TAIERI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13894, 4 May 1907, Page 3

TAIERI COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting held _ yesterday was attended bv Crs Samson (chairman), Gibson, Elliott, Dolierty, and Stevenson.

REPORTS. The Finance Committee recommended that accounts amounting to IS7O 15s 9(1 be passed for payment. The receipts for last- month were £172 10s 10d, Mid ike bank book sliowcd a debit balance of f5Bl 5s 10d.—Adopted. Tho ICaikorai Drainage Committee reported that a meeting had been held on April 12, but owing to the election bring so close at hand, none of the delegates from the various bodies intorestcd had cared to bind themselves to any suggestion or scheme, Another meeting would he called as soon as possibleReceived. The County Engineer {Mr B. B. Couston) reported as follows for the month: — Contracts and Worka.—Water opening, Strath Taieri: The concrete walls ere completed, and there should bo no further delay in completing this contract. Contracts 73 and 75, supply and delivery of metal from Outram to Berwick: About 00 tons have still to bo delivered to coinploto these contracts, Contracts 81 and 82, supply, and delivery metal, South Taieri: The contractors for supply failed to deliver the quantity specified, and Mosgiel quarry ha 3 been drawn on for tho balance required. Some 000 tons have been taken delivery of at Otokia. The formation of Kats street and Flcvna street, between Torquay load and Shumla street is being carried out by W. Gcddes on tho half-cost basis. Tho contract time has expired, and the work is only about one-third completed. I have previously expressed my disapproval of this motked of carrying out tho formation of new roads. Tho schedule of allocation for period ending 31st March, 1908, has been prepared and printed. It will bo noted that provision has been made for repairs to Henley bridge, Silverstream bridge on Riccarton road, and the Fellmongcry bridge, Green Island, which were tho subject of instructions from the council during tho past year. Of matters which were referred to mo for report. I have now to adviscyou:—(l) Bead exchange, Stratli Taieri: Sections 2, 3, 4, and 17, block X, Strath Taieri, arc intersected by the Taieri River. There is a cliain reserve on each side of tho river. Since the Government survey of this block tho course of tue river has changed. . It is proposed that the reserves along the former course should bo closed and reserves of enual width on the bank of the present course given in exchange. This is as far as the matter concerns the County Council. It will, however, also bccomo necessary to affect an exchange with the, Crown, the old bod of the river being obtained by the landowners and the new b«l vested in the Crown. Until such time as this is effected I do not consider tho council shrould sign the plans which have been submitted. (2) Road near Ashburn Hall: I have advised Dr Alexander regarding rcndlino at Ashburn Hall and arranged with him regarding tho disposal of stone dvke on roadside.

Fernhil! road.—The necessity for Burning or piping til© Silverstrcam wator-raco was brought- under the notice of the City Corporation. and the matter is now the subject of negotiations lwhveen that body and the owners wh?se properties are intersected by the proposed pipe line.

School road, East Taieri.—My instructions were to grade this road, provided the horsewcrk wns supplied by those interested. I have .not yet been able to arrange for the carrying out of this work.

Mosgiel quarry.—l have waited for some definite understanding being arrived r.t re*ardMg olectric power supply before committing the council to the Mosgiel quarry proposals. The of the Railway Department f.ro costly and difficult to comply with, and tho cost of quarrying and crushing operations must bo reduced to a minimum in order to compete with Dunediu prices. Cr Stevenson and tho engineer have considered the matter of th© proposed new road through Jones's property and others near Brighton. Wo are of opinion that an opportunity should bo afforded tho petitioners of constituting" themselves a special rating district for the formation of t-bo road, and we recommend that the clerk bo instructed to tako tihe necessary steps to raise a ban jr.' petition foi tho amount which the district js capable of producing for the formation of tite road, Mr M'lntosh to be asked to wait on the clerk and supply him with the ncctssary information regarding the boundaries of tho district, and atao to be asked to canvass for signatures.

With regard to road exchange at StrathTnscri, it was rmo'.ved to lonvard Uto cuginetr s report to the parties interested as an expression of the council's views.—-It was resolved to defer consideration of tho quarry until next mating.—Cr Stevenson, said the of opening out tJia quarry would bo more than tho council could reasonably afford, It would amount to about £1000, and, personally, be did not think the council couM crush racial as cheaplv as it ccu'd be (tone outside at present.—The remainder of the report was approved and adopted. Tho Sanitary Inspector (ltobevt Bain) reported that considering tho very small (lev of lOTvter in tho Kaikoraj Stream it had cant]lined in very fair condition during tho month, 0,10 oi the works, however, wo* giving considerable trouble. He had visited Oiitam during tho month, and found cvorvttung satislactory. With' regard to Mesa's Irvino and Stevonson's application for" n pormit to reopen their Wingalui vwka, 1:« urged tbe council not to grant tho samite inspector also mentioned that heivv traffio fees _ wcro coming in satisfactorily. 11)0 Chairman eaid that Messrs Ro=s and Glendining had practically mado portion of one of the roads and wero paying half the up- ? would move iliat pavmont of tneir feo bj not. asked. I Tho motion wag lost, The Chrk: The memtv (at that has \ not yet been paid to Iho council, Tho ClmrTnaw. I move that ttiey W r . s M I to forward <he woncv at once was ngceoxl to. The Engineer said that wiMt regard to the | Jiukorai Stream he had keen requested to act ou behalf of a syndicate which was going to ask for an injunciion to restrain parties from polluting the stream. Before acquiescing in the matter ho desired the council's permission. 1 *

•Tlio Inspector asked wliat works wero moving in the matter. Cr Stovonson said lie understood that all the manufactories were included, together v,l m ticslyii Borough Council. °i impression wim abroad that iho council was somowhat dilatory in acting in tliin matter.

Consideration of tiie matter was deferred until tho adjourned masting, to bo held oil Fridav.

Tho report was received. CORRESPOXUKNTE. The Treasury intimated that £03 Ss Gd. goldfkvds revenue, bad been remitted to tho credit of tile council.—Received. . Thc Dunedin authorities wrote statin" that the u'aipori River bridge inquirv had" been adjourned to Tuesday. May H. at M.iltou.Hceeived, the clerk being instructed to comninmcato with tho council's solicitor and gather particulars.

Iho Town Clerk, ljoslyn, wrote re formation oi a roadway from Hapulta to Brockville. stating (hat the Koslyn Council had inMuscled its inspector to report the pos<iVe grades ol the road and estimate the costJicceivtfd.

1-. 11. Brunsdon. Duncrielt Farm, Haltway Biis-b, wrote drawing attention to tho dangerous state of the Wiugatui road from its junction with Freeman's road to the top of the hill and asking for some improvement —AO funds available.

J-welve ratepayers in Xorlh Taieri petimm i ™ unfil to let "w fence alongside Mr M'Kcgg's property remain as at present, as it. was a protection to the road and bridge; also to withdraw motion of last meetins.— Deferred until next meeting. = Eight Saddle Hill ratepayers wrote requestcouncil to tnotal ihe ehiv portions of the road at Hatalie's iron gate' up tho hill past M'Master's.—Tenders to be called for the woik, which is to bo left iu "tho engiurer'a banas to cam out.

l'.ight ratepayers, Henley, wrote petitioning tuo council to have the road-line on the west sida of the Taicri ltiver close to approach, and part of the approach to tho Henley bredge, inspected, as these portions were ml 0 '° become danger, oils.—ri«id ever. I he Hen. Geo. M'Lean wrote asking the council to take in hand the road at StrathTateri that was impassable last' winter, and which was raised in tho summer bv the county. The seotj of this work would bo

lost unlc?3 the road was metalled before tho winter .set an. Ho umild subscribe £10 towards the cost of metalling the piece raised by tlio council.—Work to be carried out.

C. PatMson, Oladsrauir, writo n?lung what had baen don© in regard to the closing of road between Mathes/m's and lus property, and also when the ccunty intended spemding the £20 on it, as agreed bstwc&n the engineer and himself.—To ha informed that the vork could not be carried out until transfer was completed.

Irvine and Stevenson, Dunedin, WToto applying for renewal of slaughtering licence. —The Health Officer wrote requesting that the license be refused unless remedial measures wer? adopted in respect of thp Owhiro Creek, ami fire ratepayers wrote protesting against the renewal of the licence, on the ground that tho creek was made unfit for stock to drink out of.—Cr Stevenson moved— "That the license be refused and the tea returned."—Seconded hv Cr Docherty arid carried.

\Vm. Bonnet's application for a slaughterhouse license at iliddlemarch was held over until next meeting, Cr EUicli, meanwhile to inquire into the matter and report. GENERAL. fn accordance with a message from Cr MilleT, it was resolved to call for tenders for gravelling in Berwick township, the same to b? dealt with by Cr Miller and the engineer.

On the mofiou of Cr Stevenson, the engineer was instructed to have a crossing constructed on the Main road opposite the Fairfield Bowling Green. Tho Chairman stated that recently the Public Library at Green Island had been extended at considerable ccret, and as moss of the subscribers were in ICaikorai Riding he thought the council might make a contribution towards the funds.—lt was resolved to contribute £•">.

With regard to a certain case which has been Wore the Benevolent Institution and the* council for some time on accrr.int of tho reduction of a woman's allowance, it wa& resolved to write to the trustees taking that the money stopped be refunded. NOTICE OF MOTION. Cr Stevenson asked leave to withdraw tlio motion he had given notice of last inciting— viz., (1) "That the resolution of Finance Committee passed at meeting of council on February 1 (that is that the balance of money required for the reconstruction of tho bridge over the Taieri llivcr at Allanton ba raised by a 95parate rate of J-d in the pound over the whota county for a perioi] of two years) be rescinded.' (2) "That tho balance of money required for the reconstiuotiou of the bridgo over the Taieri River at AUonton (say £3000) be raised by the application for a bridge loan, -to be for a period of 2G years, bearing interest at 5 per cent., the aaic\ interest to be met by levying a bridge rate over the wholo county," Cr Stevenson said his reason for doing so was because the Eecreiary of the Treasury advised that ft poll of the ratepayers would be necessary to raise the bridge rate.

Leave was granted as requested. The meeting then adjourned to meet on Friday, May 10, to consider arrangements for engineer's and Electrical Committee' 9 reports.