TAIERI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4723, 7 April 1877, Page 3

TAIERI COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Taieri County Council was held in the Outram Court House yesterday. Present—Messrs James Pulton (Chairman), Allan, Burns, Charters, H. Driver, Eoberts, Rutherford, Shard, and Sampson! The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. REPORTS. The reports of the Inspector and the Works Committee were adopted. Several bridges were reported to be in a very b;id state. THE TURNPIKES. The following letter from the Hon. D. Reid. Minister of Crown Lands, was received : " Sir—The Council of the Taieri County having resolved to adopt the third schedule of the Act, I have now the honour to inform you that the Government desire, in terms of sections 102 to 119 inclusive of the Public Works Act 187G, to place under the control and management of your Council, the turnpikes now established within the County Jat Green Island and at West Taieri Bridge. I understand that the roads or. which these turnpikes are situate have been declared County roads in terms of the 88th section of the Public Works Act, 1876. Ihe revenue is collected at these turnpikes by persons employed by Government, and the collectors have been informed that their services will be discontinued as trom the 31st inst. I have therefore to request that you will be good enough ts make such arrangements as you may consider necessary for collecting the tolls alter that date. I presume the services of the present collectors will be available should your Council desire to continue them." TENDERS. Mr William Wedderspoon's tender for the erection of the Silver Stream Bridge at L 242 11s was accepted. The other tenders were— Peter Day, L 285 10s ; Buchanan aud Angus, -L 289 17a Id. The tender of Henderson and Fergus for the supply of 4200 yards of road metal at 7s Gd per yard was accepted. On the motion of Mr Charters, it was resolved— ' That the Engineer be instructed to call for tenders for the Mosgiel Bridge near the station." On the motion of Mr Roberts, it was rea?lved~ rhat tenders be called for the purchase of the bridge at the upper crossing at bilver Stream, and that the highest offer be accepted. THE I'ORD AT SILVER STREAM. It. was resolved, on the motion of Mr Burns — I hat the Works Committee be empowered to make arrangements with the proprietors for the purchase of Puch land as will be.required for a ford at Siver Stream. THE EAST TAIERI ROAD BOARD. A deputation from the East Taieri Road Board waited upon the Council for the purpose of getting a vote for the improvement of the Mosgiel Road, which had suffered considerably from the recent floods. On the motion of Mr Drives, it was resolved—"That L2O be voted to the Road Board, and that it be considered part of the allocation of expenditure to the riding." RESSRYES. The Works Committee was instructed to enquire and report upon the reserves of the Council. THE DOC TAX. The Commissioner of Police wrote that the Police were willing to collect the dog tax, as in the past, charging Is out of 10s collected. Ihe! Chairman : The Police did not get the rates for half the dogs in the district. It was resolved—" That tenders be invited for collecting the dog tax, at so much per head. * j ADVERTISING. On the of Mr Driveb, it was resolved— .that the two morning newspapers of Dunedin be invited to tender for advertising for the County Council for one year." TUB TOLLBAHS. _ Some discussion took plaae regarding the desirability of increasing the tollbars, and it was resolved, on the motion of Mr Rutherford— «'Th»t a Committee, consisting of Messrs

Sampson, Roberts, and Burns, be requested to consider the matter of county tolls, and report to the next meeting of the Council."

I'AYMENT OF THE ENGINEER,

The Chairman brought under the notice of the Council the desirability of making payments to the engineer for reports where works are not carried out at all.

On the of Mr Shand, it was resolved—"That the Engineer receive commission on all works executed by the Council."

FREE TASSES ON THE RAILWAY,

On tlie motion of Mr Burns, it was resolved—" That the Chairman be requested to write to the Government asking free passes for the Clerk and the Engineer while on County duty." A KAIKORAI HOAD. Mr Sampson moved—"That a road in the Kaikorai Valley belonging to the Kaikorai Road Board be taken over by this Council." Mr Burns seconded the motion pro forma. _ The Chairman thought it was only a question of time that the Council would be asked to take possession of all the roads in the County. The motion was lost. THE BASKING ACCOUNT. The Manager of ,the Bank of Australasia wrote asking the Council to give reasons far accepting the Hank of New Zealand's tender for the banking account in preference to that of the Bank of Australasia. The Chairman was requested to reply that the matter was decided by the votes of the Council. ACCOUNTS. Several accounts were passed for payment. THE DEEP STREAM. On the motion of Mr Eoberts, it was resolved—" That the Engineer be instructed to make a survey of the Strath Taieri road at the Deep Stream, and to report to the next meeting as to what would be the cost of erecting a bridge over the Stream for foot passengers, cattle, or sheep." STRIKING THE RATE. The motion of Mr Roberts re the striking of the rate was postponed till next meeting, the regular schedule of expenditure required by the"" Act not having been prepared. THE CAVEHSHAir MUNICIPALITY. Mr Rutherford said that the Riding he represented was going in for a Municipality. Caversham would be proclaimed a Municipality on the 28th instant, unless a petition representing a larger number of the inhabitants than these who had desired the municipality was prepared, which would be impossible under the circumstances. He desired the Council to pass the main road in the district over to the control of the Caversham Board, so that the accounts would nob be complicated when they quitted partnership. He had no wish to come out here and interfere with business that did not actually belong to him. After some discussion, it was resolved that the main road at Caversham should be vested in the local Board. RESIGNATION OP A COUNCILLOR. Mr Burns said it would be necessary for him to resign his position as a Councillor, because he was going North for two :>r three months.