CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10761, 27 March 1897, Page 7

CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the above council n was held at Clinton yesterday aebsrnooa. il There were present—Crs Robertson (chair), ;) Hay, M'Lachliu, Wallace, Mitchell, M'Neil, r Johustou, Bfadfiislil, aud Camming. I. H. Morico wrote asking for a return of all g unclaimed land within the county for inJorma- ' tion of Public Trustee.—Clerk to supply asces- | sary particulars. ,j The Secretary Benevolent Institution wrote declining to increase aid to a widow in Clinton . and declining to pay niedica.l charges made in couuectiou with the family.—Received j The Charitable Aid feoard forwarded a list of pewono in receipt of aid within the county. ' It was resolved that one case be increar.ed from ' £ 7s 6(i to 9< a wtek, and that three bs increased i 1 from 7ti 6d, 6-;, and 8s a. week to 10s a week i Cr Sl'Lachcan said it was little use inskinir ' auy racouiineud*tioa, for no notice was ever ' 1 taken of them. ] T. K. Harty, on behalf of the New Zealand i Co-operative and Agency Company, wrote asking that permission be given settlers at Inchclutha to carry their milk across punt f re « of charge.—Received. W. Forsyth, Owaka, wrofcd nuking an application for pirmission to erect fcwo swing gates on the roadiins.—Granted, provided Mr Forsjth erects a fence bn one side of road, and that the gates are erected in terras oE the Public Work* Act. J. Goldsbery, Gienom&ru',' wrota drawing attention to the state of the roadline running through Mr Forsyte's property, and asking the council to requ.-afc Mr Forsyth to fenca one side of the roadline—Received. Robert H»rdie, Waiwara Fart,-wrote complaining of the foul state of tho ditch running pacalkl with his property.—Referred to the engineer. Angus Coueton, Toiro, wrote aikias that some repairs be effected on ths old Like ro*d on the north side ot Wairuna. Creek. Letter received. James Allen, KaUnui, wrote stating that he was not able to do two miles of roadline fencing at present and asking for a period of two years in which to fence it, and asking that gates he allowed to remain in the meantime.— Permission to be givan- to erect gates, provided the terms of the Public Works Act are complied with. John Campbell, Owaka, wrote asking the council to cause removal of gite on roadline on sections 3 and 8, block V, Glenomarn.— Received. Audrew Melville and five others, Port Molyneux, wrota asking .that. provision be made for milk c»rts crossing the Koua punt free of charge, and tint the bonus at present allowed the pui;tman be continued.— Received James YVybar. Woodland, wrote applying for a slaughtering license.—Granted. A. Barton, Under - s-cretavy, Wellington, wrote stating that farther authority for £150 had beea obtained for Kelso bridge — Received. s THE LICENSING ELECTIONS. The Department of Juf.tioe'"wrote in reference to the council's refu*ivl to take control of the licensing elections; and pointing oat that tho council was bound to accept same, and were entitled to recover the share of expenses incurred from other local bodies. The OiiAiiaiAN- said it appeased tha'refcurning ■ ffice.r took his instructions from the Colonial Secretary instead of from the council. He ignored the council altogether. The chairman proceeded to quote from the. act, showing that it was the local authority that had to make all the necessary arrangements. The returning officer had taken all that upon himself, and hid not consulted the council at all., At this stage a letter was read from Mr Grigor, the returning officer, 'enclosing particulars regarding the licensing election, as well ao the ncsjuats in counsetion therewith, and stating th»t ho did not anticipate that the cofit would ba more thin £<jO. Objection having been taken to the advertisements being inserted in the Gore papers, Cr Cumjiikg said it was necessary to send the advertisements to the Gore papers in order to give publicity in the southern portion of the district. The Chairman said it was absurd to suppose that the advertisements had to be inserted in all the papers circulating in the district. Cr-M'Nkil said the returning officer had not had the time to consul tthe council before taking steps for the election. It was the unfortunate date sfc which the meetings wera held that prevented proper arrangements being made with ths returning officer. Cr Hay said they would have to pay, and the sooner tHtty did it the better, and he moved that the account bs paid. The Chaiksian said they had no money to pay it. They had first to collect from tha other local bodies. -, . Cr Wallace thougkfc it j was very funny for fche council to quietly pay the account after saying they would have nothing to do with it. Cr Bkadfield seconded Cc Hay's motion. Cr M'Neil said it waa fooliah to carp over the thing, knowing all ths while they would have to pay.

f Cc Wallace moved that the-account be l returned and that the clerk ast the returning - officer by whose authority and under what ae<f--1 tion of the act he incurred the ex-j2nso3. - Seconded by Cr M'Lachlan. Cr Comminq thought mvharm could be'done by letting the thing sUnd over for a month Eventually Cr Hat withdrew his motion, and > Or Wallace's was put and carried. ! _ PLACE OF MEETING. i A petition was received from & ratepayer in i th 3 Richardson Riding objecting to the erection of county buildings at Clinton, asd asking that the county meeting* be held in Bulclutha I The Chaiihian aaid the matter rested with , tee council, and if Cc JokNSTOK wished to go back to Balclutha he h»d the matter/in his own i hands. ■ ' Cr Oujiing moved that the matter stand over ■ for a montb, and by that time there might be i a counter petitiou in. Cr Wallace said lit was like most petitions ■ a good canvasser would get names fco aov uetition. r The Chairman said the matter was entirely in Cr Johnston's hinds ; he held ths key of the position. Cr Johnston said not a third of She ratepayers in tha riding had signed tha petitiou. Cr Hay said ib was entirely a matter for Cr Johnston to consider. Consideration wis deferred till nezt meeting. BOADS AND WOItKS. The engineer's monthly report was rej>d and adopted. It enumerated the works on hand and tho progress mads during the moaeh. The late heavy rains hr.d done considerable damii-a to several roads in the Catlins district H*r recommended that the culvert at Laugster's be lowered and two others at Wairacs. renewed. He also lesommeaded that tho offer of the Olydorale Compauy to fence nasr Pom»hska Downs, CJydevala road, at 7s 6d per ohaiu be accepted. Tenders were accepted as follow* :—Puntman South Molj-nsux punt, Wra. Thomson 10s J per mouth *nd fees (milk cirtu to ba crossed free) ; contract No. 730, Georg« Cannin»h'am 5* 9d per chkiu; No. 729, John Christie" £54 12«; No. 725, li. J. Alliaou, £19 lOi 10d • Waipahi bridge, H. Kwrr, £226 16s B'i; Kolso bridge, V/ylie and Booting, £739 lOj la (ironbark piles, and subject to approval by Tuhuska County). Cr M'Laculan said it should ba distinctly understood that theoe works should be carried out in accordance with the plans and apecifksv tiono, and th*t, unless in consequence of wet weather or some other good canss, no extentioa of timq wonld bs given. MOTIONS. Proposed by Cc Wallace, seconded by Cr M'Lachlan—" That ■ tenders ba called for nii>ta.!liug nino chains on top of hill, near Mr W. Mitchell's'road, leading to Pomahska Downs ; ienders to be in in n fortnight, and opened by Cm M'Lachlan "and Wallace." On the motion of Cr Mitchell, tenders were ordered to be called for all old timber at Pomabaka bridges.—Seconded byCr M'Lachxan aad carried. ! Cc M'Neil. proposed, seconded by Cr Wallace —" That tenders be called for formation and metalling four chains of Moffat uud Soner'a road, Te Houka." Moved by Cr M'Nkil—" That the engineer j procure what maintenanoa metal he may conoidcr necessary to keop in repair duridg the winter months ti>e road leading from the W»i- j j wera River to the railway ar,afcion."—Seconded iby Cr Wallacs au:3 carried. | | Cr M'Neil movoji—"That tenders be called i j for the supply o? 60 cubic yards of maintenance j i metal for rent on fc.ur.hwland'sroad, Te Sonka." Seconded by Cr Comming. Moved by Cr 51'Nml-"Thab the engineer iopeofc Mr Kty'a ro»d, Te Houks, with a view tj certain improvements beiDg effected thftreo;i ! either by tender or otherwfje, as the engineer ' niry deem best."—Secoadedby Cr Commino. I Proposed by Cr Bradfield—"That legal • proceedings I>g tak*u against all owners of un- 1 registered dogs."—Oxrried. . j The Finance Committee report recommend- J ing the payment, of tho monthly pay sh*tt j amounting to £307 10s 9d was passed for j payment.

Pioposed by Cr Wallace, s:sonded by Cc Cumming-" That tha engineer's attsntion be called to the state 01 the approaches fco the v/airuua Creek bridge near Mount Mistake road, also portion of old Lake road with a view to repairs." ■'