CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15185, 3 July 1911, Page 6

CLUTHA COUNTY COUNCIL.

The monthly meeting of the ■ Clutha County Council was held on Friday; present—Ore D A. M'Lachlan 'chairman), \. i C. Saunders, W. Hay, John Oiarko, John , lvdwards,_ J. R. Mitchell, W. Quin, and W. Nicol. Cr Oumming wrote apologising for his absence. ° i The County Engineer (Mr J. Ramsay) re--1 ported for the period ending Juno 30, as ; follows:— • Repairs to tho Pucrua bridge have been completed, and Lawson's and Couston's • bridges have been re-decked. Steel girders , are now on the ground for the Waitopoka i bridge at Somerville's, and repairs to this ; bridge should be completed about the end t of next week Hogg's bridge has been ! strengthened by putting in three new longi--1 tudinal beams, and all broken nlanks re- • placed by iwv ones. The new bridge over i the Owaka River, near Bradfi.dd's, has been ■ completed, except the painting. The con I tractor has completed the bridge right up • to specification, and I can confidently state that there is no bridge to surpass it in the : county. A new 18in pips culvert has been i put in near the Clinton railway station on ■ tho Main South road. i Metalling.—Two hundred and six yards • of maintenance metal has been put on the i Main South road in tho worst nlaces boi tween Balclutha. and Four Mile Creek, 116 ; yards being taken from Harvey's quarry, ■ and POJ yards from Whitelaw's quarry. • Fifty-four jards of maintenance metal has been put on the main Pomahaka road, near ! Black's and Newson's corner Some pros- ; pecting was done or. Newton's property to i see if a quarry could lx> found w'ith suiti able stone for road metal. When tho quarry ■ was opened up the stone was found to be of poor quality, and unsuitable for our re • quiremont6. Melrose and Hosrg's metalling ; contracts- on Pomaliaka and Watt's roads, ■ Poinahnkn, have boen completed and passed '. by surfaceman. Spear and L.ivcrty's contiact on Poimiwca road has aeon completed, but not linally inspected Bain's contracts, i metalling Katea Dairy Factory to Eason's and formation of Logan's road, have been completed in accordance with specifications . Waipahi Riding.—Twenty trucks of Logan's Point motal have been put on tho main i road Waipahi to Pukerau, and the metalling as amngocl on the Waipahi station road has been completed. All metalling contracts have been stopped until the i weather bo suitable. Glenkonich Riding — . Several nun- culverts have been put in on the Merino Downs road, and general repairs carried out _ throughout the riding. Tho cast of widening, grading, and metal- , ling the Riverside road between Balclutha and R. Campbell's farm at a point where the Clutha River runs close to the road I estimate at £60. On account of the rough weather I have been unable to visit Clydevale to take levels, etc., for the formation of Flynn's road, but this work will be done as won as possible. An action was brought against a traction engine ow.ner for a breach of tho by-laws, but the case has been adjourned until next court clay. Tho necessary steps arc now being taken under tho Public Works Act. 1903, to take 'the 'and required for a road in block VII, Wa'ipahi survey district, A contract has boon lot to John Taylor to widen Kea.n's cutting, Clinton- Wyndham road. Plans and specifications have been prepared and tenders called for formation on Martin's road, Catlins (Coicrnment grant), and tenders should bo before you to-day. I desire to call the council's attention to the 'act that bridge timber sent 10 different parts of the county for repairs and old bridge timber mysteriously disappears. 1 do not. .'ay that this is general, but it certainly occurs. Referring to the widening of the road between Balclutha and tho site of the freezing works, which was to cost £60. Mr A'icol said the road in its present conditio:, was sufficient for the ordinary traffic, and as the wholo county was to benefit from (he freezing works be thought tho county as a whole should make a contribution of £5 per riding to the improvement proposed.—Other councillors did not take this view, and said Mr Nicol should be glad to have the works in his riding and that his riding would derive most benefit from increase in values. Cr Oninii said it. was a common thing for timber left at bridges and elsewhere to disappear. Something required to be done to put a stop to this.—The Engineer said tho timber at Puorua bridge had been utilised for repairs of other bridges, but in the case of some timber loft at Pomaliaka bridge, it had disappeared in a mysterious way. The matter dropped and tho engineer's report ni adopted. W. S. Short, Assistant Under-secretary Publio Works, wroto re road work tii

block XIV,. Rimu survey district, stating that the Minister had authorised £500 for this ruad (Aurora Creek road), and had authorised council ' to carry out the work. James Clouston, lion, secretary Tapanui Hospital Committee, solicited a, donation from tho council for the local hospital funds. _ They proposed building shortly, hut still wanted a few pounds to procure an ambulance to take country patients.— Cr Quin said that being a local matter a vote could not be expected from tho whole county, but ho moved that a small voto ' he ihado . from Ulenkenieh Riding.— Seconded by Cr .M'Lachlan and carried. i James D. Calder and nine others at i Long Point drew attention to the urgent i necessity of a sum of £200 being placed , on the Estimates for metalling worst portions of Long Point road.—On the motion of Cr Saunders, to be forwarded to the i Minister with recommendation of council. Dr Fitzgerald. Kaitangata, wrote that during recent blasting operations at Kaka '. Point considerable damago was occasioned to tho.roof of his summer residence, nndtht- . council might deem itself fortunate fatal '. results did not eventuate. The damage I was as follows:—Two sheets of galvanised iron ruined and ono chair spoiled. Would ' t tho council kindly forward two sheets of j galvanised iron to his residence and em- ( ploy a carpenter and painter to repair t the damage. He proposed then to ask the council 'I to make good."—Cr Hay said ; this particular piece of stono flow about : 220 yards, and the men on the other side ' of tho road were only 35 yards away. One sheet of iron had been replaced, but not ; painted. Ho never heard about a chair.— ; Matter left in Cr Hay's hands. . William Arthur, Dalclutha, applied for slaughter license for lot 19, Kosebank l Estate, and sent plan and specifications.— Messrs James Guest and A. S. Malcolm ' wrote objecting, to tho license being granted.—Cr Mitchell moved—" That the ' situation is not suitablo, and that tho ~ application be refusad/'—Seconded by Cr ' Saunders and carried. 5 Mrs Campbell, store, Waipahi, on behalf of subscribers to Coronation Library and ' Reading Room, applied to the council for 3 sum pf money towai Us funds. A petition bearr ing 18 signatures was received in cciuicc- ! tion with tho same matter. They had ap--5 pointed a committeo to raise £60, and the sum v of £25 was already promised, and ! " they asked the council to apply for Corona- : tion susidy of pound lor pound up to £60 ' on same.—Cr Quin movea—"That applica- ! tion bo mado lor Coronation grant as requested."— iieconded by Cr Clarke, and carried. J. T. Bryant, Pounawea, wrote regarding the proposal before the council to close load between sections b and 16, block I, Woodland, pointing out that Makura Bay, I commonly known as "Jack's -bay," was a. !- popular rosoic lor viuLors to Latlins on • holiday, and much lrequented by mhabiII tants oi the district.—O Saunders &aicl tlie • council was now completing an agreement r entered into some yca.s ago; lie moved— "That Mr Bryant be sj inlormcd, but ! " that before tho road could bo closed a pub--3 lie meeting would have to bo held ana objections hoard."—Seconded by Or Quin, [i and carried. s James Dawson, Clydevaie, wrote that s Alex. Tosh was in tho habit'of crossing the a ferry late at night, and refusing to pay s usuul lure lor crossing after tours, ho A wanted to know what to do.—A Councilor: n "Leave him on the other side."—Or Miti- chell said the puiitnum luul hud some !• trouble in this matter —crossing at late and r early hours,. and relu3al to pay fees.. He (i moved—"That tho puntman be asked to i- furnish particular's to the council, who will p demand payment, failing which legal proo ccedings oe taken."—Carried, e A petition was received from B. Bunn, n Clydevaie, and 60 ethers respectfully askn ing that the Government be approached lor a grant to build a bridge over the Is PomahaKa River at Burk's lord, and to e oonipletfl tho metalling of the Upper Olyde- >- vale-Pomahaka Downs Settlement road.— 6 Or Clarke presented the petition, saying >, he thought the bridge was necessary, lie \ moved—" That ±!14()J be applied for for a .s bridge and £200 for metalling "—Cr Mitr chell secontlod.—Motion carried. i- A. M'Donald. Wharetoa, Clydovale, and o 38 other's asked the , council to urge the ;. Government to open up the road from Baly clutha to Clydevaie on tho west bank of c the river, and as settlers arc seriously han- . clicapped for want of better oomniunicag tion with tho markets, that tho sum of ;, £4000 bo put on the Estimates for tho purd pose as soon as possible. A petition in i- similar terms was received from H. Snu- [ shall and 15 others at Clydevaie.—A long S) discussion ensued, and eventually it was s decided to send the petition on to the n Minister, who should be asked to provide j a sufficient sum to complete the- road. s The following motions were carried:— n Moved by Cr M'Lachlan, seconded by Cr |. Edwards—"That application be made for i, tho following; grants:—£2oo for metal from |. Thomson's to South Waipahi, most needful B places; £100 for metal for Main Smith road _ within the Clinton town boaa'd district, from i, railway southwards; £100 lor metal Clin- ,. ton-Wyndham road, opposite Mr Young- ._ soil's, continuation of present metal prei. viously applied for." IV Cr Clarke moved and Cr Mitchell B seconded—" That application be, made to j the Minister of Public Works for the foli, lowing grants:—(l) £150 for metalling ~ Clinton-Pomahaka road between the forms i, of Messrs Clomcnts ami ivrGrogor; (2) a £100, jxwnd for pound, for formation and 1 t metalling on Taumata road leading to Taumata Settlement." ', Or Quin moved and Cr Saunders seconded . —" That, in view of the Conical Hills 0 Estate being sold for close settlement, the j Government bo asked for a vote of £750 to j open up new road on block 8, Waipahi, alongside Waipahi Stream, cast side, so as to give level, road from Waipahi into ". Tapanui and the Central Otago districts, j instead of crossing Conical Hill. 1000 ft altitude. The .distance saved by tho new 1 read would bo four miles." ] Application is also to be mado for the following grants:—£loo, pound for pound, metal Clinton-Gore road (Wainahi to Ptikerau); £50. pound for pound, metal ' Arthnrton-Lamlslip raid; £50, pound for pound, formation on the Waikoikoi Cemc- , tery road; £50, formation on Landslip , road between sections 11 and 20; £200 for- - mntinn at intervals Clinton-Taoanui road, from section 28. block VIII, to' section 25, ' block IX, Conical Hills Settlement. The Chairman reported that the matter ' of a tramway at Ratanui, (o which there were some objections, had been amicably settled. The tramwav was now to be p-u't on tho lower side of the road, and the 3 raid was to be widened to 15ft. Tho ' settlers and s.iwmillrrs had acted nwt, 1 agreeably, and (he farmer had offered to ; contribute equal to £90 in Inborn- for tramway proposed from tho mill to the rail- ' way The complaint from. Mrs M'Phorron 5 with regard to drainage had also' been ! satisfactorily nrrr.njctl. r Notice of motion was given in conncc- | linn with the levying of the ordinary rat's ' fljd in the round in Cntlins and* South • Mnlyneux Ridings, Id in other ridinns. NxL c?pt Clutha and Clinton town dH-irt, whirh c.r« to he 3d in the pound) and hes- > pital and chnritablo aid i-ate. It. was v^. rorted to 1»> not nroessiry to levy the j ' Pomahnlca, Richardson, Soufli Molynoux, i and Ahuriri special rates tins year. J

, Two tenders were received for oontroct No. 445, formation, etc., Martin's road, Owaka, but they wore both in excess of the engineer's estimate, and it was decided to havo the work done by day labour. The council decided that it did not consider it necessary to hold a Counties' Association Conference this year, but in the , event of one being held tho chairman was appointed the council's delegate. It was decided to pay the annual contribution to the Counties' Association, £3 3s. The communication from the Tuapeka County Council in regard to a footbridge at Tweedie's ford was further held over, i landing information in regard to style ol , bridge. A deputation introduced by Mr Malcolm, • M.P., consisting of Messrs E. J. Boyd, Joseph Mosley, D. T. Fleming, and G. H. Reid, waited upon the council with a request for a grant towards tlie estabilsh- ; ment of technical classes in tlie Clutha district—lt was decided to defer consideration till next meeting, Cr Quin expressing himself m cordial symoathy with the proposal. , Tho receipts for the month amounted "to I £53 lis 9d, and the expenditure to £1278 los 9d.