TAIERI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17532, 25 January 1919, Page 8

TAIERI COUNTY COUNCIL.

Or Christie presided. over the monthly meeting of the Taieri County Council yesterday. KEPOETS. ! The Sanitary Inspector reported having inspected all the slaughter-houses in the county during the month, and found them all in good order; but there was no proper water supply yet at the one he had reported on at last mepting.—Received. The Finance Committee reported that the receipts for the past five weeks had been £542 2s 2d, and the bank book showed a debit balance of £5938 18s sd. The expenditure had been £1121 14s Id. —Adopted. The Engineer reported as'follows-:—"The quarry squad . and the Outram casuals are working in two gangs at Matarae and Mount Piri on road construction and metalling works. Ruihven'a teams completed gravel repairs at Middlemarch and shifted camp to Matarae. The bridge carpenters, with the assistance o'f three surfacemen, are redecking the West Taieri bridge with miro from Southland. M'ColPs teams will finish work at Brighton this week, and next attend to the gravel repairs on the Coast road. The works enumerated will take ] most of my labour for the next two months. There is a bad slip on the Otokia-Kuri road, beyond Stevenson' 3, which will be a costly matter to deal with, and' I ask authority before commencing work. The ground is full of. water and will not carry the,.weight of road embankment without drainage and support. All necessary con eenta except /that of -the Education Board have been obtained to the Whare Flat gravelling' proposal, and on receipt of the board's authority I propose to call tenders for the work. Last Thursday Mr Todd provided a motor tractor and gave a trial,. .with plough and grader on 20 chains of roadworic at North Taieri. The test was more in the way of a preliminary to ascertain the best means of coupling the machines, but it was quite evident that lie tractor could 'do the work ' of six horses and then have power in reservo. Mr Todd has promised to give another dav or two if preferred in order to afford the members of the Motor Club and others" interested' an opportunity of seeing the tractor :at work on road formation ana grading. The chairman suggested that the county might hire lihe tractor for a month's trial, as there is much to learn that could only be worked out by tne men in carrying out different kinds of work." In connection with the Otokia-Kuri Bush road, the matter was loft in the hands of the chairman and the engineer, with power to act. The chairman and engineer were empowered to make arrangements for a further trial of a tractor if they deemed it expedient ' OTBKESPONDEJJCB. Tne Lake County Council sought support to a motion asking the Government to take action to combat the kea pest. —Resolved to support the motion. Colonel J. Cowie Nicholla wrote regarding trees as memorials to our fallen soldiers. A proposal was before the Waitaki County Council to plant single tfeea at mile posts throughout the county.—Held over till next meeting. The Otago Motor Club approached the council in regard to altering Nottage'3 corner (Middlemarch), to give a clear view of. the road to travellers approaching the place. The club also asked for permission to erect danger signs on the north side of Harvey's Creek, Shannon Hill,_ halfway down the Sutton, and a direction sign at Clark's Junction directing to Middlemarch.—To be attended to. ; The Commissioner of Crown Lands wrote as to the widening of Gladbrook Farm road to a chain in widbh>. He could not see the slightest necessity for increasing the road to the width mentioned. Only about 25ft would be actually used, and the balance- would just grow grass and-. perhaps noxious weeds.—The council expressed its disappointment with the answer to the letter, and appointed the chairman'and engineer to interview the Commissioner. ■ James Callaghan, Brighton road, Green Island, applied for the right to dose the road leading into his property, between Alexander's and Dunlop's, clear of. all entrances.—Referred to the member for the ridmg to report at next meeting. , Michael Harty complained of the dangerous driving, of Williams and Hobbs's motor 1 Brighton, round the most dangerous 1 corner at the cliffs.—Other complaints were voiced about the same matter.—lt was resolved to write to the owner of the car. Mr R. C. Moore asked the council to reconsider the. application for remission of rent due by the Deep Stream Gold Mining Company (Ltd.). —Declined. ; Wither Bros, forwarded copy of conditions under which they, were prepared to erant permission to use portion of their paddock at Berwick as a temporary roadway. • The Onrfcram Town. Board asked for a sniibsidy towards repairs to Oatram pound. Engineer to inspect and furnish' an estimate of cost. .

The Tuapeka County Council, in reply to the council's letter, notified that that bodv could not see its way to agree to the proposed erection of a bridge over Broad Creek. —It was resolved that a suitable traffic bridge be erected. . A large number of ratepayers in Otokia Riding petitioned the council as to the gravelling of Beach road, from, Mrs ' Mee's to Taieri Mouth. The petition was supported by Messrs Charles and Leitch, who pointed out the disadvantage the farmers were in on account of the state of this road. —A lengthy discussion followed in whioh it was pointed oat that tile Otokia Riding simply could not afford the work, which would cost about £2000. It was decided that tiie council approach th© Government with a view to a grant for the work; that endeavours be made to pet the Minister,of Public Works to visit the locality during his visit to Otago next month, and that the council and ratepayers meet him on the ground; and that the Bruce Council and residents on -the Bruce side of the river, and also the Otago Motor Club, be approached' for support. GENEEAL. Some accounts in connection with the recent epidemic at Middlemarch were placed before the council. One of these, forwarded by the Railway Hotel proprietor, contained items for horso hire at the rate of £2 per day. As the horse and gig mentioned were not obliged to go beyond three milea and a-balf from the hotel—and that in daylight—the charge was considered excessive Other items in the bfll were considered "stiff," but the council coald hardly question them.

Cr Doherty asked if anything had been done regarding the fence across Oafcnun Glen Creek, complained of by the Outram Domain Board at last meeting.—The derk replied tlwrt _ the solicitors had -been communicated with, but no reply had been received to date.

The clerk reported that as a result of the reduced valuations of properties concerned in M'lutosh's road loan, the rate did not bring in what was required. It would be necessary to increase the rate, or have the authority of the Auditor-general to pay the shortage from the general fund.—lt was decided to adopt the latter course. The tender of the Otago Farmers' Cooperative Association, £3 12s lid. per 100 was accepted for a supply of dog collars. The statutory half-holiday was fixed for Thursday.

The dog tax was fixed at the same rate as last year.

Cγ Kempshell reported regarding an interview with the ■Western Taieri Drainage Board in the matter of a river bank road near Hesnley. The board would keep the .bank up to the original height if the eounoil would surface the road on top.—Agreed.

Two htmdred thousand pounds of lemondrore; an l rationed each month to the United States army.