CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12446, 1 September 1902, Page 3

CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the Clutha County Council was held at Balclutha on Friday; present—Mr J. M'Neil (chairman), Crs Simmers, Saunders, Mitchell, Clarke, M'Lachlan, Johnson, and Robertson. An apology for absence was received from Cr Hay. SPECIAL MEETIKG. A special meeting was held to consider the question of the boundary of . Waipahi Riding, and the following resolution carried—" That, to give effect to the petition of Messrs Brown, M'lndoe Bros., T. Taylor, and others, the boundaries oE the Waipalii and Pomahaka Ridings be altered by excluding from Waipahi and extending the boundaries of Pomahaka. as follows : —By extending the north-west and northeast boundary of tho Pomahaka Riding from the confluence of the Wairuna Stream with the Pomahaka to the confluence of the Waipahi and Pomahaka Rivers, thence by the centre of the Waipahi River to its intersection with the Clinton-Waipahi Main road, thence by the centre of the road to interesction with tho eastern boundary line of block VII, Waipahi, thence by the line to the eastern boundary intersection of block 111, Waipalii, and thence along the' present boundaries of Pomahaka Ridingto the mouth of the Wairuna; and that a special meeting of the council be held on September SSG to confirm this resolution.'' ORDINARY MEETING. The ordinary meeting was then opened. . WAIPAHI SPECIAL BATE. Letters from Watson Sherman and others opposing Cr Simmers' 3 proposal to levy a special rate in Waipahi Riding, held over from the previous meeting, were brought before the council. A petition from 2G ratepayers, representing £16,666 valuation, was received praying the council to declare the special rate in Waipahi Riding. Another petition was received from 14 ratepayers protesting against the rate. George Milnes and 23 other ratepayers petitioned the council for assistance towards putting the boundary road between Waipahi and Glenkcnicli Ridings in good order, particularly that portion known as Waikoihoi road, this being the only outlet from their properties to <thp railway at Pomahaka. Mr Shennan appeared before the council, and said that at the end of last year ■ this matter had come up for discussion. Th 9 separate rate had been proposed by tho then member for the riding, but the ratepayers had protested, and the motion had been withdrawn. The member had resigned, and then the new member, almost directly upon election, had proposed the same rate. It was strange that this action should bo taken by .the present member, who had only been elected for the remaining five or six months before the election. He (Mr Shennan) then went on to speak of the difference between Waipahi and the other ridings, and said since he had first paid rates he had paid something like £2000 to the council, and had done various works, such as loadgrading, at his own cost. He protested on the ground that but very little of the money he had paid in rates had been spent on the road to his property. Fully three-quarters of tho ratepayers, in point of valuation, objected to the proposed special rate.—Mr H. Tolmey also appeared to object, and said that those who objected to the rate represented nearly £'90,000 in valuation.— Cr Simmers said that half the riding was a sheep walk—that half Represented by Mr Shennan. Tho other half was closely settled. The present rate was not sufficient to maintain the roads, and it was necessary that a special rate should be struck for one year if the ronds were to he kept in anything like order. He moved that the rate should be confirmed.— Cr Clarke said it would be a serious thing to levy a special rate, as section 4-1 of the Rating Act provided that any ratepayer might appeal to tho Assessment Court against a special rate on the ground that it would be of no benefit to his property etc.—Cr Mitchell thought the matter should be held over till after the next election. Several councillors spoke in the same strain.—Cr Simmers said ho felt so earnestly on tho matter that he would not yield, even if his vote was the only 0110 for the rate. The ratepayers in his district had. not had a twentieth part of their rates expended on their roads for many years.—The Chairman suggested the withdrawal of the motion. The riding could be assisted with a little more overdraft perhaps, and the difficulty 1 tided over until after the next election.—Cr Simmers pressed his motion for confirmation.—Cr Robertson seconded the motion pro forma.—On being put to the vote the motion was lost on the. voices. CORRESPONDENCE. The Land and Income Tax Department gave notice of having forwarded to the Treasury a voucher for the payment of £537 9s 4d, subsidy due to the council at 5s per pound on rates. The Treasury Department forwarded a memo, to the effect 'that £1071 Ss Sd had been lodged to the council's credit, and also lis 3d (goldfields revenue).—Received. Mr J. W. Thomson, M.11.R., wrote, in reference to tho council's letter and resolution regarding the vote of £200 for Clinton-Pomahaka road, stating that he had seen the Minister for Lands, a.nd tho Minister had said all the unexpended rates of lp.st year would bo put 011 the Public Works Estimates for expenditure this year. Subsequently the Minister had given notice that the amount had been retained on the estimates for consideration.—Received. Tho Waimate County Council forwarded a copy of a resolution suggesting repeal of section 8 of " The Public Works Amendment Act, 1900," as being calculated to cause irritation and litigation.—Referred to the chairman for reply.

The Secretary to the Treasury forwarded a. telegram stilting, in reference to the Balchitha traffic bridge, that a poll of the ratepayers was required under section 78 and 79 of" the act to raise a loan, as the council had no bridge fiuid Account, but if tiie Governor's warrant

was obtained there was no reason, why a loan could not be raised under section 113 of " The Public Works Act, 189-1," which did not require, a poll.—The Chairman said he proposed asking for a Governor's warrant, and would be glad i{ some more discretionary power were vested in the chairman and the clerk.—lt was decided on Cr Clarke's motion—" That the chairman should take steps to raise a loan o! £500 for the purpose of repairing the Balclutha traffic ' 'dge." . The Department of Roads gave notice that £100 had been authorised for expenditure on construction or improvement of Owaka-Clintcn road, pound for pound—Received. Robert the holding of a meeting of ratepayers in Glenkenich Riding, at which it was docided to call the council's attention to the fact that the engineer had not reported on a proposed new road which had been petitioned for by Mr M'Lay and referred to the engineer for report, ;and also that the schoolhousc at Merino Downs was a polling both, and more convenient for many than Waikoikoi or Klenkenich.— Received. Richard Campbell wrote suggesting that broom should be proclaimed a noxious weed.— Cr Johnston gave notice to move a special order declaring broom a noxious weed. P. Kean intimated his intention of fencing the roadline on his side of section 16, Merrie Creek, and, requested repairs to the road.— Referred to the engineer. John Hawley wrote offering to fell the bush on the roadline past his property at Glenomaru at 6s per chain for 20 chains.—Deferred till next meeting. J. A. Anderson wrote requesting maintenance metal on the roads in the Waiwera portion of Richardson Riding, and complaining that the roads were never attended to by surfacemen. He suggested that a surfaceman should be detailed for work round Waiwera station and district.—Received. James Fyfe drew the council's attention to the state of Allan's road, near Waiwera, and asked for repairs. Thomas Blacklock also wrote in reference to the same road.—Received. Isabella Anderson wrote drawing the council's attention to the state of the Kelvin Grove road leading to Waiwera station, and requesting repairs.—Received.—W. Hay forwarded a letter stating that a meeting of ratepayers at Ahuriri School had objected: to any of the .£SOO proposed loan being expended on Catlin's road as proposed in the schedule, as the road was not in the special rating district.—lt was decided to appoint Miss Main, Ahuriri, returning officer, and 'that the poll of ratepayers should be taken. J. M'Call Smith appeared before the council to protest against being rated for the Ahuriri special rate, and requested his rates, if the special rate was passed, should be spent on the portion of the Owaka road adjoining his property, together with the Government subsidy. He estimated that he would have to pay one-sixth of the rate.—lt was decided to adopt tho schedule a 9 drawn up for the proposed works in connection with tho special rate, thus giving the ratepayers the opportunity to vote for the works they required. A letter was read from the New Zealand and Australian Land Company offering to convey to the council, free of cost, a roacl along tho railway near Waitepeka Railway Station. The company, having sold its property, had no use for the road.—lt was agreed to take over the road. A letter wa3 read from William M'Lean requesting repairs, to the roads in his part of Waiwera district.—Received. GENERAL. In accordance with notice, Cr Clarke moved that the resolution (if any) authorising the transfer of £150 from the Pomahaka fund to tho general account should be rescinded, and that the suni should be transferred back to the loan. —The Cliaiiffnan said tho question of transfer had been decided upon adopting a report by the engineer.—The motion was negatived by five votes to three. The striking of the §d rate in Catlins Riding was confirmed. It was resolved to procure a fresh supply of small bird poison for each riding. .It was decided.on Cr Saunders's motion that the engineer should call for tenders for a short length of metalling on Owaka-Clinton road, in front of Sim's property, the cost to be charged to the Clutha River Trust Fund. Cr Saunders further moved—" That the engineer should take the necessary steps to have the land fund accruing to Catlins Riding expended as soon as possible." Cr M'Lachlan moved—" That the engineer should be instructed to call for tenders for metalling the worst portions of the roads used by. the River Trust's tenants, the cost to be paid from the money available from the Clinton Riding."—Cr Saunders seconded the motion, which was carried. ■ On Cr Simmers's motion it was resolved to call for tenders for formation and gravelling 10 chains (more or less) on the boundary road, Waikoikoi Valley road, near Merino Downs homestead. It was decided to call for tenders for ditching and gravelling seven chains on Cemetery and Glenshee roads, near Waikoikoi School, and for 'gravelling 10 chains on the Main Gore road. On Cr Saunders's motion, it was resolved to .call for tenders for maintenance metal on Owaka Valley road, the work to be paid for partly by Government vote. Cr Johnston moved that tenders should be called for 300 yds maintenance metal on Warepa road from Christie's to Toiro railway siding, and also for 100 yds maintenance from Waiwera Township to Blacklock's.—Cr Saunders seconded the motion, which rwas agreed to. On the Chairman's motion it was Tesolved to call tenders for 15 chains metalling on Clifton road. The Secretary reported receipts, amounting to £121 10s 9d. The monthly pay sheet, amounting to £793, was passed for payment. engineer's report. The Engineer reported that during .the month the following contracts had been completed: — Allison's road, Puerua, metalling; Gore-Wai-koikoi road, formation; Pomaliaka-Clinton road, maintenance; Clvdevale punt, construction of landing and approaches, and Ahuriri road, maintenance. Tenders had been called for the following: Formation at Friend's road, Owalca, metal ling , at Warepa, and formation at Round Hill road, Clydevale. Specifications had been prepared and duly approved by the Roads department of woTk in connection with the expenditure of grant for the Clinton-Owaka road pound for pound. He had obtained quotations for a portable stone-crusher, with six to eight cubic yards capacity 'per hour, without elevator or scraen, and found that the cost, landed at Dunedin. would be £148 10s, or, with elevator and screen, £'248 10s. The cost per cubic yard to the county, reckoning the hire of engine at £3 per day, including time in getting into position and providing two men to feed, would be Is 3d. Contractors prices were 2s to 2s 9d v. yard for breaking. lie had had. a second-hand plant offered at £400, but without a mechanical engineer's report as ■ to the boiler, etc., he would not recommend this. With reference to W. J. Ryders's complaint of the state of the road near his property at Waiwera, he (the engineer) had instructed the

surfacemen to make a complete job of the I surfacing on the Waiwera-Pomahaka road. He j had inspected the road opposite Truill's, Waiwera, and found a very bad state of affairs. The whole street fronting the railway was in a very insanitary state, as the drainage from five houses emptied on 'the footpath, and the street was used as a dumping ground for ashes, etc. It would be the council's duty to have , the footpath re-formed, to compel the householders to continue their drains under the: footpath, to have the water tables cleaned out, and the road re-formed if possible. A visit had also been paid to the Pywater bridge, and this would require rebuilding. He suggested ironbark sills and stringers. The work would cost about £35, including black pine decking and handrailing and all labour. He had also examined the bridge over the Puerua, at Port Molynetix. The inshore piles were mostly rotten, and the end corba'.s and stringers reduced to one-fifth of their original strength. Notices warning vehicles had been placed on the bridge. He had been unable to carefully examine the middle spans, hut the presumption was that they were as bad as tho others. In reference to Ho.uliston and party's application for the closing of a road, the .plr.n.s had been approved by the chief surveyor, and forwarded to the Lands Department, for the necessary Ordor-in-Ccuncil. In regard to tho fcncing dispute between the council and Mr R. Campbell, he reported that Mr Campbell had only removed part of tho fence, and was, he (the engineer) understood, making application to the Land Board for the portion of land (old river bed) added to the mainland. He suggested that the coiuicil should approach the Land Board in the matter. —The report was adopted. The Chairman mover]—" That this council is of opinion that the land at Campbell's, 3hown by the engineer's plan as not in the original survey, belongs to the council, and, if not, that application be made to the Land Board to have the land vested in the council." Two tenders were received for a contract at Bound Hill Toad, but both were considered too high, and it was decided to call for .fresh tenders. ■ j This concluded ihe business. J