a committee meet next Saturday to consider the tenders fur works to be in on that date.

Mr Gemmell drew attention to the damage occasioned to the Island S ream bridge through the railway embankment.

It wai decided that the engineer report on Saturday on tho matter complained of by Mi 1 Gamuiell. The following report from the engineer was read:

Groat iojary has been done to the roads over the whole couaty by the last fljod. Tho following are the most eerloaa :

OTCFOPO ErDING Tha Island Mtreara haa washed away a euniiderable width on the aoathern side, between the railway and road bridges, and baa undermined the aouthern approach to tbe I»l»nd Stream bridge, making a gap •boat 14 feet wide.

Some measures will hive to be taken, however, to prevent farther encroachment, either by protecting tho liver bank or the approach itself. The road between Maheno and Kak»nni was under water in several places, bat except about 20 chains at tbe Maheno end, little damage haß been done. The Kftkanul River has, however, washed away a portion of the road at tho first band east of Mabeno, and ia still eno oaobing.

Some protection to the bank will bo required hore, and wi.l, I am afraid, be expensive. One of tho wing wails ot Allday Creek bridge ia damaged, and mast be rebuilt. A oalvert on the boach ro-d la partly carried away, and one on the road near O'Brien's completely destroyed.

KAKANTI F.IBIKG. Abcufc a chain of north«m uppr^aoh to Kak&nul Bridge haa bean injured through tho curront setting strong against it. Two embankment on the Beaoh Road have boen washed array on account of the calrorts not being Urge enough to oarry the water, and a deep gaily has been cut co.oas Summer Traotc.

WAIABEK4. EIDIKG An embankment on Fiva Forks Road ha* boen out through, but the culvert is not oarried away. The embankment has been repaired, bat another culvert shou'd b* pat In. An embankment on Dunfcroon Road, abtufc throe mile* wett of Ngtpara wao waihed •way, and many small slips havo coourred In the nma neighborhood, and one !a r g« one Men have bean pat on and tho road made pessable, bat it will take flome time to remoTe all alips. Th« Waiareka flowed over an embank* ment about a mile e»t cf Ngapara, and oarried away about six ohaini of gravel, but did no other damage. This embankment wai lately raised i The water also fl >wed aorosa tha road on tho flat west of Enfleld, and oauied off metal at places, but the damage Is alight. About throe ohalm of gravel have boen waahod away on the road to Flderslie ■tation.

AW4MOKO KID' SO, The footbridge at Duntroon has bsen washed away with the exception of one span on the oast side. Tho fl)od water has flowed along the main road down tho fl.»t, carrying away about 10 ohc'Dß of grave.

One span and approach to the west end of the bridge at Nunnery have been carried •way, and one spaoiojared. The remainder of the bridge ia in good order, bat the river has oat * course round *be north end about 3 chalDß wide. It h»i flowed very otrong.y round the aoath end, cutting ap the flit. Tho water flowed over the embankment Bit the Nunnery and destroyed it. The portions of the river bank promoted by fooce stone are uainjared, and also portion behind upf?r end of embankment, bat the lower end of the embankment Is submerged, and the rlv«r kei encroached about 1 chain behind it.

There has been a strong oarrent down the road, bat beyond sooa irtg away gravel has done little harm,

The bridge would h-.ve to be lengthened •boat 2CD fest t) oroes the river, aad even then there woald be a strong probabi'ity of the river flming round the oud. A pitched oroasing near Henderson's, Awamoko, haß been carried away, and about 4 chains of gravel are washed away f.om the road new the came place, The road h»s now been made passable.

OTtKAIKB BIDIS6

The eastern pier ot footbridge eorosa the Maorewhenua, near foot of the pinch, has been scoured cut, and two Bpans of the bridge have been can led away, leaving only one span standing. The truaees are very little injured, and are lyicg a short di«t«nce down the river. I think tbe ttuetei can be re-erected, but longer piles wi'l be required, aa the river has scoured ont to m great depth. The bridge should be made higher, as the water was over the planking before it failed. Ihe river has oat a new oourie through seotion 19, blook 7f7 f Mnerewhenaa, completely destroying road along Mm river bank. I tyould reoommend that a new road be go\ if possible, along the new channel. . About 2 aorea of land would ba rtqiirecL ~ The protective bank on the Otiake river, near Mr Dasler'e, Is washed away. The calveit ftt Doctor 1 ! Creek la alao carried away. Creek oro«singa arc muoh oat, especially Little Awakino, but the road it passable. 1 have not been above Dantrocn, bo do not know the extot extent of damage. No doubt the new road« at Kurow will be Injured to come extent. With reference to theDantroon bridge, it was decided, on the motion of Mr Johmton, Ibat the ol»rk write to the Railway Department aiking permission to j maka uae of th« railway bridge till another footbridge was built. It was also depided, on the motion of Mr JohDßton, with referenc* to the footbridge at Duntroon, that the engineer report on the most suitable bridge, with a yl»n to stock being able to cross it. It wai 'decided to call for tondora for the erection of a bridge at Livingstone. Mr Gemmell drew attention to the gprse, etc., growing on the Kakanul Fiat. Be thought that now was the time to take steps to have the matter attended to, and that owners of property on whoae places gorae, etc, grew should bt compelled to

remove it. tf thift were not done thr whole fl.t vronld be covered wit>> gors^ t.rrora etc., owing to tho seeds being oairi.d down the river. Consideration of th« matter w«s p slponed. The ques'ion of striking ft rate war brought up, and Mr Borrie said he prtpcmd movinv that the subject ba deferred till nex' meatlrg in order that they mieht ascertain what amount would be required tornpain to rosda, etc. He moved, seconded by Mr Huiton : "That the proposition of levying rate, be postponed till Bert meetting, and that the clerk lay on the table at next meeting a statement of the tota amount of deferred payment money m the hand* of the Council unspent, statin.the amount standing to the credit of each deferred payment block ; also, the arooun< of eaid money which baa been >pent on other roads outside the various blocks for which it has been granted and the money spent in each riding, and that the Council take steps at next meeting to make pro vision for repaying the sam#." Mr Borria Baid a sum of over L2OOO had been taken from the deferred payment fund and apeut on ridings that were not entitled to it. It w»b time these ridings that had received this benefit took atepa to repay the money. The Clerk aaid it xt** impoesib'e totoll how money had been epent in the different ridings, ftfr Borrie wts •riden'ly under a wrong imprestion with regard to this matter. Mr BorrJe »»id ha *&• not. He had ascertained the faota for himself, and he demanded a statement of the imouDji expended in the different ridings of thi? deferred payment money. It wee unfair that moneys devoted to a certain purpose should be misapplied without an appft'err intention of repaying that money. Mr Thomson said the matter shou d bt discussed in the public house. His ridiny might Lave '* borrowed " Borne of the money, lut if it did it was so long ago that it was outßide the Stetute of Limitations, and oould not now be rep id. (laughter.) # Mr Borrid's motion w»b carried after some discussion.

Mr Hutton moved, and Mr Borrie seconded, that the tccounis of o eh riding be kept separate in fatur.'. — Carriecl. Mr Findlay said the road to Port Moeraki was quite blocked up, and be would like to know if any answer had been received from Messrs Duncan or M'Kerzie with reference to th 3 funds of the Moeraki Harbor B^ard.

The Chairman said he bad not yet received an answer.

Mr Findlay said tsomelhing would require to ba done at onca with regard tithe road.

It wae decided to leave tho matter to ths engineer and the membir for the riding to be attended to. Accounts amounting to L 538 14i 8d were passed fcr payment. Mr Barries motion "That all the surfacemen on the county roads receive the same uniform pay, tamely, 6> 63," was discussed, and after a long dißCUssion it was decided to leave matters as they are at present.