BRUCE COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15705, 6 March 1913, Page 3

BRUCE COUNTY COUNCIL.

The ordinary, meeting' of the Bruce County Council, held on Tuesday, was attended by Crs Boyd (chairman), Russell, Scott, Etaver, Haggart, Gardyne, Clark, Bell, Hitchon, King, and Bogg. inspector's repokt.

Tho Inspector submitted the following report for the month ended February 28: — Works.—Tho culvert at Lawson's, on the centre road, Inchclutlii, -which wa6 damaged by tho flood, has been, repaired, and. the culvert at Anderson's road crossing is being replaced by ono of 13in pipes. A culvert i on the Moneymoro road, which had fallen . in at- ono end, has been repaired and lengthened. The gravelling of portion of road past Mr D.. Clark's at Moneymoro has been completed. Maintenance gravel has been spread on tho Kaitangata-to-Wangaloa road. A start has been made with the grading on Lakeside road, Lovcll's Flat. Ono man has been employed during tho month cleaning tho Clarksville maul drain. Nothing has teen done so far with tho removing of willows from tho Tokomairiro River. Permission has beep given Mr Win. Smaill to lift acd clean out a culvert opposite his property at Inchclutha. It is necessary that a man bo employed for a week or two in cleaning tho bunches of weeds from Lakes Canal whilst the water is low. Slip on river bank at Inchclutha: Having inspected this slip, I find there is about 6ft of water at the deepest part, which requires repairing; and as the willows which were placed in tho washed-out portion aro growing, I would suggest that a breastwork of strong willow poles be driven in on. the water front, also a row or two at the back, and that willow facines be secured along tho full length of tho washout, and filled in behind, with i earth to make up tho road leveL _ Bridges: Tho work of renewing Flett'e bridge, consisting of new corbels, beams, and decking, is now complete, The small bridge at Glanora was damaged during the month by a waggon getting off the wheel-planks aid breaking through the decking. This has been repaired. All the planks in stock, together* with three new beams, have been put in on the Taieri Ferry bridge during the month. As the decking is in very bad order over a largo portion of this bridge, it is . necessary that it be renewed, and I recommend tint 100 planks bo obtained each month until this work is completed. Contracts: The contract for metalling on Butt' road under Government vote is now complete, also tho metalling oontract at Louden's Gully. The work on other contracts under Government votes is being pushed on as fast as possible. . . It was decided to consult tho Taien Comity with reference to the recommendations about tho Taieri bridge.—Cr Haggart 'expressed the opinion that a. chargo should bo made against each riding for the use of the grader at so much per day.—The report was adopted, and aocounts passed for payment.

COEEESTONTOjSCE. The District stating that he could not seo tis' way to agree to the council's proposal to expend the Waihola to Ouseburn Valley grano in replacing the bridgo over the Ouseburn Valley Creek. On that portion of the road for which the subsidy was voted by Parliament metalling was necessary, and he wat) of opinion that the amount should bo spent in metalling in that locality, any necessary work in connection with the bridge being a charge upon the county funds.—Received.

Tho" assistant Department of Internal Affairs, wrote stating that tho poll in connection with tho proposal to include portion of Biuco County in. the Borough of Milton had been duty carried, and that the neccssary Orders-in-Council altering tho boundaries of the Borough of Milton and directing which local body was to defray the costs of tho poll, would be issued shortly—Received. Dr Parsons, Taieri Ferry, wroto applying for permission to extend the protection fence on 'the ferry sido of the trough along tho river bank [or four or fivo chains,—Tho application was declined, K. Campbell, Dromore, wrote asking that part of his rates be expended on. the road leading to Narrowdiale.—lnspector to report to next meeting.

W. J. Asher, Lovell's Flat, wrote stating that the formation at Robson's corner was not above an ordinary high lake. Metal on 6uch a read would go down, and leave a bog as before. Ho asked tho, council to r&eivo his letter as sufficient notice to clear fences and obstructions oil tho oorrect road--lino between section I, block VII, and section 7, block VL Drainage pipes had been laid on the lake frontage, but not on tho roadlino. Ho drew the council's attention to tho fact that councillors .wero personally liable for moneys 6pent on undedioated roade, and that ratepayers could recover tho same.—Cr Clark, the member for the riding, said ho had received no word of this letter, and on th'o motion of Cr Haggart, seconded by Cr Russell, it was decided not to receive the letter.

Adam King, Stony Creek, wrote offering that if tho council would spend £40 on metalling the road from Mr G> Harvey's past tho writer's fence ho -would) do all tho grading that was required freo .of charge. Tho road jvas aJmost impassable during the previous -winter—On tho motion of Cr Begg it was decided to instruct the inspector to 'visit tho road and seo if tho work could carried out as requested for the sum mentioned.

Tho clerk of tho Balmoral Road Board wrote stating that tho board wa6 prepared

to pay into tho Bruco County Fund account the sums of £45 13s, Id and £59 2s 6d for works on roads, in tho "Waitahuna West subdivision, and tl:o sum of £j)5 4s 5d for works on roads in the Hillend subdivision of the road district. Tho money would be paid on tho certificato of the inspector that tho sums.had been expended on works as described.—Received. Smith and Hurlby, Inchclutha, wrote asking permission to lay a l|in pipe across tho road to the river- besido their property at Inchclutha, —Permission granted. TENDERS. The following tenders wero accepted:— Grading on Mulrine's road, Inchclutha, M'Kinlay and Kirkness's tender (accepted up to £20).; five chains metalling on Butt road, D. Allison, £3 15s per chain; cleaning Southbridge main drains, 119 chains at 2s 8d per chain, W. Newell; cleaning Southbridgo 6mall drain, 119 chains at 2s per chain, W. Newell; gravelling and formation, Kaitangata cemetery road, A. M'Laughlan, £23 10s. It was decided to call for tenders for. the ercction of a fence for tho deviation at Mitchell's; for 10 chains of metalling on the Mount Stuart road; for five chainsof metalling at Manson's; for four chains gravelling on tho Table Hill road and 25 yards of metal for repairs. GENERAL. • The financial statement for tho month of February showed receipts amounting to £1297 lis 2d and expenditure- to £1445 12s. It was decided to havo the ditches about which complaint had been made running between Macphcrson's and Graham's on the Berwick sido of Lake 37Paihola cleaned out and. tho spoil placed on the road, making tho width of it Bft, and also to have two bad holes on thie road filled in.

The Ranger reported that he had found 33 cattle and nine horses wandering on the oounty roads during tho month of February.—Received.

Customs gold declarations showed that tho following monthly amounts of gold had been purchased from the Bruoe County:— October, 68oz; November, 112oz; December, 430z; January, 250z. On the motion of Cr Haggart it_ was decided to suo for all rates outstanding after March 31 without further notice. The Chairman stated that on March 31 of last year there was about £1600 of general rates outstanding. All that was now collected with the exception of £10 or £11.

On tho motion of Cr Begg it was decided to expend on grading and metalling Smith's road and Craig's to Creamery road tho unexpended balanco of £136 remaining over from a- loan of £2600.

On tli© motion of Cr King the inspector was instructed to arrange to close with Mr Macintosh's offer for maintenance metal at 5s 6d a yardfor roads in Balmoral. It was decided) to proceed with the erection of a new bridge at tho Ouseburn Valley. Tho inspector was instructed'' to make an estimate of the quantities of maintenance metal required in tho various ridings, and to report to next meeting. The clerk was instructed to write to Messrs Scott and Malcolm, M.P.'s, with regard to the expenditure of tho grants for bridges at Glenoro and Clymer's (Mount Stuart).

SPECIAL MEETING. -A special meeting of tlio council was held to consider two proposed alterations in the by-laws controlling heavy traffic within the county. Tho first alteration was to increase the licensing fee for heavy vehicles from £1 to £3, ami the seoond was to shorten a piece of road prohibited to motor traffic by omitting from a clause all the words after "Riveredale road" and substituting therefor tho words "from tho South Western corner of section 43, block 11, Hillend District, to tho south-western corner of section 72, block HI, Hillend district." Tho resolutions were formally considered and passed without comment, and will come up for confirmation at another special meeting next month.