Waimate County Council.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXV, Issue 10012, 1 December 1908, Page 4

Waimate County Council.

(From Our Own Correspondent.)

The monthly meeting of the above Council was held yesterday, when there were present—-Messrs Rhodes (chair), Lyall, YValker, Bitchener, Elworthy, Dohrman, White Hart, and Milne. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The new Councillors then made the usual declaration and' were welcomed by the Chairman. The Engineer reported on southern nomas as follows : Waihao Biding.—Contract .No. boo, Waihaorunga roads (metalling) : The contractor, who has other works at present on his' hands, hopes to be able to start tilt' contract during the current week. Contract No. 666, Carroll's road (metalling) was well advanced when last inspected, and should be completed by this date. • Your Committee inspected the proposal for opening up the Blackspur track, connecting the upper and lower Pentland Hiils road. This survey in some respects is very defective, and would need amending, to which Mr C. Studholme would consent, on terms of exchange of hinds; and it is estimated that a sum of £175 would be required to open a 13ft. road suitable to the requirements of a Uuht class of wheel traffic, lhe gradients in places are excessively steep and would almost preclude its use for heavy haulage, at iinv rate from the lower to the higher level.' The deviations of the terminal sections of the new Shearer's Hill road have been located and pegged, and the Committee hope during the afternoon sitting _ to make a definite recommendation dealing with the subject. Contract No. 668, Morven township roads, Government grant (forming and metalling) is drawing towards completion. All the met:il is laid and stonc-Lireakimr is making good progress. The contract staff for the month was four horse teams and twelve men. The fulfilment of this contract comoletes the making of the township roads, and the Government Railway Department have agreed to open the railway crossing at Johnston street so soon as the amount estimated to do so is paid over by the Council. Contract No. 669, Brown's road. Government grant (metalling) : This contract which employed a staff of four teams and drivers and ten men filling, spreading, and breaking, is all but completed, and it is hoped the experiment of covering the loose, round metal of the lower coat witli softer gravel from the terrace quarry may make a more permanent bond less liable to the disintegrating influences of dry weather than is usually the ease with this class of gravel. TaUil.ii road—Contract No. 672, Government grant (metalling) : This work is now in course of execution, the contractor having a stall' of two teams and eight men employed on it. Under favorable conditions the contract should be finished about the middle of December. "Hakataramea Riding.—The surfaceman's time this month has been fairly evenly divided over the various roads of the riding, "and a traction engine was hired for a s.iort time rolling in new metal on the Station road, which traffic had failed to compact, although laid down some two years ago! In common with other parts of the county the roads have broken up a good ded of late owing to the continuous dry weather and high winds.

"General. —Labor is employed building baulks in the Waihao river bed to avert threatened l diversions of its course to the detriment of the bridges on the Main South road crossings. These will probably be finished before the end of the month. Guard fences have been erected at both approaches of the Waihao bridge over the north branch of the river, and should serve the double purpose of protection to the travelling public and facilitate the crossing of stock over the bridge. Contract No. 674, Hakataramea bridge lhatcheries crossing), Government grant : A contract was prepared and submitted and approved bv the Department of Roads and tenders for the work closed on the 28th, which you will be asked to deal with at the present sitting. Complaints are made of the general practice of depositing and burning hedge trimmings on the formed roadside widths in con-.ravention of section 149 of the PublicWorks Act, 1905. For months at a- time, before and after burning, useful side widths are littered over and closed in this way. and it would be well if this were discouraged' as far as may be, and the rubbish deposited and burned on the owner's land where no public inconvenience would be occasioned. Gorse : Notice under section 147 of the Public Works Act. 1905. is required as follows : T. Nicolls. parts sections 12340. 9635, block XVI, Otaio S.D. In the following case the order made has not been comnlied with, nor would there appear to be any intention on the part of the owner to do so: A. M'Clintock. RS 15826. 18906. block XL. Otaio S.D." ft was.decided to place Mr Hart's application on the estimates and to fence off the road in the meantime, at it was dangerousMr Bitchener and the Engineer were appointed to see that a part of the main road near Dempsey's was attended to. The matter of tne many short turns in the Gorge was discussed, and a committee, consisting of the Waihao and Dee]) Creek .members was-appointed to inspect and- report. Mrs Turnbull wrote compaining of stray stock on roads near her property. —The ranger to be informed. Mr Thos. Bean and others asked that the bridge over drain on the beach road be re-erected. —To be attended to. Mr J. A. Sutton wrote urging that astock bridge be erected at Deep Creek, and that road repairs were necessary.— It was resolved : "That the Engineer be instructed to give attention to the road repairs referred to by Mr Sutton, and that lie furnish a report of the cost of the stock bridge alluded to over Deep Creek."

It was agreed that the Engineer prepare estimates for a deviation and opening HD -the Black Spur road asked for by the Waihaorunga settlers. Mr' James Sinclair sent in a tender for erecting bridge at salmon hatcheries, Hakataramea. " The tender (£1029 : Ys sd> was slightly lower than the Engineer's estimate, and it was agreed that the work' be proceeded with. It was resolved that tenders be- invited for next Council meeting for repairs to Rattray's and Hardie and M'Goverin's to d'Auvergne's road, provided for in the current year's allocations.

Mr J. Hicks reported releasing or im"ounding during the month 76 head in Deep Creek, 85 in Makikihi, and 179 in Waihao. —Mr Campbell, St. Andrews, reported having dealt with 39 bead for the Kline period. Accounts amounting to £2271 14s 7d weiv passed for payment.

ANNUAL: MEETING. Al the conclusion of the ordinary business the annual meeting was proceeded with. On the motion of Messrs Milne and. Walker, Mr R. H. Rhbo.es was re-elected' chairman of the Council. Mr J. Bitchener was elected to represent the Council -on' the Timaru HighSchool Board'in place of Mr Orbell, the members being oi the opinion that the. county should be represented by one of the members. Messrs Lyall and Hart were nominated for seats on the South Canterbury Hospital and Charitable' Aid Board.

Messrs Walker, Bitchener, Elworthy, Milne, Dohrman,.White, and Hart were nominated for five seats on Vyaimate Hospital Board. A ballot was taken and resulted as follows: White 9, Bitchener 9, Dohrman 9. Hart 6, Milne 6.' Walker 4, Elworthy 1. The first five mentioned were duly elected. It was decided to hold the next meeting on 22nd December.