WAIMATE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10572, 29 September 1910, Page 2

WAIMATE COUNTY COUNCIL.

(From Our Own Correspondent.) The monthly meeting of the above was held on Wednesday at 10 a.m. Present: Mr R. EL Rhodes (chair) and Messrs Lyall, Walker, Bitehener, Elworthy, Dohrmann, White, Hart, and Milne. The Chairman's statement showed that the overdraft was £7710 and accounts to be presented for payment amounted to £1096-. As this was the end of the half-year, the rates would cninr> in during October, and the Indebtedness to the Bank would soon be wiped out. The statement referred to several points that would arise out of the correspondence, and suggested that provision should be made for dealing with the cocksfoot on roads this year. Last year's sale of the right to cut this grass realised £55, and this amount might be increased by carefully dividing the country into smaller districts. The small owls ordered had not come to hand and the delay might result in considerably difficulty should the birds now come, in consequence of the regulation governing the importation of owls. Judgment had not been given by the Supreme Court in the Council's case with Mr Harrison. When

it came to hand no time would be lost in publishing it. - Complimentary reference was made in the statement to the very efficient manner in which the officer uf Llie Health Department carried cut his duties in connection with inspections and attention to infectious diseases. The Kngineer's report was taken and dealt with at length. The following refers to the middle and southern portions of the county: Deep Creek Riding.—Your Committee's report will be read dealing with applications for works presented at lastsitting, and amended estimates of their recommendations are prepared for your information. Contract No. 718, Res. 11l roads (formation and metalling) is satisfactorily finished and taken over. Contract No. 72], Gretna Green, (fencing), is also completed and will he taken over at the conclusion of the maintenance term. The Council's teams have done the following works in this riding:—Waimiite South Road, side width formation and metalling repairs: Studholrne Junction Roads. metalling repairs; Williams' Road, metalling repairs, and are on similar work between Fletcher's and Willow bridge schcolhouse at the present time The terrace cutting to the C.F.C.A.'s property beyond the Hospital would require some boulder and netting protection from the scour af the Waimate River in flood time. The ce.it cf this work is estimated at from £ —. Waihao Rklinsr. —Contract No. 714 a, Redcliif Rack Road, and Contract No. 715 a. Takitu Road, metalling (Government grant) are approaching completion and will be taken over this week. On the latter two stone-breakers were engaged for a few days since last sitting. Contract No. 719, Waihao Downs Roads, formation and metalling, is making good progress and should be out of hand in about a week. The failure of a concrete culvert on Takitu Road will necessitate its partial reconstruction at considerable expense. and a similar trouble on Mount Harris Road, although of a less costly nature, will also require early attention. Labor is employed making repairs required on Table Top Road, applied for during the winter by MTvenzie Bros. This work is chargeable to accrued -'thirds" account, and consists of metalling and new formation, as well as some repairs to old work. The application of Mr P. J. Wain for further improvement of the access to his run was duly examined and an estimate is given of the cost of doing the work. An estimate of the waterrace bridge required at Redcliff was sent to the Waihao Water Race Committee as directed by the Council. With the Council's approval, tenders could lie closed for the next meeting for necessary metalling repairs, etc., Stony Creek road, held over from the Council's meetin<i in June last. Hakataramea Hiding.—Metalling repairs have recently been made to the roads about the Hakataramea township and a report will be made next month on the cost of improvinir the north aproaeh to the Waitaki bridge by way ..f extending the embankment and reducing the gradient, which at present is unnecessarily steei> and inconvenient io "onoral traiiic. An intimation has been received from the Public Works Department that they will vote a sum from the unexpended balance of the Hatcheries bridge grant to furnish a guard rail on each side of the platform, if plans and estimates are submitted for approval. With the Council's sanction, this will be sent forward and the work undertaken when the money is made available. General. —The public pound at St. Andrew's is falling into disrepair and it is suggested to treat it in a similar manner to that recommended at Hakataramea. viz.. to dismantle half the yards and use the best timbers for refitting the remainder. Necessary 7'esurfacing repairs have been made between M-NamaraV. corner and the Waihao bridge on the Main South Road, and it is recommended that two contracts be prepared for metal supplies necessary for similar work between Wainono and Makikihi, and Makikihi and Rareora River, provisions for which are made in the current year's alocatious.

Accounts amounting to .£IO9O were passed for payment, tho press being asked to note'that the amount of £.j9 lis -Id presented by the Waihao Water Race Committee included £24 for "supervision." The balance-sheet for the year ended 31st March. 1910, was received from the Audit Office with the usual red tape quibbles called 'taps." peculiar to the New Zealand Government official. The Treasurer, at the request of the Chairman, explained and justified the form in which the items ''disallowed" were stated, and the balance-sheet with the Treasurer's explanation was adopted

and settled. The New Zealand Railways wrote that to alter the approach making the ~\lakikilii bridge available for motor cycles would cost £4 10s. —Resolved to pay the cost as asked.

.T. Stack. Otaio, was granted an ex tension of time for clearing gorse.

The Waimato Borough Council wrote declining to bear share of cost of bridge on the Gorge road. —Received. Resolved to support Dr. Findlay's Bylaws Bill, the Clerk to write the Hon. Buxton and Sir W. J. Steward, M.IVs, asking their assistance. The Public Works Department asked if the Council intended to use the balance of Government grants for the Haka and Pareora roads. —To be informed that the balance would be used on the Hakataramea road, but that the Council had no funds available for Jcffcoatc's road at present, but hoped to have the Government grant reinstated next year. A Gazette notice covering the. new motor regulations was received. —The Clerk to write asking what numbers arc allotted to the Waimate County. The Levels County Council notified acceptance of shingling tenders on boundary road.

W. M. Hamilton was granted permission to erect telephone lino on Timaru road.

S. M'Cully asked information re procedure in road deviations. —To be informed that the Council has no scheduled procedure. Sir W. J. Steward wrote re amendments to the Public Works Act. —Received, and thanks to be accorded to Sir William.

Barclay Bros, and 41 others asked that motor traffic bo stopped on Haka Gorge road. —-Councillors sympathised with the petitioners, and tho Clerk was instructed to draft a by-law prohibiting motor traffic on this portion of road. Resolved to ask the Government to allow tho balance of Haka bridge grant to be expended on improvements to the road approaches. The tender of Colville and Preslands at £l2 I.os each for the erection of three travelling sleeping huts was accepted, and the Engineer was authorised to expend np to £ls on alterations to ! a large hut to be used as a gallev. R, White's tender at £46 2s 3d for rVJotuknikc road metalling was accepted.

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