WAIKOUAITI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 11642, 27 January 1900, Page 8

WAIKOUAITI COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of this County Council was held in the Council Chambers, Hawksbury;, on Friday last, at which there were present—the Chairman (Mr J. 1'oote) and Crs C. Duke, A. Graham, A..S. Orbell. J. Porte- i oue, and W. Souter. ' i Accounts for .the month amounting to £139 . 7s 8d were passed for payment. ' j David Pullar and five other ratepayers in ! the Merton district petitioned the council, ! drawing attention to the state of the road known as Pullay's, and requesting that some repairs should be done to that portion oppo- ' site Mr Dodds's property, which became al- ; most impassable in wet weather. They asked the council to put some rotten rock on the ' road, the same, as that used in the last contract, and they would endeavour to complete: that portion of road unfinished last year.— i deferred to the inspector to have the work earned out, cost not to'exceed £a. J. Galhraith and three- other ratepayers in tha Jiawksbury Riding petitioned the council i pointing- out that no progress had been mads with the contract let some time a.go on road in section 40, block XII, Hawlcsbury survey district. .When the wet weather set in if the tiling remained as at present, there would be no possibility of getting the threshinjr mill up or down_this season.—The contractor's at- : tention having been called to the delay he promised to proceed with the work at once. ■ Iho .Secretary Department of Lands and i survey, Wellington, wrote enclosing copy of ' proclamation taking and closing roads through : and m the Waikouniti survey district, blocks 111 and IV The Chief Surveyor, Dunedin, had been asked to take the necessary steps to amend the title to the land affected by pro- ! clamation.—Received. ! Mr_ W. Heckler, Mount Pleasant, wrote : pointing out that he was trying to eradicate the gorso hedge on the property lately belonging to Mr Clyma, and he asked the council's permission to erect a temporary fence on the road line to meet the approval of the inspector. ™ a'so called attention to tho spread of tho Ulifonntm thistle on the road line through Mr Orbell's land, known as " thereservo " the seed from the thistle, which was in full bloom, it was desirable to prevent from spreading.— Referred to the inspector. The Reeaiver of Land Revenue, Dunedin, forwarded half-yearly return of revenue payable to the bounty under section 314- of "The Mining Act, 1888," amounting to £I+.—Received. Mr John Mouat, solicitor, Dunedin, wrote euclosing rough tracing defining the road referred to in previous correspondence running along the west side of the Tumai gorse hedge boundary, from tlie north-east corner of fection 50 and sections 28, 51, block IV, Hawksbury district.—Mr Mouat to be informed that the council desired tbe road defined on the ground in terms of the agreement. The Commissioner of Taxes, Wellington, requested information giving an estimate of the amount of rates the council was likely to receive' up to the l?th July, 1900, exclusive of arrears of rates on Crown and Native lands. WhftiKthis information was supplied, a voucher would then be tendered for payment for an advance of subsidy.—Received. Sergeant Geerin and Constables Drury and Burrows forwarded statements of the number of cattle slaughtered in the county for the month of December, 1899, and the amount of fees collected,—Received. A circular from the Secretary Patriotic Fund, Dunedin, was read inviting fho cooperation of the council in collecting contributions, etc., and tlie forwarding the amounts ; received to the central committee with the ob- . jsct of forwarding Otago's contributions in ' one sum. —The secretary to be informed that ; the council had taken tiction in the matter.

. ijcspectok's report. Puraka'mii Road.—This road was not in good order for winter traffic, and required 120 yds of maintenance metal. The school road was very much worn in the centre, and required 10yds of metal to put it in order. A portion of the Port Chalmers and Blueskin road required about 30yds of metal; total for the three works, 190 yds, estimated cost £47 10s. To form a portion of the Ocean Terrace road at Mansforiltown required about four chains of formation. The estimated cost was given at from £6 to £7. Owing to the high tides and strong winds, the wall along the Lower Harbour roatl had been damaged in several places, and required immediate attention.—The council resolved to call for tenders for improvements to tho Purakanui road, and for the necessary work to the road at Ocean Terrace, Mansfordlown ; and to instruct the inspector to attend to the Lower Harbour wall. Corner Bush Eoad. —To make this road suitable for light traffic would require 13 chains of formation and two culverts, the estimated cost of which was given at from £14----to £15. —The council decided to call for tenders for the work. HU7.IMOCKBIDE EOAD. . Mr James Flannery waited on the council and urged that some improvements should be made to the road leading to his small-grazing run, to which lie desired access, to have some timber carted for building purposes.—The matter was referred to the inspector to report at next meeting. ' contracts. The tender of H. W. Brook was accepted for contract 714 at £10 Ts 6d, and that of J. G. Cruickshank for contract 716 at £52 6s Bd. OTHER MATTERS. It was resolved to instruct the surfacemen throughout the county to cut all tlie.Californian thistles growing on the County roads; to call for tender!; for the erection of about 60 chains of fencing in Steep Hill reserve, the course of the fence to be pointed out by the inspector. The inspector was instructed -to report on road leading -past Miss Gilchrist's place on the Mountain track. The clerk was instructed to write Mr Eossitter "informing him that the surfaceman will be put on his road for one month, providing ho is willing to give his own labour along with that of the surfaceman for one week" ; to write Mrs J. Allen re obstruction to road between her property and Mr Garrett's, that the resolution referred to would bo rescinded. In compliance with Dr King's letter, the council resolved to pay over the sum of £6 2s 7d, being Hie amount in hand received on account of Wiukouaiti Domain Board, to the Karitano Domain Board. It was also resolved —" That this council in future resolve to strictly enforce the time limit and attendant penalties on all contracts let, and that from date all contractors be required to deposit 10 per cent, of the total amount of their tender?." The clerk was instructed to inform Mr C. Reid that the council required him to immediately fill up the ditch he out on the public road at Flag Swamp, in terms of his'letter to the council. ' Applications for the position of county ranger were received from F. Holmes, A. A Fleming,. P. ,T. Byrne, C. 13. Wise, and W. Flannery, and P. J. Byrne was appointed. r.vnuoTic ptjxd. The following contributions to the patriotic fund were handed in:—Cr Porteous, Merton Riding—£34 16s 6d: 'Cr Graham, North-East Valley Ridinsr—£l2 8s; Cr Foote, Blucskin Riding—£l9 Is; making a total of £66 5s 6d as the result so far of the canvass of the several ridings by the councillors. This, however, does not include lists yet to come in. Cr Orbell, who has taken a. prominent and active interest in the movement, stated that tho amount collected as the result of the recent public meeting at Hawfebury was £11113s 3d, which, added to the £66 5s 6d just handed in, made a grand total so far of £177 18s 9d. The council then adjourned.