Waimate County Council

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXVII, Issue 8491, 26 May 1904, Page 4

Waimate County Council

|. On Wednesday last the regular meeting of- the above Conned was held. JCfiere were present: Messrs Rhodes (chair),-Lyall, Breen, Studholme, Hardie, and Walker. Apology for absence was received from Mr Morris. ' - - - •_ ; " . The Engineer's report was read, as'follows : "Waihao Riding.—Contract 479, Redcliff back road: This contract is duly finished, and taken off the contractors hands,' Waihadrunga back road, contract 481, started on the 3rd instant, and is making good progress; the earthworks are finished and the metalling well forward. Contract 486, Morven roads, Government.'— About 1290 of a total quantity of 1741 cubic yards carted, and with fine weather the balance of the work should be done in less than three weeks. There have been seven men and four donble teams employed for the month on the undertaking. The failnre of the metal supply in the lower reach of the Waihao River bed will necessitate the balance being taken through Messrs Bruce Boos/ land, and an authority will have to be obtained through the Commissioner ; of Lands to enter the section for access to the river. Contract 489, M'Culloch's road, metalling, not yet started, the contractor being still engaged on other county work I with his whole staff. Materials for com- [ mencing Quamby stock bridge are being got ready and the work will be started soon, j I would draw the Council's attention to the ; choking of Whitney's Creek, east of the Ferry road, with water cress and other weeds, damming the water at the fordway of the public road. The Government conditions of lease require the tenants to keep the channels clean for the proper discharge of the drainage, and I would suggest that the Land Board be requested to see that attention is given to the matter before it assumes serious proportions. My attention has been called to the disconnected piece of the Waihaorunga road on the boundary of section 20073, block Vil., Elephant Hill S.D. A short length of seven chains would connect through this section with the main Takitn system, and would be a great convenience to residents in Takitu block wishing to Teach Redcliff. It might be well to acquire this connection, which would shorten the road to Redcliff by several miles, and obviate long steep gradients of the only alternate route now open. "Hakataramea Riding.—The labor of the surfacemen has been chiefly on the main Haka Valley and Meyer's Pass Yallfey lengths during the month; both these lines are now in good repair. Contract for additions and repairs to the roadman's cottage on the public road reserve has been satis-1 factorily finished, and much appreciated by 1 the roadman and his wife. I have made a small addition to the original contract, papering the ceiling of one room and renewing the zinc flushing about the chimnry shaft." The report was adopted as Tead. Mr O'Brien's application for formation of Cardiff street, Fisherton, Waimate, to be held over to next meeting. Resolved that the Commissioners of Crown Lands be asked for leave to cart gravel from Waihao River bed through Messrs Bruce Bros.' land near Morven for road-metalling. It was decided to call the attention of the Land Board to the state of Whitney's i Creek at the crossing of the Ferry road, j Waihao, so that the creek may be cleared of weeds by the Crown tenants on adjoin- j ing land. It was resolved that seven chain lengths of the road connecting the Waihaorunga road with the Takitu road system be formed and proper steps taken to acquire the requisite land for the purpose. After some discussion on the proposal to acquire land for the formation of a connecting road from the Mount Harris road to the Waihao Downs-Redcliff road it was decided to drop this proposal for the present, and apply for a Government grant in aid of necessary repairs to the Pike's Point road through part of the Waikakahi Settlement.

It was resolved that the erection of a bridge over the Hakataramea be held over. Sir W. J. Steward asked for list of works for which Government aid would be required.—To be replied to concerning Hakataramea Riding as follows :—Acquiring and forming roadway main Haka Valley roads on north and south sides of Hakataramea River, £25. Mr M. Bruce, Morven, wrote stating that the shingle taken from the river bed for road repairs contained a large quantity of noxious weeds, and that he will not be responsible for clearing the road by his property should the noxious weeds gated from such shingle. Mr Wain, of Haka Valley, wrote stating that there was a great spread of worm wood on the roadline near his place, and he hoped something may be done to check the spread of this weed. The Lands and Snrvey Department gave authority to form the road giving access to sections 32300-1, Hentings 0.D., Hakataramea. The Council expressed regret that it could not entertain the proposal to do this work. The South Canterbury Education Board wrote thanking the Council for the gift of material used in the erection of the bridge at Waikakahi School, and for the Engineer's services at this work. The clerk wrote that the ratepayers' meeting had approved of closing of half the width of the two-chain road at Elephant Hill.

The closing of road was authorised by the Council.

The rangers reported on the trespass of cattle on roads during the month. Mr P. Good asked for an obstruction to be removed from the road at Copeland s paddock.—Engineer to report. The applications of Messrs J. F. Douglas (Waihao Downs), J. Meehan( Morven), W. Ford (Glenavy), Cameron Bros, and D. A. Buckingham (Waimate) for slaughter licenses were granted. The Road and Railway Bridges Commission gave notice that the 26th May had been appointed the time and the Waimate Courthouse the place for inquiry in respect to the Upper Waitaki bridge and the Waitaki and Makikihi bridges on the HurunuiWaitaki line of railway, and asking the Council to adduce before the Commission evidence. The amount of the claim by railway from the Council is £l5B. The Council decided not to attend the inquiry. Mr John Humphries asked to have the culvert opposite Mr D. Wallace's cleared out, as it is now blocked up.—Engineer to attend to the matter.

Mr R. Meredith asked that repairs be made to road from Waihaorunga homestead to his place.—Engineer to report. Mr E. Meredith reported a trap accident on the 22nd instant, whereby injury was caused to Mrs Meredith, and stating that he would claim compensation for loss,*as the damage was caused by the neglected state of the road at Waihaorunga where the accident happened. It was resolved that legal opinion be obtained as to driving charges liable to be paid to release cattle taken for impounding under certain circumstances.

The sanitary inspector reported that the premises occupied by Mr P. Good (Waimate) were in a satisfactory sanitary condition.

Mr Mathias asked access to a spring near his property at Waihaorunga. —Granted. Regarding Mr. Quinn's request for access to land through Mr M'Lean's land it was decided that no charge be made for costs against Mr Quinn. In reply to Sir W. J. Steward the County Engineer was allowed to supervise the expenditure of the balance of £24 of the Government grant for drainage at Kapua. It was -resolved that Mr J. Hunter's application for clearing the water course at Glenaw be seen to by the Engineer. Mr J. Morris' wrote tendering his resignation of seat on the Council, on account of his poor state of health, ,the result of a recent accident. Mr Morris*. resignation was accepted; the chairman and-each member present expressing regTet at the necessity for it and of his services as "councillor since his election. : Mr J. White's application for road ret pairs to Mount Harris road was held over for further consideration. A letter, signed, by; Mx Thomas Ificol and fourteen other residents' of Morven was received, asking " for' improvement to footpaths and drainage. in'Morven township.— Engineer to ; Some com plain ts'frbm'Glenayy as to .the water races ; were to s^B^en. tt - Accounts amounting!to,£l766 1m were Pa |rwsi 0r that 'the surfacemen's weekly and any" councillor who may require itj:-and that the..Engineer draflj •>-schedule on the'surfaceinen a week s .work on one sheet ,o? .papery. . _ , ; . At a: sitting , the .Connoil,appointed Jiesms^ J. CiWPpenvMorven),' "Somas ( 3FLeay, iMprven) A .and ; .Brian,

Fahy (Glenavy) to hcve the management on behalf of the Council of "the races supplying the Lower Waihao 'water sapply district, the' appointment -to :be confinned at a meeting to be held on June 29th. . ■■■ " ] :,;vA