WAITAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume X, Issue 4071, 28 March 1888, Page 3

WAITAKI COUNTY COUNCIL.

A meeting of this Council was held to day, when t'ncro wero present—Meesrs Sutherland (Chairman). Borne, Thomson, Shaw, Bail, I-dile, M'Kerrow, Paterson, and Uodtrea.

The minutes of the last meeting were onfirmed m read.

A voucher wns received from the Government for LICB li for rates on Crown lands for the year 1887-88. A forther voucher for L 72 6i 4d was sent, beini,' tho final payment of grant for making ro*da to open up blocks for settlement at Korow.

The fioal payment of LBO 10i Cd on account of srant for roads to open up blocks 2 and 8, Sjuth-east of Kurow River, was aUo receeived.

A memo. wa3 read from the Treasury requesting a statement showing the indebtedness of tho Council up to 31st December last. The Clerk 3tated that a reply had been forwarded, showing the County's indebtedness to be nil. Mr E. R. Ussher, of the Public Works Department, wrote forwarding tracings of new road for which land was required. Regarding tho Council's request for crossing over creek at Island Cliff, tho Department stated that the request could not be complied with. Tbe Clerk stated that the matter had been attended to by the Eeifcineor. Tbe same Department wrote, stating that the Waimate County Council had applied for permission to have the control of the Upper Waitaki Ferry, and to collect from this Council an eqaal share of the cost of maintaining the same. It was proposed by tho Department to agree Vo the application, provided the terms were agreeable to the two Councils. It was decided that the arrangement come to between the Waimate and Waitaki County Councils' delegates be agreed to, and a reply to this effect be forwarded to the writer.

The Under-Secretary cf the Mines Department wrote that, by the direction of the Minister for Mines, all subsidies towards roads and work on goldfielda would be paid on the actual amount of the contracts lot, all coata of day labor and survey expanses to be borne by the County. The letter was received. The Clerk to the Licensing Committees wroteaskingtbatasthe present wa3 the year for taking tho local option poll, the Council would appoint presiding officers to take the vote in the different licensing districts. The writer stated that the poll for Kikanui would bo taken in April, and for Papakaio and Waiareka in Way. Officers were appointed in accordance with the request of the writer. Mr John Macpheraon wrote complaining of the unfair treatment to which his company had been subjected from time_ to time by the Council regarding the clearing of gorao. The writer stated that in certain cases complained cf, thegorse was_growing on the Counc'i's property, and in many others where there was cause of complaint, no order to clear it off had been given. He thought the Council should act without partiality. Mr J. R. Elder also wrote regarding the complaint made again3t him concerning on road lines near his property. The writer stated there mu3t have been some mistake as no gorse had spread from his fences into the road line.

Mr Thomas Stephenson stated that he had let a contract for the clearing of gorse previous to harvest, but had given the contractor the privilege of working |at harvest previous to finishing the work. It was decided to defer consideration of the various letters until next meeting.

The Survey Department wrote as follows :—Please send estimates of sums required for road to open up Crown lands before sale in your county for the year 18S3-89, showing each road on licho. or tracing. The most urgent work should appear first on the list, and others in the order of their importance. Please let this matter have your earliest attention, as I should like your report to reach me before I send mine lo the Surveyor-General. On application any lithos. required for this purpcsß will be sent to you. It was decided that the Council's engineer confer with the Government surveyor regarding the roads to be surveyed, and that the probable coat of the roads should be ascertained; and that in the meantime the Chairman should write informing the Government of what arrangements had been made.

Mr W. Pollock wrote concerning his contract—That he found a great deal of the excavations to be made consisted of rock and not clay, and which it was Impessible to discover at the time of tendering. He aaked that some allowance be made him on this account.

On the motion cf Mr Borrie, the letter was received.

Mr James Gemmell wrote complaining of the extensive spread of broom in the Kakanui river, and asking that the Council take the necessary Bteps to abate the nuisance. Consideration of this letter was also deferred until next meeting, to be considered vrith others bearing on she gorse question. Tenders were dealt with as under :

Contract 347 formation of Boad in sections 65, block 5, and 56, block 9,!Oamaru district, accepted—o. Heron, L29Ss 4d. Contract 348 addition to Burfacemsn's house at Awamoko, accepted—John Moore, Ll9 19563.

Contract 349—Supply of about 500 cubic yards maintenance grave), Waianakarua and Ktka Cre;k. Wo tender accepted. Contract 350-Snpply of about COD cubic yards miintenance gr»vel,on Incholme road. No tender accepted. Contract 351—Supply of about 800 cubic yards maintenance gravel, Peable? and Waikaura Creek—accepted, J, Dalgleiah, L 59 16s.

Contract 352—formation and gravelling of 55 chains of road in block 2, Kurow district—accepted, James M'Cone, LlO9 15s. It was decided that repairs to road between sections 14 and 22, block 3, Kauroo, be attended to. Regarding road formation through Balruddery near Mole Creek, it was decided to call tenders for the work. *

Accounts amounting to L 249 7a 9J were phased for payment. It wa3 resolved to allow Mr Hodgkinson, of Hampden, L 3 for damage done to hie property in forming roadliue. The Eogineer reported aa follows : .According to instructions received in November last, I have taken section of lagoon on read between sections 23-26, block JX., Oam-.rn, with a view to draining it. I would recommend that tenders b» called for the work. Ab the New Zealand and Australian Land Company are to pay half cost of the work, before doing anything In the matter it would be advisable to arrange that the Council should not be held liable for any damage thst might he eaußed by the choking of the drain during flood. The planking of the Awamoa bridge on the beach road to Kakannl ia now too weak for ths heavy lrads crossing it. I would recommend that 3in blnegam planking be laid on top of the present planking The bridge should be painted. To open for traffic the road along the railway fcom Island Cliff Station southward as far as the boundary between allotments 1 and 2 of Mr Menlove's subdivision of section 37, block 1, Maerewhenua, a pitohed crossing and slight formation are necessary at tbe creek near boundary between allotments 1 and 2, .

I wonld recommend that iron bridge across the Island Stream on Incholme Koad be painted and also the handrails of three small wooden bridges near it on the same road. The Council decided to call for tenders for the draining of the lagoon, In terms of the recommendation made by the Engineer. Tenders were also ordered to be called for planking the Awamoa Bridge. ' The recommendation to paint iron

bridge over Inland Stream was allowed to j stand over.

Mr Isdale brouuht up the question of increasing the number of members of the Council. He said at present the rn -' or of members was limited by Act of Parliameat to nine, and he thought that the number might with advantage be increased to thirteen, and he moved that a committee be appointed to draw up a circular, requesting the co-operation of other Councils with a view to petitioning Parliament with reference to the matter. Mr Isdale pointed out that, as at present constituted, the ridings were much, too large fur one man to attend to, and as the additional cost of increasing the number of members' to 13 would only be the actual travelling expenses, he had no doubt but that the ratepayers would agree to the change. The motion was seconded by Mr Borrie and carried. It was agreed to call for tenders for gravelling Size's road, near Hampden, and to connect the same with the main road. Mr Hall asked that two culverts be put down on Nicholls' road. Tbe matter was left to the Engineer to report. This completed the business before the meeting.