WAIKOUAITI COUNTY COUNCIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15823, 23 July 1913, Page 7

WAIKOUAITI COUNTY COUNCIL

The usual monthly meeting of the Waikemaiti County Council, held yesterday, was attended by Crs Orbell (111 the cliau;, il'CJill, Kilpatrick, Luley, Foote.

INSPECTOR'S REFOI.I. The Inspector submitted the lollowing reports on the progress of works in the various ridings:— Hawksbury Riding.—The surfacing on Trotter's Creek road lias been completed, and the surfacingi and gravelling on Slaughterhouse road has been done. , Maxwell's read has been surfaced from the railway crossing to the top of Maxwell's Hill., The culvert covers for M'Allum's road are at Tumai Railway Station, and wall be put on as soon as the weather permits. The pipes for'the Wairanga siding are on the ground, and will be put in during the month. The culvert covers on the Flag Swamp road show signs of decay and require renewing. There is also a willow growing at the lower end of th'.s culvert which requires removing as it hinders the flow of the water.—Approved. Merton Riding.—The footpath at Warrington has been finished, and 26 yards of metul broken for Prydc's roud. This is ready to be put on, but it will require to be done in tlio tpring as the road is too soft at present. Tiio spauls oil this road .have been broken., 1 and a commencement has been made to put the protective planks along the embankment on the Merton Railway Station road. The metal contract on Donald's road is making fair progress, and 80 yards of stone have been put on the road, and 60 yards of metal have been broken in the quarry ready to put on when the road is in a fit 6tate to receive it. Porteous road has been formed and the scrub cut on Padget's road.—Approved.

North-lSast Valley Riding.—The water tables on Hall road have been cleaned out and tho Reservoir 'road surfaced. The. Main road from Sawyers' Bay to Port Chalmers has been repaired, and ashes will be put on the footpaths as they are procurable. Hanson's ford has Ijeen repaired, and tho handrail oil the footbridge at this ford has Jwen repaired. The formation contract on Holmes's Bush road is making fair

progress.—Approved, Bhieskin Riding.—The metal contract on M'Kcrror's road lias been inspected by the Government engineer and passed a 6 satisfactory. Owing to the soft state of the formation at tlie top end of the Quarry road tho metalling of it had to be put of? at present until the weather is more suitable. Tho handrail on Mitchell's bridge ha 6 been repaired, and a portion of the dccking renewed. Two groins Jiavc been put in above the bridge, and will be a means of protection to the road. A commencement has been made to put the stone on He.v ; ward's Point road. The Waitati-Wakari road is rutted in several places, and requires

100 .yards of maintenance metal to put it in order, at an estimated cost of £37 10s. The road on ,the flat from the junction of roads at Downs to Wetherstones also requires 70, yards of metal, at an estimated cost of £24 10s. The road from Wetherstone's to Stewart's gate is in a bad state and requires a coat of eight yards of metal over 6ix chains, at an -estimated cost of £16 16s.—Ur Kilpatrick stated that the latter part of this report opened up the whole question of heavy traffic. He had tried to come to some arrangement "with Mr Sime, and also with the North-Kast Valley, but had not been able to do so.— Cr Foote said that if public opinion in Waitati had nof been against the council making a charge on Mr S : ine they would have done so, but if he was going to be let off the council would have to pay it. He would suggest that the road on the Hat from the junction of the roads at Downs to Wetherstone's should be attended to.—Cr Kilpatrick said he would offer no objection to the roads being repaired ;f those responsible for the heavy traffic would pay an equitable proportion of the cost.— It was finally decided to call for tenders

for 'th\> portion of the work, and also that the chairman and the members for the

riding (Cra Foote 'and_ Kilpatrick) should visit to Waitati-Wakari road and report at tho next meeting of the council as to its general condition. It was decided that they should interview Mr Sinae and ascertain'what! he was prepared to do to make good the damages he had caused by extraordinary traffic from his sawmill. —Tlie report was then adopted. rCORRESrONDENCE.

The Public Works Department wrote giving, the council authority for the expenditure of votes as follow: —Murdering Beach road, £50; Wilson's road (£1 for £1), £50; Karitane protective road, £50; Island roatj (£1 for £1), £50;Brightlingroad (£lfor£l), £50; Waikouaiti Native reserve, from railway crossing to section 45, £300, —Rcccived. The Department of Agriculture wrote forwarding slaughterhouse licenses for Messrs H. Carson, Chesney Bros., J. O'Connell, A. W. Douglas, R. Holland, and G. J. Carling.—Received. ' H. Macandrew, district railway engineer, wrote stating that it had been found that the drain pipes at the entrance to the Wairunga station were somewhat small, and it, had, therefore, been decided to replace them by Sin pipes—Received. ' J. R. Ronton, inspector of noxious weeds, wrote drawing the council's attention to the fact that sweetbriar 1 . blackberry, ragwort, and- Californian thistle were growing on the foreshore between Waikouaiti and Port Chalmers, and asking that tile matter receive attention.—The Chairman expressed the opinion that the council was not liable for weeds growing on the foreshore, and it was decided to refer the writer to the Marine Department. J. L". Stewart Wright, acting secretary of the Dunedin Expansion League, wrote with reference to the putting of the Leith Valley-Waitati road in repair. His league had written to Parliament asking for a grant, and felt that an application from the council would lend weight to the request The report forwarded by Mr M'Curdie (citj engineer) 6tated that the cost of puttinp the road in good order for motors wouk be £736 15s, and recommended that th< Government should bo asked for £1000.— Cr Kilpatrick said the council was ven much interested in that road, and he wouk move that the league's request for the gran be supported.—Cr Laley seconded tin motion, which was carried unanimously.Tlie Chairman said lie would intervicv Messrs Clark and Lee, M.P.6, when in Wei lington. J. G. Williamson (Nenthorn) wrote askmj for permission to take some rotten rocl from a road cutting near -his property.Graaited. subject to approval of inspector A. M'Dougall, secretary of the Otag< Motor Club, wrote asking the- council b have the Main road placed in' better onde between the Junction School and Waitat-i and offering a contribution of £5 toward the work.—lnspector to report on cost c putting the road in order from the souther boundary of the county to Evansdale, aftc which the Motor Club will be asked wha portion of exoenditure it will bear. - J. 11. Roohfort and 27 other, ratepayer wrote directing the council's attention t

tho bad condition of the road leading from ■■ the Main road to' the Evansdalo railway station. They asked that it be . soon as possible, for it was a, source of great inconvenience in its present condition. —It is was decided to have the matter at-" ... tended to at once. A circular letter was received from the Te Awannitu Chamber of Commerce with regard, to level crossings.—'The Chairman expressed the opinion that the council; should heartily' support the resolutions," especially the portion relating to a. signalling ~..( or blocking device, and a motiou to this' effect was carried unanimously. Mr B. B. Couston. County Engineer, wrote forwarding the plan required' for preliminary purposes in connection with tho proposed deviation of the Murdering Beach ' road.—Tho Chairman remarked that the 1 amount of land requiring to be closed was 2 acres 3 roods >21 poles, and the amount required from Mr Fitzgerald was 2 acres'! rood 21 poles, the difference being only about half an acre.—The plan was approved and it was decided to comply with the necessary formalities.

GKXKRAL. The Finance Committee reported that accounts amounting to £441 16s 6d had been passed for payment. . " TC'r Kilpatrick referred to the matter of valuation, and expressed the opinion that this should be kept up to date, as the council was not getting its full revenue from that source. His remarks referred especially to the Merton Riding, where a number-;of valuable now buildings had recently fyceii erected.—The Chairman explained that tho Valuation Department, was extremely busy, and it would be rather difficult, to remedy the matter. Ho would, however, make repwjentations to the Valuation 'Department when in Wellington. ■ The Clerk rqiorted that the rates in the various ridings had' increased as follows during the year 1912-1913':—North-Enst Valley, from £265 13s 2d to £274 18s ,9d; Blueskin, from £557 14s to £559 15s 1<1; Merton, from £617 8s 6d to £646 lis.'2d; Hawksbury, from £835 12s to £883 6s lOd; [ —making a total increase of £88 4s 2d. '

The Chairman mentioned that a lkr£e' number of individuals and public bodies had been cited for a dispute with tho Otago General Labourers' Union, to be hpard before the Conciliation Council on Saturday, July 26. Ho then proceeded to read., tho conditions of wages"and'labour that'had been drawn up by the union.—lt was decided to leave the matter of arranging for the council's representation at the dispute in the hands of Cr Kilpatrick. On the motion of Cr M'CJill, it was decided to erect on the new bridge at Evo'tlsdale a tablet containing the date of iln erection and the names of Mi' Lee, M.P., the engineer, the contractor, and the inspector. '