TAIERI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 8074, 9 January 1888, Page 4

TAIERI COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of the Taieri Council was held at Mosgiel on Friday. There were present: Messrs John Roberts (chairmau), Grant, Snow, Graham, Thomson, Andrew, and J. Smith. KSOINEEIi's IIKI'OIIT. The Engineer reported that the tenders received for the formation of the road past Smellie's ironworks ranged from £8 15s to £3165; P. Waugh's tender, being the lowest, had been accepted. The sum of £397 Os ld was now duo thecounty irom deferred-payment revenue. He had forwarded plans to the Land Boardshowing the localities and the roads on which the money was lo be expended. Tenders had been invited for the supply of -100 yds gravel for the Taieri Ceutre road, near Meadowbank. The report was adopted. INSPECTOR'S JIKPOIiT. The Inspector reported haviug examined a number of roads. Ho made the following recommendations:— "Road from Meadowbank towards Bald Hill, distance about 80 chains : Tho present track would be cut off in several places with the fencing of the proper line, necessitating the construction of a few small culverts and three chains of formation. Road from Kaikorai Valley, past Townley's, to Halfway Bush: Twenty-two chains of this road would be impassable during winter. Tho sum of £34 should be expended in formation and metalling. Road near Abbotsford railway station: Five ] and a-half chaius were impassable during wet ' weather. Ho recommended that formation and ! metalling to the amount of £16 be carried out. 1 Road from Post Oflico creek to Robinson's i station: Nino chains of side cutting were re- | quired ; cost, about £27. He called attention 1 to the dilapidated state of the culvert on tha i Brighton road near Paterson's. Ho recom- ( mended thafc 40yds of metal bo procured to I repair the road to the Otakia railway station. £ The worst portions of the Henley-Berwick road t would have to be formed beforo the summer was t over. The formation of Melrose street, Berwick, t was completed, and would require gravelling; t cost, about £6. He recommended thafc tenders be t called for cutting timothy grass on certain roads t iv Berwick. He also suggested that tenders be c called for the formation of Heeuau's road, t Maungatua. An extra surfaceman was required P for the Otokia riding. s It was resolved to. call tenders for tho work p on Townley's road, Post Office Creek road, d the culvert on the Brighton road, for gravel- fe ling Melrose street, cutting timothy iv Bert: wick, and for Hecuan's road. Tho engineer v stated thab the Bald Hill road would be provided f for out of deferred-payment revenue It was ft resolved that the surfaceman do the work near a tho Abbotsford station and the Otakia station, o Mr Hay was instructed to report generally b on tho Henley-Berwick road; and that an extra I surfaceman be put on in Otakia riding for ono c mouth, h

THB LATE CtEEif. 1 , The Chairman said they were no doubt all • swaro of the death of Mr Douglas their late clork. • iwo meetings past they saw that thero was a , very serious change in him, and it would not be , a matter of great surprise to them to hear that ho had passed away. He was sure he wa3 expressing the opinion of the couucil in saying that all profoundly regretted his somewhat early death. He was their first clerk, aud hud always performed his duties in a very conscientious, honest, nnd straightforward way, lie moved that the following minute be entered in fche books:—"That this council desires to piaoe on record the loss it has sustained in tba death of Mr J. T, Douglas, who has r ,ctsd in the capacity of cleric_ since the institution of the counties. He was, m the performance of his duties, over mindful or the interests of tbe council. Tho loss otjns ittithtul services will be im:ch felt." Or on-ow seconded the motion, which was earned uuummoui-lv. It was resolved that the nintter of the anpouuroent of a successor to JL- Douglas be considered at next meeting. jSEASIDE 110 AD HOARD. The resolution regarding the merging of tbe Seaside Road Board was confirmed. The ex-Chuirman of t\x '.joard wrote stating that there was a small credit balauce in hand sufficient to Meet ali liabilities. _ T'ae faot that a proper statement of accounts bad not yet been sent iv to tho council was com. mcutca upon. THE DIiAINAGE SCHEME, The following petition ta tio council was read:—-"We, the undersigned ratepayers, re,U JJ, ? Potest against beiug rated for the \\ est rai?ri drainage scheme unless we derive some benefit from its operations. Wo object on tho following grounds, viz.:—lst. The scheme proposed when the votu of the ratepayers was taken for borrowing money to execute the worlts has hot been carried out iv any sense, but has been altered to suit the opinions of a few individuals. 2nd. We aro not deriving any benefit from the drainage works as they have been carried out. 3rd. We believe that we were misled purposely into voting for borrowing the money for carrying out the drainage by interested individuals, who knew they had influence to alter the schemo as r.oon as money was obtained for carrying out the same. Under the circumstances, we consider it unfair that we should be rated for the payment of money spent ' altogether for the benefit of others, aud from ; which we aro deriving no benefit whatever. : Hoping your couucil will either enablo us to i share in the benefit to be derived from the -, drainage or free us from ths rates,—We have, &c, David Gha*>;t, Andrew Jen-sex, Pster r Traill, Jo*>,is Bathgate."

The Cimirmas took exception to tho disrespectful tone of tho communication and the inuendo which it contained. He stated that the council had been perfectly impartial in the matter. _ He thought the petition miut have been written without due consideration.

Iv answer to a question by Cr Snow, The Engineer said it was not his intention to complete the drain through Bruce's afc present. Tho whole question was the removal of the Outram water from its present course into another course. That would probably involve the council in a lawsuit, and he was not prepared to do it unless he received instructions to do so. There was no doubfc that the best way was through Mr Bruce's land, but he now raised objection to that. The scheme had been carried out as laid down ou the plan. After some further remarks, Cr Thomson said he thought tho communication should be put aside as disrespectful to the council.

Tho CniiniiAS: It is a document, which, if it had been submitted the day before, I would not have received.

Cr S.s-ow apologised for the tone of the letter. He said it had beeu written in a hurry. The council, he thought, might let tho matter stand over. He was sure ifc was nofc intended to insult anyone. It was resolved ihat the conncil visit the ground, and that the petition be returned to the petitioners. . DOCI REGISTRATION. I It was resolved that tho dog registration fee be fixed afc 10s for the first dog registered, and 2s for evory dog after that. S.VALb EI,i)D TEST. It was resolved on tho motion of Cr Snow that a bonus of 2d per dozen bo given for small birds' eggs, aud (Jd per dozen for heads. COHRKSrON-DENCE. A letter from Charles Sonntag regarding his claim npon tho county through the late Kaikorai Road Board was taken as read, and allowed to lie ou the table. A number of settlers at Burnsido petitioned the council to repair Princes street.—Referred to tho inspector for report. The petition from settlers in the East Taieri riding was considered, and it was resolved that the engineer be instructed to call tenders for the removal of the bridge over the Silverstream on the Riccarton road. A petition was received from a number of settlers at Kuri Rush asking for a deviation of road through tbe Native reserve to tho Taieri Mouth punt. P. Leitch wrote opposing the petition.—The matter was referred to the engineer for reporfc.

The Under-secretary wrote stating that the Green Island recreation ground had been formally reserved, and the Taieri County Council in conjunction with the Green Islaud Borough Council appointed a Domain Board.— Received.

A letter was received from tho Board of Advice in connection with the Labour Exchange at the Immigration Office, Dunedin, pointing out its usefulness as a medium between employers of labour and the working classes iv the Provincial District of Otago aud Southland.— Received,

Johu Sidey, Corstorphine, wrote asking whether sections 5 and 0 of " The Impounding Act 1884 " are in force in the Taieri couuty; and if so, to iuform him of the date of the proclamation bringing the couuty under the operation of these sections.—A reply in the negative to be sent.

H. J. Ainger, manager New Zealand Trust and I Loan Company, wroto as follows:—"As the i land iv the Taieri is now mostly drained on the i block system, each having its water carried • direct to the river, I hereby apply to havo the ! culvert closed thafc crosses tho Berwick road, i about three-quarters of a mile from the Henley i railway station. This culvert briugs a cousider- • able body of water on to the land held by this company, which, if the culvert wero closed, , would go direct to the river in the drain alreadycut, without lloodiug auy land or causing delay - in getting rid of tho water on the land above," • Referred to tbe engineer. 1 James Allan, Hopehill, wrote statiug that the farmers in that locality wore doing all they could ; to prevent the spread of the Canadian thistle. He called attention to the spread of this thistle on some parts of the county roads, especially on .. the Greytowii:Outram road, A draft of bill dealing with tho Californian thistle nuisance was received from the Colonial Secretary's (. office, Wellington.—-The inspector was instructed to act. Aletlerwas received from the Henley River • Board requesting tho council to raise the river embankment between the Henley bridge and the Berwick road to its origin.d level, as it has been considerably lowered by county contractors carting gravel over same in wet weather.—Re- , ferred to the engineer. Tbe Henley Kiver Board also wrote asking permission to open a quarry on the main road ■ near Henley.—Referred to the inspector. A letter was read from tho Treasury, Wellington, intimating that it was the intention to • discontinue payments under " Tho Crown and Native Lands Rating Act 18S2."—Received. The Outram Road Board wrote informing the couucil that Mr John Reid and Son had been instructed to survey and prepare plans of proposed roads in section 2 irregular block, West Taieri, and through section 38 irregular block, ' Maungatua; and intimated that the road board expected the county to pay for survey, plan and conveyance of proposed road across tho end of sectiou 3S, it being out oi the road board dis- I , trict.—-Ifc was resolved to agree to the proposal. ' GEWiHAL. It was resolved that a special meetiug of the council be held on Wednesday to consider the advisability of passing a special order for tho regulation of wheel traffic; tho appointment of a clerk and other matters. William Overlou was appointed toll-keeper at Hunly iv place of Mr A. M'Kegg, who wished to be relieved of the position. The teuder of James Spenco for tho supply of 400 yds of gravel for the Centre road was accepted afc ls 2d per yard.