CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14282, 3 August 1908, Page 6

CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Tlio ordinary monthly meeting of the (j ClutJia County Council, was held at Bal- p clutha cm Friday, when there were present— ii Crs .1. R. Mitchell (chairman), Jus. Cum- 5 ming, W. Grainger, A. 0. Saundore, D. A. u M'Lachkn, Win. Hay, .lohn Clarke, and t John Edwards.- ' 1 COBRE3PONDESCE. I I.'itta Bros, and M'Lachkn, Ahuriri, ' wrjt-s asking permission to lay 10 chains of tramway alongside of the road between | Messrs Draper' 6 and Kerr's properties; t also pormieeion lo stack timber coi side of j ioihl at- end of tramline opposite Foster's old mill.—Permission granted during the pleasure of the counoil. s F. D. Ncavc, Waiyahi, asked lor a road connecting with the proposed road through ~ Mr Couston's land, and making a direct j road to tho main. Clinton road.—Received. j. The Secretary of tho Treasury requested 1 tlio payment of £360 15a sd, being interest '. on £17,167 17s 2d 1 for half-year ended July 1 31, 1908.—Received. I Tlio Valuer-general intimate! that the 6um of £488 15s, balance of subsidy on rates, had been paid' into tho council's account at the bank. —Received. Tho Hon. W. Hall-Jonee, Minister of Publio Works, intimated that the matter of the grants asked for Toading in the South Molyneux, Pomahaka, and Olutha Ridings, the purchasing cf land and formation of a now road giving direct access to 1 Clinton from Taumata settlement, the build- ' jng of a bridge over tie Pomahaka River, ' the marntenanco of roads in- the Balolutlia 1 district, and the formation of roads at Port Molyncux and Kalca Point had been referred to the Roads and Bridges Department, which is administered by Mr M'Oowan.— Received 1 . C. W. Hursthouee, chief engineer, acknowledged receipt of the following requests:— Grants of £50 and £200 respectively for the Kelso-Waikaka and Waipahi-Pukorau road 6; a. petition from settlers for a grant of £250 for tho forming and metalling of portions of the road from Inglis's, Port Molyneux, past tho Pilot Station on tho Port Molyneux Beach road: a grant of £700 (pound for pound) towards the erection of a bridge over the Pomahaka River on the Clinton-Pomahaka-Clydevaie road; a grant of £650 ' for the purpose of purchasing land and forming a new road giving direct access to Clinton from the Taumata settlement; a list, of grants required for roads in llie South Molvnoux, Catlins, Pomahaka, and Clutha Riding. These matters had boon carefully noted, and would receive careful consideration when fclie Estimates wero being framed.—Received. J. K. Warburton, Controller and Auditorgeneral wrote approving of the reduction of the rates for interest on the Clinton Road Board loan from 2-5 d to id in the pound.—Received. A. S. Malcolm. M.P., acknowledged receipt of request for grants from the council, and intimating that he had urged tlio Minister of Roads and Bridges to favourably consider same. Writer hoped they would be successful in obtaining most of the grants, if not all.—Recoived. J. Allen, M.P., and T. Mackenzie, M.P., wrote acknowledging receipt of copy of petition against Tapanui County Bill, and intimated they would do their best to givo effect, to the prayer of the petition.— Received. _ The Hon. Mr M'Nab, Minister of lands, intimated that, the letter and petition against the Tapanui County Bill had been forwarded to the chairman of tho Local Bills Committee for consideration.—Received. A. S. Malcolm and J. Allen, M.P.'g, intimated that consideration, of tho Tapanui County Bill had been postponed l to stli August. Dr Cliapple, M.P., stated that ho would be pleased to make himself acquainted with. the merits of the position, and would the matter earliest consideration.—Received. John Fjdie, Lawrence, wrote I advising that a delegation from the Clutha County Council be sent to Wellington to oppose the Tapanui County Bill. Tuapoka was sending a strong delegation.—Cr Saunders was of opinion that the chairman should go.— The Chairman thought Cr Grainger would bo tho man.—Cr Clarke moved that tho chairman be deputed to go to Wellington to represent the council's views in tho matter.—Seconded by Cr Edwards.— Cr Clarke suggested that the clerk accompany tho chairman.—Cr Edwards agreed, and the motion was amended • in that direction.— The Clerk said ho did not think he could afford the necessary time, seeing. that the rate notices were all to be *got out.—Cr M'Lacldan said in that case why not send the engineer.—'The motion that tho chairman and clerk go was carried. Tho Commercial Union Assuranco Company wrote stating, re Mx Edward Hooker's (Clydevalo) claim for compensation for acoident, that he had called at tho company's office in Dunedin, and accepted £40 in settlement of his claim.—Received. R. H. Rhodes, chairman Waimato County Council, wrote requesting that the member for Clutha bo asked to support au amendment of the Public Works Act in connection with the taking of land for public woits, the effect of which would be to fix the compensation before land was taken, instead of afterwards, as at present.—The Chairman said lie had communicated with tho member for the district approving of the suggestion.—Action approved. James A. Jenkins and 31 other ratepayers of Greenvalc and Glenkenioh forwarded a petition setting out the needs of the district in regard to tho formation of new roads, more particularly the road leading from tho main Kelso-Waifcaka road.'—Cr Grainger moved that the petition be sent to tho Minister with a request for a grant of £400, also that a oopy be sent to Mr Malcolm.—Seconded by Cr Cumming, and carried. Quin and Rodger, Tapanui, asked for a return of the plan of a closed road proposed to be transferred to Mr Hugh Howat, tho matter having been neglected for ( 12. months.—Cr Saunders moved that Ite Chairman take steps to conclude tho matter in a legal .way.—Agreed to. Dr S ten house reported a caee of infectious disease at Warepa.—Received. John Pnllar and seven other eettleis at Pounawea wrote guaranteeing the pay- ' nient of £5 10s annuall/ for five years, being 10s in excess of the guaiaaitce required by the Department of Electric Lines for the erection of a telephone between Owaka and Pounaweu.—Cr Saunders moved that the oouncil become guarantors, and -that tho department be notified accordingly. Petrio and Begg, Romahapa, wrote asking permission to lay a tramline at the side ot tho road—Cr Hay said the road was in the busli at tho back of Mount Omaru, and moved that permission be granted.—Agreed to. The Secretary of Marino wrote forwarding engineer's report in connection with the expenditure of tlw vote for landing slip, and the removal of submerged rocks at Nugget Bay. and asking that the .council state w'hich of tho works it desires lo carry out, tho vote for llie purpose being only £200.—Cr Hay: The Hon. Mr MillaT promised to increase the vote to £500.—The marine engineer's estimate came to £2500.— Or Hay said it would be far bettor for the Marino Department to supervise the work. He would move that the department be informed that the county engineer was too fully occupied to undertake the work, and that the department, be asked to carry out the woi'k.— Agreed to. engineer's retort. The County Engineer (Mr W, R. lipodor) reported as follows:— Contracts.—Contract 26G, metalling on WaipahiTPomiihakft Downs road is completed! in a satisfactory manner, and on Wftipahi .Township road several chains of maintenance metal have been carled out and broken by tho surfacemen. The traffic bridge, on t'lie Waipalii. Stream, at Warpahi township, requires ve-declriugj and I recommend you to have this work carricd out at-an early date. Contract No. 305, formation oil Hawie's road, is progressing as well as inclemency of the weather will permit. Contract (or maintenance metal on Main Port road, from Ealclutha to Rakapuaka, is on the point of completion, upwards of 220 oubic yards having been carted out to date. On the Main South road, from the junction of Port road to the intersection of the To Houka road, about 100 ouki.c yards of, maintenance metal are urgently required, and I recommend you have this run out ot once. Owing to tho heavy frosls and wot weather,- parts of the Main To Houka road are veiy badly cut ltp. and a big order lot maintenance metal is necessary at an early date. On the Main Port road, from tho bridge at K-ikapuaka going south, about seven miles ot water-tabling have been ploughed and scooped out. The maintenance metal on various parts of this section of the road will be distributed during tho incoming month. The material for the reconstruction of the Puenia bridge, at Port Mblynoux, iff coming to hand. The contractor expects to make a start in a week or 10. days from date. On the Main Waikawa read, from Burnt Flat to Ratanui, somo minor repairs have been carried out in various places by filling holos and ruts with rotten rock. On the Henohcno Stream road trees and slips, etc., have been removed. During the month a large oulvert on the Main road, near Heathfield, caved in. owing to the timber being rotten. As there is a largo embankment at this place, it was necessary to have Tepaire effected immediately. A new culvert- lias been put in, and the liank made up; a good job is reported lo have been made. I have inspected the new joada in Taumata Sattlemcnt, and am now preparing details of wprks tq bo .carried

nut in that locality. At Clydevnle, on tho road west of Wnshpool Creek, 1 li&vo put ini the levels for the work required to l>c doiio there.. Plans ami Rpecificaliona will be prepared, and fenders ealled for your next meeting. On the Clydevale-Pomahaka road about 50 cubic yards of maintenance metal is urgently wanted, and 1 recommend you have this work put through as soon as possible. Tho puntman nt Clydcvstlo baa resigned, and I have invited applications lor the position, to be in for your meeting to-day. The Stock Department lias given wwi notice to cut tho gorsc oil a rop.tUiiie ai Kakapuaka. I would bo glad if you would advise me how to act in this business, as 1 liavo been legally informed that tho council is not liable. Adopted, on the motion of Or Saunders, seconded by Cr Hay. Cr Saunders moved, and Or M'Laohlan seconded, that the council lay boforo tho Minister of Marino the necessity for a landing 6tago at the junction of Owaka and Catlins Rivers for tho convenience of fishermen and pleasuro boa.ls, which arc largely ! in uso in the tourist season, and that tho sum of £50 be placed on tho estimates.— , Carried.